The Best All-In-One Printers For Every Printing Task - EU-Vietnam Business Network (EVBN)

Many of our favorite all-in-one printers are discounted over the next few days. For more savings opportunities, check out our lists of the best Valentine’s Day sales.

Whether you have a home office or everyone in the family just needs to occasionally print things, an all-in-one printer is a versatile tool. The best all-in-one printers—like the Canon Maxify MegaTank GX7021, our pick for the Best All-In-One Printer Overall—are designed to do so much more than print. They can also copy, scan and even fax—all while taking up far less space compared to using three or four separate devices.

Shop the best all-in-one inkjet printer for $150 off right now.

Illustration: Forbes / Photos: Retailers

In a home, home office or small office setting, all-in-one printers (AIOs) provide the greatest flexibility and convenience. All the major printer brands have all-in-one printer options, including Canon, Epson, HP and Brother. Plus, most of these printers now rely on large, economical ink tanks, instead of costly ink cartridges. Ink tanks can typically hold the same amount of ink as 20 to 30 individual ink cartridges.

All-in-one printers come in a vast range of sizes and prices, as well as print technologies (like inkjet and laser). What these devices can do, along with their print quality, print speed and how much each cost to maintain varies. For example, color all-in-one laser printers can quickly print color pages, but these tend to be rather costly to both purchase and maintain.

“All-in-ones have large price gaps primarily based on technology and features,” confirms Valerie Alde-Hayman, senior analyst for printers at consumer research firm gap intelligence. When reviewing printer options, you can expect to “see higher prices for printers if they have faster print speeds, duplexing capabilities (especially for duplex scanning), larger paper handling capabilities and touchscreen displays.”

We’ve done the research and testing to compile this list of the best all-in-one printers available right now:

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Best All-In-One Printer Overall

Ready For All Of Your High-Capacity Printing Needs

Editor’s Pick

Best Buy

Canon Maxify MegaTank GX7021

Best for: Home offices and families with extensive printing needs.

The Canon Maxify MegaTank GX70201 is an ideal all-in-one printer for a high-volume home office or a family with a lot of diverse printing needs. Its refillable ink tanks can print up to 6,000 B&W pages or 14,000 color pages before the tanks need to be refilled—making it more cost-effective than cartridge-based inkjet printers. This printer has a 600-sheet paper capacity, distributed among three paper trays (two with a 250-sheet capacity in the front and one with a 100-sheet capacity in the back).

The built-in touchscreen provides a simple interface to switch among the print, copy, scan and fax functions. While optimized for busy home offices, this model can also easily handle all the printing needs of your entire family. It even does an amazing job creating lab-quality photo prints from digital images when you use premium photo paper.

From our review: As an all-in-one inkjet printer for a home office, you’ll be hard pressed to find another printer that offers the features, ease-of-use and environmentally-friendly functionality as the Canon Maxify GX7021. Those who need the microscopic difference a laser printer can make will probably want to pay more for that privilege, but most people really don’t need to. This Canon model gets close enough for a wide range of needs. Check out Forbes Vetted’s full review.

Pros:

Strong performance
Three paper trays

Cons:

Bulky size
Heavy weight

Honorable Mention: This HP Printer Handles A Range Of Needs

HP Smart Tank 7602

Best for: A family or home office with diverse printing needs.

The HP Smart Tank 7602 uses ink tanks to output between 6,000 and 8,000 pages before needing a refill, so the cost per page is very low and maintenance is super easy. This printer can also produce high-quality prints from digital images in a wide range of sizes, thanks to the 4,800 x 12,000 dpi print resolution.

Unless you’re printing large qualities of long documents, you won’t need to refill the 250-sheet paper tray too often. You get wireless printing using a variety of protocols, including Apple AirPrint, so you won’t need a cable to print from your computer or mobile devices.

Pros:

High print resolution
Decent print speed
Uses ink tanks (not ink cartridges) for a low per-page cost

Cons:

Just one paper tray
3-inch touchscreen display lacks color

Best All-In-One Printer For Home

Print, Copy And Scan

Best Buy

Epson EcoTank ET-3830

Printer type: Inkjet | Features: Print/Copy/Scan | Print speed: 15 ppm (black) / 8 ppm (color) | Duty cycle: Up to 5,000 pages per month (Epson’s recommended monthly page volume is up to 800 pages) | Print resolution: 4,800 x 1,200 dpi | Scan resolution: 1,200 x 2,400 dpi | Total paper tray capacity: 250-sheets | Two-sided printing: Automatic | Copy speed: Up to 15 ppm

Best for: Families looking for a zippy, general-purpose printer.

