Best Home Printers 2026

As a work-from-home team, we know the importance of having a fully functional home office, which includes a decent printer. To determine which models perform best, we assembled a panel of 12 testers to evaluate over a dozen printers in their own homes, paying close attention to each contender’s ease of use, print speeds, range of features and reliability. After six months of printing, copying and scanning, we named the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e the best home printer overall thanks to its fast, reliable printing and an intuitive, integrated app. We also found six other winners that fit specific printing needs and budgets. Read on to see all the printers we tested.

We printed and copied hundreds of pages to find the best home printers of 2026.

ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERS

The HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e takes the top spot for best home printer overall: It has the best blend of printing quality, price and speed to get print jobs done efficiently.

Clear Printing And A Convenient Mobile App

Grayscale and color print jobs came out looking sharp and clear, especially when printing radial gradients. For those who frequently work from their mobile device, you can use the HP Smart App to help you print; our tester loved the app because it was convenient and easy to use. Another nice perk: For parents, the HP Printables located in the app allows you to source and print DIY coloring books for your kids. It also comes with three months of the HP Instant Ink subscription, which detects when you’re low on ink and automatically orders it for you starting at $1.49 per month. (But unless you’re printing ream after ream of paper, we recommend against this subscription model.)

The HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e is a sturdy printer with a useful, albeit small, 2.7-inch touchscreen display.

Victoria Hess for Forbes

Not The Fastest, But The Print Quality Is Unmatched

Our tester timed printing from her PC, and it took 35.6 seconds from pressing the print button to the last of a six-page test landing in the tray. From the moment the first page hit the tray, it took 23 seconds, so it lines up pretty closely with HP’s claim of 22-second print jobs for its “normal” quality setting. It’s not the fastest device in comparison to the other printers tested, and it slows considerably if you put it on the “best” print setting, but it was the most consistent in terms of print quality. Our tester noted that on occasion the print jobs didn’t print in order. If you’re printing large amounts of paper, you may want to consider another printer, but it didn’t happen often enough to warrant too much concern.

The paper tray can hold 250 sheets.

Victoria Hess for Forbes

The Downsides: Heavy, And Pricey To Maintain

The top lid for the scanner is heavy, and you need to fully open it for it to stay in place. Otherwise, it slams right back down. The HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e features an intuitive 2.7-inch touchscreen display, though for those with larger hands, it may be in your best interest to opt for a home printer with a larger display. It’s also important to note that the ink cartridges are the real cost driver here: The replacement set of four EvoMore ink cartridges costs $239. Assuming HP’s claim is accurate, that the black cartridge prints up to 2,500 pages and the color 1,650 pages, this amounts to three cents per black and nine cents per color page.

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The HP Envy 6555E is a great choice for those who don’t want to spend a fortune on a printer. For a supposedly “no frills” all-in-one printer, our tester felt that it was packed with features, including faxing for those that need it.

A Compact, Low-Profile Build

The Envy 6555E a hefty beast; our tester was surprised at its weight but felt it was still a lower profile compared to other options on the market. Setup was mostly easy, but she noted that, “you have to push upward instead of downward to install the cartridges,” a counterintuitive step that prolonged the process a bit. The small touchscreen display on the bottom left corner of the machine showed our tester the progress of the print jobs and error messages to help with troubleshooting.

The HP Envy 6555E is not only budget-friendly but it’s an all-in-one machine and offers scanning, copying and faxing.

Brinda Ayer for Forbes

Slow Start, But It Speeds Up (A Little)

The biggest drawback here is print speed. Both monochrome and color print jobs come out very slowly. It takes 70 seconds for the printer to start printing the first page. A 10-page monochrome double-sided print job took about three minutes. Once the machine “warms up,” though, it prints faster: The test page that took 70 seconds to warm up took 20 seconds to print. It’s still not fast, but if you’re only printing the occasional page, this printer will suit your needs just fine.

Excellent Value For The Price

The all-in-one model can print, copy, scan and fax, and the HP smart app allows you to scan and print from your mobile device. Colors and prints are high quality, and for the price, it’s hard to beat. Our tester noted that, “I’d recommend it for people with slightly more cramped desk space and people with tighter budgets, like students.”

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Bulky, But Feature-Packed

If you need a do-it-all printer for your home office, the Brother MFC-L3780CDW can print, copy, scan and fax, and it also has intuitive phone functions to help you scan and print from your mobile device. It takes up a ton of space, according to our tester, but it feels “targeted at a small business” or “an especially busy household—perhaps with a few teenagers who need to print a lot for school.”

