Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
April 23, 2026: With this update, we added the Epson Expression Photo XP-980 as our top pick for printing large photos, and removed the discontinued Brother MFC-J6955DW and Canon Pixma G7020. The rest of our picks have been vetted for currency and availability. Since our last update, we tested and evaluated two printers for possible inclusion in this roundup and our other printer roundups. We currently have two printers in PC Labs for evaluation, from makers including Epson and Canon.
- 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
- Modest 30-sheet multipurpose tray
The Brother MFC-L3780CDW offers excellent output quality with relatively low print costs, making it our top recommendation for a color laser all-in-one printer for home or small offices. It prints, scans, copies, and faxes at a relatively fast speed, and its competitive toner costs mean it could have a lower total cost of ownership than many competitors, depending on the volume of printing. The image quality of the prints, copies, and scans is excellent. And it has loads of wireless options, including NFC.
Home offices: For small or home offices that require an all-in-one printer with excellent text and color graphics quality on plain paper, the MFC-L3780CDW should be at the top of their list.
Businesses that handle sensitive documents: The MFC-L3780CDW features wireless NFC badge authentication, which can be valuable if you need to protect sensitive business information from being spotted in the output tray before you can retrieve your printout.
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
LED (Laser Class)
Connection Type
Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Legal
Number of Ink Colors
4
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
4
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
31 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
31 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
4,000
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
50,000 pages per month
Printer Input Capacity
250
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
2.3 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
12.3 cents
Scanner Type
Flatbed with ADF
Maximum Scan Area
Legal
Scanner Optical Resolution
1,200 by 1,200 pixels per inch
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier, Fax
Learn More
Brother MFC-L3780CDW
Review
- Supports printing, scanning, and copying
- Low running cost
- Automatic duplex (two-sided) printing and scanning
- Robust mobile printing and scanning features
- Duplex scanning uses a reversing ADF rather than a single-pass ADF
- Only one paper input tray
If you need an AIO for a small office or home office, it’s easy to find less-expensive ink cartridge-based models with similar speed, output quality, and features as the Epson EcoTank ET-3950. But for offices that print enough for cost per page to be a major consideration, the savings in initial cost for those printers can be eaten up quickly by ink costs.
With the ET-3950’s running cost of 0.29 cent per mono page and 1.1 cents per color page, it doesn’t take many pages per month to hit the break-even point. The ET-3950 also offers a solid feature set, including a 30-sheet reversing ADF, which duplexes by scanning one side of a page, turning it over, and then scanning the other side. Finally, you can count on text and graphics output quality that’s just short of top-tier for business inkjets.
Small offices that print a lot: The ET-3950 is a sterling choice for small offices and home offices that print enough pages for the running cost to save money over time on the total ownership cost.
People who occasionally scan multipage two-sided documents: If you need to scan or copy multipage two-sided documents fairly often, the reversing ADF will be a lifesaver compared with manual duplexing or no duplexing at all, making the ET-3950 stand out among inkjet AIOs for a micro or home office.
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Legal
Number of Ink Colors
4
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
4
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
9 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
18 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
1,600 pages
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
10,000 pages
Printer Input Capacity
250 pages
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
0.29 cent
Cost Per Page (Color)
1.1 cents
Scanner Type
Flatbed with 30-page RADF
Maximum Scan Area
Legal
Scanner Optical Resolution
1,200 by 1,200 pixels per inch
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier
Learn More
Epson EcoTank ET-3950
Review
- 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)
- No automatic document feeder
- Scans up to letter and A4 size only
- Lackluster quality when copying photos
The Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One printer stands out for both its high-quality photo output and its long list of features. Built around a six-color ink system that helps boost photo quality, it offers a flatbed for scanning and copying, supports mobile printing, and can print directly on appropriately surfaced discs. It also features a 4.3-inch color touch screen for issuing commands, automatically extends the output tray from its closed position when you start a print job, and prompts you to retract the tray when you power down.
Families: At $329.99 list at this writing (but actually selling for less), the XP-8800 is a little pricey, but it offers enough to make it our top recommendation for families who need a light-duty home printer that can also print high-quality photos.
