Rather than using standard, pricey ink cartridges, it utilizes easy-to-refill, supersized ink tanks. So, you simply need to fill these reservoirs with the bottled ink from time to time.
The LCD display is not touch-sensitive.
With its great features, fast speed, wireless connectivity, low costs per page and high quality of prints, this is the best printer for home use. It will be particularly beneficial for those who need to print a lot of documents, photos, and presentations on a daily basis.
InkJet, All-In-One (Print, Scan, Copy)
4 (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)
4800 x 1200
1200 x 2400
Black: 15 ppm
Color: 8 ppm
4 ink bottles: up to 14000 pages black / 11200 pages color
150 sheets
2.4" color LCD, 2-sided printing, compatible with Epson Connect™ app
Mobile OS: iOS, Android
Computer OS: Windows, Mac OS
USB, WiFi, WiFi Direct, Ethernet
1 year (1 more year for product registration)
It comes with high-capacity INKvestment cartridges that make for very low running costs - you can print 2,400 pages in black for under $25 and 1,200 pages in color for under $15.
The photo quality could be better.
The exceedingly low running costs alone make this MFP a worthy choice for home or small-office use. Add to that a full array of connection choices, strong printing quality, and duplex printing, and you'll get a very compelling device.
InkJet, All-In-One (Print, Scan, Copy, Fax)
4 (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)
6000 x 1200
1200 x 2400
Black: 12 ppm
Color: 10 ppm
4 ink cartridges: up to 2400 pages black / 1200 pages color
100 sheets (ADF - 20 sheets)
2.7" color touchscreen LCD, 2-sided printing, Compatible with Brother iPrint&Scan App
Mobile OS: iOS, Android
Computer OS: Windows, Mac OS
USB, WiFi, WiFi Direct, NFC, Ethernet
2 years
It's an intuitive and frustration-free home printer that is easy to install and use. Actually, everything you need to do to start printing is plug it in, enter Wi-Fi password, and insert paper.
Rather slow printing speed.
If you need a simple, moderately priced all-in-one machine for occasional use, it's a great choice. With good color graphics, decent text quality, and self-explanatory operation, the HP Officejet 3830 desktop printer is a real bargain.
InkJet, All-In-One (Print, Scan, Copy, Fax)
2 (1 black, 1 tri-color)
4800 x 1200
1200 x 1200
Black: 8.5 ppm
Color: 6 ppm
2 ink cartridges: up to 190 pages black / 165 pages color
60 sheets (ADF - 35 sheets)
2.2" monochrome touchscreen LCD, Compatible with HP Smart app
Mobile OS: iOS, Android
Computer OS: Windows, Mac OS
USB, WiFi, WiFi Direct
1 year
The printer has no physical buttons and all the stand-alone operations can be done with the extra-large 5" touch screen. It sits right on the front panel that hinges upward 90 degrees.
The estimated ink costs are more than average.
The Pixma TS9120 is a decent pick for all-around inkjet printing. It comes with 6 individual ink tanks and delivers amazing image quality without sacrificing speed. This MFP can even help you personalize your family video collections by printing directly onto CD/DVD/Blu Ray discs.
InkJet, All-In-One (Print, Scan, Copy)
6 (2 x Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Photo Blue)
4800 x 1200
2400 x 4800
Black: 15 ppm
Color: 10 ppm
6 ink cartridges included
100 sheets
5" color touchscreen LCD, 2-sided printing, Slot for SD cards, CD/DVD/Blu-Ray disc printing, Compatible with Canon PRINT app
Mobile OS: iOS, Android
Computer OS: Windows, Mac OS
USB, WiFi, WiFi Direct, Ethernet, Bluetooth
1 year
The HP Smart app allows you to easily set up the wireless connection and scan documents with your camera or print from social media as well as the cloud. Also, the printer works with Alexa.
The copy speed is less than impressive.
This MFP is a worthy standby machine for occasional copying, scanning, and printing. It delivers high print quality on both plain paper and specialty media. And the Alexa compatibility makes it an ideal choice for smart homes.
InkJet, All-In-One (Print, Scan, Copy)
2 (1 black, 1 tri-color)
4800 x 1200
1200 x 1200
Black: 10 ppm
Color: 7 ppm
2 ink cartridges: up to 115 pages black / 100 pages color
100 sheets
2.2" monochrome touchscreen LCD, 2-sided printing, Compatible with HP Smart app
Mobile OS: iOS, Android
Computer OS: Windows, Mac OS
USB, WiFi, WiFi Direct
1 year
Epson Expression ET-3700
More Freedom
The Epson Expression ET-3700 is an excellent printer that is well-suited for most family and home-based office needs. Using the MicroPiezo inkjet technology, the printer can produce detailed and vivid images with a resolution up to 4800 x 1200 dpi. And it works quite rapidly with the printing speed reaching up to 15 ppm in black and 8 ppm in color.