The Epson EcoTank ET-3830 strikes a strong balance between features and value. The ink tanks hold enough ink to generate 7,500 black and white pages or 6,000 full-color pages before needing a refill—and it comes with a full ink set. It prints on letter- and legal-size paper and can print borderless images on premium photo paper. The front paper tray holds 250 sheets.

This printer uses a 2.4-inch color display along with buttons on the front panel to navigate among functions. Print speed is a respectable 15 ppm in black and white and eight ppm in color. Printing 8.5 x 11-inch photos or two-sided documents takes a bit longer. Epson supports wireless printing via several protocols, including Apple’s AirPrint and Mopria. In the mid-price range, this Epson printer will meet most expectations and needs for a home office.

Pros:

Uses long-lasting, economical refillable ink tanks
Wireless printing using AirPrint, Mopria and more

Cons:

Print speed for color could be better

Honorable Mention: An Ink Tank-Based Printer From HP

HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e All-in-One Printer

Best for: A household with diverse printing needs.

Thanks to print speeds of up to 22 ppm (black) and 18 ppm (color), the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e can produce longer documents without keeping you waiting too long. In fact, in draft mode, the printer boasts a print speed up to 32 ppm. This model can capably handle a diverse range of tasks, especially considering it’s priced at less than $300.

Unfortunately, the printer uses four separate ink carriages, as opposed to ink tanks, so the ongoing operational costs will be higher than some competitors if you do a lot of heavy printing. Definitely go with the “XL” capacity ink cartridges to benefit from their higher print yield.

Pros:

Quick print speed
Prints, copies, scans and faxes
High print resolution

Cons:

Genuine ink cartridges are expensive

Best All-In-One Printer For Families

Photo Printing At A Reasonable Price

Best Buy

Canon Pixma MegaTank G3260

Best for: General-purpose and photo printing.

The mid-range Canon Pixma MegaTank G3260 offers all-around value at a low cost-per-page. It prints, photocopies and scans, offers wireless printing (with Apple AirPrint compatibility) and accommodates a variety of popular paper sizes—from 3.5 x 3.5 inches to 8.5 x 11 inches. Plus, when you use photo paper, it prints beautiful borderless images in the sizes of your choice. The paper tray holds up to 100 sheets.

Each time you refill the tanks with compatible ink, that ink can typically last about two years (up to 6,000 black pages or 7,700 color pages). Two gotchas: This printer has just a two-line LCD display and buttons to navigate the unit’s functions, and it lacks two-sided printing.

Pros:

Ink tanks with low cost-per-page

Cons:

Sluggish print speed
No automatic document feeder
No two-sided printing

Best Budget All-In-One Printer

Costs Less Than $180 And Includes A Year’s Worth Of Ink

Amazon

Brother INKvestment Tank MFC-J4335DW

Best for: A family or home office with diverse color printing needs.

The Brother INKvestment Tank MFC-J4335DW is a highly capable printer that does more than most at the same price. Thanks to its hybrid ink tank/cartridge system, a single set of four ink cartridges will last the average user up to one full year, while providing an impressive 4800 x 1200 dpi print resolution. Brother’s INKvestment high-yield ink cartridges load from the front of the printer and generate up to 6,000 (black) or 5,000 (color) pages per refill, much more than you’d get with a standard cartridge design.

The front of the printer has a 1.8-inch color touchscreen display and a full touchpad. You can also control it using the Brother Mobile Connect app or Amazon Alexa voice commands. Print wirelessly from Apple iPhone, iPad or Mac devices using Apple AirPrint, or use Wi-Fi Direct to print from Windows PCs and Android-based devices. You can also scan and print directly from popular cloud storage services, including Google Cloud, Dropbox and OneDrive. This model has automatic two-sided printing, but not scanning. The automatic document feeder can handle 20 pages at a time.

Pros:

Affordable to purchase and maintain
Fast print speed

Cons:

Input tray capacity is just 150 sheets
Lacks duplexing for scans

Honorable Mention: An Epson That Does A Lot, But Costs A Little

Best Buy

Epson EcoTank ET-2400

Best for: Color printing on a budget, when you’re not in a hurry.

The Epson EcoTank ET-2400 uses ink tanks, so it’s very economical to operate. It prints well, but it is slower than its competition. To save on costs, this model lacks a display and an automatic document feeder for its flatbed scanner; it also doesn’t do automatic two-sided printing. But its compact, clean design fits well in any room. The EcoTank ET-2400 has wireless and wired printing and can create prints from digital images. The ET-2400 is suitable for home use, but it won’t perform well in a home office setting.

A full set of ink tanks output up to 4,500 pages (black) or 7,500 pages (color), which is equivalent to about 90 traditional ink cartridges. For a typical household, this is enough ink to last up to two years. The printer comes with one set of ink. Overall, if you’re not in a hurry and don’t plan to work with long documents, this is a versatile and affordable all-in-one printer.

