Buying guide for the best ink printers

If you're looking for a top printer, you'll find a huge range of models offering every conceivable feature and extra. How do you decide which is best for you?

Solid ink printers will do just about everything, from rapid black and white printing to scanning, copying, automatic color duplexing, and outputting from a smartphone or tablet.

For some people, printing is all about speed. For others, it may be the quality of photos. Printers aren't necessarily one-size-fits-all.

Considerations

Output statistics

The BestReviews lab staff examined each printer’s output statistics: pages per minute, color quality, and so on.

Features

Few printers just print anymore. In fact, multifunctional models abound. What’s more, the prices of these machines are now well within reach of the average home user. Are print-only machines worth the expense? Do these models save you money or grant a better performance? Our lab staff noted and tested the features offered by each printer on our shortlist.

Connectivity options

Most printers can still plug into a computer, but WiFi is everywhere now, and an increasing number of machines print wirelessly from smartphones and tablets. During testing, we noted the offerings of each model on our shortlist.

Price

It's possible to buy a cheap printer for less than $50, but the faults of these bargain models frequently outweigh the savings. And the truth is, a decent machine could cost you just a little more than $50. Even at the top end of the pricing scale, a high-quality multifunctional printer is remarkably affordable.

Read on to discover the price of each of our shortlist contenders. You can also check out our product list, above, to discover this information.

Color vs. monochrome

Little difference exists between the cost of a color printer and the cost of a black and white printer. So why not have the color option? There are several reasons, actually.

The best monochrome printers are:

   •    Compact

   •    Fast

   •    Easy to use

Although a color printer may be more cumbersome and slightly more expensive than a black and white model, the benefit is undeniable: you get color prints.

As such, some consumers find it prudent to buy a cheap monochrome printer for text printing and an all-in-one color printer for everything else.

Notably, all of the monochrome models we looked at were laser printers, designed for rapid output of large amounts of text and/or black and white images. Even the very best inkjets struggle to produce text that's as sharp (particularly at sizes below 12 point), and when they do, they run much slower because they're on a “high resolution” setting.

Single-function printer vs. multifunctional printer

Should you buy a single- or multifunctional printer? In general, this is an easy question to answer. If you can find a quality color printer with fax, scanning, and copying capabilities for the same price as a printer without those functions, the decision is a no-brainer.

However, some situations exist in which you might prefer a single-function printer. Consider the following:

• If you want a photo-realistic output of high quality, you almost certainly want a specialist machine that focuses solely on the task at hand.

• A printer with a built-in scanner would probably serve the needs of most consumers, but if you require high-resolution scans for trade printing or graphic displays, a machine dedicated entirely to high-resolution prints could be your best bet.

• Business owners might prefer a more robust single-function unit that can consistently handle their heavy output demands.

Inkjet vs. laser

This is always going to be a difficult question to answer, and even the BestReviews lab testers had differing opinions.

However, all agreed that your final choice should depend largely on what you intend to use the printer for.

In the early days of home printers, the choice between inkjet and laser was rather straightforward. Back then, laser printers created images with superior detail, but the machines were prohibitively expensive.

Inkjets were far more affordable, but the final product wasn’t nearly as sharp.

Today's printers employ the same basic technologies, but much has changed.

• Laser and inkjet printers share similar price tags. And although laser toner remains much more expensive, you get up to ten times as many pages from a cartridge.

• Print resolution is no longer an issue. Even cheap inkjets render a decent output. The graphic quality of our inkjet finalists is well above average.

Features to consider

Most inkjet and laser printers offer similar features. Almost all can communicate wirelessly with your smartphone or tablet. Many offer WiFi so you can share the printer with other users. And, as we've seen, scanning, copying, and faxing are common.

Here are some notable “other” features you might be interested in —

• Paper Tray Capacity: If you do a lot of printing, a large-capacity paper tray comes in handy.

• Automatic Feeding: If you print lots of envelopes or cards, automatic feeding of multiple sizes is useful.

• Automatic Duplexing: This feature is great for those who want to execute rapid double-sided printing.

• Borderless Printing: This is great if you want to print lots of photos, but you should check the print sizes available before making a purchase.

• Ink Refill Subscription Program: A program such as this could save you money, but we urge consumers to think about their usage patterns before choosing a printer with this feature. It’s not necessary for everyone.

When buying a printer, consider the cost of ink cartridges. Many printers are priced low, but their ink costs are sky high. Laser printers have a higher upfront cost, but many are cheaper when analyzed over their entire life cycle.

A note about ink quality

Of course, you want your prints to last forever — especially if you use your printer to create copies of beloved family photos. But some inks fade over time. Here’s what you need to know about ink technology as it stands today:

• Inkjet inks fall into two categories — dye-based and pigment-based. Dye-based inks are 100% liquid; the color is dissolved in water. Pigment-based inks have solid particles in the mix and consequently last longer.

In case of a paper jam, hold the obstructing document with both hands and pull it out gently but firmly; do not yank it out as that might cause it to rip and leave debris behind.

• Testing suggests that some images created by cheap replacement ink fade in as little as three months. This may be extreme, but it’s a known danger of buying remanufactured cartridges.

• Ink purchased directly from the printer manufacturer may cost more, but the images rendered from it could last longer. The reason: this ink will probably be part pigment (the black) and part dye (the colors).

• If you want your photo images to retain their richness for years, consider a specialist photo printer and the corresponding ink and paper. You'll pay more, but you’ll enjoy remarkable technology.

Pointers

We wholeheartedly endorse all five of our chosen printers, but what if you’re still not sure which product is right for you? After all, your printing needs may differ from those of your neighbor.

Keep these pointers in mind when making your final decision —

If you need high quantities of monochrome/grayscale printing, choose a monochrome laser printer. This unit will offer you:

• Fast printing
• Sharp detail
• High-volume capability

If you need high quantities of business printing, choose a color laser printer. This unit will offer you:

• Fast printing

• Fine detail

• Quality presentation (though not best for photos)

• High-volume capability

If you need a general-purpose home or small business printer, choose a color inkjet model. This unit will offer you:

• A lower initial investment
• Cheaper ink
• Good photo quality

If you need large quantities of high-quality photo printing, choose a specialist color inkjet printer. This unit will offer you:

• Exceptional visual quality
• Prints that hold their color for decades

2 DIY projects with your inkjet printer

Printing on burlap

Materials you will need: burlap, cardstock, ruler, X-Acto knife, computer, inkjet printer

1. Measure out your piece of burlap to 8.5" by 11". Use the X-Acto knife to cut it.
2. Repeat with the card stock.
3. Use the masking tape to affix the burlap to the card stock.
4. Make sure your printer settings are set to Heavy Duty.
5. Gently feed the burlap/card stock through the printer.

Use this DIY to make customized burlap bags, wall decor and more!

Temporary tattoos

Materials you will need: tattoo paper, credit card, scissors, computer, inkjet printer

1. Design your tattoos on your computer.
2. Print them onto the tattoo paper.
3. Lay the adhesive sheet on top and use a credit card to smooth.
4. Cut out the tattoo with scissors.
5. Place the tattoo on your arm and gently rub it with a wet paper towel for 30 seconds.
6. Slowly peel the tattoo off.