Speaking about scanning capabilities, the unit has a color flatbed with a 1200 dpi optical resolution, which allows for sharp digital images. As for the paper copies, they go rapidly with a speed of up to 11 cpm in black and 5.5 cpm color.
We found the Epson Expression ET-3700 really easy to use. You can navigate the printer’s menu with its adequately-sized LCD (not touch sensitive) and large control panel buttons. Importantly, the unit supports the latest 802.11 WiFi standard, meaning you can print right from your smartphone or tablet. The Epson Connect solutions app supports Fire-OS, Windows, Chromebook, iPhones & iPads, AirPrint, and Android 6 devices. And the best part is that you will be able to print on-the-go via the Google Cloud Print.
Additionally, you can easily print via Google Chrome without a need to connect cables or install drivers, which makes sharing the content from Google as easy as never before.
On top of that, the printer has built-in Ethernet for wired networks. Setting it up is seamless and it doesn't require any special technical knowledge.
Cartridge-free Printing
Epson presents the EcoTank printer as one of the most revolutionary and cost-efficient devices. The trick is that instead of using standard, pricey ink cartridges, it's designed with easy-to-refill, supersized ink tanks. So, you simply need to fill these reservoirs with the bottled ink from time to time. The package already includes enough ink to print up to 14,000 monochrome pages and 11,200 color pages, which equals about 30 ink cartridge sets. This way, the prints will come out at highly-reasonable ink costs per page.
All things considered, even though the printer may seem to be on the pricier side at first, the cartridge-free printing technology can save you much money in the long run. With its great features, fast speed, and high quality of prints, this is a printer worth investing in. It'll be particularly beneficial for those who need to print a lot of documents, photos, invoices, and presentations on a daily basis.
Additional Info
Brother MFC-J985DW
Cost-per-page Champ
Understanding that the most common complaint from the users is the high cost of ink, the Brother company has taken some serious steps to address this issue. That's how the MFC-J985DW appeared. It's a modestly-priced multifunction printer with unusually low running costs.
Its secret weapon is the innovative high-capacity INKvestment cartridges. As the name suggests, these ink cartridges make for very low running costs - you can print 2,400 pages in black for under $25 and 1,200 pages in color for under $15, which equals nearly 1 cent per page in monochrome and 1.25 cent for a color page. These numbers are truly amazing for a printer at its price.
As a handy addition, you can activate the Amazon Dash Replenishment program and the printer will automatically measure the toner level and order more cartridges from Amazon when it’s low.
Besides being incredibly cost-effective, the Brother is fairly quick. Its color ISO-based max print speed reaches 10 ppm. So, if you want a workhorse that can churn out the pages, it's a solid fit. With regards to that, the printing quality suffers a bit. The documents get quite fine, texts appear well defined and readable, however, graphics are pretty average. The color in photos seems to be a bit washed out and some detail is missing. We dare say graphics are not good enough for formal reports, but quite ok for most business needs (handouts and the like).
Business Capable
Besides basic MFP features like printing, copying, and scanning, the Brother MFC-J985DW is capable of faxing. This way, it can be used even in small offices as a standalone copier and fax machine. It can scan not only to PC or over a network but also right to email, using the special program on your PC. Also, it can print and scan to both memory cards and USB drivers.
The printer can be connected to a PC via a USB cable or to a network via Ethernet/Wi-Fi. Naturally, it can also establish a direct connection with compatible gadgets via Wi-Fi or NFC. Therefore, you get the opportunity to send scans right from the printer to websites and cloud storage services.
Another thing that makes it appealing for home offices is duplex printing. The ability to print double-sided prints help save quite a lot of paper. By the way, the unit has a 100-sheet paper capacity, which is a bit on the meager side for heavy business use. In a special holder, it can store up to 20 sheets of 4x6 photo paper.
To sum it all up, the exceedingly low running costs alone make this MFP a worthy choice for home or small-office use. Add to that a full array of connection choices, strong printing quality, and duplex printing, and you'll get a very compelling device.