Pros:

Very affordable to maintain
Offers wireless or wired printing options
Comes with enough ink to last up to two years

Cons:

Lacks a display and automatic document feeder
No automatic two-sided printing

Best Premium All-In-One Printer For Home Offices

Serious Print Capacity

Best Features

Best Buy

Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850

Best for: A busy home office with extensive printing needs.

The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is a high-end, business-oriented, color inkjet printer that also serves as a copier, scanner and fax machine. Because this printer relies on ink tanks, the ongoing cost of operation is very low—about $0.02 per page—since full ink tanks generate up to 6,000 pages. The 4.3-inch color touchscreen makes it easy to manage the printer and its functions—which include wireless and two-sided printing.

The two 250-sheet paper trays reduce the frequency between paper refills—and each supports 8.5 x 11-inch or 8.5 x 14-inch paper. Print resolution is very high (up to 4,800 x 2,400 dpi), so in addition to producing crisp text, the ET-5850 creates beautiful charts, graphics and digital images. It has both wireless and wired networking.

Pros:

Crisp, business-quality printing
Fast print speed
High paper tray capacity

Cons:

Expensive

Best Compact All-In-One Printer

A Small Home Office Option

Good Value

Best Buy

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4820

Best for: A home or home office tight on space.

The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4820 has an attractive price given its features—which includes a comparatively fast print speed, fax, automatic document feeder, two-sided printing and scanning and a large 4.3-inch touchscreen display. This model uses ink cartridges, which are not as cost efficient as ink tanks—especially for high-volume printing.

One benefit of this model, however, is its compact footprint. It easily fits on a tabletop or desk. The WF-4820 can also use premium photo paper to produce vivid prints from your digital images. The scanner’s resolution is 1,200 x 2,400 dpi, which is higher than most printers in this price range.

Pros:

Versatile printing capabilities
Good print speed for the price
Large color touchscreen display

Cons:

Uses four separate ink cartridges

Best Portable All-In-One Printer

Meet Your On-The-Go Remote Office Companion

B&H Photo

HP OfficeJet 250

Best for: Remote workers and mobile professionals.

The HP OfficeJet 250 is a portable office tool for remote workers who need to set up a full office wherever they are—in a hotel room, in an airport, or even in their car. It’s capable of single-sided printing, copying and scanning—all from a foldable 6.5-pound chassis which easily fits in a briefcase, backpack or carry-on bag. It works with an optional $100 rechargeable battery pack.

This model works wirelessly with any laptop computer or mobile device and has an intuitive 2.65-inch color touchscreen to control it. While this printer’s price is on the higher side (as are the HP 62 ink cartridge prices), you’re paying for the convenience and print quality of this portable unit.

Pros:

Extremely portable
Fast print speed
High print yields for its size

Cons:

High price
Lacks two-sided printing
Battery not included

Best All-In-One Photo Printer

Produce Professional-Looking Photos At Home

Best Buy

Epson Expression Premium XP-7100

Best for: Amateur and semi-pro photographers.

The Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 stands apart from the competition with a high print resolution. This allows you to produce incredibly detailed and vivid photo prints using premium photo paper. The Expression uses four separate ink cartridges.

This model has a 30-page automatic document feeder for scanning stacks of documents. Its wireless printing works with Apple AirPrint, Mopria, Wi-Fi Direct, Google Cloud Print and other protocols. The large, 4.3-inch touchscreen display makes controlling the printer and previewing images easy and convenient. The Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 shines when printing photos, but it can easily meet the general printing needs of most households.

Pros:

High print resolution
Good print speed

Cons:

Paper tray capacity could be better

Best All-In-One Monochrome Laser Printer

Print Up To 5,000 Pages Per Toner Fill

HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw

Best for: Black-and-white printing at the lowest possible cost.

The HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw is part of HP’s Tank series using economical and refillable toner cartridges. The printer comes pre-loaded with what HP describes as up to two years-worth of ink. It supports toner cartridge refills with enough ink to print up to 2,500 ($17) or 5,000 ($30) pages. Not only is this printer affordable to maintain on a cost-per-page basis, but it’s fast, too, with a snappy 23 ppm output.

This all-in-one printer has a 40-page automatic document feeder and a 250-sheet paper tray. It lacks a display, however, so to control its features, you must use your computer or mobile device. Like other HP models, this printer supports a variety of wireless printing protocols, including HP Smart App, Apple AirPrint, Mopria and Wi-Fi Direct.

Pros:

High print yield from low-cost toner cartridges
Better-than-average print speed

Cons:

Just one paper tray

Honorable Mention: Speedy Laser Printer Prints At Up To 32ppm

B&H Photo

Brother L-2710DW

Best for: Speedy monochrome printing.

