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If you think you don’t need a printer, think again. Despite the near-omnipresence of digital displays, there are still times when you need a hard copy. However, finding the best printer for your needs can be a puzzling task, given the number of printers on the market.
Is it better to buy an inkjet or a laser printer? With cartridges or refillable tanks? Do you need a multifunction printer that scans and copies or are you looking for one that just prints?
Without further ado let’s find out together which are the best printers on the market:
Brother HL-L2350DW: the best monochrome laser printer
The Brother HL-L2350DW (Check on Amazon) is a monochrome laser printer, period. It doesn’t do anything else. It is a simple, powerful, and relatively compact device suitable for tight spaces (such as bookcase shelves) where other similar printers cannot fit.
For the price (Check on Amazon), it offers a print speed of 32 pages per minute, automatic duplex printing capability, a large 250-sheet paper tray, and the option to use high-yield toner cartridges. And since it’s a laser printer, it can be idle for weeks or months and restart smoothly.
It connects via USB or Wi-Fi and can print directly from your smartphone (it works with Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS, and Android).
As far as print quality goes, this model is more than enough for any text document, but you may have to make a couple of settings changes to produce documents rich with graphics.
It’s also surprisingly quiet: Brother states that all HL models produce a printing noise below 50 dB. We tested it at night, and we can say that it didn’t bother us that much.
Sadly, it is a bit fragile, so if you buy one, make sure to check that the plastic parts were not damaged during transport. We also do not recommend using Brother’s iPrint&Scan software, as it produces excessive contrast that ruins the details. And if you’re using a Chromebook, you’ll need to disable IPv6 in the Network section of your printer’s web control panel as it may prevent it from working with Google Cloud Print.
All in all, if you need a device that can quickly print important black and white documents, the Brother HL-L2350DW (Check on Amazon) is reliable, easy to set up, and convenient to use; certainly one of the best printers around.
HP LaserJet Pro M15w: a valid alternative
The HP LaserJet Pro M15w (Check on Amazon) is in many ways the ideal home printer. It takes the size (13.6×13.7×11 in) and price of inkjet and combines them with the speed, economy, and consistency of a laser printer! The tray can contain more than one hundred sheets of paper and can print at a rate of 19 ppm (pages per minute).
Its wireless functionality facilitates both printing and configuration. In addition, the HP Smart app allows you to print, copy, and scan files using your mobile phone. The app also lets you control your printer from afar and even track ink levels.
Note, however, that this printer is unable to scan the documents itself, there is no duplex mode (print on both sides automatically) and no display, but at this price, it is difficult to ask for more.
HP OfficeJet Pro 9025: the best all-in-one printer
The best all-in-one printer we’ve tested so far is the HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 (Check on Amazon). This is an extremely well-built inkjet printer with a large screen for better readability. The four-cartridge system offers a high page yield, especially black and white pages, and its cost per print is very low, which will save you money in the long run.
It also has exceptional scanning features as it boasts a flat scanner, equipped with an automatic document feeder that supports double-sided scanning.
Furthermore, it can print and scan pages faster than most other inkjet printers (takes half the time), offers excellent connectivity options, and the ability to print directly from a USB stick.
In addition, it does not sacrifice quality for speed, at least as far as text is concerned. Unfortunately, the photos are another story; although it offers sufficiently high contrast, the quality of its photos is just “decent” since the color accuracy is mediocre.
If you’re searching for an all-in-one printer, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 is a great choice for most users.
HP OfficeJet Pro 9015: a valid alternative
It’s hard to find a device that can make the printing, scanning, copying, and faxing experience really enjoyable, but the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 (Check on Amazon) comes really close. This is the best all-in-one printer for most people because it offers the perfect mix of speed, print quality, and reliability.
It prints relatively fast (22 ppm in black and 18 ppm in color) and has a duplex mode, it also boasts a duplex automatic scanning function (1200 dpi), and it has an automatic feeder that can hold up to 35 pages and a paper tray that can hold up to 225 sheets.
HP has also refined this model to be more compact than previous iterations, although we can’t call it small since it’s an all-in-one device. The color display is relatively small but extremely functional: it allows you to change settings, choose between different tools and is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant so that you can control everything through voice commands.
Connecting options include key Wi-Fi Direct features such as Apple AirPrint, and since this is an HP printer, it also comes with a variety of security features such as encryption and password protection.
HP makes initial setup a breeze with its EasyStart installer and the HP Smart app lets you control your printer from afar and even monitor your ink levels.
This is definitely the best all-in-one printer of the moment.
HP Tango X: best smart printer for smartphones and tablets
The HP Tango X (Check on Amazon) is the first mobile printer designed for smart homes or home offices.
Although we are now living in a digital world where paper is about to disappear – most documents are now in digital format and can be easily signed on your computer, tablet, or smartphone – there are still some documents that must be kept in hard copy. For these documents, the Tango X is the ideal solution.
This small printer (it measures 15.3×24.4×10.2in and weighs just 7lb) has no screen and almost no buttons – it does everything via app and voice commands (it is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Cortana).
It also offers great color accuracy for the occasional photo printing. Use photo paper and you’ll get high-quality results on par with professional prints from online sites, and the same goes for text and color graphics.
The other big selling point is that it fits perfectly in a modern home, not only because it’s quiet and very compact, but because HP provides it with a wraparound fabric cover that keeps it camouflaged when not in use.
On the other hand, its tray can contain only up to 50 sheets of paper, it has no automatic document feeder and won’t win any speed prizes – its real print speed is about three or four pages per minute -. And although HP lists it as an “all-in-one” model, it doesn’t include a scanner. Instead, HP’s app lets you scan and copy documents by taking a photo of them with your smartphone, which will be fine for most people’s needs but not for the needs of a medium-sized office.
HP managed to reinvent the home printer, now designed to work with mobile devices as well as PCs. The Tango X isn’t perfect, but it represents the future and it could be perfect for you.
Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000: the best photo printer
If you need to print images larger than A4, then the Expression Photo HD XP-15000 (Check on Amazon) is a one-way street. With a six-color printing system, a 5,660×1,440 dpi resolution, and Claria Photo HD functionality, the Epson will print remarkably vivid, crisp, and detailed photos, as well as high contrast monochrome images.
It features two trays: a front one that can hold up to 200 sheets of paper and a rear feeder that can hold up to 50 sheets of special photo paper such as cardstock. It also sports wireless connectivity, so you can easily take a photo and print it straight from your mobile phone.
It’s not particularly fast and the printing cost is a tad high. In addition, it does not have the scanning or copying options of all-in-one models. However, for budding photographers (and not only) this is a compact, inexpensive photo printer that delivers high-quality results.
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