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The 4 Best Home Printers of 2024

We tested printers from Canon, Epson, and HP to find the best models on the market for your home office or small business
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Best Home Printer Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
By Lesley Robinson, Genaveve Bradshaw, and Benjamin Hickok  ⋅  Aug 26, 2024

The Best Home Printers for 2024


We bought 9 of the best home printers and thoroughly tested them side-by-side in our lab. If you need a reliable printer for your home or small office, we've got you covered. We've spent hundreds of hours over the years testing everything from printing speed, text quality, picture quality, ease of use, and setup to lifetime and operating costs. We put together this comprehensive review to help you cut through the noise and make the most informed purchase for your printing needs.

Our tech experts have tested some of printers & scanners on the market. Our in-depth reviews cover everything from scanners and paper shredders for your home office to photo printers and top-ranked wifi extenders to boost your home internet coverage.

Editor's Note: This printer review was updated on August 26, 2024 to remove some discontinued models from Brother and HP from our lineup. We are currently planning an update to this review with a new selection of printers, so stay tuned for that in the coming months.

Top 9 Home Printers - Test Results

Displaying 1 - 9 (scroll right)
 
Awards Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Home Printer
 Best Buy Award
Budget Document Printer
Best Buy Award
Best Budget All-in-One Printer
Top Pick Award
Lowest Operating Costs
    