Additional Info
HP Officejet 3830
Simple and Intuitive
In case you're in the market for a simple and reasonably-priced MFP to use from time to time, the HP Officejet 3830 is worth your serious consideration. It's an intuitive and frustration-free home printer that is easy to install and use. Actually, everything you need to do to start printing is plug it in, enter Wi-Fi password, and insert paper. It neither asks to download a special app (though HP offers a good one if you like that sort of things) nor does the printer require any special software for your home computers. It instantly works with all the devices in the same Wi-Fi network. It's that easy.
What we also liked is that this MFP uses only two ink cartridges (black and color) rather than using three or more color cartridges. And these cartridges deliver surprisingly good printing results. Of course, it certainly can't match the precision characters produced by high-quality laser printers, but it does much better than most of its inkjet siblings. The text printed with the OfficeJet 3830 gets well defined, while graphs and figures look bold with crisp definition and lifelike colors. So, we believe this printer can handle even formal data with lots of graphics quite well.
However, the cost for that amazing quality is the slow printing speed. It's able to print just 3-6 colorful pages per minute. Still, this won't feel too limiting if you're going to print occasionally.
HP Instant Ink Program
Take note that basically, the cartridges needed for the HP OfficeJet 3830 aren’t very affordable. That's why the HP company offers the Instant Ink subscription program which can help users save up to 50% on consumables. The program offers you different subscription plans and you can choose the preferable one based on the number of pages you typically print per month. Once any of the ink cartridges runs low, the printer will automatically re-order it and a new one will be delivered to your door. Hence, by subscribing to the Instant Ink program, you can save much money and won't have to worry about ink running low when you expect it the least.
Apart from the Instant Ink program, there're some other features you should be aware of. The printer offers a user-friendly touchscreen interface, Wi-Fi enabled options (cloud printing, mobile printing, scanning directly to cloud storage services). But the HP OfficeJet 3830 has no Ethernet connection and lacks flash memory support. Yet, these are minor problems with an otherwise excellent printer.
So, if you need a simple, moderately priced all-in-one machine for occasional use, it's a great choice. With good color graphics, decent text quality, and self-explanatory operation, the HP Officejet 3830 is a real bargain.
Additional Info
Canon Pixma TS9120
For Family Photo Printing
Right out-of-the-box, the Canon TS9120 looks great. At 14.7" x 14.2" x 5.6", it's quite compact and sleek-looking. The main casing comes in black but the lid is available in gray, gold and red besides the original black. Yet, what makes it very modern is the impressive 5-inch color touchscreen. It sits right on the front panel that hinges upward 90 degrees and is very convenient to operate. In essence, the printer has no physical buttons and all the stand-alone operations can be done with the said touch screen.
Under the panel, there is an SD card slot enabling you to print from a memory card even without switching on your PC. By the way, with the TS9120, you also get Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and Ethernet connectivity options.
Nice Extras
The Canon color printer comes with a well laid-out manual that easily walks you through each step. The included CD contains all the required drivers and additional software. The mentioned software does a good job of determining the color correction required to provide you with perfect prints without a need to tweak any settings. It also boasts pre-set creative filters that can help you add nice effects to your photos.
The software can be used for making labels for your personalized CD or DVD discs. As you have probably guessed, the Canon TS9120 is capable of printing on pre-surfaced CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays via a small caddy that hides just beneath the output tray.
As for input paper trays, the printer has two of them. Both trays hold up to 100 sheets of plain paper or 20 sheets of premium photo paper. All this makes the Pixma TS9120 a decent pick for all-around inkjet printing. It comes with 6 individual ink tanks and delivers fantastic image quality without sacrificing speed. It really offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Additional Info
HP Envy 5055
Well-rounded Home MFP
The ENVY 4520 is a relatively new release by HP, which is now smarter and more compact compared to previous models by the brand. It subtly fits on a home desk without taking up much space. Like many other similar devices, it uses a standard horizontal paper tray rather than a bulkier, top-loading design.
The ENVY 5055 is very convenient to use, largely owing to its touch screen design. At 2.2", the touch screen is quite modest but still can provide quick access to all the essential functions. The monochrome display is very responsive so that you can quickly swipe it to browse menu icons instead of having to tap an arrow.
Setting up this printer takes a bit more than 5 minutes. The included software represents a basic suite for printing, scanning, and copying. Along with that, you can receive extra additions - Photo Creations and Printables. Photo Creations app is good for making personalized calendars, announcements, collages, invitations, fliers, and photo gifts, while Printables offers different filters and templates for making calendars, Sudoku, and the like.