Average Print Speeds, But Seamless Mobile Connectivity

The print speeds are a little slower compared to other units we tested: It takes 45.5 seconds from pressing the print button to the last page of a five-page job landing in the tray, but it spews out smaller print jobs in as little as 25.1 seconds. Most of that time comes from the printer booting up, since once the first page began printing for the three-page job, it took 8.6 seconds. There’s another factor playing into these times, too; our tester also noted that these print times are averages, since the jobs varied widely during testing. The printer also works seamlessly with your phone to print, scan and send documents back and forth between devices, and it comes with cloud integrations.

The Brother MFC-L3780CDW comes jam-packed with features.

Dave Johnson for Forbes

A Secure, High-Volume Option For Office Use

This also comes with a unique feature ideal for small businesses: Near-field communication (NFC) authentication for extra security. It has three different paper trays, including a 30-page multipurpose tray for envelopes and other media. You can also use Brother’s Refresh EZ print subscription to automatically send you replacement cartridges when the printer senses your ink is low, and our tester notes that the printer offers a complimentary first four months’ service. That said, it’s pretty expensive at $570. If you only print a page every so often, this is not the printer for you. If you’re seeking a printer that can handle volume and has extras like programmable shortcuts and the ability to fax, then you can’t go wrong with the Brother MFC-L3780CDW.

Six Months Later: Tracks Pages Printed

After more than half a year using this printer, our tester hasn’t experienced many issues with the Wi-Fi connection or with resetting or waking issues. Paper jams were rare, though he noted the MFC-L3780CDW “sometimes has trouble pulling paper from a tray that’s close to empty.” Our tester found the printer tracked pages printed instead of how much toner actually remained in the cartridge. “I found that can mean you’re told to replace it when there’s still a substantial amount of toner remaining,” he said.

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A Sturdy And Intuitive Design

The HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101SDW is a solid choice for those who need a fast, feature-rich printer and are willing to pay a little extra for it—though not quite as much as the price of the Brother MFC-L3780CDW. The overall design is sturdy and compact, but the paper tray feels a little flimsy. There’s a small LCD display with physical buttons to direct the printer to copy, scan and print. Otherwise, using these buttons in conjunction with the display felt intuitive as our tester printed jobs from both his laptop and the HP Smart App.

Speedy Printing With Comparable Features As Our Top Pick

Printing is pretty speedy on this device: It printed six pages in 32 seconds from the second we pressed the print button. HP says the first page comes out in as little as 6.6 seconds, but when we tested a three-page print job, we noted that the entire job took 23 seconds from pressing print on the PC. From the first page to the final page landing in the tray, we timed six seconds, so there’s a bit of a disconnect here. During the entirety of our testing, we also noted no jamming issues. Like our top pick, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e, the software allows you to scan to email, a network folder and to a USB drive. It also allows for remote printing and has support for Google Drive and Dropbox, which our tester liked.

Automatic Double-Sided Printing, But No Color

One major perk is that it makes double-sided prints automatically—no need to print one page and then finagle the paper tray to print the other side. However, we found one caveat that may give some pause: it only offers black-and-white printing.

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The Brother HL-2460DW XL is solid and sturdy—but according to our tester, the black plastic surface is prone to smudge marks. It has both an automatic and a manual feeder so you can print a host of mixed media as needed, from envelopes to labels. The buttons are big and the display is basic, making it easy to operate.

Fast And Clear Black-And-White Printing

Our prints came out cleanly without smearing. The print speeds were also pretty fast; it took 24 seconds for six single-sided pages to print from pressing the print button to the last page finishing. From the first page hitting the tray, it took 13 seconds on average. Double-sided printing was little longer; a three-page double-sided print job (so effectively six pages) took 35 seconds in total. The printer also comes with a built-in app that allows you to print from your mobile device. During testing, this was the speediest option of all: 22 seconds from start to finish, and once the printer booted up, it took five seconds for a photo to print. But that comes with a serious caveat. It can only print in monochrome, so don’t expect any color. It can handle 4,200 pages before the toner requires a replacement, and you can opt into the Brother Refresh EZ Print Subscription, which can reorder toner for you when it gets low.

The Brother HL-2460DW XL is one of the fastest printers we tested.