Aspiring photographers seeking high-quality prints: Photo output quality, using Epson Photo Paper Glossy, is a match for a professional photo lab. Shadow detail and highlights hold well, and we saw no hint of dithering, posterization, or other common issues when we tested the XP-8800.
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Legal
Number of Ink Colors
6
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
6
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
9 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
9.5 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
100+1+20 (photo paper only); 1 disc
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
4.6 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
17.8 cents
Scanner Type
Flatbed
Maximum Scan Area
8.5″ x 11.7″
Scanner Optical Resolution
1,200 x 1,200 ppi
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier
Learn More
Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One
Review
- Three-function AIO (prints, scans, copies)
- Borderless photo printing up to 11 by 17 inches
- Connection options include Ethernet, as well as USB, Wi-Fi, and mobile printing support
- Prints from and scans to USB flash drives and SD cards
- Can print on printable-surface optical discs
- No automatic document feeder
- Scans up to letter and A4 size only
- Holds only one sheet of 11-by-17-inch paper
The Epson Expression Photo XP-980 costs more than most AIOs aimed at home and family all-purpose printing, but it’s also one of the least expensive models that can deliver borderless photos and superb photo quality at sizes up to 11 by 17 inches (tabloid) and 11.7 by 16.5 inches (A3). It’s built around a six-color ink system, which helps make it easier to produce the subtle shading that gives photos a step up in color quality, and it handles text and graphics nicely as well. It also offers a flatbed for scanning and copying, support for mobile printing, the ability to print disc labels directly on printable discs, and convenient features such as a 4.3-inch color touch-screen control panel.
Families: Quite apart from its ability to print large photos, the XP-980 is a good fit for printing anything from a birthday card to a recipe to homework. That makes it an ideal fit for families who need a light-duty home printer, but also want to print high-quality photos, and occasionally print them at up to tabloid size.
Photo enthusiasts: The XP-980’s photo quality is a match for a professional photo lab, which will make it attractive to photo enthusiasts who want to print high-quality photos at home. However, note that it can hold only one sheet of tabloid or A3 paper at a time, which limits it to strictly light-duty printing.
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Tabloid
Number of Ink Colors
6
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
6
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
8 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
8.5 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
100+1+20 (photo paper only); 1 disc
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
4.6 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
18 cents
Scanner Type
Flatbed
Maximum Scan Area
8.5″ x 11.7″
Scanner Optical Resolution
1,200 by 1,200 pixels per inch
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier
Learn More
Epson Expression Photo XP-980
Review
- 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
- Separate imaging unit requires costly replacement
- No option for additional paper trays
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. Its street pricing is higher than that of some older models with similar scan capabilities but faster print speeds and higher paper capacities—including the Canon imageClass MF455dw, one of our former top picks in this category. However, the MFC-L2900DW offers these scanning capabilities in a smaller printer, making it a better fit if flat space is at a premium.
Small offices: This Editors’ Choice winner is ideal for micro-to-small-office or personal use, especially for users who need to scan, copy, or fax duplex pages.
Cramped desks: The MFC-L2900DW delivers single-pass duplex scanning in a reasonably small and light printer that’s a great fit for desks with limited space.
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Monochrome
Printing Technology
Laser
Connection Type
Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Legal
Number of Ink Colors
1
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
1
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
NA
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
36 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
2,500
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
35,000 pages per month
Printer Input Capacity
250 + 1
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
2.5 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
NA
Scanner Type
Flatbed with 50-sheet DADF
Maximum Scan Area
Legal
Scanner Optical Resolution
1,200 by 1,200 pixels per inch
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier, Fax
Learn More
Brother MFC-L2900DW XL
Review
- Lightning-fast 50ppm rating for both printing and copying
- High 1,200-by-1,200dpi maximum resolution
- Roomy legal-size flatbed
- Single-pass duplexing ADF
- 5-inch color touch screen control panel
- Toner cost is just 1.1 cents per page
- Slower two-sided printing speed
The Brother MFC-L5915DW is one of the more impressive mono laser printers in its class. It delivers fast laser printing and copying, a higher maximum paper capacity than most of its competitors, and a low cost per page, making it an excellent choice for a large office or workgroup. In our tests, output quality was in the top tier for a mono laser. As for speed, the printer is undeniably quick overall, with stellar simplex speeds and only slightly less impressive duplex speeds. Another important feature for a printer that’s most likely to be shared in a large office or workgroup is secure printing, which can let you avoid the risk of someone seeing sensitive documents sitting in the output tray before you retrieve them.
