We buy all the products we test — no freebies from companies. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission, which helps support our testing.
We've tested over 100 printers of different varieties since 2017. In this latest iteration, we purchased the best available printers at full price and put them through a rigorous set of tests. Our tests included testing printers' ease of use, operating cost, capabilities, text, and photo quality. This guide accumulates our findings and can help you find the best printer that fits your needs and budget.
If you want printer ideally suited for home office or small office use, check out our review of the best home printers. If you are focused on printing quality photos, take a look at our best photo printers review. Or you may be interested in finding the best 3D printer to help you bring your ideas and creations to life. Whatever it is, our comprehensive printer review has what you need.
Editor's Note: We edited this review on August 28, 2024, adding more info on our award-winning printers and removing some discontinued models from our test lineup.
If you're looking for a robust printer capable of efficiently scanning, copying, and faxing, then the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw is an ideal choice. This top-tier all-in-one printer excels across a range of functions while delivering impeccable text quality and commendable photo printing performance, albeit it's unable to match the performance of specialized photo printers. Renowned for its speed and user-friendliness, it also boasts relatively low operational costs at five cents per page for black and white prints and seven cents for color pages.
Quality often correlates with cost, and the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw epitomizes this principle. Its premium performance and extensive feature set equate to a hefty price tag. And yet, there is room for improvement regarding color graphics and photo printing. If you want to save some money but still want a fax-capable machine, the Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 is a great option. It's a little slower and the text quality isn't quite as good, but it still performs admirably across the board.
Cost per print: $0.38 | Max Resolution: 4800 x 2400 dpi
REASONS TO BUY
Reasonably low cost per print
Excellent clarity and quality
Multiple print mediums
REASONS TO AVOID
Massive footprint
Lacking roll paper feature
The Canon PIXMA Pro-200 is a top-notch photo printer that delivers high-class photo prints with unparalleled color accuracy and resolution. Easily the best in our photo printer review, the Pro-200 gives much freedom and control to the user. The Pro-200 can do much more than color photos — it can also print quality grayscale images that are on their own level. At an astonishing $0.38 for a 4" x 6" color photo, this device's operating costs seal the deal. Nothing is better than having a reliable photo printer that can crank out high levels of photos at a small cost.
We think photographers and creatives who prefer their photos to look more vibrant and full of life will prefer the prints made by the Pro-200. “It has higher contrast and more saturation, making the images pop more. Serious users may not like the added punch, but it would be easy to tone down.” One tester commented.
A handful of photos printed by the Canon Pro-200, as seen under our microscope.
Not surprisingly, a high-performance photo printer like the PIXMA Pro-200 has its downsides, mainly the upfront cost. In addition to the cost, the Pro-200 is large machine and takes up a considerable amount of desk space. With these considerations in mind, we recommend this device for professional photographers, as you will likely not find a better unit on the market. If you want to save money with the absolute lowest cost per print, consider the also-impressive Canon PIXMA G620. This unit is our favorite for folks who need to make good-quality prints at high volumes for a low cost.
The HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color stands out as a budget-friendly printer that strikes an impressive balance across all of our tests. While it may not deliver text documents with pristine clarity under the intense scrutiny of a microscope, the disparity is negligible for most users. Moreover, this model excels in producing high-quality photographic prints and maintains relatively low operating costs at seven and four cents per page for black and white and color pages, respectively. It also offers a user-friendly operation and efficiently handles most printing tasks.
The HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color demonstrates notable performance across most printing tasks; it doesn't excel in any single area. It's simply a solid printer across the board. For those prioritizing a low operating cost, look to the Epson EcoTank ET-2800, which was the most economical printer we tested, albeit at the expense of speed and graphic printing capabilities.
The Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 shines for being a versatile home printer, excelling in all-around performance, all-in-one functionality, operational efficiency, and affordability. It fulfills all essential printing needs within a home office environment while maintaining a reasonable price point. The WF-4820 achieves a fine balance between speed and printing text and photos without significantly compromising on quality. Our team consistently observed sharp text and vibrant colors with minimal striping or noticeable artifacts, all accomplished at a rapid pace. Its intuitive setup process and robust interface, equipped with a range of helpful troubleshooting features, also contribute to its ease of use.
