Choosing the right printer depends less on finding the “best” printer overall and more on choosing the right type of printer for how you actually plan to use it. A home user who prints a few documents each month has very different needs from a home office, student, photographer, or small business printing hundreds of pages.
For most people, the first decision is whether to buy an inkjet or laser printer. Laser printers are generally a strong choice for frequent document printing, home offices, and users who print infrequently but want to avoid dried-out ink. Inkjet and ink tank printers can be better choices when high-quality color printing or photos are a priority.
In this printer buying guide, we’ll explain which printer you should buy based on printing volume, color requirements, operating costs, scanning and copying needs, wireless connectivity, and other important features. We’ll also compare inkjet and laser printers and explain what to look for before choosing a printer for your home, home office, or small business.
Which Printer Should You Buy? Quick Answer
The best printer depends on what you print, how often you print, and whether you need color, scanning, or copying. As a general starting point:
- Occasional document printing: A monochrome laser printer is often the best choice because toner does not dry out when the printer sits unused.
- Home office: Consider an all-in-one laser printer if you regularly print documents and also need scanning or copying.
- High-volume black-and-white printing: A monochrome laser printer typically provides fast printing and a low cost per page.
- Frequent color document printing: An ink tank printer can provide much lower ink costs than a traditional cartridge-based inkjet when you print regularly.
- Photo printing: A photo-focused inkjet printer is generally the better choice when image quality and accurate color reproduction are priorities.
- Small business or office: A business-class laser printer or multifunction laser printer is usually a strong choice for reliability, speed, networking, and higher monthly print volumes.
Before choosing a specific model, consider the total cost of ownership, including replacement ink or toner, expected page yield, paper capacity, maintenance, and how long you expect to keep the printer.
How to Choose the Right Printer
How often you expect to print is one of the most important factors when choosing a printer. Someone printing a few documents each month has very different requirements from a home office or business producing hundreds or thousands of pages.
For occasional document printing, a laser printer can be a particularly good choice because toner does not dry out during long periods of inactivity. For frequent printing, pay closer attention to print speed, recommended monthly page volume, paper capacity, and the cost of replacement ink or toner.
Do You Need Color or Black-and-White Printing?
If most of what you print consists of invoices, reports, forms, shipping labels, or other text documents, a monochrome laser printer may provide everything you need while keeping operating costs relatively low.
If you regularly print presentations, marketing materials, graphics, school projects, or other documents where color is important, consider a color laser, inkjet, or ink tank printer. For high-quality photographs, a photo-focused inkjet printer is generally a better choice.
Do You Need Scanning and Copying?
If you regularly scan documents or make copies, consider an all-in-one or multifunction printer that combines printing, scanning, and copying in one device.
For a home office or small business, look for an automatic document feeder (ADF) if you frequently scan multi-page documents. Duplex scanning and duplex printing can also save considerable time when working with two-sided documents.
Do You Need Wireless or Network Printing?
Consider how computers, phones, and other devices will connect to the printer. Wi-Fi is convenient for homes and small offices, while Ethernet can provide a more consistent connection for a shared business printer.
Also verify that the printer supports the computers and mobile devices you plan to use. Features such as mobile printing and manufacturer printing apps can be useful, but reliable compatibility with your existing devices should be the priority.
Consider the Total Cost of Owning a Printer
The least expensive printer to buy is not always the least expensive printer to own. Before choosing a model, consider both the upfront purchase price and the ongoing cost of ink, toner, and other supplies.
Low-cost inkjet printers can be attractive because of their inexpensive purchase price, but replacement cartridges may significantly increase the cost per page. Some printers also use color ink during maintenance and cleaning cycles, even when most of your printing is black and white.
When comparing printers, look at the estimated page yield and replacement cost of the ink or toner cartridges. If you print frequently, a printer with a higher initial price but a lower cost per page may save money over its lifetime.
Also consider whether the printer requires separate color cartridges, high-yield cartridges, specialty paper, drums, maintenance kits, or other consumable components. These expenses can make a significant difference in the total cost of ownership.
For occasional printing, maintenance should also be considered. Traditional inkjet printers can experience dried or clogged ink when they sit unused for extended periods, while laser printers use toner powder that does not dry out in the same way.
Inkjet vs. Laser Printer: Which Is Better?
Choosing between an inkjet and laser printer depends primarily on what you print, how often you print, and whether color or photo quality is important.
