Printers: Buying Advice, Tips, and News
Buying a new printer doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. If you know what you need to print, how often, and how much you're willing to spend (up-front and per page), we can help with the rest. PCMag has been testing printers for decades, and our top recommendations handle everything from everyday office and school work to high-quality photos and polished presentations.
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How to Save the Most Money on Printer InkWhether you print a lot or a little, it pays to explore bulk-ink and subscription programs like HP Instant Ink. We walk you through the options and compare them side by side.
By M. David Stone
Our Current Top Tested Picks
HP LaserJet M209d
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
If you don't need a network connection, don't print a lot, and never print in color, the HP LaserJet M209d is the reasonably priced printer for you.
Full HP LaserJet M209d ReviewPros
- Better print quality than most lasers in its price range
- Front-loading tray for easy refills and paper-type changes
- 150-sheet capacity
- Automatic duplex (two-sided) printing
Cons
- No bypass paper feed or optional additional trays
- No Wi-Fi or Ethernet
- Does not support mobile printing
Pros
- Better print quality than most lasers in its price range
- Front-loading tray for easy refills and paper-type changes
- 150-sheet capacity
- Automatic duplex (two-sided) printing
Cons
- No bypass paper feed or optional additional trays
- No Wi-Fi or Ethernet
- Does not support mobile printing
Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Epson EcoTank ET-2980 delivers low running costs, snappy print speeds, and more-than-acceptable output quality, making it an excellent light-duty inkjet for a home or home office.
Full Epson EcoTank ET-2980 ReviewPros
- Prints, scans, and copies
- Low running costs
- Automatic print duplexing
- Supports mobile printing and scanning
- USB and Wi-Fi connectivity
Cons
- Scanning limited to flatbed only
- Only one paper tray and a 100-page capacity
- No Ethernet port
Pros
- Prints, scans, and copies
- Low running costs
- Automatic print duplexing
- Supports mobile printing and scanning
- USB and Wi-Fi connectivity
Cons
- Scanning limited to flatbed only
- Only one paper tray and a 100-page capacity
- No Ethernet port
Epson EcoTank ET-3950
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Epson EcoTank ET-3950 stands out for its fast simplex (one-sided) printing and its automatic duplex scanning, making it the all-in-one inkjet printer to beat for micro or home offices.
Full Epson EcoTank ET-3950 ReviewPros
- Supports printing, scanning, and copying
- Low running cost
- Automatic duplex (two-sided) printing and scanning
- Robust mobile printing and scanning features
Cons
- Duplex scanning uses a reversing ADF rather than a single-pass ADF
- Only one paper input tray
Pros
- Supports printing, scanning, and copying
- Low running cost
- Automatic duplex (two-sided) printing and scanning
- Robust mobile printing and scanning features
Cons
- Duplex scanning uses a reversing ADF rather than a single-pass ADF
- Only one paper input tray
Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 AIO prints well and inexpensively, and it offers generous input capacity and lofty volume ratings. It's an incomparable value for small businesses and workgroups.
Full Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 ReviewPros
- Very low running costs
- Terrific print quality
- Auto-duplexing ADF
- PrecisionCore 4S printhead
- Excellent mobile connectivity options
- Two-year warranty with registration
Cons
- High initial purchase price
Pros
- Very low running costs
- Terrific print quality
- Auto-duplexing ADF
- PrecisionCore 4S printhead
- Excellent mobile connectivity options
- Two-year warranty with registration
Cons
- High initial purchase price
Brother MFC-L3780CDW
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Brother MFC-L3780CDW offers excellent output quality with relatively low print costs, making it our top recommendation for a budget color laser all-in-one printer.
Full Brother MFC-L3780CDW ReviewPros
- Prints, scans, copies, and faxes
- Relatively fast
- Competitive toner costs
- Excellent print, copy, and scan quality
- 50-page single-pass auto-duplexing ADF
- Wide range of wireless connection options, including NFC
Cons
- Modest 30-sheet multipurpose tray
Pros
- Prints, scans, copies, and faxes
- Relatively fast
- Competitive toner costs
- Excellent print, copy, and scan quality
- 50-page single-pass auto-duplexing ADF
- Wide range of wireless connection options, including NFC
Cons
- Modest 30-sheet multipurpose tray
Brother MFC-L2900DW XL
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Brother MFC-L2900DW XL mono laser all-in-one printer delivers every feature a small office needs, including the convenience of single-pass duplexing for copying, scanning, and faxing.