Unfortunately, the Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 does not offer duplex scanning capabilities, necessitating manual flipping of documents to scan both sides, which may not be ideal for larger double-sided scanning tasks. Minor downsides aside, the WF-4820 delivers exceptional value when it comes to overall performance and affordability, making it a solid pick for budget-conscious small home offices. If you want to invest in premium performance and all-in-one functions and aren't limited by budget, the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw deserves consideration.
If your primary concern is minimizing operational expenses and you are willing to compromise on text quality, photo and graphic printing capabilities, and speed, then the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 emerges as the top contender in today's home printer market. With the capability to print 4500 black and white pages for just $14 and 7500 colored pages for $13.99, it delivers prints at a fraction of a penny per page, significantly undercutting other printers that may cost up to 10 cents per black and white printed page.
While the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 stands out for its remarkably low operational costs, individuals with more demanding home office requirements may prefer a printer offering superior all-around performance and speed, even if it means sacrificing some long-term cost savings. In such cases, we strongly advocate for the budget-friendly Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820, which still offers good operational costs at $28.56 per ream but has better text and photo clarity.
In today's smartphone-dominated world, most recorded memories end up confined to the digital realm, rarely revisited. The Canon IVY 2 is here to change that. This well-designed machine is capable of transforming your smartphone photos into tangible prints. Setting up the printer is straightforward: download the companion app, connect to the printer via Bluetooth, and you're well on your way to printing bliss. The IVY 2 is compact and portable, making it easy to take with you wherever you go, and that's the whole point. This printer was capable of delivering relatively high-quality prints, especially considering its compact size. One standout feature that we enjoyed is the ZINK instant film it uses. With its adhesive backing, you can turn your prints into stickers for simple decorations or to share with friends.
Not everything is flawless, though; there are some downsides. The cost of each print is a notable drawback, at around 50 cents per piece with no alternative options. This might lead to more selective printing choices, which can be disappointing. Most desktop printers offer greater capabilities and a lower cost per print. However, you can't just toss a desktop printer into a bag and take it everywhere, and that's why the IVY 2 is so compelling. If you are okay with a bigger form factor, consider the Canon SELPHY CP1500, which is not much more expensive and has a lower cost per print while allowing photos up to 4 x 6 inches.
The Canon Ivy offers the best quality prints for a mini photo printer.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
What distinguishes the IVY 2 from its predecessor, the original Canon IVY, is the improvement in print quality and a significantly faster charging time. We already held a fondness for the original, and the IVY 2 surpasses it, providing a better experience, including a range of creative options for your prints through the user-friendly app. Regarding aesthetics, the color has also received an update, now featuring a blush pink instead of the previous white and blue. Overall, we consider this version a comprehensive improvement without compromising the enjoyable qualities that made the original device so good.
The Canon Ivy 2 Mini is a small, yet reliable portable photo printer.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
How We Test Printers
This comprehensive printer overview is the product of hundreds of hours of testing, comparing, and researching the best products in the industry over several years. After completing in-depth research, we purchase and personally test dozens of the top models at our testing facility in Lake Tahoe. For each category, we create a series of tests that measure the most important aspects of the printer.
For the best home printers, we pay particular attention to text quality, speed, ease of use, image quality, and operating cost. We weight each of these categories and complete a series of tests. For text and image quality, we print a variety of standardized pages and compare in various light settings with both the naked eye and using magnification. We also manually time how long it takes to print and calculate the long term operating cost for ink and upkeep. It's a lengthy process, but we genuinely want everyone to find the best printer on the market.
For the best photo printers, we don't worry about the text quality but instead focus on operating cost, color print quality, black and white print quality, speed, and the setup process. These in-depth tests involve printing numerous color and black and white images. Our research analysts and in-house photographers then work together to examine with their own eyes and under intense magnification. This allows us to closely notice any color irregularities, unwanted color banding, and pixelation. We also know that operating cost is of particular interest with a photo printer. Sometimes, a more expensive printer up-front will pay off in the long run if a user plans to print a lot of photos. Lastly, we score printers higher when they have a simple, quick, and reliable setup process.
