Mumsnet is supported by readers. All our writers obsessively research every product we recommend. When you buy through a link on our site we might earn commission but this never influences our product choices.
Best home printers for 2023
Arguably the most despised piece of office equipment, a printer can nevertheless be invaluable – particularly for those working or studying from home. In an effort to redeem home printers’ reputation, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best, from mono to colour and laser to inkjet.
By Louise Cole | Last updated Jan 16, 2023
With more of us than ever working from home, the lack of access to a top-notch office printer and an IT department ready to remedy malfunctioning machinery is being keenly felt nationwide.
Taunting us with flashing lights and (often imaginary) paper jams has some of us convinced that the home printer is a sentient being that can detect deadlines, displaying diva tendencies at inopportune moments.
Yet while frustration-inducing models continue to leave millions of us in desperate need of a head massage, countless others are reliable, easy to set up and don’t cost the earth – metaphorically or otherwise.
With prices ranging from £40 to £400 or more, deciding which one to buy can leave you scratching your head in bewilderment, which is where we come in. We’ve gone on the hunt for the best printers for family or home-office use, so whether you print prolifically or only occasionally, you’re sure to find the ideal domestic device among our selection.
Here are the best home printers to buy right now.
1. Best overall home printer: HP Envy 6032 Wireless All-in-one Colour Printer
Price: £67.07 | Buy now from Amazon
“We have an HP Envy printer/copier/scanner. It must be six or seven years old. Never had a problem with it. Prints wirelessly from whatever device – PC, work laptop, DC’s laptop or tablet/mobile.”
“Another vote for the HP Envy. Great little printer and scanner.”
“I have an HP Envy that works perfectly 99% of the time. It had a hissy fit a few weeks ago, but that was caused by a faulty ink cartridge and was easily resolved.”
For an everyday printer that’ll suit the whole family, you can’t go far wrong with this user-friendly offering from HP. Set up in minutes with the help of an easy-to-follow app, it’ll print, scan and copy everything from documents and schoolwork to photos.
Capable of great-quality colour printing from any device, it boasts a flatbed scanner, a paper tray that holds 100 sheets and ‘self-healing’ wifi that’ll detect and resolve connectivity issues. Even better, this versatile printer is compact to boot, making it ideal if you have limited workspace.
Recommended by countless Mumsnetters, even the most technologically-challenged give this quiet printer an emphatic thumbs-up.
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Ink subscription service available
Cons
- No interactive screen
- Manual available only online
Key specs
- Tech type: Inkjet
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Up to A4
- Weight: 5.22kg
2. Best budget home printer: HP Deskjet 2710e All-in-one Wireless Colour Printer
Price: From £49.99 | Buy now from Amazon
“Mine arrived today and it was really easy to set it up. It looks good and I did print a few pages. So far I’m very happy with it.”
Compact and lightweight, the HP Deskjet 2710e is an economical, entry-level colour printer that will make the perfect desktop companion for anyone needing a basic device. While it isn’t the fastest – printing a maximum of 7.5 pages per minute – it’s nevertheless capable and convenient for most households.
Its built-in wifi means that you can use it from any room in your home without the need to plug it into your computer, and it automatically detects and fixes connection issues.
Featuring a flatbed scanner, it can also copy documents. It’ll use a fair amount of ink when printing images but, at this price, it’s a small price to pay. HP’s Instant Ink service is always an option to reduce replacement cartridge costs.
Pros
- Affordable
- Multifunctional
Cons
- Replacement cartridges aren’t cheap
- Fairly slow
Key specs
- Tech type: Inkjet
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Up to A4
- Weight: 3.4kg
3. Best inkjet home printer: Brother MFC-J6530DW All-in-one Wireless Inkjet Printer
Price: £269 | Buy now from Amazon
“I use my printer a lot! I have a Brother and I honestly can’t fault it.”
“Another vote for Brother here. I’ve only just replaced one I had for 15 years. It was one of the very few items that we both wanted when we got divorced.”
Brother is globally renowned for its efficient, high-performance products and this inkjet printer is no exception. OK, it’s not the smallest, but it makes the perfect workmate thanks to its reliability, smartness and can-do attitude.
Able to speedily produce sharp prints of excellent quality, it’s heavy-duty in every sense – and, weighing in at almost 20kg, you’ll need a sturdy desk on which to position it.