Large offices: For most medium or large offices and workgroups with heavy-duty monochrome print needs, the Brother printer offers a winning combination of low running costs and high capacity.
Offices that print a lot: If you need a higher capacity than the standard 350 sheets, you can add up to two additional 520-sheet drawers for a total of 1,390 sheets. The recommended monthly maximum duty cycle for printing is 8,000 pages, although if you print single-sided only and want to keep paper refills down to one per week, a 5,500-page maximum would be more realistic.
Offices that need professional-looking documents: Output quality is in the top tier for a mono laser. Every font we test that you’re likely to use in a business document is highly readable at sizes as small as 4 points.
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Monochrome
Printing Technology
Laser
Connection Type
Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Legal
Number of Ink Colors
1
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
1
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
N/A
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
50 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
8,000
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
125,000
Printer Input Capacity
250+100 expandable to 1390
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
1.1 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
N/A
Scanner Type
Legal size flatbed with DADF
Maximum Scan Area
Legal
Scanner Optical Resolution
1200×1200 pixels per inch
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier, Fax
Learn More
Brother MFC-L5915DW
Review
- Robust mobile connectivity
- Excellent print quality
- Relatively small footprint
- Expandable
- Competitive running costs
- Somewhat high purchase price
The HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f is a workhorse color laser AIO for any small to midsize office. It’s rated at 29ppm for both color and mono printing, and its 50-page ADF offers speedy single-pass duplex scanning, helping to reduce the time spent making copies. It also faxes, and it delivers excellent print quality, with ample paper capacity for medium-duty printing in a midsize office. Two trays divide its standard 300-sheet capacity into 250 sheets in one tray and 50 sheets in the other, while an optional 550-sheet tray ($199.99) is available, increasing the total to 850 pages. Welcome conveniences include a 4.3-inch color touch screen for the control panel.
Businesses of any size: Don’t let the “Enterprise” in the name get in the way of considering this HP model for your non-enterprise business. Although it is packed with a wealth of security and network management features that many small and midsize offices won’t care about, there’s no reason you have to use them.
Offices that need secure printing: You might well appreciate some of the M480f’s features that many other printers leave out, including private printing, which lets you send a print job with sensitive information to the printer, and not print it until you enter a PIN at the front panel, instead of leaving it sitting in the output tray where anyone can see it.
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Laser
Connection Type
Ethernet, USB, Wireless, NFC
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Legal
Number of Ink Colors
4
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
4
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
29 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
29 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
4,800
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
55,000 pages per month
Printer Input Capacity
300 expandable to 850
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
2.3 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
14.1 cents
Scanner Type
Flatbed with ADF (Standard or Optional)
Maximum Scan Area
Legal
Scanner Optical Resolution
600 by 600 pixels per inch
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier, Fax
Learn More
HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f
Review
- Portable.
- Scans and copies.
- Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and USB connectivity.
- Rechargeable battery.
- 50-sheet input tray.
- 10-sheet ADF.
- Output quality worthy of a desktop inkjet.
- High claimed page yields for print cartridges.
- Lighter than its predecessor.
- Fast photo printing.
- Lacks a USB cable.
- Heavier than most laptops.
The HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One Printer impressed us enough as a portable printer to earn an Editors’ Choice award when we reviewed it, but its ability to scan, copy, and print was only one reason why. Along with typical text quality for an inkjet, it delivers slightly above-par graphics and photos, and it also came in faster on our tests than most print-only portable models.
While it lacks duplex (two-sided) printing (like all the single-function competitors we’ve seen), it offers manual duplexing, which prints one side of a stack of pages, waits for you to flip the stack over and reinsert it into the 50-page ADF, then prints the other side. The simplex (single-sided) scanner offers its own 10-sheet ADF for scanning and copying. Connection options include USB, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi Direct, which allow you to print from iOS and Android phones and tablets, as well as PCs.