Laser printers are generally a strong choice for home offices and businesses that primarily print documents. They are typically fast, produce sharp text, and use toner powder rather than liquid ink. Because toner does not dry out like ink can, laser printers are also a good option for people who print only occasionally.
Inkjet printers are often better suited for users who need high-quality color graphics or photographs. They can also have a lower initial purchase price, although replacement ink costs should be considered carefully.
Ink tank printers are a variation of inkjet technology that use refillable reservoirs instead of traditional cartridges. They generally cost more upfront but can provide a much lower cost per page for users who regularly print large amounts of color material.
| Feature | Laser Printer | Inkjet Printer | Ink Tank Printer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text documents | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Photo printing | Limited | Excellent | Very good |
| Print speed | Generally faster | Generally slower | Varies by model |
| Initial cost | Moderate to high | Often lower | Generally higher |
| Cost per page | Low for many document workloads | Can be higher | Typically very low |
| Occasional use | Excellent | Ink may dry or clog | Better when used regularly |
| High-volume printing | Excellent | Model dependent | Excellent for many color workloads |
| Best suited for | Documents, home offices, businesses | Photos and color printing | Frequent, economical color printing |
For users who primarily print text documents, a monochrome laser printer is often the simplest and most economical choice. If color documents are important, compare color laser and ink tank models based on your expected print volume and supply costs. If photo quality is the priority, an inkjet printer designed specifically for photo printing will usually provide better results.
Best Type of Printer for Home Use
The best printer for home use depends on what you expect to print and how frequently you will use it. For many households, there is no need to purchase the most feature-rich printer available.
If you primarily print documents, forms, shipping labels, or schoolwork and only need black-and-white output, a monochrome laser printer is often an excellent choice. It provides sharp text, requires relatively little maintenance, and toner will not dry out if the printer goes unused for several weeks.
If your household regularly needs color for school projects, charts, graphics, or other documents, consider a color laser printer or ink tank printer. An ink tank model can be particularly economical when you print color frequently, while a color laser printer may be preferable when document printing and low maintenance are the priorities.
For high-quality photographs, a photo-focused inkjet printer is generally the better option. However, if you only print photos occasionally, using a professional photo printing service may be more economical than purchasing and maintaining a printer specifically for photographs.
If you also need to scan or copy documents, consider an all-in-one printer. Before buying, decide whether features such as an automatic document feeder, automatic two-sided printing, Wi-Fi, mobile printing, or multiple paper trays are actually useful for your household.
Best Printer for a Home Office
For most home offices, an all-in-one laser printer is a strong choice, particularly if you regularly print business documents, invoices, contracts, reports, or forms. Laser printers generally provide fast document printing, sharp text, and relatively low maintenance compared with traditional cartridge-based inkjet printers.
If you primarily print black-and-white documents, a monochrome laser printer can provide excellent value and a low cost per page. If color is an important part of your work, consider a color laser printer or an ink tank printer, depending on your printing volume and the type of documents you produce.
For a home office, look beyond basic printing and consider features that can improve your workflow, including:
- Automatic document feeder (ADF) for scanning multiple pages
- Automatic duplex printing for two-sided documents
- Duplex scanning if you frequently scan two-sided paperwork
- Ethernet or reliable Wi-Fi connectivity for network printing
- Adequate paper capacity for your expected workload
- High-yield toner or ink options to reduce operating costs
- Scanning and copying if you want one device to handle multiple tasks
Also check the printer’s recommended monthly print volume rather than relying only on its maximum duty cycle. Choosing a printer designed for your normal workload can improve reliability and reduce the need for frequent supply changes.
For many home office users who primarily work with documents, a network-capable monochrome multifunction laser printer provides the best combination of reliability, functionality, and operating cost.
Best Printer for a Small Business
For most small businesses, a business-class laser printer or multifunction laser printer is usually the best choice. Business printers are designed to handle higher print volumes than basic home models and often provide faster printing, larger paper capacities, better networking options, and higher-yield toner cartridges.
If your business primarily prints invoices, contracts, reports, forms, and other text documents, a monochrome laser printer may provide the lowest-cost and simplest solution. Businesses that regularly produce color presentations, charts, marketing materials, or client-facing documents may benefit from a color laser printer or business-class ink tank printer.