Last but not least, the HP Smart app allows you to easily set up the wireless connection and scan documents with your camera or print from social media or the cloud. Also, the printer works with Alexa, meaning it can be voice controlled by any Alexa device.
Good Print Quality
The Hp Envy 5540 delivers decent print quality across the board, both on plain and photo paper. Even tiny letters get sharp and well-readable. Similarly, color graphics are rich in colors and fine details. Another important feature to mention is the automatic duplex printing. Duplexing makes it possible to print on both sides of a page to save your time, effort, and money on consumables.
By the way, the original ink cartridges are a bit overpriced but you can minimize ink costs by subscribing to one of HP's ink plans (three levels).
Take note that photo printers like this tend to deliver great photos rather than churning out documents quickly. So, be ready to get average print speeds. Moreover, copy and scan speeds are even slower compared to similar devices, meaning the Envy 5540 is better suited for light needs.
All in all, this MFP is a worthy standby machine for occasional copying, scanning, and printing. It delivers high print quality on both plain paper and specialty media. And the Alexa compatibility makes it an ideal choice for smart homes.
Additional Info
What Is a Home Printer?
A home printer increasingly becomes a necessity for most families. If you have a printer at home, no need to search for companies that will provide printing services for your images or documents. All you need to do is turn the printer on and send anything you want to print. Home printers can transfer user's ideas on paper whether it is a project or a book, a great picture or a list of recipes for homemakers, a presentation or some educational materials for students or children. In this article, we don't only review the top-quality home printers, but also help you deal with the selection and types of such devices.
Today, there are also options for a wireless printing and a possibility to carry a small printer around.
What Features to Compare
Choosing a printer for home, first of all, you should pay your attention to the major feature - Printing Capabilities. The first parameter to consider it is a printing technology used in the device. There are 2 most widely-used ones: laser and ink-jet.
- Ink-jet printers use a multicolor ink for printing. The advantages of this kind of printing are a reasonable price of the printer itself as well as the consumables, a high printing speed, a good quality of images and a capability of printing color documents. The cons are: a relatively low page yield of default cartridges, which is enough for around 150 copies (on average), and also a limited time of a standby - the printer should print at least once in 2-3 weeks to not let the ink get dry.
- Laser printers can be of 2 types: monochrome (black-and-white) and color. The most widespread and popular are the monochrome ones. Among the benefits of a laser printer, we can mention a high printing speed and a huge page yield - from 1,000 pages at a single toner. Laser printers are perfect for printing B&W documents but are often inferior to inkjet printers when it comes to printing of images.
The second factor affecting the quality of a document printing is the Printing Resolution - the higher it is, the better the quality. If you are searching the printer for a home photo printing, we'd say that the best choice here is the ink-jet printer with extended color packs providing correct shades and color transition. A significant aspect is also a speed of documents printing, measured in pages per minute (ppm).
Another important feature is the Cartridge and Tray Capacity. Depending on the printing technology, each type of printers is capable of printing its individual number of copies at a single cartridge. Some manufacturers offer cartridges with extended capacity that help you save your money by increasing the number of pages they can print. It is also worth checking the paper tray capacity because this feature seriously impacts the device's usability.
Having decided on the technical side of printing, it's recommended to assess the possibilities of a printer itself, for example, Functions . There are 2 categories of printers: MFP (multifunctional printers) and regular printers. MFP combine several devices in one: a copier, a scanner, and a printer, sometimes even a fax. Also, in addition to the standard set for the MFP, the device may have additional features such as printing from a memory card, photo editing directly on the printer owing to the built-in display and software.
Finally, you should decide what devices you could sync with the new printer. For this pay your attention to Connectivity. The hi-tech devices support not only a cable connection but also a wireless Wi-Fi network, which significantly extends the list of gadgets you can sync with the printer.
How to:
Sources:
1. Ted Needleman Home Printer Buying Guide: How to choose the best printer, Digital Trends. May 19, 2014.
2. Melissa Riofrio Printer buying guide: How to find the best model for your home or office, PCWorld. November 25, 2013.
3. Hafeez Sim How to Decide Which Home Printer to Buy, HardwareZone. May 9, 2014.
4. Justin Yu Printer buying guide, CNET. October 4, 2012.
5. Christian Cawley 4 Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a New Printer, MakeUseOf. December 14, 2015.
Popular Comparisons
Your comment was successfully sent
Error! Please try again later