The Brother L-2710DW a low-cost, monochrome, all-in-one laser printer which even includes fax capabilities. This model is a good choice for quickly printing multi-page documents with crisp, easy-to-read text. This model has a fast 32 ppm print speed. The printer works with paper sizes up to 8.5 x 14 inches, but also prints on envelopes and labels.

While it works best with 20-pound laser paper (or multipurpose copy paper), it can handle up to 24-pound paper in the paper tray or up to 61-pound paper in the manual sheet feeder. A Brother TN730 standard yield toner cartridge ($45) will produce about 1,200 pages, while a Brother TN760 high-yield cartridge ($80) will produce up to 3,000 pages.

Pros:

Fast print speed
High print resolution
Integrates fax at a low price

Cons:

Document feeder lacks auto-duplexing

Best All-In-One Wide Format Printer

Print Documents At Up To 11 x 17 Inches

HP OfficeJet Pro 7740

Best for: Printing tabloid-size documents.

The HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 all-in-one printer stands apart from the crowd with its ability to print documents at up to 11 x 17 inches, also known as tabloid size. Most other all-in-one printers can only handle letter or legal-size paper. It prints pages at a high-resolution—at a better-than-average print speed. You can print everything from large, detailed charts and graphics to photo-quality prints using photo paper.

The 2.7- inch color touchscreen makes it easy to control this printer’s functions. It includes faxing capabilities that are not always present in printers at this price. The 35-sheet automatic document feeder supports two-sided (single pass) scanning, a boon if you have stacks of documents to scan. This model has Wi-Fi and wired ethernet connectivity. It supports both Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print protocols. Note: This printer relies on a dual-ink cartridge system, so you can expect a higher cost-per-page than on a supertank printer.

Pros:

Fast print speed
High print resolution
Prints tabloid pages

Cons:

High cost per page
Bulky footprint

The Best Printer Deals Available Right Now

After scouring the internet, here are the best money-saving deals on printers you can shop right now. But don’t delay: Some of these are limited-time offers, so act fast to claim them.

Pay $80 For This Two-Cartridge Printer

Best Buy

Canon Pixma TS6420a

This Canon Pixma TS6420a has print/copy/scan functions and prints at up to 13 ppm (black) or 6.8 ppm (color). It can print wirelessly from almost any computer or mobile device, but relies on one black and one tricolor ink cartridge. Get 50% off and buy it now for just $80 at Best Buy.

This Canon All-In-One Is 48% Off

Amazon

Canon Pixma TR7020a

Save $61 on this Canon Pixma TR7020a inkjet printer at Amazon and pay just $99. It offers high-quality wireless printing using two ink cartridges. Print speed is 13ppm (black) and 6.8ppm (color), which is impressive for a printer now priced under $100. Thanks to its 4,800 x 1,200 dpi print resolution, it can generate impressive prints from digital images when used with premium photo paper.

Get 35% Off This Canon All-In-One Inkjet

Amazon

Canon TR8620a

For all of your basic printing needs, the Canon TR8620a will make a nice addition to any home. Right now, it’s 35% off, which brings the price down to just $149 on Amazon. It’s a printer, copier, scanner, and fax machine combo that can print up to 15ppm (black) or 10ppm (color). It does rely on traditional ink cartridges, however. The printer includes a 20-sheet capacity auto document feeder and can handle automatic two-sided printing.

This Smart HP Printer Is Almost 30% Off

Amazon

HP LaserJet Pro MFP Wireless Printer

If you don’t need a color printer, this LaserJet Pro can print, scan, copy and fax black and white copies. It also has HP+ Smart Office features that allow you to set up and control multiple printers in various locations. Act now to save $160 on this model.

A Top-Rated Photo Printer Enjoying Its Lowest Price Since 2021

Amazon

Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Wireless Printer

If you’re an avid photographer, this printer—which is enjoying its lowest price since 2021—gives you the ability to print borderless, professional-quality photos at home. Just make sure to use Epson Genuine Cartridges, as other inks could damage the printer and void its warranty. (It comes with six Claria Photo HD ink cartridges.)

A Canon Printer For Frequent Faxers

Amazon

Canon imageCLASS MF453dw All-In-One Wireless Laser Printer

If you do a lot of faxing, this Canon printer would make a valuable addition to your home office. It’s fast (it can print up to 40 pages per minute), plus it can scan two-sided images with a single passthrough. While this print has been been steadily decreasing in price over the past year, this deal is the lowest it has dropped. For added peace of mind, it comes with a three-year warranty.

Save 17% On This Home Office Printer

Amazon

Brother MFC-J5855DW INKvestment Tank Color Inkjet All-In-One Printer

Named best home office printer after weeks of testing, the Brother MFC-J5855DW INKvestment Tank Color Inkjet All-In-One Printer is 17% off right now. It comes with up to a year’s supply of ink, and can print large-format documents up to 11 x 17 inches.