When choosing an office printer, consider features such as:
- Recommended monthly print volume appropriate for your workload
- Automatic duplex printing for two-sided documents
- Automatic document feeder (ADF) for scanning multiple pages
- Duplex scanning for two-sided documents
- Ethernet connectivity for reliable network printing
- High-yield toner or ink to reduce cost per page
- Larger paper trays to reduce frequent refilling
- Multifunction capabilities for printing, scanning, and copying
- Security and administrative features if multiple employees will use the printer
Businesses with several employees should also consider whether one centrally located workgroup printer makes more sense than purchasing multiple inexpensive desktop printers. A properly sized business printer can often provide better reliability, easier management, and lower operating costs.
Before purchasing, estimate your normal monthly printing volume and choose a printer designed to comfortably support that workload rather than selecting a model based solely on its purchase price.
Should You Buy a Monochrome or Color Printer?
Choosing between a monochrome and color printer comes down to whether color provides enough value to justify the additional purchase and operating costs.
A monochrome laser printer is often the best choice if you primarily print invoices, contracts, reports, forms, shipping labels, or other text-based documents. These printers are generally simple to maintain, fast, and economical for black-and-white printing.
A color printer makes more sense if you regularly print presentations, charts, school projects, marketing materials, graphics, or other documents where color improves readability or presentation.
Keep in mind that color printers typically have more consumables to replace. A color laser printer, for example, normally requires separate cyan, magenta, yellow, and black toner cartridges. Even if you primarily print in black and white, those additional supplies can increase the overall cost of owning the printer.
If you only need color a few times per year, it may be more economical to purchase a reliable monochrome laser printer for everyday use and have occasional color documents professionally printed.
For frequent color printing, compare color laser and ink tank printers based on your expected page volume, print quality requirements, and cost per page.
Should You Buy an All-in-One Printer?
An all-in-one printer, also called a multifunction printer, combines printing with scanning and copying in a single device. Some models also include fax capabilities. For many home offices and small businesses, an all-in-one printer is more practical than purchasing separate devices.
If you regularly scan contracts, receipts, forms, invoices, or other multi-page documents, look for a model with an automatic document feeder (ADF). An ADF allows you to scan or copy multiple pages without placing each sheet on the scanner glass individually.
Other useful features to consider include automatic duplex printing, duplex scanning, larger paper trays, Ethernet connectivity, and high-yield ink or toner options.
A print-only model may be the better choice if you rarely scan or copy documents. Print-only printers are often less expensive and can be simpler to maintain.
For a home office or small business that regularly handles paperwork, however, a multifunction laser printer with an automatic document feeder and duplex printing is often worth the additional cost.
What to Look for When Buying a Printer
Before buying a printer, compare more than the purchase price and advertised print speed. The specifications that matter most depend on how you plan to use the printer.
Consider these factors when comparing models:
- Cost per page: Compare the price and estimated page yield of replacement ink or toner. A low-cost printer can become expensive if its supplies have a high cost per page.
- Recommended monthly print volume: Choose a printer designed to comfortably handle the number of pages you expect to print each month.
- Print speed: Look at pages per minute (PPM), especially if you regularly print large documents or share the printer with multiple users.
- Automatic duplex printing: Two-sided printing can reduce paper use and is particularly useful for business documents.
- Paper capacity: A larger input tray means less frequent refilling, especially in a busy home office or small business.
- Automatic document feeder: An ADF makes scanning and copying multi-page documents much easier.
- Connectivity: Determine whether you need USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, mobile printing, or a combination of these options.
- Ink or toner availability: Check the cost and availability of standard and high-yield replacement supplies before purchasing the printer.
- Size and placement: Verify that the printer will fit comfortably in the space where you plan to use it, including room for opening paper trays and scanner lids.
- Warranty and support: Review the manufacturer’s warranty and available support options, particularly when purchasing a printer for business use.
After narrowing your choices, read both professional and customer reviews. Pay particular attention to recurring complaints about paper jams, connectivity problems, driver issues, print quality, supply costs, and long-term reliability rather than relying solely on the overall star rating.
When Is the Best Time to Buy a Printer?
The best time to buy a printer is usually when retailers and manufacturers are offering discounts on current models or clearing inventory for newer products. Major holiday sales, back-to-school promotions, and year-end shopping events can provide opportunities to save on home and office printers.
However, the purchase price should not be the only factor in deciding when or what to buy. A deeply discounted printer may still be expensive to own if it requires costly ink or toner.
Before buying a printer on sale, check the price and page yield of its replacement supplies, whether high-yield cartridges are available, and whether the model has the features you actually need.