With more functions than most users are likely to need, it can copy, scan and (in the unlikely event you should ever need to) fax documents up to A3 size. With a paper capacity of 250 sheets and compatible with high-yield cartridges that print up to 3,000 pages, it may be cumbersome, but it does the job – and fast.
Pros
- Prints up to A3 size, with automatic two-sided print
- Colour LCD touchscreen display
Cons
- Bulky
- Pricey
Key specs
- Tech type: Inkjet
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Up to A3
- Weight: 19.6kg
4. Best laser home printer: Brother HL-L3210CW Colour Laser Printer
Price: £179.99 | Buy now from Ryman
“I have a colour Brother laser printer. Although it was more expensive than an inkjet, it prints beautifully no matter how often you use it and the cartridge lasts ages. I’d never go back to inkjet.”
“Get a Brother laser printer. I’ve had mine for about six years now. It’s never given me any problems.”
“All printers are the work of the devil. Definitely get a laser printer though. They’re slightly less satanic.”
Mumsnetters are vacating the world of inkjets in their droves to venture into laser territory. While these models are generally more expensive, they’re also significantly cheaper to run and can save you a small fortune in the long term.
This colour laser printer from Brother is well worth its asking price, costing the same or less than many of its mono counterparts. It comes with the four toner cartridges it requires, which is the equivalent of 1,000 pages’ worth.
While it’s quick and quiet, it’s also heavy and on the large side, so check its dimensions before you part with your cash. It may not be the best at producing photos, but it does allow you to print straight from your mobile phone or tablet.
Pros
- Straightforward setup
- One-year warranty
Cons
- No flatbed scanner
- Double-sided printing must be done manually
Key specs
- Tech type: Laser
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Up to A4
- Weight: 17.2kg
5. Best all-in-one home printer: Canon PIXMA TS5150 All-in-one Printer
Price: £59.99 | Buy now from Argos
“I have a Canon PIXMA that prints, scans and copies and it’s great. I use it quite often, so I’ve never had an issue with the ink drying out.”
“I’ve just bought a Canon PIXMA. We’ve tried it for homework, photos and scanning, and it seems great so far.”
If you’re WFH and normally reliant on the office photocopier, an all-in-one home printer is a good choice. Up to four devices in one, these models not only print, but they copy, scan and fax too.
While this three-in-one Canon printer lacks the fax function of some multifunction machines, it’s nevertheless a great-value option that automatically prints on both sides of the paper, is simple to install and is compact enough for even the smallest of homes.
Its LCD colour screen is easy to navigate and it comes complete with ink, which it tends to get through rather quickly, making this printer best for lighter users.
Pros
- Compact
- Easily accessible front controls
Cons
- May be less robust than expected
- More expensive to run that some printers
Key specs
- Tech type: Inkjet
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Up to A4
- Weight: 6.5kg
6. Best mono home printer: Pantum P2200W Wireless Monochrome Laser Printer
Price: £49.99 | Buy now from Amazon
“I have a Pantum laserjet. It’s wifi-enabled and quick, plus replacement cartridges are cheap, but it only does black and white. No issues with it at all.”
“I bought a Pantum mono laser printer and it’s far better than all the inkjet printers I’ve had to get rid of after they stopped working.”
“I gave up on inkjet and bought a laser printer. The toner lasts forever and is cheaper than ink cartridges.”
When an all-singing, all-dancing machine is superfluous to requirements and the only necessity is black-and-white printing, a mono laser printer makes a reliable workhorse.
Pantum’s P2200W has incredibly low running costs, with cartridges sometimes lasting for years (no, that’s not a misprint). It’s also more eco-friendly than many printers – there’s an auto-sleep function and just one toner cartridge, thereby reducing both energy use and waste.
While there’s no ink to dry out if it’s underused, this durable device is also more than capable of withstanding heavy workloads.
Pros
- Comes with startup toner to print 700 pages
- USB cable supplied
Cons
- Prints black only
- Unclear instructions
Key specs
- Tech type: Laser
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: No
- Paper size: A4
- Weight: 4.8kg
7. Best photo printer: Canon PIXMA PRO-200
Price: £449.99 | Buy now from Amazon
“I have a Canon PIXMA which does a great job – lovely borderless photos.”