Price $549 List$450 List
$349.00 at Amazon
$160 List
$159.99 at Amazon
$220 List
$129.99 at Amazon
$280 List
$179.99 at Amazon
$85 List$130 List
$129.99 at Amazon
$80 List
Check Price at Amazon
$100 List
Check Price at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Pros Great text, intuitive interface, fast print speedsFast printing, bright colors for images, great text quality, all in one capabilitiesMultiple connectivity options, straightforward interface, acceptable performance across all metricsSturdy, well-built, awesome interface, strong all-around performanceLow operating costs, multiple functionsLow purchase price, compact size, consistent performanceGood photo quality, lots of connectivity options, compact designGood photo quality, small size, lightweight, decent text qualityRealistic color depiction, all-in-one capabilities
Cons Expensive, large, only okay graphic printingTouchscreen hard to navigate, bulky, unintuitive interfaceLarge footprint, only one paper tray, requires HP inkProprietary ink onlyMediocre image quality, slower printing speedsExpensive operating costs, manual duplex printingConfusing user interface, high long-term operating costsNo display screen, difficult to troubleshoot, costly to maintain, sluggish printing speedsCostly to maintain, slow printing speeds, small display screen
Bottom Line This multi-function printer offers a great balance of quality and versatility for any home officeGreat for an office that is looking for an all-in-one, produces high quality text and images but wouldn't use this printer for printing photosA happy medium of low operating cost with quality document performance makes this printer a good pick for home office useA strong all-around printer where photo and graphic printing, cost efficiency, user interface, and print speed all score wellSuper low operating costs and a wide range of abilities make this printer an affordable optionA very accessible entry cost and solid performance across the board make this printer a great pick, but its long-term operational costs offset some initial savingsA compact pick that is good for occasional home use, although we didn't find it the easiest to useDon't be fooled by the low purchase price - this printer does a decent job, but maintenance comes at a costThis model produces high quality photo prints but rips through pricey ink
Rating Categories HP Color LaserJet P... Canon Color imageCL... HP OfficeJet 8015e... Epson Workforce Pro... Epson EcoTank ET-2800 HP DeskJet 2755e HP Envy 6055e Canon Pixma MG3620 Canon Pixma TR4720
Text Quality (25%)
10.0
10.0
7.0
7.5
6.0
5.3
6.5
3.5
4.5
Graphics and Photos (25%)
5.8
5.0
7.5
6.3
4.8
6.9
7.0
7.6
8.8
Operating Cost (25%)
7.3
7.4
7.3
7.6
10.0
2.2
2.2
4.2
1
Ease of Use (15%)
8.7
6.9
7.8
7.3
6.0
7.8
5.3
5.9
6.8
Printing Speed (10%)
9.2
9.1
7.6
6.8
4.2
5.8
5.4
1.8
3.4
Specs HP Color LaserJet P... Canon Color imageCL... HP OfficeJet 8015e... Epson Workforce Pro... Epson EcoTank ET-2800 HP DeskJet 2755e HP Envy 6055e Canon Pixma MG3620 Canon Pixma TR4720
Type Laser All-in-one laser All-in-one inkjet All-in-one inkjet All-in-one inkjet All-in-one inkjet All-in-one inkjet All-in-one inkjet All-in-one inkjet
Capabilities Print, scan, copy, fax Print, scan, copy, fax Print, scan, copy Print, scan, copy, fax Print, scan, copy Print, scan, copy Print, scan, copy Print, scan, copy Print, scan, copy, fax
Estimated Lifetime Cost of Ownership $972 $862 $646 $634 $301 $1,269 $1,314 $963 $1,449
Resolution (Black) 600 x 600 dpi 1200 x 1200 dpi 1200 x 1200 dpi 4800 x 1200 dpi 5760 x 1440 dpi 1200 x 1200 dpi 1200 x 1200 dpi 600 x 600 dpi 4800 x 1200 dpi
Resolution (Color) 600 x 600 dpi 1200 x 1200 dpi 4800 x 1200 dpi 4800 x 1200 dpi 5760 x 1440 dpi 4800 x 1200 dpi 4800 x 1200 dpi 4800 x 1200 dpi 4800 x 1200 dpi
Supported Paper Sizes Letter(8.5 x 11); Legal(8.5 x 14); Executive(7.2 x 10.5); Oficio 8.5x13(8.5 x 13); 4 x 6(4 x 6); 5 x 8(5 x 8); A4(8.3 x 11.7); A5(5.8 x 8.3); A6(4.1 x 5.8); B5(JIS)(7.2 x 10.1); B6(JIS)(5 x 7.2); 10x15cm (3.9 x 5.9); Oficio 216x340 mm(8.5 x 13.4); 16K 195x270mm(7.6 x 10.6); 16K 184x260mm(7.2 x 10.2); 16K 197x273mm(7.8 x 10.7); Postcard (JIS)(3.9 x 5.8); Double Postcard(JIS)(5.8 x 7.9); Envelope #10(4.1 x 9.5); Envelope Monarch(3.9 x 7.5); Envelope B5(6.9 x 9.8); Envelope C5(6.4 x 9); Envelope DL(4.3 x 8.7); A5-R(8.3 x 5.8); Standard Cassette / 1‐sheet Manual Feed Slot: 3" x 5" to 8.5" x 14" Letter; Legal; Government Legal; Executive; Statement; 4 x 6 in; 5 x 7 in; 13 x 18 cm; 8 x 10 in; 10 x 15 cm; L; Photo 2L; Envelope( #10, Monarch, 5.5 bar); Card (4 x 6 in, 5 x 8 in) 3.5 x 5", 4 x 6", 5 x 7", 8 x 10",8.5 x 11", 8.5 x 14", A4, A6, half letter, executive 4 x 6", 5 x 7", A6, Half Letter, Letter, A4,
