Most of us have some type of home office by now, thanks to hybrid working schedules. Your setup should include a printer, and if you don’t yet have one as part of your home office, you’ve come to the right place.
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When it comes to printers you can utilize in your home, it’s best to stick to inkjet, photo, or laser printers. Any of these types of printers are great for work, school, crafts, or general household operations like printing out recipes or to-do lists.
Myself and other ZDNET experts have analyzed the best printers within each category no matter what your home setup looks like.
Also: The best cheap printers (starting at ($105)
An inkjet printer is simply a printer that uses ink to print documents. However, these devices have come a long way from the frustrating days of frustration when you ran out of ink. Now, inkjet printers have zero-waste cartridges, connection to Wi-Fi and cloud services, and the ability to print directly from your smartphone.
Pros
- Long-lasting ink bottles
- Zero cartridge waste
- Smartphone and tablet printing
Cons
- Installer software can be difficult
Epson EcoTank ET-3760 features: Scan, copy, and print two-sided | Voice-activated printing | 8 ppm (color), 15 ppm (monochrome)
The EcoTank printer comes with ink tanks that can be refilled from bottled ink. Epson estimates that one set of ink bottles provides the equivalent of about 80 cartridges. If you print often, especially in color, this cartridge-free approach can save you a lot of money.
The EcoTank’s print speed is 15 pages per minute for black and white, and 8 pages per minute for color. Additionally, this unit includes Wi-Fi direct so you can print without connecting to a router. A big advantage is that it includes enough ink to print 7,500 pages in black and 6,000 in color, which may justify the printer’s upfront cost.
In addition, it has an auto-document feeder, two-sided printing, and activation compatibility for even more productivity.
Pros
- Mobile printing with HD smart app
- Ink delivery to your home
- Copy and scan
Cons
- Not touchscreen
- Low paper capacity
HP DeskJet 3755 features: 3 color options | 60-sheet input tray and 25-sheet output tray | 5.5 ppm (color), 8 ppm (monochrome)
While the standout feature of this printer is its price, it’s worth noting that you’ll never have to run to the store when you run out of ink again. This printer already includes two full cartridges in the box, and with the HP Instant Ink subscription, you can get your first four months free. After the trial period, you’ll pay less than $1 per month, with shipping and ink cartridge recycling included.
This Deskjet 3755 printer is cloud-enabled and connects via Wi-Fi. It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa, allowing for voice controls. You can scan documents directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud. It can print from 3.5 inches all the way up to 8.5 x 14 inches, and can even handle envelopes.
Plus, it features a 60-sheet paper tray and can print at 8 pages per minute in black and 5.5 pages per minute in color.
Pros
- Under $100
- Lightweight
- Fast scanner
Cons
- Two-sided printing could be higher quality and faster
Canon Pixma MG3620 features: 3 color options | Auto 2-sided print | 5.7 ppm (color), 9.9 ppm (monochrome)
If you’re looking for a quality printer for less than $100, this is the one. You can print from your Android or iOS device, as well as your computer, via Wi-Fi. Additionally, you can quickly scan and copy documents.
The Canon Pixma can print at a speed of 9.9 pages per minute for black and white and 5.7 pages per minute for color. It also has a larger 100-sheet paper tray.
This printer’s wireless setup is seamless and easy, allowing you to start printing quickly.
Also: See how the top 10 inkjet printers compare: Epson, HP, Brother, and more
Photo printers offer a wide variety of formats along with some unexpected gimmicks. Interestingly, two of our top photo printers are from the old school film brands: Fujifilm and Kodak. Somehow, that’s comforting.
I’ve included smaller photo printers that are for more casual and fun printing, as well as one high-quality option for those photos that you want to frame and remember.
Pros
- Wide color gamut, separate matte black and photo black inkwells
- 1.28-inch print nozzle head for an increased printing surface
- A plugin, print studio for last-minute enhancements
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 features: 17-inch printer | 11-color setup | Chroma Optimizer ink system
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 printer is for those looking to maximize the quality of their images in hard copy. The 17-inch wide-format printer comes with an 11-color setup, the Chroma Optimizer ink system, air feed, and nozzle monitor to improve the print speed and hardware performance.
At $850, it’s obviously an expensive printer, but it prints high-quality photos. Therefore, if you’re a professional or photographer, this is the photo printer to get.
Pros
- Portable and lightweight
- Print photos from camera roll
- Add filters and frames to photos
Cons
- Small photos
- Pricey film
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link features: 3 color options | Bluetooth compatible | 12-second printing
This portable printer is more for fun than anything else. It spits out snapshot-sized prints, similar to the size of old-fashioned Polaroid photos. You can add fun filters and frames to your photos, and you can even print photos from videos, making it a fun option to bring to parties or on vacation.
It takes about 12 seconds for a photo to print, and then 90 seconds for it to fully dry. Approximately 100 photos can be printed continuously when fully charged.
Pros
- 4×6 photo size
- Great photo quality
- Border and borderless printing
Cons
- Paper and ink replacements add up
Kodak Dock Premium features: Supports 90 Sheets | Sheet size: 4 x 6 inches | Works with phones and tablets
If you’re looking for a mobile printing solution to produce hard image copies on the go, the Kodak Dock Plus instant photo printer is the best portable option. This mobile printer connects to your Android or iOS mobile device via Bluetooth and is able to print color images at a 4 x 6 ratio, which is arguably one of the most popular image sizes for displaying photos.