“Look at the Canon PIXMA printers – my last one is on its last legs at 16 years old and its replacement is glorious. Excellent print quality.”
“We have a Canon PIXMA and it's great.”
This premium printer will show your photos’ true colours – at whatever size you want to reproduce them. Able to print beyond A3 size using eight dye-based-ink cartridges, the quality of its output is outstanding, with vibrant colours and incredible clarity of fine details.
All this comes at a price, however, one being its, er, price. It’s also costly to run and at 64cm wide is a conspicuous piece of equipment, although it’s fairly light for its size.
Not your everyday printer and incapable of copying or scanning, this is likely to be overkill for non-professional photographers and is primarily for the serious snapper. But if you’re feeling richer than the colours it produces, then it’s the perfect excuse to get all those photos off your phone.
Pros
- Professional-quality prints
- Can print up to and beyond A3, including wide panoramas
Cons
- Expensive
- Large footprint
Key specs
- Tech type: Inkjet
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Up to A3+
- Weight: 14.1kg
8. Best cartridge-free home printer: Epson EcoTank ET-2710 All-in-one Wireless Inkjet Printer
Price: £175.24 | Buy now from Amazon
“Bought myself an EcoTank and I love it.”
“I’ve currently got an Epson EcoTank – the ink lasts a long time and it’s far more convenient than cartridges.”
“I can recommend Epson EcoTank. We print loads each week and still haven’t run out of ink. Thought it was expensive when buying it last year, but it’s been well worth it.”
“EcoTank recommendation here too. The printer costs more, but I’m only on my second set of refills in three years, with two student kids printing regularly.”
Give expensive ink cartridges the old heave-ho with this Epson EcoTank printer. Housing four refillable reservoirs that hold the equivalent of 72 cartridges, you’re unlikely to run out of ink anytime soon but only need to top up the tanks when necessary.
This system unsurprisingly equates to low-price printing and substantial savings – of up to 90% on average ink costs – and one set of ink is supplied, which is enough to print up to 4,500 mono pages and 7,500 in colour.
While the ET-2710 lacks a display screen and is noisier than some of its rivals, it can copy and scan, as well as print wirelessly via smart devices from almost anywhere in the world.
Pros
- Slashes ink costs
- Easy-to-view ink levels
Cons
- Unclear instructions
- May not be compatible with some Apple products
Key specs
- Tech type: Inkjet
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Up to A4
- Weight: 3.9kg
9. Best quick-printing home printer: Lexmark C3426dw Colour Laser Printer
Price: £239.98 | Buy now from Amazon
“We just got a Lexmark one – it’s really good. Very simple and easy to use.”
“We got the wireless Lexmark one and it’s great. Useful for the two of us to be wirelessly connected to it from our individual laptops.”
When time is tight and so are the purse strings, a realistically-priced laser device that can quickly churn out prints will be up to the task. This one from Lexmark can print up to 24 pages per minute – colour or mono.
Yes, there are cheaper printers out there, but potential buyers should take into account that replacement toner cartridges provide up to 4,500 pages of output. This single-function machine even saves you money on paper and electricity due to its built-in duplex (‘double-sided’ to the rest of us) printing and energy-saving mode.
Durable and built to last, the manufacturer is so confident in this productive printer’s abilities that it offers a four-year guarantee to those who register their details.
Pros
- Easy-to-navigate colour touch screen
- Four-year guarantee upon registration
Cons
- Pricey
- Not as quiet as some printers
Key specs
- Tech type: Laser
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Up to A4
- Weight: 16.1kg
10. Best mini printer: Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Smartphone Printer
Price: £109 | Buy now from Amazon
“I would recommend looking at the Instax mini printer. It’s tiny and works with a smartphone.”
This retro-inspired little gadget produces instant credit card-sized images that are perfect for scrapbooking, sticking on the fridge or sharing with friends and relatives – particularly those who prefer physical photographs to digital ones.
Connecting wirelessly to your smartphone via Bluetooth, it’ll print in seconds, producing up to 100 photos on a single battery charge. Packed with oodles of fun features, including frame and collage options, the device itself comes in colours such as dusky pink, ash white and dark denim.