Executive, Legal, User definable (from 2.2 x 3.4" to 8.5 x 47.2")
Letter; legal; 4 x 6 in; 5 x 7 in; 8 x 10 in; No. 10 envelopes Letter, 4 x 6", 5 x 7", 8 x 10", No. 10 envelopes 4 x 6", 5 x 7", Letter, Legal, U.S. #10 Envelopes 4" x 6", 5" x 7", 8" x 10", Letter (8.5" x 11"), Legal (8.5" x 14"), U.S. #10
Envelopes
Custom Size: Width: 4" - 8.5" / Length: 6" - 26.6"
Borderless Printing 11: 4"x6", 5"x7", 8"x 10", Letter (8.5"x11")
Measured Dimensions (excludes extensions) 16.5" x 16.6" x 13.2" 17.8" x 18.2" x 16.3" 18.1" x 13.4" x 9.2" 14.8" x 13.7" x 9.1" 14.8" x 22.8" x 10.0" 16.7" x 12" x 6" 17" x 14.2" x 5.2" 17.7" x 12.0" x 6.0" 17.2" x 11.7" x 7.5"
Measured Weight 41.2 lb 48.5 lb 18 lb 15.0 lb 9.3 Ib 7.7 Ib 11.5 lb 11.9 Ib 12.7 lb
Paper Handling Input 250 Sheets 250 Sheets standard cassette, 1 sheet manual feed slot 225 Sheets 250 Sheets 100 Sheets plain paper, 20 sheets
photo paper
60 Sheets 100 Sheets 100 Sheets plain paper or 20 sheet 4 x 6″ photo paper 100 Sheets plain paper
photo paper: 20 sheets 4" x 6″ or 10 sheets 5" x 7"
Monthly Duty Cycle 40,000 Pages Not specified 20,000 Pages 5,000 Pages Not specified 1,000 Pages 1,000 Pages Light-duty use (does not specify beyond this) Not specified
Auto 2-Sided Printing Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Ink Cost per Ream: B/W $26.67 $26.40 $34.98 $28.56 $1.55 $74.96 $74.96 $55.53 $84.95
Ink Cost per Ream: Color $34.40 $31.60 $22.21 $23.94 $0.93 $94.95 $94.95 $72.19 $109.95
Claimed Pages Per Minute 22 22 24 15 10 (black)
5 (color)
8 (black)
6 (color)
10 8 9
Measured Pages per Minute: Single-Sided B/W 19 18 15 24 10 11 13 9 8
Connectivity Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port; built-in Fast Ethernet 10/100/1000 Base-TX network port, 802.11n 2.4/5GHz wireless, Fax port, Front Host USB USB 2.0 High‐Speed, 10/100/1000Base‐T/TX Ethernet (Network), Wi‐Fi 802.11b/g/n, Wi‐Fi Direct Connection 1 Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n 100Mbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, USB 2.0 Hi-Speed USB
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11 b/g/n)9
Wi-Fi Direct
Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n; 1 Hi-Speed USB 2.0 1 Hi-Speed USB 2.0; 1 Wi-Fi 802.11ac (dual band) with Bluetooth 4.2 Hi-Speed USB PictBridge (Wireless LAN)10 Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11b/g/n) Hi-Speed USB
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n wireless networking, 2.4 GHz)1
Wireless Direct Connection (Access Point Mode Only)
Wireless Connect9
Operating System Compatibility Windows 11; Windows 10; Windows 8; Windows 8.1; Windows 7; Windows Vista; Windows Server; macOS 10.12 Sierra; macOS 10.13 High Sierra; macOS 10.14 Mojave; macOS 10.15 Catalina; Linux; UNIX Windows 11 / 10 / 8.1 / Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 / 2016 / 2019 / 2022, Mac OS X (10.11 or later) Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7,Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit, Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit (SP1), Windows Server 2012 64-bit, Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit, Windows Server 2016, Chrome OS Windows XP and Windows Vista not supported Windows 10
Windows 8, 8.1 (32-bit, 64-bit)
Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
Mac OS X 10.6 — macOS 10.13.x11
Windows 10, Windows 8, 8.1 (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-
bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Server 10
2003 SP2 or later, 2008, 2008R2, 2012, 2012R2, 2016,
2019, 2016
Mac OS X 10.6.8 — macOS 10.15.x11
Windows 11; Windows 10; Windows 7; macOS 10.12 Sierra; macOS 10.14 Mojave; macOS 10.15 Catalina; macOS 11 Big Sur; Chrome OS Windows 11; Windows 10; Windows 7; macOS 10.12 Sierra; macOS 10.14 Mojave; macOS 10.15 Catalina; macOS 11 Big Sur; Chrome OS Windows:19 Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Vista SP1, Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3 32-bit
Mac:20 Mac OS X v10.7.5 - 10.10
Windows:20 Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 SP1
Mac:21 macOS 10.12.6 — 10.15 (Catalina)
Chromebook Compatible 22
Mobile Operating Systems:23 iOS, iPadOS, AndroidTM