Every year we purchase and test dozens of printers to find the best for your needs.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Why Trust Gearlab
This guide is a collaboration between Research Analyst Genaveve Bradshaw and reviewer Lesley Robinson. Genaveve has tested many of our top printers and crafts quality reviews that emphasize a high degree of attention to detail. Lesley's experience in quality assurance has allowed her to expertly test our tech products.
We've tested all kinds of printers from photo to 3D.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
How to Pick the Right Printer
Picking the right printer to fit your needs may be quite daunting. They can be expensive and deserve prior research before committing to the purchase. Our experienced testers and researchers have done all the testing for you. All that's left is to evaluate your needs and purchase accordingly. These devices can be separated into home, photo, and 3D. The following is a breakdown of each class of printer and its uses.
Home Printers
Home printers are the most versatile, satisfying a broad range of needs, from printing worded documents to scanning and copying. When picking a home printer, consider the volume of printing you plan to do. Some people need a printer on standby in case they need to print an important document or enable their children to print a class project. Others may operate a small business and require a device to perform large workloads at a reasonable price.
We examine each units text quality side by side under a microscope.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ease of use can also affect your decision. A printer that you cannot easily operate or quickly set up and connect to your WiFi can slow down productivity and cause unnecessary stress. This is why we analyze each printer's interface and features to see how helpful and streamlined they are.
We analyzed each print up close and personal using a microscope.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
In the chart below, you can find the scores of our entire lineup of fully tested and top-ranked home printers. Our top choice is the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw. This machine offers a great balance of text quality, speed, and ease of use and boasts the ability to print, scan, copy, and fax. For a budget model that performs admirably across the board, the HP OfficeJet 8015e Wireless Color is worth a look. If you want an ultra-low operating cost, check out the Epson EcoTank ET-2800.
Need to extend your WiFi range?
Our best WiFi extender review can help you get a wider WiFi coverage range.
Home printers are the best option for everyday printing.
Credit: Laura Casner
Photo Printers
Photo printers are great for those who desire more than low-resolution Google images from their home printer. Some memories deserve to be printed, and these devices will ensure that your image comes out with the quality it deserves. Or, if you run a small photography business and want to reduce the trip to the photo lab, photo printers will save you loads of time and money.
We carefully examine each image under digital magnification to score the print quality.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Print quality is among the most important aspects to consider when looking at photo printers. You obviously want a printer that creates accurate and relatively crisp images. You may be willing to forego this a bit for something like portability if you want a mini printer, but it's generally quite important. While testing, we broke the print quality into color and black and white to evaluate separately.
We manually measure exactly how long it takes to print an image.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
When choosing a photo printer, you'll want to consider your upfront budget, but also how much you plan to print and the corresponding operating cost (to buy ink or photo paper packs). It's also important to understand if you want to simply print 4" x 6" images, large format images, or need a printer that can do a bit of everything. Lastly, the actual size of the printer is important. We've tested printers that take up half your desk and ones that fit in your pocket. There's no right or wrong; it's just a matter of matching the right printer to your needs.
Above, you can see the full list of products ranked in our best photo printer review. Our winner is the Canon PIXMA Pro-200, followed by the Canon PIXMA G620. Both models excel with color prints. The Pixma Pro-200 prints much faster than the G620, but it also costs quite a bit more.
We've tested every kind of photo printer.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Conclusion
This guide aims to make the printer buying process as easy as possible. The first consideration before buying a printer is to assess one's needs. Different printers can have different purposes, and the printers we've outlined here are the cream of the crop for their respective categories. Our mission at GearLab is to provide top-quality reviews of emerging products. We will continue reviewing the best printers in today's market so you can easily make an informed purchase.
—
Lesley Robinson, Genaveve Bradshaw, Matt Spencer, and Benjamin Hickok