Travelers who print and scan on the go: If you need to scan documents (including for copying) as well as print them while on the go, the OfficeJet 250 is a suitable option. If you usually need both scanning and printing, or can’t predict which one you’ll need when, the OfficeJet 250 will be less cumbersome to set up than two individual devices, and it will be lighter to carry.
People who print from their mobile devices: The robust suite of connectivity options enables you to print from nearly any device, whether it’s a phone, a tablet, or a computer.
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
1-pass color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
USB, Wireless
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Legal
Number of Ink Colors
4
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
2
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
7 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
10 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
300 pages per month
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
500 pages per month
Printer Input Capacity
50
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
NA
Cost Per Page (Color)
15.6 cents
Scanner Type
Sheetfed
Maximum Scan Area
8.5″ x 14″
Scanner Optical Resolution
600 pixels per inch
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile All-in-One Printer
Review
The Best All-in-One Printers for 2026
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Buying Guide: The Best All-in-One Printers for 2026
Printer manufacturers offer a huge variety of MFPs, both inkjet-based and laser-based. Given the mix of print technologies and brands, as well as the vast number of potential combinations of features and functions, finding a model with the right set of features—or at least, the best set for your needs—is a task that needs to be taken on step by step. Here are the key things to consider when shopping for one.
What’s the Difference Between Home and Office All-in-One Printers?
One useful way to categorize MFPs is by intended use: (1) for home, including printing photos in particular; (2) for an office, focusing on text and graphics; or (3) for both. If you’re looking to print photos at least at the level of quality you can get from your local pharmacy—whether the printer’s for home use only, or intended for home and home-office—you want an inkjet AIO. Even most models aimed at office use offer photo quality good enough to clear that bar. That includes some aimed for business use that manufacturers have tried to discourage us from running through our photo tests, on the grounds that they weren’t designed to handle photos well.
(Credit: M. David Stone)
If you’re looking for an AIO strictly for office use, you probably care more about text and graphics than photos, and you also likely need higher paper capacities than most inkjets that focus on photo quality typically offer. In that case, the choices include both inkjets and lasers. (The latter category also includes LED printers, which differ only in the light source they use.)
Between inkjets and lasers, each has its own distinct advantages. Inkjets can produce text that’s almost as high-quality as laser-printed text, but laser-printed text doesn’t smudge when it gets wet. For graphics, most color (but obviously not mono) lasers can deliver higher-quality color graphics on plain paper than most inkjets can. If you take advantage of inkjet heavyweight (and more expensive) matte and photo papers, however, most inkjets can deliver higher-quality graphics than laser printers. (Read more about the inkjet versus laser question.)
For office use, if scanning, copying, or faxing multipage documents is on the agenda, you’ll want an AIO that includes an automatic document feeder (ADF). And if the documents are printed on both sides of the page, you’ll want an ADF that can handle duplex scanning, as well.
(Credit: David English)
Faxing is usually considered an office function, but it can be even more valuable for home use. Medical offices typically require faxing rather than email due to HIPAA regulations, so it can be a welcome convenience to have an AIO at home that can also send and receive faxes. Consider insisting on standalone faxing in your AIO, though there is much to be said for using an online fax service, whether at home or in the office.
Also consider how often you print, and how long you might leave your AIO sitting unused. Although inkjets are generally considered the default choice for home use, even if you’re not interested in printing photos, a laser AIO can be a better choice if you don’t print frequently. Inkjets tend to get clogged nozzles if left sitting unused, and nozzle-cleaning routines can waste a lot of ink when you need to print again. Lasers can sit unused for months, then work without problems when you fire them up. Avoiding the cost of that wasted ink could actually save you more money—not to mention time and frustration from nozzle cleaning— than the extra cash you might pay for an otherwise equivalent laser model.
What Are the Key Features to Get in an AIO Printer?
Getting beyond generalities about home and office MFPs, it’s useful to make a list of the functions and features you actually need. Printing and copying are a given, and scanning is almost always included as well, but even these basics aren’t as straightforward as you might expect.