Petite and portable enough to pop in your handbag, it’s only negative (pardon the pun) is the price of film, which works out at up to 75p per print.
Pros
- Ultra-portable
- Super-simple to use
Cons
- Film not supplied
- Average print quality
Key specs
- Tech type: Non-ink
- Wireless: Yes
- Colour: Yes
- Paper size: Fujifilm Instax Mini Film only
- Weight: 209g
How do I choose a home printer?
Ensuring that you choose the right printer for your home will depend on what and how much you’re printing. There are several factors to take into account when picking your perfect home printer.
- Inkjet or laser? This is the primary consideration. Inkjet printers are generally smaller, lighter and cheaper than their laser counterparts and will also print higher-quality colour prints and photographs, but they are slower. Often the best choice for light users, these general-purpose machines can be ideal for home use. Many tend to drink ink though, while if used infrequently there’s the risk that the ink may dry up before the cartridge runs out. Laser printers use toner instead of ink and tend to be pricier and bulkier, but faster. Perfect for high-volume printing, they produce better-quality and more precise text, which is why they’re the go-to printers of many workplaces.
- Running costs: With lower running costs than an inkjet, it’s worth considering a laser printer for your home. While many people opt for inkjet printers because of the lower initial outlay, it must be remembered that some models’ replacement cartridges can cost almost as much as the machine itself. Inkjets that are cartridge-free, such as Epson EcoTank printers, reduce ink costs considerably, while laser models are also cheaper to run, with toner cartridges being surprisingly long-lasting. You can work out the cost per page printed by dividing the price of an ink cartridge by the number of pages it’s likely to print (this is often stated in the stats section of a manufacturer’s product description) and compare the printers on your shortlist.
- Multifunction or print-only? Does your printer need to be capable of scanning, copying or faxing too? If so, an all-in-one printer is your best bet. Otherwise, a single-function version should suffice.
- Wired or wireless? Will your printer be connected via USB cable or wirelessly? Many models are now wifi or Bluetooth-compatible – just be sure to confirm that the printer you choose will work with the PC, laptop or mobile device you’re using. Wireless ones allow you to print from any device and from anywhere, making them ideal for mobile printing.
- Size and weight: Home printers vary significantly in size, so it’s wise to get out that tape measure to ensure that your chosen model will fit where you want it to go. The more features it has, the larger it’s likely to be – and don’t forget to take into account paper trays, document feeders and other additional attributes. Weight-wise, laser printers tend to be heavier than inkjets, some around 20kg or more, so take note of your chosen device’s heaviness if you plan on moving it on a regular basis.
- Colour or mono? Monochrome printers can work out far cheaper overall than colour alternatives and are a savvy choice if you plan to print only black-and-white text-based pages. This type of printer won’t suit those who need to print in colour though – however infrequently.
- Duplexing: Do you want a printer that prints on both sides of the paper? Automatic duplexing saves a great deal of time and effort on having to manually turn the pages, plus it saves paper too.
- Speed: When printing in volume, a high-speed printer is a worthwhile choice. Unless you’re a heavy user, a slower home printer is likely to be sufficient, though do take note of a model’s print speed prior to purchasing.
- Price: There are hundreds of home printers on the market, with prices ranging from the tens to hundreds of pounds, so ascertain what features you require and find one that matches your budget.
What is the best printer for home use?
The best printer for home use is the HP Envy 6032 Wireless All-in-one Colour Printer. It suits most households as it pretty much does it all, is easy to set up and will print wirelessly – and quietly – from anywhere and from all devices. Its output quality is good, as is its price point, and it’s easy to see why this small printer repeatedly crops up in posts on the Mumsnet forums for all the right reasons.
We love that it’s capable of double-sided printing and that music plays and colourful lights appear on completion of a print job. The included five-month trial of HP’s Instant Ink service – which includes ink, postage and recycling, reducing costs by up to 70% – is an added bonus.
How we chose our recommendations
We first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which home printers discerning Mumsnetters recommended and had bought themselves, noting their feedback about these brands. We then drew up a shortlist of those that were repeatedly mentioned.
From there, we did some research across the wider web, consulting independent review sites and taking into account what customer reviews said about the products featured. Having collated all that information, we picked the home printers we thought were worthy of taking the titles in an array of interest categories.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.
Main image credit: Canon