Best Overall Home Printer


HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw


80
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Text Quality 10.0
  • Graphics and Photos 5.8
  • Operating Cost 7.3
  • Ease of Use 8.7
  • Printing Speed 9.2
REASONS TO BUY
Enjoyable interface
Fast printing
Best of the best text quality
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Takes up more space
SPECIFICATIONS
Capabilities Print, scan, copy, fax
Type Laser
Estimated Lifetime Cost of Ownership $972
Resolution (Black) 600 x 600 dpi
Resolution (Color) 600 x 600 dpi
When you need a workhorse of a black and white printer but also want to make swift work of scanning documents, copying, and faxing, then the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw is a go-to choice to meet your needs. Lead tester Lesley Robinson notes, “this premium all-in-one printer really does it all and does it quite well.” You can expect perfect text quality from this model and good photo printing, albeit not as good as printers intended for photo printing. It is also one of the fastest and easiest printers to use, and its operational costs are better than you might expect for such a capable printer.

With many things in life, you get what you pay for. This is the case with the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw. Its premium performance and large array of features come at a premium price, and if we had to quibble, it could be better at color graphic and photo printing. If you want a more affordable model that does a decent job across all our metrics, check out the HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color below.

Read more: HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw review

The impeccable text quality of the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw comes at a premium price.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Budget Document Printer


HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color


74
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Text Quality 7.0
  • Graphics and Photos 7.5
  • Operating Cost 7.3
  • Ease of Use 7.8
  • Printing Speed 7.6
REASONS TO BUY
Connectivity
Easy interface
Good performance across the board
REASONS TO AVOID
Requires HP ink
Single tray
SPECIFICATIONS
Capabilities Print, scan, copy
Type All-in-one inkjet
Estimated Lifetime Cost of Ownership $646
Resolution (Black) 1200 x 1200 dpi
Resolution (Color) 4800 x 1200 dpi
The HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color is an affordable printer that offers a great balance of performance and features for its price. Its text is fairly sharp, and we think most people will be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the text of this model versus that of other premium home printers in our lineup. Additionally, our testers noted, "this model is capable of printing high-quality photographic prints, has relatively low operating costs, is easy to use, and gets simple jobs done swiftly."

The HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color performs well across the board at the trade-off of not being exceptional at any single task. It is essentially the jack of all trades and, albeit quite good at those trades, is the master of none.

Read more: HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color review

The HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color is sure to meet most needs in an affordable way.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Best Budget All-in-One Printer


Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820


71
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Text Quality 7.5
  • Graphics and Photos 6.3
  • Operating Cost 7.6
  • Ease of Use 7.3
  • Printing Speed 6.8
REASONS TO BUY
Sturdy build
Great interface
Large, helpful display screen and interface
REASONS TO AVOID
No auto duplex scanning
Requires the manufacturer's ink
SPECIFICATIONS
Capabilities Print, scan, copy, fax
Type All-in-one inkjet
Estimated Lifetime Cost of Ownership $634
Resolution (Black) 4800 x 1200 dpi
Resolution (Color) 4800 x 1200 dpi
The Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 is the most well-rounded home printer we tested when it comes to performance, all-in-one capabilities, operating costs, and budget. It does everything you could want a printer to do in a home office environment, and it's reasonably priced. Our testing demonstrated that the WF-4820 balances fast reproduction of text and photos without sacrificing a whole lot of quality. Our testers noted the Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 “consistently saw crisp text and vivid colors without serious striping or major artifacts, and it prints quickly.” The setup is intuitive and quick, and the interface is strong, hosting a range of helpful troubleshooting capabilities that can help to quickly resolve any issues.

Unfortunately, Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 doesn't automatically duplex scan, and to scan both sides of a document, you have to flip it over manually, which may not be conducive for large scanning tasks. However, minor gripes aside, the WF-4820 offers fantastic overall value-to-performance and is an exceptional budget minded option for a small home office. If cost is no issue and you are looking for a lightning-fast printer that produces top-tier text documents, you'll have to check out the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw. It offers better all-around performance but comes at a significantly higher price.

Read more: Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4820 review

The Epson Workforce Pro is a budget all-in-one model with some of the lowest operational costs in our lineup.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Lowest Operating Costs


Epson EcoTank ET-2800


65
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Text Quality 6.0
  • Graphics and Photos 4.8
  • Operating Cost 10.0
  • Ease of Use 6.0
  • Printing Speed 4.2
REASONS TO BUY
Very low lifetime costs
Easy to use
REASONS TO AVOID
Subpar image quality
Slower speeds
SPECIFICATIONS
Capabilities Print, scan, copy
Type All-in-one inkjet
Estimated Lifetime Cost of Ownership $301
Resolution (Black) 5760 x 1440 dpi
Resolution (Color) 5760 x 1440 dpi
If your printing requirements prioritize exceptionally low operational costs, and you're prepared to trade off some text quality, photo and graphic printing capabilities, and speed, then the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the premier choice in today's market. It will print 4500 black and white pages for only $14 and is also able to print 7500 colored pages for $13.99. That works out to a fraction of a penny per print, whereas other printers can set you back as much as 10 cents per page for black and whites alone.

The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is certainly attractive due to its low operational costs, but a home office user demanding high-quality prints may want to look at a printer that offers better all-around performance and speed, even if long-term operating costs aren't quite as low. For that, we'd strongly recommend considering the budget-friendly Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820.