This photo printer is for those looking to print photos at a reasonable size with reasonable quality, rather than for professionals or on-the-go fun.
Also: The best photo printers
The main difference between inkjet printers and laser printers is that inkjet printers use ink to print while laser printers use, you guessed it, lasers. Laser printers are best for handling heavy volumes of text-based documents since they print at faster speeds, and they are also more economical/eco-friendly since you won’t have to worry about buying cartridges and the proper ways to dispose of them.
Pros
- Great ppm rate
- Voice-assistant compatible
- Decently priced
Brother HL-L2350DW features: 32 ppm | Amazon Alexa compatible | Wi-Fi printing
This is a monochrome laser printer. That’s it – no faxing, copying, or any of that fancy stuff. It just prints lots of pages quickly and efficiently. The printer itself is relatively compact, offers a 250-sheet paper capacity, and a print speed of 32 pages per minute.
This powerful little printer can connect via USB or Wi-Fi, and you can even print directly from your smartphone. It’s also reasonably priced at $150 on Amazon.
Pros
- Compact
- Fast
- Easy to set up
Cons
- No Wi-Fi connection
- Doesn’t copy or scan
Brother HL-L2300D features: Amazon Alexa compatible | 27 ppm | Automatic 2-sided printing
This printer is an inexpensive workhorse. If you need to print a lot of black and white pages for a reasonable price, this is the printer for you. The Brother printer costs roughly $120 and offers duplex printing at 27 pages per minute. With a 250-sheet paper tray, it’s a capable device.
However, it only connects via USB 2.0 – no Wi-Fi, AirPrint, or Google Cloud Print, not even Ethernet. You just need to plug in a USB cable from your computer to the printer and print away.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Simple to use
Cons
- Resolution isn’t the best
- Wi-Fi connection issues
HP LaserJet M110w features: 21 ppm | HP Smart app | Weighs 8.34 pounds
Most laser printers are pretty large, but if your home office is a smaller space, this printer is only 7.45 x 13.63 x 6.26 inches, meaning it can fit comfortable on your desk.
It connects over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB, and can print up to 21 ppm. This printer utilizes the HP Smart App so you can print, scan and copy from your phone — from anywhere.
Also: See how we rank the top 9 laser printers: HP, Canon, Xerox and more
The best inkjet printer is the Epson EcoTank ET-2760 Wireless Color All-in-One, the best photo printer is the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000, and the best laser printer is the Brother HL-L2350DW.
Printer |
Price |
Speed (pages per minute for monochrome) |
Type |
Epson EcoTank ET-2760 |
$380 |
15 ppm |
Inkjet |
HP DeskJet 3755 |
$105 |
8 ppm |
Inkjet |
Canon Pixma MG3620 |
$70 |
9.9 ppm |
Inkjet |
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 |
$850 |
1ppm |
Photo |
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Smartphone Printer |
$110 |
12-second printing |
Photo |
Kodak Dock Premium |
$139 |
1 ppm |
Photo |
Brother HL-L2350DW |
$150 |
32 ppm |
Laser |
Brother HL-L2300D |
$120 |
27 ppm |
Laser |
HP LaserJet M110w |
$119 |
21 ppm |
Laser |
While each of these printers is a great pick for your home office, it ultimately depends if you want an inkjet, photo, or laser printer. Plus, is speed or printer size more important to you? Consider how you’ll use the printer and how much you’re willing to spend, too.
Choose this printer… |
If you want… |
Epson EcoTank ET-2760 |
The best overall option that will save you money on ink cartridges. |
HP DeskJet 3755 |
An all-in-one inkjet printer that has an ink cartridge subscription so you never run out. |
Canon Pixma MG3620 |
A budget-friendly inkjet printer under $100 that prints fast. |
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 |
A photo printer for professionals for high-quality photos. |
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link |
A mini photo printer that’s portable and fun. |
Kodak Dock Premium |
A printer that can print 4×6 photos and works with phones and tablets. |
Brother HL-L2350DW |
The best laser printer you can buy that prints at 32 ppm. |
Brother HL-L2300D |
A laser printer with solid features at low price of $120. |
HP LaserJet M110w |
A compact and wireless laser printer for small home office spaces. |
I chose these printers through a combination of extensive research and testing the products myself. I paid attention to customer reviews and ratings, pricing, renowned brands, and different features each printer has.
When buying a printer, you’ll want to pay attention to various things, including type (inkjet, photo, laser, etc.), speed (pages per minute), capacity, compatibility, paper handling, energy efficiency, and price, to name a few.
Aside from the overall price, take into consideration additional costs, such as monthly subscriptions or apps as well as ink cartridges.
Most images are in JPEG format, and this is the best-compressed image format for photo printing, especially when printing photographs and artworks. TIFF and PDF formats are also excellent for photo printing.
There are plenty more printers on the market aside from the ones listed above. Here are a few other options to look into for your home office from trusted brands:
BEST PRICE
HP OfficeJet Pro 8025e Wireless Color All-in-One Printer – A fast inkjet printer for at-home needs
This printer is one of the fastest inkjet printers at 20 ppm for black and white and 10 ppm for color.
BEST PRICE
Canon Selphy CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer – A photo printer for water-resistant photos
If you want photos that last, this printer from Canon prints water-resistant 4×6 photos thanks to its Dye-Sub Technology.
BEST PRICE
Pantum P2502W Wireless Laser Printer – An alternative budget-friendly laser printer
At just $85, this laser printer is super cheap, but it also prints 22 pages per minute and comes with a 700-page starter cartridge.