Save 15% On The Best All-In-One Color Laser Printer

Amazon

HP Color LaserJet Pro M283fdw Wireless All-in-One Laser Printer

We found that the HP Color LaserJet Pro M283fdw Wireless All-in-One Laser Printer was the best laser printer overall after extensive research, and you can snag it for 15% off right now. It yields high-quality, high-capacity color printing at a fraction of the cost of other printers. Plus, it works as a fax machine, too.

Enjoy 42% Savings On An Already Affordable Printer

Amazon

Brother HL-L2350DW Compact Monochrome Laser Printer

This printer won best budget monochrome laser printer in our round-up, and it’s even more affordable right now. Save 42% on this minimal printer, which can print on both sides of the page as well as on envelopes and card stock.

Save 42% On A Smart Printer

Amazon

HP DeskJet 4155e Wireless Color All-in-One Printer

Enjoy $45 off this HP option that also scans, copies and prints. This printer also comes with six months of free ink. Pair with HP’s app to print from anywhere.

A Basic Epson For 48% Off

BestBuy

Epson Expression Home XP-4200 All-in-One Inkjet Printer

Snag this printer for just $60, or 48% off, right now. This option from Epson promises easy setup and a 2.4-inch color display screen to help you navigate printing options.

Save $20 On An All-In-One Epson

BestBuy

Epson – WorkForce WF-2930 All-in-One Inkjet Printer

Save $20 on this all-in-one Epson printer right now. It has a built-in scanner, copier and auto document feeder, and it can alsp send faxes. Epson promises a simple setup, and the printer has wireless capabilities.

What You Should Look For In An All-In-One Printer

If you’re looking at all-in-one printers, this means you’re seeking a single device capable of serving as a printer, copier, scanner and potentially a fax machine. Each model that’s available offers a slightly different assortment of features, functions and specifications.

The first decision to make is whether you want an inkjet printer or laser printer. Each uses a different printing technology, with laser printers typically generating printed documents with a professional-level quality and crisp, sharp text. Inkjet printers, however, are much better at generating photo lab-quality prints from your digital images. And for the best photo prints, look for an inkjet with a six-color ink system and that prints at a higher resolution.

Laser printers are a good choice if you print a lot from a home office or have a large family with a lot of diverse printing needs. Monochrome laser printers (that have all-in-one functionality) are fast, reliable and inexpensive. They don’t do photos, however, and business documents won’t be able to reproduce that splash of color. A color laser printer would address that, but such models are a lot pricier than their monochrome counterparts.

An inkjet printer is the way to go if your printing needs sometimes include color—or include printing photos. An inkjet printer with ink tanks is your least expensive option over time, since you won’t constantly need to be buying and replacing costly ink cartridges.

The print quality of a laser printer is superior to that of an inkjet printer, but for the average needs of a family, an all-in-one inkjet printer is more economical and versatile. And print quality is better than ever on all-in-one inkjet printers.

These are some of the other features you should look for when choosing an all-in-one printer.

Two-Sided Printing (Also Referred To As Duplex Printing)

Full duplex printers can automatically print to both sides of a page. Not everyone needs this, however. Duplex printers are nice to have at home, but often essential in an office. Using this feature, you’ll save a lot of paper, so the environment and your wallet will thank you. On the downside, when using full duplex printing with an inkjet printer, you may need to use thicker paper (28-pound instead of 20-pound) to eliminate ink bleed through. This feature can also slow down the print speed of a printer.

Beware: Some lower-cost models may print two-sided, but it’s a manual process. Also, some might have auto-duplexing for printing, but not for scanning or photocopying. Pay attention to the specs and the printer’s design.

Print Speed

Not all printers are speed demons. Many printers report two different speeds—the time it takes for the first print to slide out of the printer and the pages per minute (ppm) once it starts printing. If you only print occasionally, print speed might not be that important, but it’s arguably the single most important feature if you print a lot of pages at a time.

Also, despite what a printer manufacturer reports is a particular printer’s ppm speed, when you’re printing graphics-heavy documents or photos, the printing speed will always be slower. Even the fastest inkjet printers will take up to 90 second to print one 8.5 x 11-inch photo, for example.

That said, if a printer offers a “draft mode,” this increases print speed dramatically, but lowers print quality. This mode will generate output faster and use less ink or toner.

Connectivity

Most of today’s printers have wireless connectivity, so you can send files via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, rather than plugging directly into the printer’s USB or ethernet port. Some printers can print from memory cards or USB flash drives. Most support wireless printing standards—including Apple AirPrint (for printing from your iMac, MacBook, iPhone or iPad), Mopria and Wi-Fi Direct.

