Best Printers 2026: Inkjet, Laser, and Cartridge-Free Picks for Home

Printers Buying Guide

This guide is for you if:

• You print occasionally at home and are tired of cartridges running dry when you need them most
• You want to compare inkjet, laser, and cartridge-free (EcoTank/MegaTank) and find the lowest cost-per-page option
• You print mostly text documents and want fast, reliable, inexpensive output

Skip this guide if:

• You print photos professionally — dedicated photo printers are a different category
• You need a commercial printer for a business with high-volume needs — this covers home and small office printers

Quick Verdict: Our top pick is the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e (Our Top Pick) — consistently top-rated in its category. Priced at $219.89.

Budget Pick: The Canon PIXMA TR4720 at $69 — a solid choice for budget-conscious buyers.

Printer	Type	Print Speed	Auto Duplex	Ink System	Price
HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e	Inkjet AIO	22ppm B/18ppm C	Yes	Cartridge / Instant Ink	~$220
Canon PIXMA TR4720	Inkjet AIO	~8ppm B	No (manual)	Cartridge	~$69
Epson EcoTank ET-2803	Inkjet AIO	~10ppm B	No	Refillable tank	~$179
Brother HL-L2370DW	Laser (B&W)	36ppm	Yes	Toner cartridge	~$180
HP ENVY Inspire 7955e	Inkjet AIO (5-ink)	~15ppm B	Yes	5-ink / Instant Ink	~$230

## How to Choose the Right Printer for Home

Inkjet vs Laser — The Fundamental Choice

The single most important printer decision is inkjet vs laser, because they serve different use cases:

• Inkjet printers (HP OfficeJet Pro, Canon PIXMA, Epson EcoTank, HP ENVY): Best for color printing, photo printing, and mixed home/office use. Ink can dry out if unused for weeks. Lower upfront cost, higher per-page cost on traditional cartridges.
• Laser printers (Brother HL-L2370DW): Best for high-volume document printing. Toner never dries out — a laser printer unused for 6 months picks up exactly where it left off. Lower per-page cost on text. No color unless you buy a color laser (significantly more expensive).

Rule: If you print photos or colored documents, choose inkjet. If you print mostly text and want low ongoing costs, choose laser.

Cartridge vs EcoTank/MegaTank — The Inkjet Cost Trap

Standard inkjet cartridges cost 10–20 cents per page. Over 3–5 years of moderate printing, this adds up to hundreds of dollars in ink. EcoTank printers (Epson) and MegaTank printers (Canon) flip the model: you pay more upfront ($150–$250) but fill from large ink bottles at dramatically lower cost per page (1–2 cents). The Epson EcoTank ET-2803's included bottles print 7,500 black and 4,500 color pages — equivalent to 30+ standard cartridge replacements. Break-even math: If you print 50+ pages/month, an EcoTank pays for itself in under 18 months vs a $70 cartridge printer.

All-in-One vs Printer-Only

All-in-one printers (print + scan + copy + sometimes fax) cost $20–$50 more than print-only models at the same quality tier. If you ever need to scan a document, insurance card, or school form, the all-in-one is worth it. The only exception: dedicated laser printers for pure document printing where scanning is never needed.

Duplex Printing — Skip It at Your Peril

Automatic duplex (double-sided printing) is standard on mid-range and up printers ($100+). If you print multi-page documents, duplex cuts paper use in half. Manual duplex (flipping paper yourself) exists on budget printers but is tedious in practice.

ADF vs Flatbed Scanning

• ADF (Automatic Document Feeder): Scans multi-page documents automatically — place a 10-page document and walk away. The HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e and Canon PIXMA TR4720 both have ADFs.
• Flatbed only: You place one page at a time on the glass. Fine for occasional single-page scans, impractical for any multi-page document work.

Wireless Connectivity

All printers in this comparison support Wi-Fi. For a home office with multiple computers or mobile devices, wireless printing is essential — you print from any device without USB cables. Ethernet (wired network) is available on the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e for more reliable connections in busy offices.

Paper Tray Capacity

Budget printers hold 60–100 sheets. Mid-range all-in-ones hold 100–150 sheets. The Brother HL-L2370DW holds 250 sheets — important for high-volume printing where refilling paper every day becomes tedious. If you print more than 200 pages/week, paper capacity matters.

Photo Printing at Home vs Lab

Home photo printing (HP ENVY Inspire 7955e) produces excellent 4x6 prints for instant results, wall art, and gifts. Lab printing (Walgreens, Shutterfly) is cheaper per print at volume and better for large formats (8x10 and up). For everyday family photos and occasional prints, a photo printer at home is convenient. For high-volume or large-format, use a lab.

Cost Per Page — How to Calculate

1. Find the cartridge page yield (on the box or manufacturer website — look for "ISO yield") 2. Divide cartridge price by page yield = cost per page 3. Standard inkjet cartridges: 10–20 cents/page. EcoTank: 1–2 cents/page. Laser toner: 3–5 cents/page. HP Instant Ink subscription ($3–$10/month) reduces inkjet cost per page significantly if you print within your monthly plan allotment.

Related Guides

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How We Chose the Best Home/Office Printer

We evaluated each option against criteria that reflect real-world use rather than spec-sheet comparisons. Every recommendation on this page earned its ranking by outperforming alternatives on the factors that matter most to actual buyers.