Whether studying online or following a work-from-home setup, a reliable printer can increase productivity. This is especially true in large or shared households where roommates or family members have different printing needs.
Fortunately, home printers don’t need to be bulky like those in the office.
Some of our picks include sleek and compact options like the HP Tango X. Others, like the HP Deskjet 3630, are budget-friendly all-in-one printers. To help you decide, we’ve narrowed down the best home printers you can buy today.
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Best Home Printers Comparison Chart
| Model | Product Image | Price |
| HP Tango X |  |  |
| Canon Pixma G7020 MegaTank |  | |
| HP Deskjet 3630 |  | |
| Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw |  | |
| Brother MFC-J805DW |  | |
HP Tango X
Best small printers for home office
Advertised as the world’s first smart printer, the HP Tango X is just 15 inches wide and 3 inches tall. Despite its compact size, it comes with a 50-sheet input and 20-sheet output capacity. It also sports a minimalist rectangular form with rounded edges and a clean white finish.
The main difference between the Tango X from the standard HP Tango is the lack of an output tray. Instead, the X model features a fabric cover that also catches printed pages as they’re sent out. When not in use, the cover folds and wraps around most of the printer, disguising the device while also making it portable.
HP shares that the Tango X pairs primarily with smartphones. Except for the power cord, the unit is completely wireless. Since most photos and videos are uploaded online, this one is for users who need to print a few documents here and there. The Tango X also has no scanner, although you can use your phone’s camera to emulate the function via the HP Smart App.
For those who prefer to access their files from a laptop or desktop, don’t fret. HP’s Tango X has drivers for Windows and Mac. And if you want to embrace its status as a smart printer, you can opt to control the model with its voice-activated printing.
Type: Inkjet | Display: N/A | Connectivity: Wi-Fi
Canon Pixma G7020 MegaTank
Best all-in-one printer for home use
On the other side of the printer spectrum is the Canon Pixma G7020 MegaTank. This all-in-one model is made for high-volume printing but is equally superb with photographs. It also features copying, scanning, and faxing capabilities. Plus, the unit brandishes a professional-looking black finish, albeit with a somewhat busy control panel.
As one of Canon’s best home printers and scanners, the G7020 is a cartridge-less ink-bottle model. It also runs on a hybrid ink system with separate tanks for the blank ink and the dye-based color inks. Unlike its predecessor, the G6020, the G7020 doesn’t cut corners in capacity. The printer can hold 350 sheets of paper — 250 on its front cassette and 100 via its rear tray.
Still, the MegaTank only churns out a modest 4.4 pages per minute (PPM). While it’s not the fastest all-in-one in the market, it at least offers one of the lowest running costs. A single black ink bottle can print up to 18,000 pages.
The additional features also serve any home office well. The G7020’s copying functions include setting copy quality type, enlarging documents, and creating multiple copies. Meanwhile, its flatbed scanner features an auto-document feeder for convenience. And if you need a legally valid paper trail, the fax functions — with support for both black and color — come in handy.
Type: Inkjet | Display: 2 Line Display | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Ethernet
HP Deskjet 3630
Best wireless printer for home use
You don’t have to shell a lot for an all-in-one printer. Just take a look at the HP Deskjet 3630. At just a little over $50, it’s the best cheap printer for home use. It also works right out of the box, thanks to the auto wireless connect feature. And if you have files on your phone, you can simply connect with the HP Smart App to start printing.
Despite its price, HP’s Deskjet 3630 is quick to print at 8.5 ppm for black and 6 ppm for color. It’s also one of the quieter printers on this list. Copying functions are a little slower, and you’re limited to just 9 copies, but you get reduction and enlargement options. Meanwhile, its flatbed scanner uses a contact image sensor to deliver 1200 x 1200 dpi scan resolutions.
As a budget model, the DeskJet 3630 doesn’t have a premium build. Made from plastic, the printer feels a bit flimsy. It doesn’t have a lot of ink either, which is a downside, given how expensive inkjet cartridges are. If you want to save money, the HP Instant Ink subscription offers its first two months free.
Type: Inkjet | Display: 7 Segment Icon Display | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB 2.0
Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw
Best laser printer for home use
The Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw has feature-rich capabilities only matched by its high-quality printing performance. And while it’s made of plastic, the build quality is excellent. Plus, its sleek white finish and large touchscreen display give the printer a professional aesthetic.
Canon’s MF743Cdw boasts a generous 300-sheet standard capacity that expands to 850 with the optional paper cassette. When it comes to scanning, convenience and adjustability are also key qualities. The scanner lids feature hinges to accommodate large materials, including thick books. It also comes with an ADF and can process double-sided sheets in a single pass.
Copying is similarly a breeze. The Canon MF743Cdw enjoys speeds of 28ppm and supports up to 999 multiple copies. Preset reduction and enlargement settings are also available. In terms of connectivity, the printer offers Wi-Fi, ethernet, and USB interfaces. With ethernet, everyone at home can access the printer with ease.
Most importantly, it’s hard to fault this all-in-one’s print performance. Canon’s MF743Cdw toner cartridges can yield 3,000 and 2,000 black and color pages, respectively. Text documents come out with high-precision, and colored outputs have some of the most vibrant and consistent quality among printers on this list.
Type: Laser | Display: 5″ Touchscreen Display | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet
Brother MFC-J805DW
Best printer for home use with cheap ink
All-in-one printers are expensive. So it’s refreshing to find a model like the Brother MFC-J805DW with its low cost of ownership and large page yields. A lot of this has to do with the redesigned ink cartridges of the unit. Brother has figured out a way for its ink cartridges to hold more ink while fitting the compact design of the MFC-J805DW.
Of course, there are downsides. As an entry-level model, the MFC-J805DW isn’t the fastest at printing, rated only at 12ppm for black and 6ppm for color. Copy speeds are even slower. But if you don’t care about speed, the printer more than makes up for its quality. Print outputs look great, and you get both duplex and borderless printing.
Brother’s MFC-J805DW also has versatile paper handling components, including a 150-sheet adjustable paper tray and 20-sheet ADF. Plus, the unit is easy to use. Wi-Fi and USB connections are available. The MFC-J805DW also supports mobile printing and scanning. Moreover, the 1.8-inch display makes it easy to navigate across functions and directly access cloud services.
Type: Inkjet | Display: 1.8″ Display | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB 2.0
Verdict
While the printers on this list come highly recommended, two models have a slight edge over the others.
Choosing a home printer largely depends on your needs and preferences. But if you’re looking to make things convenient, an all-in-one model is a better option.
Here, the HP Deskjet 3630 is our pick for those who need a printer as a backup at home. It’s a cheap, wireless model that includes copy and scanning functions. While it doesn’t have fax, the absence of this function won’t be felt if you’re only after printing or copying documents every now and then.
For households with more demanding needs, the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw is a welcome investment. Canon’s laser all-in-one printer is a feature-rich option for office-level productivity at home. From duplex printing and ethernet support to fax capabilities and send-to-email functions, this is a printer that can simplify many of our daily tasks.
FAQs
The biggest advantage of all-in-one (AIO) printers is that they do more than just printing. Most AIOs include scanning and copying functions. More advanced models offer fax and send-to-email capabilities. Since you get multiple functions in one piece of equipment, AIOs are also space-saving.
Laser printers are best known for their speed and precision. While they can be more expensive to own compared to inkjet models, they’re cheaper to operate over time.
No. The Canon Pixma G7020 MegaTank All-in-One Printer only comes in black.
The Brother MFC-J805DW comes with a two-year limited warranty.