In addition to printing from and scanning to a computer, many AIOs today can print from and scan to cloud services, which can be useful for printing files already stored online or for storing scans that can be downloaded to any device connected to the service. If there’s a particular online service you want to use, check that it’s on the list of services supported by the AIO.
(Credit: David English)
Most AIO manufacturers also offer free apps that allow you to print from and scan to mobile devices, either by connecting your phone or tablet directly to the AIO using Wi-Fi Direct (sometimes referred to by a different name) or by connecting through Wi-Fi to the same network as the AIO. You’ll want to check that the mobile printing and scanning work with the connection you plan to use. Similarly, if you plan to connect over a network, be sure that scanning works across it. (A few AIOs are limited to scanning over a USB connection only.)
Copying and Faxing Features: Some Nuances
Some AIOs rely on a computer for copying. If you want to copy with the computer off, be sure to pick one that works as a standalone copier, operated from its control panel.
Much the same comment applies to faxing, but in reverse. Fax features almost always include standalone faxing, controlled via a front-panel keypad or touch screen. However, they don’t necessarily include a PC-controlled faxing function, which would let you fax documents directly from your PC without printing them first. PC faxing can be implemented in one of three ways: as a fax utility, as a fax driver that functions similarly to a print driver, or as a combination of both.
Faxing by AIO used to require a phone line connection, and in most cases, it still does, but a growing number of AIOs now offer cloud-based faxing. The cloud service connects to the telephone network to send and receive faxes, and provides you with a phone number for receiving them. The cost of the service can be lower than maintaining a separate fax phone line.
Email features also come in two forms. A direct email function (most common in AIOs targeted to businesses) lets you scan a document and send it as an email attachment directly, making the process similar to using a fax machine for faxing. The more common choice for low-end AIOs is to open an email message on a PC and attach the scanned document. Any given AIO can offer either or both kinds of email.
Scanning Features: More Nuances
Almost all AIO printers feature flatbeds that are suitable for scanning photos or single-sheet documents. An automatic document feeder (ADF) lets you easily scan (and copy, fax, and email) multipage documents. For models that have letter-size flatbed platens, an ADF will often let you scan legal-size pages as well. But not all do, so check first.
Some ADFs can also perform duplex scans (that is, they can scan both sides of a page). The duplexing can be fully automatic, or it can be done via firmware or a computer app that lets you scan one side of a stack of pages, flip the stack over to scan the second side, and then automatically interfile the pages in the correct order. If you have to deal with multi-page, two-sided documents, some variation of this feature is all but essential.
The fastest, most convenient, and most expensive option for scanning two-sided pages is an ADF with one-pass scanning, which simultaneously scans both sides of each page. Second best, and the approach offered by less-expensive duplexing ADFs, is to scan one side of each sheet, turn it over automatically, then scan the other side before feeding the next sheet. The semi-automatic option, which requires you to re-feed the stack while being careful to orient it correctly, is a solid third-place choice. However, many ADFs don’t offer even that feature, and if you deal with duplex multi-page documents at all, it’s a lot better than having to scan each side of each page individually.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Another important item to check is whether the ADF’s duplexing feature works with copying and faxing in addition to scanning. Some don’t.
Note that for AIO printers that offer some variation of duplex scanning along with duplex printing, you can usually copy both single- and double-sided originals to your choice of single- or double-sided copies. For those that offer print duplexing only, some will still give you the choice of copying single-sided originals to either single- or double-sided copies.
Should I Get Color Printing in an All-in-One Printer?
If you never print in color, there’s no reason to spend money on this feature. Keep in mind, however, that many color laser MFPs can print at high enough quality to let you print your own marketing materials. This could be less expensive than printing small quantities at your local print shop, which may be a sufficient reason to choose a color laser, even if you don’t need its color output for anything else.
The vast majority of inkjet AIOs are color printers, but they are best avoided if you don’t specifically need color output. Even if you never print a single color image, an inkjet AIO will use up some of its color ink for cleaning nozzles and similar housekeeping tasks. And when those colors run out, many models will refuse to print at all, forcing you to buy more color ink just to print monochrome pages. Note that a few mono-only inkjet AIOs are available on the market; they are designed to compete with mono laser printers in offices.