Businesses should also avoid waiting until an existing printer fails completely before researching a replacement. Planning ahead gives you time to compare print volume, networking, scanning, security, paper handling, and supply costs rather than choosing a replacement based solely on immediate availability.
If you find the right printer at a reasonable price and its long-term operating costs fit your needs, there is usually little reason to wait for a specific sale.
Which Printer Brands Should You Consider?
Several major printer manufacturers offer reliable options for home, home office, and business use. Rather than choosing a printer based on brand alone, compare the specific model’s features, operating costs, print volume, and availability of replacement supplies.
Brother is well known for monochrome and color laser printers, including multifunction models designed for home offices and small businesses. Brother laser printers are often worth considering when document printing, reliability, and straightforward operation are priorities.
HP offers a broad range of inkjet and LaserJet printers for home and business use. HP’s product line includes everything from compact home printers to higher-volume multifunction laser printers, so supply costs and features can vary considerably between models.
Epson is particularly well known for its EcoTank ink tank printers. These models use refillable ink reservoirs instead of traditional cartridges and can be attractive for users who regularly print a high volume of color documents and want a lower cost per page.
Canon offers inkjet, ink tank, photo, and laser printers. Canon is worth considering when color and photo printing are important, although the company also offers models designed for general home and office document printing.
Other manufacturers, including Lexmark and Xerox, offer printers that may be appropriate for business and higher-volume environments.
There is no single best printer brand for everyone. Compare individual models based on your expected printing volume, ink or toner costs, required features, warranty, and long-term supply availability before making a decision.
Choosing Printers for a Small Business
Choosing a printer for a business involves more than comparing individual models. Print volume, network connectivity, security, scanning requirements, operating costs, and how employees will access the device should all be considered.
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Which Printer Should I Buy? Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the best printer for me?
Start by considering what you print, how often you print, and whether you need color, scanning, or copying. If you primarily print documents, a laser printer is often a good choice. If high-quality color or photo printing is important, an inkjet may be better. Also compare the cost of replacement ink or toner, print speed, paper capacity, connectivity, and recommended monthly print volume before choosing a printer.
What type of printer is best for home use?
For many homes that primarily print documents, a monochrome laser printer is a reliable and economical choice. Toner does not dry out like liquid ink, making laser printers particularly useful for occasional printing. Households that frequently print color documents may prefer a color laser or ink tank printer, while an inkjet printer is generally better when high-quality photo printing is a priority.
What printer should I buy if I don’t print often?
If you print infrequently, a laser printer is usually a strong choice because toner can remain usable for long periods without drying out. For occasional forms, shipping labels, school documents, or other basic printing, a simple monochrome laser printer may provide the lowest-maintenance option.
Is a laser or inkjet printer better?
A laser printer is generally better for fast, reliable document printing, particularly for home offices and businesses. Inkjet printers are typically better for photographs and high-quality color images. If you frequently print large quantities of color documents, an ink tank printer can provide another option with a relatively low cost per page.
Is an all-in-one printer worth buying?
An all-in-one printer is worth considering if you regularly need to scan or copy documents in addition to printing. Home offices and small businesses may particularly benefit from models with an automatic document feeder, automatic duplex printing, and duplex scanning. If you only need to print, however, a simpler print-only model may cost less and be easier to maintain.
What should I look for when buying a printer?
Consider the printer’s total cost of ownership, not just its purchase price. Compare replacement ink or toner costs, estimated page yields, recommended monthly print volume, print speed, paper capacity, duplex printing, scanning capabilities, connectivity, warranty, and availability of replacement supplies.
Which printer brand is best?
There is no single printer brand that is best for everyone. Brother is well known for laser printers, Epson for EcoTank ink tank models, HP for its broad range of home and business printers, and Canon for its selection of inkjet, photo, ink tank, and laser printers. Compare individual models based on your printing needs rather than choosing solely by brand.
When is the best time to buy a printer?
Printers are frequently discounted during major holiday sales, back-to-school promotions, and other retail events. However, a discounted printer is not necessarily a good value if replacement ink or toner is expensive. The best time to buy is when you find a printer that meets your requirements at a reasonable price and has acceptable long-term operating costs.
Looking for more practical technology guidance? Visit our Small Business Tech Tips section for additional articles covering computers, printers, cybersecurity, Microsoft 365, troubleshooting, and other technology topics for home offices and small businesses.