HP vs Canon Printer 2026: Which Printer Brand Is Better?

The HP LaserJet MFP M234dwe Wireless Monochrome All-in-One Laser Printer is HP's entry-level multifunction laser printer—print, copy, and scan in the compact laser format that provides the cost-per-page economics of laser printing (approximately $0.02–0.04 per page versus $0.10–0.20 for inkjet) at an accessible upfront price. The monochrome-only format is the cost reduction: no color toner cartridges required, simplifying supply management and reducing ongoing consumable costs for households that primarily print text documents. HP's Smart app provides mobile printing and scan-to-email from a smartphone, enabling wireless printing from any device on the home network. The Instant Ink subscription (HP's optional toner monitoring and delivery service) tracks toner usage and ships replacement cartridges before running out. Against Canon on this comparison page, the HP M234dwe is the monochrome laser entry tier. For households that primarily print text documents (homework, work documents, forms, recipes), monochrome laser is the economical long-term choice over color inkjet. The upfront cost of laser printers has decreased to competitive with inkjet, making laser the practical recommendation for text-heavy print households even at the entry level.

The Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer is Canon's entry-level inkjet all-in-one—print, copy, scan, and fax in the compact inkjet format. Inkjet printing produces the full-color photo quality that laser printers cannot achieve, making inkjet the format choice for households that print photos, school projects with color images, and creative materials where color accuracy matters. The PIXMA TR4720's hybrid ink system uses separate color cartridges and black ink, allowing replacement of individual colors without discarding unused ink when one color runs out. AirPrint and Canon Print Inkjet compatibility enable wireless printing from iOS and Android devices. Against HP's laser printers on this page, the Canon PIXMA TR4720 is the color inkjet alternative—better color output for photos and creative printing, higher per-page cost for text documents, and the inkjet maintenance consideration (clogged print heads if the printer sits unused for weeks). For households that print occasionally and value color photo output, the PIXMA TR4720's lower upfront cost and color capability serve the use case. For households that print frequently in text-heavy documents, HP's laser printers' per-page economics are better.

The HP DeskJet 4155e Wireless Color All-in-One Printer is HP's color inkjet entry—print, copy, and scan with HP's Instant Ink subscription integration that offers volume-based monthly pricing (pages per month plan rather than per-cartridge purchasing). The DeskJet 4155e is designed around the Instant Ink model: the printer's low upfront cost ($80–110) assumes subscription consumable economics rather than retail cartridge purchasing. The color printing quality handles standard documents, school assignments, and occasional photo printing adequately. The 35-page automatic document feeder enables multi-page scanning and copying without manual page-by-page feeding—a practical feature for tax document digitization and longer document scanning. Against Canon PIXMA TR4720 at similar pricing, the HP DeskJet 4155e's primary differentiator is the Instant Ink subscription ecosystem—for households that use their printer regularly and want predictable monthly printing costs, HP's subscription provides value over retail cartridge purchasing. For occasional printers who might not print enough monthly to justify a subscription, Canon's traditional cartridge model provides more flexibility.

The HP LaserJet Pro M404n Monochrome Laser Printer is HP's professional-tier monochrome laser—designed for small business and home office use where print volume is high enough to justify the laser infrastructure investment beyond the entry M234dwe. The M404n's 38-page-per-minute print speed and 1,200 DPI resolution target the heavy-volume text printing scenario where entry laser printers' slower speeds create workflow delays. The Gigabit ethernet and USB connectivity (no wireless on the M404n) targets office environments with wired network infrastructure. The 250-sheet input tray reduces the frequent paper-loading that 100-sheet entry laser trays require for high-volume printing days. For home offices that print 100+ pages per week, the M404n's print speed and monthly duty cycle (up to 80,000 pages) provide the reliability margin that entry printers can't sustain. Against the entry HP M234dwe at $200 less, the M404n is worth the premium only for users who actually print at volumes where the speed and duty cycle differences manifest. For households that print occasionally, the M234dwe's lower cost is the rational choice.

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF743Cdw All-in-One Color Laser Printer is Canon's professional-tier color laser multifunction—print, copy, scan, and fax in full color at $400–500, targeting small business and home office environments where laser's cost-per-page economics apply to color documents as well as black and white. Color laser toner costs approximately $0.08–0.12 per color page versus $0.15–0.30 for color inkjet, making the economics compelling for businesses that regularly print color marketing materials, presentations, and invoices. The 22-page-per-minute color print speed and UFineVII toner provides consistent, sharp color reproduction across text and graphics without the occasional banding and inconsistency that lower-end color laser printers produce. The 50-sheet document feeder handles multi-page originals for both copying and scanning workflows. On an HP vs Canon printer comparison, the imageCLASS MF743Cdw represents Canon's professional color laser tier—competing with HP's Color LaserJet Pro series at similar price points. For small businesses with regular color document printing needs, Canon's color laser provides the professional output quality and per-page economics that inkjet can't match at business volumes. For home users, the $400+ entry cost for color laser is only justified by high color print volume that few households actually produce.