Many of the latest printers can print directly from cloud-based services, like Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox.

Photo Printing

Any printer can spit out an image, but it may not be of a quality you’d want to hang on the wall. Some printers specialize in printing photos, with extra ink colors, higher resolution or over-sized printing.

Copier Speed And Scanner Resolution

When you use an all-in-one printer as a copier or scanner, speed and resolution matter. You also want to determine if there’s a flatbed scanner or if the copier/scanner uses an automatic document feeder (ADF) to scan multiple pages at once. In terms of resolution, higher is better, but for scanning black and white text-based documents, 300 dpi should be adequate. The number of pages you can insert into an ADF at once might also be important, if scanning or photocopying long documents is something you do often.

For Inkjet Printers: Ink Tanks Versus Ink Cartridges

Many of the latest inkjet printers now rely on high-capacity ink tanks, as opposed to individual ink cartridges. This is definitely a more economical option and eliminates the need of constantly having to swap out cartridges, as the ink tanks typically hold enough ink to last about two years.

For Laser Printers: Toner Cartridge Costs And Options

If you opt to go with a laser printer, a monochrome laser printer’s toner cartridges tend to be inexpensive. A high-capacity toner cartridge can print upwards of 10,000 to 12,000 pages before it needs replacing. If you buy generic toner cartridges for these printers, the cost will be under $50 each.

However, toner cartridges for color laser printers continue to cost much more (upwards of $75 to $150 each) and generate far fewer pages. Plus, color laser printers require you to use multiple toner cartridges simultaneously, so the ongoing cost to maintain a color laser printer is much higher than a color inkjet printer.

What’s The Difference Between An All-In-One Printer And A Multifunction Printer?

Fundamentally, these terms are interchangeable. An all-in-one printer (AIO) is primarily for consumers (households and people working from home offices) to handle printing, copying, scanning and sometimes faxing. It will typically connect directly to your computer via a USB cable or can handle wireless printing via a supported protocol. Color inkjet, monochrome laser and color laser printers now come in AIO configurations.

While a multifunction printer (MFP) will also typically print, scan, copy and fax, it usually connects directly to a company’s network, offers much higher print speeds and provides more business-oriented functionality. It’s also designed to be shared by multiple users. These printers are often more expensive and are significantly larger. They typically have multiple (large capacity) paper trays, for example.

Which Printer Brand Is The Best?

As you might imagine, there’s no single best printer brand. Collectively, several companies offer the best all-in-one printers. But depending upon what you’re looking for—affordability, high printing volume, photo and creative printing, or other criteria—you might prefer one brand over another.

Canon, Brother, Epson and HP—as well as a handful of other brands—all offer superb, all-in-one printer models that use inkjet printing technologies. Brother, Canon and HP all have models which use laser printing technologies, too. If you want to make high-quality photo prints or get a multi-purpose printer that can do prints and other kinds of documents, Canon, HP and Epson have a variety of options. Focus on your needs and not a brand name when seeking an all-in-one printer that matches your budget and your printing needs.

Is A Dedicated Scanner Better Than A Printer’s Scanner?

Yes, but not always. A typical standalone scanner may offer higher resolution scanning capabilities and better color accuracy. This can be useful for scanning color documents with lots of graphics or photographs, for example. That said, there are plenty of all-in-one printers that include good quality scanners with a scanning resolution that rivals what a standalone scanner would offer.

If you’re willing to spend a bit for a standalone, flatbed, or sheet-fed scanner, you won’t have trouble finding one that boasts an impressive 4,800 x 4,800 dpi or up to 6,400 x 6,400 dpi resolution. Some even offer up to 9,600 x 9,600 dpi resolution.

Meanwhile, what you’ll find built into a typical all-in-one printer will be a scanner capable of between 300 x 300 dpi and 1,200 x 1,200 dpi resolution. Obviously, the higher the resolution the better, especially if you’ll be scanning photographs or documents with highly detailed graphics or illustrations. However, the higher the resolution you use, the larger the digital file size the scanned document will be.

What’s The Difference Between A Laser Printer And An Inkjet Printer?

The quick answer is that a laser printer uses a laser and toner to render text and graphics, while an inkjet printer relies on using liquid (colored) inks precisely sprayed onto paper in tiny droplets. The actual printing processes are totally different.

In general, a laser printer produces sharper text and graphics, often at faster print speeds than an inkjet. An inkjet printer can print both black and white, as well as color documents. These printers can often also generate photo prints from digital images using photo paper.

Until recently, monochrome laser printers relied on toner cartridges, while inkjet printers relied on two or more ink cartridges to function. However, many printer manufacturers have introduced ink tanks—sometimes referred to as supertanks—instead of costly cartridges. The latest printers now use easy-to-refill ink tanks and require no individual cartridges. This makes the printers much less expensive to maintain.