Claire Epting for Forbes

No Scan Or Copy Options (And Some Firmware Bugs)

There are a few major drawbacks to the Brother HL-2460DW XL. For one, it only prints, so you can’t scan or copy. That said, our tester liked that it didn’t offer these features, as it didn’t feel overwhelming when you’re only worried about printing. Another issue is the firmware—both Brother HL-2460DW models had firmware update issues that required a detailed deep dive with customer service to fix. If you can stomach this issue, this is a great printer to get most jobs done.

Six Months Later: No-Frills But Reliable

After six months of daily printing, our tester said the printer worked “exactly like it did when I first received it.” The cost-per-page felt reasonable and the printer required no maintenance. She also noted it was free of many common printer problems, like a slow power-up process or a poor Bluetooth connection. “The best printer is one you can set and forget, and this printer has been that for me,” our tester says.

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The Epson EcoTank ET-4950 wowed our tester with its ease of use and large suite of features—it copies, scans, faxes and prints reliably on all sorts of paper types, from regular sheets to letters to photo paper. It also has a “professional-grade build that feels solid and durable,” says our tester, making it ideal for heavy home office use.

Convenient Mobile App

Similar to the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e, this printer comes with a convenient mobile app that makes navigating from task to task simple. According to our tester, it first came in handy during the setup process. “I downloaded the Epson app, which guided me through the entire process,” says our tester. “I followed the prompts on my phone to get the printer set up, connected to Wi-Fi and filled with ink.” It later helped her with day-to-day print jobs. “I’ve had a hard time printing from my phone using other apps, but this one is so easy and simple to use,” she says. “You can choose from two different layouts in the app (tiles or cards), and you can print, scan and copy with a simple tap. I especially like the app for printing photos from my camera roll.”

A look at the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 and its ink bottles.

Elsie Boskamp for Forbes

Comes With Up To Three Years Of Ink

Our tester was impressed with the Epson EcoTank ET-4950’s sizable ink reserves. According to Epson, this printer comes with enough ink to print up to 5,500 color pages or 6,600 black-and-white pages before needing a refill. The brand says that it’s enough to last most people up to three years—and we’ve seen similar claims from the HP Smart Tank 7301. That said, our testers found the Epson easier to fill than the HP. “I was worried that the ink filling process would be messy, but it was so easy and the ink bottles are virtually spill-proof,” says our tester. “They fit right into the port… and the ink automatically stops flowing from the bottle when the tank is full.”

Printing Is Faster From A Phone

Unlike most other printers we’ve tested, the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 prints faster from your phone than from a computer. During testing, our panelist timed how long it took to print a single black-and-white page from both devices. It took 26 seconds from when she clicked print on her desktop to when the page was done. In comparison, it took just 19 seconds from her phone. She also noted that the print time is “pretty lengthy” from both devices when she prints photos. If you plan to print photos regularly, consider the HP Smart Tank 7301 instead since it’s designed to churn out vivid images on photo paper.

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If you frequently print photos at home, it’s worth investing in a printer that can produce crisp, bright images, like the HP Smart Tank 7301. During testing, it printed gorgeous photos onto photo paper, which one of our testers greatly appreciated. “It saves me money and trips to the CVS photo pickup booth,” she says.

One Ink Cartridge Lasts Up To Two Years

Similar to other printers in this guide, this printer lets you print straight from your phone, tablet or laptop via the HP app. During testing, we were also impressed with its robust ink cartridge, which can print 8,000 color pages and 6,000 black-and-white pages—enough to last most people two years, according to HP. Our biggest complaint is that during setup, you have to pour the ink from six-inch tall bottles into the cartridge trays, which our testers found tedious.

Small Display Pushes Users To App

Along with the ink tedium, the display is a tad small; our tester questioned whether that was intentional to encourage you to use the app. “It almost seems like it’s intended to not be highly functional since you can control everything that you need to from your phone,” says our tester, who added that she used her phone to do most printing-related tasks, including diagnosing issues and checking ink levels. That said, the small screen isn’t a big enough issue to disqualify this printer from our list since the app is user-friendly and easy to navigate.

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Other Home Printers We Tested

We tested over a dozen different models. The competition was stiff, and these are the ones that didn’t quite make the cut—several of which are still worthy of your consideration.