Full Brother MFC-L2900DW XL ReviewPros
- Prints, scans, copies, and faxes
- 250-sheet paper tray; single-sheet manual feed
- 50-sheet automatic document feeder
- Automatic duplex printing; single-pass duplexing for scanning
- Compact size suitable for small offices or personal printing
Cons
- Separate imaging unit requires costly replacement
- No option for additional paper trays
Pros
- Prints, scans, copies, and faxes
- 250-sheet paper tray; single-sheet manual feed
- 50-sheet automatic document feeder
- Automatic duplex printing; single-pass duplexing for scanning
- Compact size suitable for small offices or personal printing
Cons
- Separate imaging unit requires costly replacement
- No option for additional paper trays
Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
High-quality photo output—plus the ability to scan, copy, and print on discs—makes the Epson XP-8800 a solid choice for printing photos at home.
Full Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One ReviewPros
- Prints, scans, and copies
- Mobile printing support
- Prints from and scans to USB memory and SD cards
- Two paper trays and automatic print duplexing (two-sided printing)
Cons
- No automatic document feeder
- Scans up to letter and A4 size only
- Lackluster quality when copying photos
Pros
- Prints, scans, and copies
- Mobile printing support
- Prints from and scans to USB memory and SD cards
- Two paper trays and automatic print duplexing (two-sided printing)
Cons
- No automatic document feeder
- Scans up to letter and A4 size only
- Lackluster quality when copying photos
Canon Selphy QX20
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Canon's Selphy QX20 spits out high-quality wallet-size prints, delivering almost all you could ask for in a compact photo printer.
Full Canon Selphy QX20 ReviewPros
- Dye-sub technology delivers high-quality, long-lasting prints
- Supports borders, rounded borders, and three-sided borderless printing
- Prints on both square (2.7-by-2.7-inch) and card-size (2.1-by-3.3-inch) media
- Prints from Android and iOS devices via Wi-Fi
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Prints' peel-off backing can be frustrating to remove
- Fully borderless printing not supported
Pros
- Dye-sub technology delivers high-quality, long-lasting prints
- Supports borders, rounded borders, and three-sided borderless printing
- Prints on both square (2.7-by-2.7-inch) and card-size (2.1-by-3.3-inch) media
- Prints from Android and iOS devices via Wi-Fi
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Prints' peel-off backing can be frustrating to remove
- Fully borderless printing not supported
Brother PocketJet PJ883
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The top-notch Brother PocketJet PJ883 delivers good speed and output quality for a mobile thermal printer, plus offers lots of connection choices, an optional battery, and support for both PCs and mobile devices.
Full Brother PocketJet PJ883 ReviewPros
- Smaller and lighter than mobile inkjets
- Surprisingly good output quality
- Prints via USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Bluetooth
- Thermal paper eliminates any need for ink
Cons
- Pricey
- Monochrome printing only
Pros
- Smaller and lighter than mobile inkjets
- Surprisingly good output quality
- Prints via USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Bluetooth
- Thermal paper eliminates any need for ink
Cons
- Pricey
- Monochrome printing only
Epson LabelWorks LW-PX300
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Epson LabelWorks LW-PX300 Full Printer Kit delivers industrial-style labeling at low cost, making it attractive to small businesses and even hobbyists who want professional-looking labels.
Full Epson LabelWorks LW-PX300 ReviewPros
- Affordable, industrial-style labeling
- Easy-to-use handheld design with QWERTY keyboard
- Tape choices include plastic, vinyl, magnetic, and fluorescent up to 18mm
- Saves up to 50 labels in memory for easy reprinting
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Noticeably slow print speed
- Doesn't connect to a PC or mobile device for printing
- Batteries not included
Pros
- Affordable, industrial-style labeling
- Easy-to-use handheld design with QWERTY keyboard
- Tape choices include plastic, vinyl, magnetic, and fluorescent up to 18mm
- Saves up to 50 labels in memory for easy reprinting
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Noticeably slow print speed
- Doesn't connect to a PC or mobile device for printing
- Batteries not included
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