The ink capacity of an inkjet printer’s tank, for example, is typically equivalent to 20 to 30 individual ink cartridges. Most ink tank models have four ink tanks, but a few printers use six ink tanks to produce highly detailed photo prints.

Is An Inkjet Printer Or Laser Printer Better?

This all depends on what you’ll be using the printer for. For longer, text-based documents, a monochrome laser printer will generate high-quality and crisp text at a fast print speed (typically at least 20 to 30 ppm). A color laser printer will also generate high-quality text and graphics, also at a fast print speed. Typically, color laser printers will be the fastest color printers, but more expensive inkjet models can come close to a laser printer’s print resolution. Laser printers are more costly to maintain and are not good at creating photo prints from digital images.

A color inkjet cartridge or ink tank printer will have a range of print speeds, with the speed increasing as you move up to more expensive and more powerful models. Typically, the speeds will fall between 10 ppm and 20 ppm for black and white documents, with full-color documents lagging in speed. If the printer supports premium photo paper, you can print photos as well, but those speeds are slower than standard document speeds.

For average use in a home office, a mid-priced inkjet printer should suffice. If you go with a really low-cost inkjet printer, the printer’s speed and print quality may seem disappointing—especially when printing photos or graphics. A more expensive inkjet printer typically offers features like an automatic document feeder, automatic duplexing, extra paper trays and wide-format printing.

For a home office, a monochrome laser printer will generate higher quality output at a faster pace. This is ideal for longer documents, printed correspondence, business reports, contracts or proposals, for example. A color laser printer is far more expensive to purchase and maintain than a monochrome laser printer, but it can create professional-looking, full-color documents that are suitable for clients.

Which Printers Have The Cheapest Ink?

For all their advantages, inkjet printers can be woefully expensive to maintain because name-band replacement ink cartridges are pricey. If low-cost ink is your overriding concern, consider an inkjet printer with ink tanks or a monochrome laser printer. Again, black laser toner is substantially less expensive than ink cartridges. (Color laser toner cartridges are much more expensive, however.)

Replacement ink for inkjet printers that rely on ink tanks is the most affordable (and environmentally friendly) option of them all.

These days, it’s much more affordable to go with a printer that uses ink tanks as opposed to … [+] traditional ink cartridges.

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Among inkjet printers that rely on ink cartridges, consider printer models that store each color in its own cartridge. Printers which use combo cartridges are usually a lot more expensive to operate and maintain, because if you run out of any one color, you wind up needing to discard the entire cartridge along with any of its remaining ink. This is not an issue if the inkjet printer uses ink tanks instead of cartridges.

One problem with some inkjet printers is that the ink dries up on the printheads and can cause problems which need to be fixed by running a printer head cleaning utility after a period of disuse. For very sporadic printing needs, a monochrome laser printer may be your best option since it uses toner, which isn’t prone to drying out.

While some printers will only work with the manufacturer’s ink, some will work with inks and toners sold by independent companies, like LD Products. Such inks are less costly than those sold by printer manufacturers.

Which Printers Use The Least Amount Of Ink?

While manufacturers provide cartridge yield data, the answer here varies greatly depending on what type of content you’re printing. Most printers offer a “draft” mode that allows the printer to work faster and use less toner or ink, but the print quality will be lesser than in normal mode. This might suffice in some cases, but not if you’re sharing your output with clients or colleagues. And if you’re printing full-page, full-color photos, the printer uses more ink than usual.

Printers that rely on ink tanks, as opposed to ink cartridges, will save you a fortune over time.

Jason R. Rich For Forbes

If you use an inkjet printer only occasionally, preserve your ink cartridges longer (and prevent them from drying out) by removing them from the printer and storing them upright within a sealed plastic bag. Store the ink in a cool and dry place. Anytime you purchase new ink, leave it within its original packaging until you’re ready to use it.

Another way to preserve ink when using an inkjet printer is to always turn the printer off (using the power button) when you’re not using it. Doing so ensures the ink cartridges return to a capped position. If you notice print quality drop, use the printer’s built-in maintenance tools to clean and align the printheads, or unclog the ink cartridges.

What’s The True Total Cost Of O

wning A Printer?

The price you pay to purchase a printer is only the beginning. To keep the printer functional, you’ll need to keep it stocked with ink or toner, as well as paper. If it’s a laser printer, a separate drum unit will also need replacing periodically (around every 12,000 to 15,000 pages).

In general, 20-pound multipurpose paper (also referred to as copy paper) will work with any printer. However, low-cost inkjet printers that offer two-sided printing will often benefit if you use thicker paper to prevent ink bleed through. When you use thicker paper, however, this reduces the capacity of the paper tray.