Read more: Epson EcoTank ET-2800 review

The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 has the cheapest operating costs by far!
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Great for Graphics


Canon Pixma TR4720


49
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Text Quality 4.5
  • Graphics and Photos 8.8
  • Operating Cost 1.0
  • Ease of Use 6.8
  • Printing Speed 3.4
REASONS TO BUY
Incredible photo printing
Low upfront cost
REASONS TO AVOID
Extremely high printing costs
Poor text quality
Slower speeds
SPECIFICATIONS
Capabilities Print, scan, copy, fax
Type All-in-one inkjet
Estimated Lifetime Cost of Ownership $1,449
Resolution (Black) 4800 x 1200 dpi
Resolution (Color) 4800 x 1200 dpi
"The Canon Pixma TR4720 offers the ability to print impressively rich, sharp, and vibrant color photos with extreme color accuracy," lead tester Lesley Robinson notes. It is handily the best of the home printers we tested when it comes down to photo resolution, especially excelling in color representing skin tones and clothing. It also realistically captures the warm undertones of skin that are often lost in a print and keeps even the most subtle details intact.

Unfortunately, while the Canon Pixma TR4720 is an exceptional photo printing home printer, it isn't the best for most other home or home office tasks. It is also absurdly expensive to operate, averaging over 20 cents per printed page, and requires somewhat frequent ink refills. For the lowest operational costs, we recommend the Epson EcoTank ET-2800.

Read more: Canon Pixma TR4720 review

The Canon Pixma TR4720 created impressive images but isn't good for much else.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Compare Products

select up to 5 products to compare
Score Product Price
80
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw
Best Overall Home Printer
$549
Editors' Choice Award
75
Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw
$450
74
HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color
Budget Document Printer
$160
Best Buy Award
71
Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820
Best Budget All-in-One Printer
$220
Best Buy Award
65
Epson EcoTank ET-2800
Lowest Operating Costs
$280
Top Pick Award
54
HP DeskJet 2755e
$85
53
HP Envy 6055e
$130
49
Canon Pixma MG3620
$80
49
Canon Pixma TR4720
$100

We select then test to find the best home printer to meet any needs.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

How We Test Home Printers


We've tested dozens of printers over the years. For this review, we pit 9 top-rated home printers against each other in side-by-side tests to find out which ones are the best. We spent hours comparing and contrasting every metric that makes a printer worthy. We print thousands of pages to compare A/B text, photo, and graphics quality among the competitors. We compare form factors and ease of setup, use, and connectivity. Overall, our team conducted more than 150 individual tests to help you find the perfect printer to match your needs and budget.

Anything you could want to know about one of these devices, we've tested it against every other printer we found worthy of comparison. We want a printer that will strike a balance between performance and value. So each printer we test undergoes 5 specific tests that evaluate text quality and compares that to the ink cost — for black and white and color cartridges — and a calculated lifetime cost of ownership. The results of the Text Quality and Operating Cost scores each account for 25% of the overall score. We're proud of our testing efforts, and this comprehensive review highlights the best home printers on the market. We hope you can use the information here to select the perfect product to fit your needs and budget. For those interested, take a look at our full in-depth article on how we test printers.

Our in-depth testing process of printers breaks down into five rating metrics:
  • Text Quality (25% of overall score weighting)
  • Graphics and Photos (25% weighting)
  • Operating Cost (25% weighting)
  • Ease of Use (15% weighting)
  • Printing Speed (10% weighting)

Why Trust GearLab


Even when our product testers Genaveve Bradshaw and Lesley Robinson aren't testing products, they're comparing their potential purchases, whether it's tech, outdoor gear, or groceries at their local co-op. With so many companies and products vying for our attention and capital, we need to either invest our own valuable time and energy into vetting every purchase for ourselves or look for a third party to help us out. That's where we come in. We see you, we see the clutter, and we're here to help sort through it all to make sure you never feel like you're wasting your hard-earned dollar. We hate that feeling too, and our goal is to be the best resource for you when you're looking to make a purchase but don't know where to start.

Here we are viewing graphics under a microscope to suss out any...
Here we are viewing graphics under a microscope to suss out any flaws in the prints.
We compared detailed images under a microscope.
We compared detailed images under a microscope.
We used a microscope in our testing to scrutinize each and every text, graphic, and photo we printed.

Analysis and Test Results


Printers may not be the most glamorous or exciting piece of tech in our homes or offices, but they're an essential tool in our lives. In our ideal home office setup, we like to have a top-rated office chair and top keyboard as well as an ergonomic mouse or a wireless mouse. A dependable, economical, and quality printer completes the home office. It's important to own one you can rely on to perform the tasks you need without hurdles or failings. While they can be frustrating when they don't perform how we expect them to, they've come a long way over the years in terms of convenience, reliability, and ease of use. We think our analysis and test results demonstrate some very strong performers in today's market.

