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The printer often has a bad reputation — something that rarely works, or is always out of ink — often because of the complexity of commercial and office printers. But these at-home models should be simple to set up and use regularly as you see fit. Some even come with companion smartphone apps for printing from a smartphone or tablet. What makes a good printer will vary depending on your needs. Monochrome laser printers are handy for printing paper documents, whereas you might need a color printer with the capacity to print on thick, glossy paper if you’re a photographer wanting to show off your print photos.
To provide you with the best printer buying advice, I spoke to multiple printer experts and gathered highly-rated printer models from the top manufacturers around.
SKIP AHEAD The best printers | How to shop for the best printers | Why trust NBC Select?
How we picked the best printers
When picking these suggestions, I drew on the advice of other gadget reporters and printer specialists, while also using my expertise as a consumer technology journalist for CNET, TechRadar and NBC Select. When choosing individual models, I kept the below criteria in mind:
- Image quality: You’ll want to make sure your printer outputs in a suitable resolution, whether for text documents or high-quality prints. If the printer comes with a scanner and copier, they may only handle a reduced resolution.
- Features: Printers can do a lot more than just pushing toner onto paper. We looked for models with additional connectivity features, two-sided printing and scan/copy functionality where possible.
- Speed: If you’re printing in bulk or prone to last-minute tasks, then a good print speed is crucial to keep things moving.
The best printers
Best monochrome printer
Canon ImageCLASS MF455dw
- Great value
- High speed printing
- Only black and white
This Canon laser printer is “outstanding value for the price”, according to Scott Bordman, a printer specialist and owner of Cartridge World of Wayne in New Jersey. He says the MF455dw is great for “a home office where there is a larger volume of printing”, thanks to its 40 ppm speed and ability to stack up to 900 pages in its sheet tray. It comes with a convenient mobile app as well as a 5-inch touchscreen. There’s also a scanner for copying, uploading and faxing documents.
Brand: Canon | Type: Laser | Dimensions: 17.8 x 18.3 x 15.4 in. | Color: Monochrome | Paper tray: 8.5 x 14 in. | PPM (Prints Per Minute): 40 | Sheet Capacity: 900 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, USB 3.0 | Weight: 35.7 lbs
Best all-in-one printers
Brother MFC-L3720CDW
- Fax, scanner and copier
- Color printing
- Low copy resolution
Bordman considers the Brother MFC-L3720CDW a “very good option” for those with varied home office needs. This MFC (Multi-Function Center) model packs in not just a printer, but also a scanner, copier and fax machine. It also features two-sided printing and full-color printing, with a print resolution of 2400 x 600 dpi (dots per inch). However, copies will only come through at 600 x 600 dpi.
Brand: Brother | Type: Laser | Dimensions: 16.1 x 17.5 x 15.8 in. | Color: Yes | Paper tray: 8.5 x 14 in. | PPM (Prints Per Minute): 19 | Sheet Capacity: 250 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Mopria, USB | Weight: 44 lbs
Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw
- Color printing
- Fax, scanner and copier
- Average resolution
This Canon printer is another MFC model recommended by Bordman, packing in a laser printer, scanner, fax and copier. It has a capable print speed of 22ppm, and it is slightly cheaper than the Brother MFC-L3720CDW. Its max resolution is only 1200 x 1200 dpi for prints and its copies come through at the same level of image quality.
Brand: Canon | Type: Laser | Dimensions: 18.2 x 17.8 x 16.3 in. | Color: Yes | Paper tray: 8.5 x 14 in. | PPM (Prints Per Minute): 22 | Sheet Capacity: 250 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, AirPrint, Mopria, USB 2.0 | Weight: 48.5 lbs
Best printers for large photographs
Epson SureColor P900
- 17-inch width
- Excellent color and detail
- Slow speed
Professional photographer and printing specialist Keith Cooper recommends the Epson P900 for color photography and prints. It can print up to 11 x 17 inch sheets of paper, hold 120 sheets in its tray, and deploy an astonishing level of color and resolution (5760 x 1440 pixels). There’s also a dedicated app for Windows, MacOS and iOS, though this printer is best used for photo printing rather than everyday documents, given it prioritizes image quality over speed.
Brand: Epson | Type: Inkjet | Dimensions: 14.7 x 18.6 x 29.3 in. | Color: Yes | Paper tray: 11 x 17 in. | PPM (Prints Per Minute): 1 | Sheet Capacity: 120 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, USB 3.0 | Weight: 35.3 lbs
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500
- Cheap to run
- Hi-res scanner
- No cartridges
For “best all round value, especially for getting into better quality photo/art printing”, Cooper recommends this Epson EcoTank ET-8500 model. It uses low-cost ink bottles rather than pricey cartridges, making this a budget-friendly printer in the long run, while a high-resolution scanner makes it a great multipurpose tool “for some home office use.”
Brand: Epson | Type: Inkjet | Dimensions: 29.8 x 20.6 x 16.9 in. | Color: Yes | Paper tray: 13 x 19 in. | PPM (Prints Per Minute): 12-16 | Sheet Capacity: 100 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, AirPrint, Mopria, USB 3.0, SD Card | Weight: 24.5 lbs
How to shop for the best printers
To get the best printer buying advice, we spoke to Gregory Carafello, printer hardware expert and President of Cartridge World. “When buying a home printer, you first want to figure out what your needs are for the printer,” says Carafello. “Do you need one with a feeder, scanner or copier mechanism? Do you need full-color or simply mono-chrome black? Do you need one-sided or two-sided? How much do you think you are going to print? These should be the first questions you ask internally before beginning to shop.”
- Size and speed: Carafello advises shoppers to look at the size of the printer, to ensure it fits in your intended spot, as well as checking wireless capability to make sure you can print from any room. “It is also good to look for print speeds between 5-6 seconds to avoid long wait times, which can be especially important if you typically print at high volumes,” he says.
- Paper tray: You’ll also want to check that the paper tray is suitable for the size of paper you plan on using. While most models will use ‘legal size’ (8.5x14 in. or smaller), others may have slightly different specifications. Carafello adds “It would also be beneficial to have a paper tray that can hold a minimum of 500 sheets, particularly if you are printing at a higher volume.”
- Cost per sheet: “Lastly, the cost of operations should be looked at in regards to the cost per sheet (CPS) comparatively to the toner cartridge yield,” says Carafello. “To calculate this, you would take the price of the cartridge and divide that by the yield per cartridge volume to get the cost per sheet. This will help you make the most cost-effective decision.”
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Gregory Carafello is a former Canon employee and current President of Cartridge World, where he has worked since 2003. He has 41 years of experience in printer hardware, fax, toner and large format printing.
- Keith Cooper is the chief photographer for Northlight Images, a commercial photography business, runs a YouTube channel where he reviews cameras and printing equipment.
- Scott Bordman is the owner of Cartridge World in Wayne, New Jersey. He’s a printer specialist with years of experience servicing the home printer market.
Why trust NBC Select?
I have worked as a gadget reporter since 2017, covering the latest developments in consumer hardware, from TVs and headphones to smart speakers and VR headsets. I previously worked as the News & Features Editor at TechRadar and now freelance for NBC Select, Healthline and The Independent.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
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