Consumables: Should I Choose Cartridge or Tank Ink?
One of the most common—and long-running—complaints about inkjet printers is the cost of ink. Printer manufacturers have responded by offering tank printers, which deliver a significantly lower cost per page than traditional cartridge-based models, in part by letting you buy the ink in bulk.
Recommended by Our Editors
With tank-style inkjets, the ink typically comes in bottles, and you pour it into large reservoirs—the tanks—in the printer. Brother is an exception, providing the bulk ink in cartridges, which the printer then pumps into the tanks, but the same logic applies: inexpensive ink sold in large quantities. Regardless of the details and actual delivery method, these printers are collectively known as tank printers. (Read more about how to weigh the cost of tank versus cartridge ink.)
(Credit: David English)
The catch is that tank printers are initially more expensive to purchase than cartridge-based printers that offer similar capabilities and performance. Whether the lower ink cost will save you money in the long run depends on how much you print. When choosing between tank and cartridge printers, it’s worth the effort to compare the total cost of ownership for both to see which is the less expensive option.
As another option for lowering running costs, consider the available ink subscription programs, if any, for the printers you’re considering. Check out our feature How to Save the Most Money on Printer Ink for more on bulk ink and ink subscription plans, as well as our breakdown of HP’s many ink programs.
Printer Size and Connectivity: Do I Have the Space for an All-in-One Printer?
AIO printers tend to be bigger than single-function printers, and even some home-oriented models can be tall enough to tower over you if you put them on your desk. Check out the MFP’s size and weight, though you probably won’t be moving it often.
Then there’s the connectivity, which might depend on where you place your printer. In addition to a USB port, some MFPs include an Ethernet jack, and almost all support Wi-Fi for easy printer sharing across multiple computers. (See advice on diagnosing printer Wi-Fi issues.) When choosing between Ethernet and Wi-Fi for connecting the printer to your network, keep two key points in mind. First, an Ethernet connection is generally a lot easier and faster to set up than Wi-Fi. And second, if your router offers Wi-Fi, you can print wirelessly to the printer over the network, regardless of whether the MFP itself is connected via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Some MFPs now include support for Wi-Fi Direct (which some printer manufacturers use different names for). If available, this allows the printer to effectively function as its own access point, so you can connect a phone, tablet, or computer to it directly, rather than through a wider network. A few models support Near Field Communication (NFC), which lets you establish a wireless connection that bootstraps to Wi-Fi Direct by tapping the printer with your phone or tablet. NFC was never widespread, however, and seems to have passed its high-water mark.
What Do I Need to Know About an All-in-One’s Scan Quality and Print Quantity?
In addition to checking the printer’s output quality, which we discuss in our reviews, you may need to check the scan quality, although this is rarely an issue. For offices, virtually any scanner can scan documents at sufficiently high quality for copying or optical character recognition (OCR). For home use, virtually any scanner can provide suitable resolution and color quality for scanning photographic prints. Resolutions above 300dpi are generally unnecessary unless you’re scanning transparencies, and even monochrome laser AIOs offer color scanning.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
In past years, some home AIOs designed specifically with photos in mind included the ability to scan transparencies, most often limited to 35mm slides and negatives. At this writing, none of those models is still in production. However, if you come across one for sale, be sure to check out the transparency-scanning capability, particularly for both color quality and high resolution.
When you’re calculating the duty cycle and paper input capacity you’ll need for an MFP, remember to factor in copies and incoming faxes to the total number of pages you’ll print. Choose a paper capacity based largely on how frequently it will force you to add paper. A good rule of thumb is that you probably don’t want to add paper more than once a week, on average.
Ready to Buy the Best All-in-One Printer for You?
Whether you’re looking for a home or office all-in-one, a good place to start your search is with our highest-rated AIO printers outlined above and in our detailed spec table. Looking beyond strictly AIO models, if you are interested in exploring more printer options to expand your search, consider our top printer picks overall, as well as our favorite inkjet and laser models.
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