To calculate the cost per page to use any printer, take the cost for replacement ink/toner and divide it by the estimated page yield. For multipurpose paper, the per-sheet price is minimal, but using premium photo paper and generating high-resolution photo prints will boost ink usage and paper costs rather significantly.

If you’re looking to create photo prints from digital images, you need to use premium photo paper. Depending on the paper size and the quantity you buy it in, this can get expensive. For occasional photo printing, you may be better off uploading your images to a one-hour photo lab. Using a printer to generate photo prints is more convenient, but the cost per print is typically higher than what you’d pay at a photo lab.

Some printers cost less up-front. But look carefully at the cost of replacing the ink or toner. Printer manufacturers may charge less for their printers because the long-term profits come from high-priced ink or toner. For example, the higher maintenance cost of a color laser printer is significant, but if your monthly print volume is minimal, you may get much higher print quality for your investment.

How Much Does An All-In-One Printer Cost?

If you have modest needs and don’t require fast printing or auto-duplexing, for example, a budget all-in-0ne printer between $100 and $250 should work well for your needs. Any inkjet printer that costs less than $500, uses ink tanks (as opposed to ink cartridges) and that offers a print speed higher than 10 ppm is a good deal for a household with average printing needs. If you’re operating a busy home office with larger printing needs, a slightly higher-end all-in-one inkjet printer costs between $500 and $950, but such models can offer even faster print speeds and a more robust collection of functions.

Again, by purchasing an inkjet printer that uses ink tanks—from a company like Epson, HP or Canon—you can save a lot of money over the long-term by not having to constantly purchase and replace traditional ink cartridges.

What Is The Easiest Type Of All-In-One Printer To Use?

If you don’t need to print color, a monochrome laser printer can prove more affordable. These printers use a single toner cartridge to typically output thousands of pages before needing to be replaced, and you don’t have to worry about ink drying up. Plus, if you go with a wireless option, you can use the printer with your mobile devices as well.

For printing full-color documents, photos and files, a mid-priced all-in-one inkjet printer that uses ink tanks (not ink cartridges) is a great choice. These printers are easy to operate and maintain since you won’t to replenish the ink often.

How Do You Choose The Right Paper For Your Printing Task?

Even if you purchase a top-of-the-line printer, how documents look depends on the type of paper you use with the printer. For most printing tasks, 8.5 x 11 inch 20-pound copy paper (also referred to as multipurpose paper) works just fine. It comes in reams of 500 sheets and works well with inkjet or laser printers.

Choosing the right type of paper for each printing task will impact the quality of what you’re … [+] printing.

Jason R. Rich For Forbes

However, if you are using an inkjet printer capable of double-sided printing, consider using thicker, 28-pound paper. The thicker paper prevents ink from seeping through the page or causing the paper to curl because of the ink’s wetness before it fully dries on the page.

When creating photo prints from your digital images, you’ll achieve the best results (sometimes photo lab quality results, depending on the printer) if you use premium photo paper.

All the printer manufacturers that sell printers capable of generating photo prints sell their own branded photo paper in a wide range of popular sizes—as do most of the office supply superstores and companies like Kodak and Fujifilm. There are also companies, like Hahnemuhle, Innova and Moab, that sell extremely specialized and premium-priced fine art or archival photo paper for use by pro photographers.

That said, any premium photo paper—from any paper manufacturer—will work with any printer capable of generating photo prints, as long as that printer can accommodate the paper’s size and weight. Thus, you could use photo paper from Canon, OfficeMax, Staples or Moab within your HP or Epson printer, for example.

Photo paper comes in a variety of popular sizes—such as 4 x 6 inches, 5 x 7 inches, 8 x 10 inches, 8.5 x 11 inches and 11 x 17 inches (which only wide-format printers can accommodate). Premium photo paper also comes in different finishes (such as glossy, lustre or matte). The photo paper you choose can directly affect the look and color of photos, as well as how long prints can last.

For your specialized photo printing needs, many companies sell specialty photo papers that work with most inkjet printers. Options include sticker paper, inkjet transfer paper and 100% cotton fine art photo papers.

About The Author

I’m Jason R. Rich, and as a consumer tech staff writer for Forbes Vetted, it’s my job to stay up-to-date on the latest printers, computers, mobile gadgets and smart devices. When new consumer tech products hit the market, I typically have the opportunity to use them firsthand, which helps me stay current with the latest features and innovations. And I get to share my most exciting discoveries with the Forbes Vetted readers.

I have been writing about consumer tech for more than 20 years and have contributed thousands of articles to major daily newspapers, national magazines and popular websites. I’ve also authored dozens of how-to books covering a wide range of technologies, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and digital cameras.