The front-runners we uncovered perform exceptionally well at the metrics we've outlined here. Even outside of our awards, there were strong performers amongst the many models that we tested side-by-side. We're confident that our weeks of testing, analysis of results, and explication in these reviews can lead you to a purchase you feel good about. Our expert advice will save you time and can potentially save you from wasting money on a product that doesn't fit your needs.


What's the Best Value?


The value of any particular piece of office equipment will vary depending on your needs. If you're running a small office with a high output of printed documents and graphics or images, a printer that performs fast with exceptional quality may be valuable and worth a larger investment. If your child prints the occasional essay at home, an award-winning home printer with perfectly crisp text is probably not worth much to you. Beyond these considerations of value, we've also analyzed each model's estimated lifetime and operating costs in our lineup. So, once you've decided what type of printer you need for your situation, you can look at our cost analysis of each model you've honed in on. For example, maybe the graphics quality is more valuable to you than the cost of cartridge replacements. Regardless of your needs, we hope to provide you with all the information here that will help you find the product most valuable to you.

home printer - the epson ecotank et-2800 offers incredibly low printing costs, and...
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 offers incredibly low printing costs, and makes it a great value for large volume printing.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

We determined some of the home printers to be great values based on the different considerations and specific needs that people have in a printer. These are the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4820 and the HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color. While these are different in their initial purchase price and overall function, each provides great value to its target audience. The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4820 is affordable and also inexpensive to operate for an all-in-one model that offers solid performance all-around.

Long-term costs should also be taken into consideration. The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 offers the lowest operation costs of any printer in our lineup, with an estimated lifetime cost of only $301, whereas other printers can cost over $1000 within their lifetime. This unit also has a fairly affordable upfront cost. That said, you'd be sacrificing photo quality, and this unit doesn't print very quickly. But if those features aren't important, this could be a great budget option for your home office.

home printer - the workforce pro wf-4820 is an all-in-one that does everything...
The WorkForce Pro WF-4820 is an all-in-one that does everything affordably with a more modest upfront price.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Text Quality


Above all, the most important feature of your everyday printer is its ability to print clear text. If the text is blurry or illegible, it's not performing its most basic function. A model that scored 10 out of 10 in this metric has flawless text quality under a microscope; a score of 1 means the text is not considered legible from any distance. We printed thousands of pages of text of various sizes and densities to sort from best to worst. After printing, we then studied the text in both dim, natural, and artificial lighting before arriving at our final score.


Our two points of analysis on printed text were Black and White Text Quality, where we noted how consistently black the ink was within each character under various lighting conditions, and Text Resolution, which entails assessing the sharpness of each character, looking carefully for bleeding or blemishes.

home printer - we carefully viewed each text print through a microscope to find any...
We carefully viewed each text print through a microscope to find any imperfections. We also used various fonts and sizes to test their strengths and weaknesses.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw and the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw were head of the class with what we can only describe as perfect text quality. Even under microscopic scrutiny, it is difficult to critique the results of either printer. If we did quibble, those critiques would not matter to the naked eye anyway.

home printer - samples of text quality in a side by side comparison under our...
Samples of text quality in a side by side comparison under our microscope.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

The Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 also earned a place in the top half of the lineup, although it did exhibit a tiny bit of bleed-through in addition to a loss of sharpness on smaller fonts that was slightly more obvious than what was produced by the other aforementioned models.

The text produced by this printer is barely legible.
The text produced by this printer is barely legible.
We noticed some smearing under our microscope from the HP Envy.
We noticed some smearing under our microscope from the HP Envy.
The Canon produced flawless text quality under our microscope.
The Canon produced flawless text quality under our microscope.
The lineup's worst (Canon Pixma MG3620), average (HP Envy 6055e), and best (Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw) text quality.

Graphics and Photos


Graphics and photos are not everybody's top priorities, but if it's important to you to be able to produce high-quality photographs, we put our lineup through its paces to help you make the most informed decision. We printed hundreds of graphics, charts, and photos and compared them side-by-side.


The Canon Pixma TR4720 impressed us with its unmatched graphic and photo printing abilities. This modestly priced home printer excelled at printing crisp graphics as well as clear and color accurate photo prints. However, worth mentioning is that those stunning prints will cost about 22 cents per page, and the operating costs are extremely high, even though its upfront purchase price is very affordable.

The Canon Pixma MG3620 was a small step back from TR4720 and did not excel at producing the same level of clarity and quality in business graphics. However, the photos and photographic quality of the prints were nearly identical to the clarity of the TR4720, and it is also significantly cheaper to operate at about 10 cents cheaper per page to create those prints.

We put each photo and graphic under our microscope to better determine their level of clarity.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

One of the other home printers that also shone in our graphic and photo testing is the HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color. From a short distance these photos looked fairly clear, though under our microscope we noticed the photos it prints sometimes lack the fine details present on the two leading Canons. Black and white gradients also have the occasional slight streaking, and blues are a little over-saturated.

home printer - the differences are crystal clear in these photographic prints. all...
The differences are crystal clear in these photographic prints. All close-up photos were taken in our microscope testing.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

There were a few printers that passed our clarity tests, namely the HP Envy 6055e and HP DeskJet 2755e. These came in closely behind the front runners and displayed sharp graphics. The 6055e has a special ability to produce warm color tones with greater accuracy. Both models excelled at textural displays and subtle color variation but also exhibited oversaturation of blue colors.

The images produced by the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw and and Canon Pixma TR4720.

Adding to its all-around workhorse status as an all-in-one printer and home or home office solution, the Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 presented us with respectable graphic and photo printing, although not nearly as nice as any of the other leading home printers for this metric. However, its prints meet the requirement for what we would consider good quality and also achieve that above-average standard at an affordable five cents per page.

home printer - the hp officejet 8015e had some of the best color accuracy in our...
The HP OfficeJet 8015e had some of the best color accuracy in our testing, apart from the Canon printers.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Operating Cost


Generally, most people want to print documents and forget about their printers. Constantly needing to buy expensive ink cartridges is a headache. Likewise, it's not in everyone's best interest to buy the cheapest printer with the cheapest cartridges they can find and regularly deal with subpar prints or errors. That's why we spent the time and calculated the exact cost per page of every printer on our list so you can decide where your price point sweet spot is.


Another consideration is how all of these costs accrue over the lifetime ownership of each printer. We calculated each printer's estimated 3-year lifetime cost by adding the MSRP to our cost-per-page analysis. This way, you won't have any surprise costs when considering one of the printers in our lineup, and you can make the best decision for your specific needs.


The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 has by far the lowest operation costs and produces an impressive 7,500 printed pages per replacement cartridge(s). Its cost per printed page is so low, 1/100ths of a cent. That fraction eventually adds up to about $1.55 per 500 black and white pages and 93 cents for color pages. In short, the ET-2800 is the least expensive home printer to operate and makes it a fantastic choice for buyers looking for the best bang for their buck over the long haul.


The Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 offered a good balance of both black and white as well as color printing with respectable performance. You can expect its costs to average about 6 cents per black and white print, and 5 cents per color print.


The HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color followed the leaders in economical printing with black and white costs of 7 cents per page, and an impressive color cost of 4 cents per page.

Filling the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is both mess-free and straightforward.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

If you want the overall lowest lifetime cost, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is your best bet. Its lifetime cost of $301 is hundreds of dollars less than most other units in our lineup. On the other hand, the Canon Pixma TR4720 is wildly expensive in comparison, with a calculated lifetime cost of $1,449. It excels with graphics and photos, but eats through its pricy ink.

home printer - ecotank printers like the et-2800 take printing economy to another...
EcoTank Printers like the ET-2800 take printing economy to another level.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

While each model varies in operating and purchase costs, each performs different functions better or worse than the others. Hopefully, our cost analysis can provide enough compiled data to help you quickly sort through the overall costs of owning and operating each of these printers and make the best choice for your needs.

home printer - the operating costs of the hp deskjet 2755e offset the lower...
The operating costs of the HP DeskJet 2755e offset the lower purchase price of the unit rather quickly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


There's been a great deal of progress in user interfaces and software design over the past decade. From WiFi connectivity improvements to the advent of touchscreens and supplementary mobile apps to speak to and navigate printer settings. most printers have come a long way from esoteric, slow, and clumsy onboard menus. We found that many of the printers in our lineup were quite easy to set up and pleasant to use and troubleshoot. However, as with any field of tech gadgets these days, we still ran into our fair share of setbacks and head scratches.


Some printers offer phenomenal user experiences via refined applications for both a desktop and mobile device, in addition to large modern touchscreens. However, other printers offer no touchscreens, too small an antiquated screen, and sometimes no screen at all. Combinations of mobile printing apps, desktop interfaces and the physical interface of these printers can range greatly, but HP dominated the test group in general.

HP has made operation of this model, and many others, very simple.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw stood apart from the rest of our test lineup in just about every ease of use submetric, including initial setup, wireless setup, customer service, and interface ease of use. It includes a USB cable to make a direct connection to a device, even though it also works via WiFi connections and mobile apps.

The HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color and even the more modestly priced HP DeskJet 2755e were on almost on par with the most user-friendly models, which is an especially pleasant surprise with the 2755e as it is a fraction of the cost of other top-tier models. These models are simple to set up on a wireless connection with the HP smart app, which is straightforward to use. The 8015e uses a large touch display screen that is simple to navigate, while the HP DeskJet 2755e opts for a smaller screen and more buttons.

The Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 also deserves a mention here. It is easy to unbox and set up, and once operational, its large 2.5-inch by 4-inch touchscreen makes navigation and selections a breeze. What kept the WF-4820 from doing even better in our ease of use metric was a weak connection that required customer service support to resolve, as dated instructions and manuals were less than helpful.

Printing Speed


Not everyone will find it important for their printer to shoot out documents at lightning speed. Still, for those who print a high volume of documents and are time-crunched, high-speed printers might be a valuable resource. We put our lineup through the wringer, printing mixed text and photos, high res photos, 10-page documents duplex, and simplex (double and single-sided). We then tallied up the speed of each test to arrive at our overall scores. The lasers, as expected, excelled in this metric; however, some of the inkjets performed strongly as well.


The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw and Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw proved they have legs in this race. They performed very well, offering printing speeds up to nearly 20 pages per minute for simplex document prints, but also offering a significant step up in text and graphic printing quality.


If you believe the old adage that haste makes waste, then you won't be surprised that when it comes to printing speed, the fastest printers don't necessarily do the highest-quality job.

Lastly, the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4820 also did well, with a nice balance of speed, quality images, and text. The WF-4820 printed 24 pages per minute, which is above the manufacturer's claimed speed of 15 pages per minute. Again, the deciding factor here is really what your top priorities are for your specific printer needs.

The Canon Pixma TR4720, Epson EcoTank ET-2800, and Brother Monochrome (now discontinued) go head to head in our printing race.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

How to Choose the Best Home Printer


Whether you're replacing your old printer or looking to upgrade the home office, we've provided four key buying considerations, including budget, features, and printer type, to help find the right printer for you.

Inkjet or Laser?


Deciding on an inkjet or laser printer will come down to how frequently you print, your budget, and the type of documents you print. Inkjets typically have a cheaper upfront cost and do a wide range of tasks decently, but will accumulate in cost over time due to the high price of replacement ink. Laser printers have a higher upfront cost but typically work best for printing text documents with precision and speed. An inkjet is a great option if you need occasional printer use for a wide range of tasks, while a laser printer will suit folks with more demanding printer needs for frequent home or office use.

How Much Do You Print?


For those with at-home businesses and small office sites, a printer capable of high volume and fast printing is necessary to handle workloads and consistent use. If this sounds like you, consider laser printer options with a large monthly duty cycle (the number of pages a printer is capable of printing per month) and higher page-per-minute capabilities. These specs can often be found in the product specifications from most manufacturers, and help gauge the true capabilities of each printer.

home printer - finding a printer that matches your intended use ensures it can keep...
Finding a printer that matches your intended use ensures it can keep up with work or home demands.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

What Features Do You Need?


Some features, such as wireless connection, are standard on printers today, but other features, such as a touchscreen, auto duplex printing, and faxing documents, vary based on the printer. If you have printing needs that require a specific feature, do a little digging to make sure the one you're eyeballing comes with the right set of features for you.

Is Photo Printing a Priority?


If you want photo printing capabilities, consider inkjet options that can produce high-resolution photos. While a dedicated photo printer is your best bet, those who want multi-functionality between photos and text printing can find a printer that prioritizes image and graphic quality. Specifications such as the dots per inch and the color range of ink can help you locate a model with more reliable photo printing.

home printer - while a dedicated photo printer works best, finding a home printer...
While a dedicated photo printer works best, finding a home printer with adequate photo printing can help save some space and money.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Conclusion


We hope our efforts have produced valuable data and guidance for you as you hunt for the perfect printer for your needs. We made sure to highlight the most important factors and detractors for each printer here for you to compare and contrast.

Lesley Robinson, Genaveve Bradshaw, and Benjamin Hickok