Other Home Printers We Recommend

• Best For Occasional Use: Brother HL-2460DW (Forbes Vetted score: 4.3/5 stars): This printer is lacking in toner yield: It prints only about 700 pages, while the Brother HL-2460DW XL prints up to 4,200 pages. For those who only print pages occasionally, this printer is still speedy and clear, making it a worthy alternative to the others in this guide.
• Best For Scanning: HP Smart Tank 5101 (Forbes Vetted score: 4/5 stars): This printer didn’t make our main list for three main reasons: it took a long time to set up, it was difficult to add liquid ink to the cartridges and the display was counterintuitive. However, we appreciated that its ID copy option can help you scan both sides of the page with useful prompting.
• Best Premium Photo Printer: Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 (Forbes Vetted score: 4/5 stars): If you’re seeking an upgrade to the HP Smart Tank 7301, the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 can print photos in a 13-by-19-inch format and print crisp duplex photos. It can also print on cardstock, CDs and other media. That said, it’s one of the most expensive options our team tested.
• Best Affordable: Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (Forbes Vetted score: 4/5 stars): If you’re looking for a lower-cost version of the Epson EcoTank ET-4950, the Epson EcoTank ET-2980 is a good choice. Although it isn’t as large and robust as its sibling, we found that the setup was fast, and printing is quick and responsive. During testing, it printed two pages in 12 seconds.

The smaller version of the Brother HL-2460DW can handle up to 700 pages before it needs more toner.

Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes

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Home Printers We Are Currently Testing

While we’ve tested and named our top picks, we’re also testing newer models that have recently launched. Here’s what our tech team is currently testing.

• Xerox C320 Color Printer: The Xerox C320 promises to print up to 35 pages-per-minute and offers double-sided printing. It supports Apple AirPrint, Mopria and Wi-Fi Direct, and has built-in Wi-Fi. When our team has finished testing this model, we’ll share our verdict here.
• Canon Pixma TR8620a: The Canon Pixma TR8620a is an affordable and compact all-in-one printer that promises Amazon Alexa integrations to monitor and notify you when your ink runs low. It promises a 15 page-per-minute print speed and can print up to 1,000 pages at a time. We’ll be watching out for its reliability as we test, given the price point.
• HP LaserJet M209d: This monochrome printer is a wired-only option and claims it can print up to 30 pages per minute. It also can automatically print double-sided. Taking into consideration its price, it promises to be a contender for our value pick.
• HP OfficeJet Pro 9135e: This printer may well replace the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e; indeed it’s that unit’s successor. During our current testing, we’re watching out for improvements in print speed, scanning capabilities and some AI enhancements—all of which come at a notably higher price.

The HP OfficeJet Pro 9135e is one of several printers we’re actively testing.

Steven John for Forbes

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How We Tested The Best Home Printers

Process

• Expert-led selection: Our initial list of contenders were selected by consumer tech and electronics editor, Rebecca Isaacs, who has over seven years of experience covering the category. For this guide, she prioritized the most popular models from reputable printer brands, like HP, Brother, Epson and others.
• Panel testing: We assembled a panel of 12 Forbes Vetted staff members to test each printer, and spent two months printing, scanning and faxing dozens of pages. Some panelists, like executive editor Dave Johnson, have robust experience testing computers, printers and more.
• Long-term testing: We continued to use many of our finalists after the initial two-month testing period to see how they held up over time. In some cases, we’ve tested contenders for over six months, taking detailed notes on how performance changed.

Criteria

• Build quality: All of our picks felt sturdy and well-made. We carefully reviewed various printer displays, taking into account the size and ease of use for touchscreens. We also tested printer tray hinges and mechanisms to see how well they held up after opening and closing multiple times, checking to see whether we felt they would hold up over time.
• Print speed: For print speeds, we tested in two ways: We timed the printing duration from pressing the print button to the last page landing in the tray; and we timed the print duration from when the first page came out to the last page. We reviewed it against the company’s listed print speeds to make sure each printer held up to its claimed print speed.
• Print quality: To be considered as one of the best home printers, we printed hundreds of pages, checking for ink blotting, color accuracy and more. We compared printed pages to make sure the printers we chose printed accurate, detailed documents and images consistently.
• Extra features: Many of the printers on this list came with useful extra features, like app extensions, phone integrations like scanning from your phone, printing a document and more. We rigorously tested these to make sure they were worth your time.

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What To Consider When Choosing A Home Printer

When it comes time to choose the best home printer for you, there are several factors to consider, including printer type (laser versus inkjet), features (print-only or all-in-one), color options and more.

Printer Type

There are two main types of printers—inkjet and laser—each offering specific advantages and drawbacks to suit different households and printing needs.

• Inkjet printers use pots of wet ink to spray tiny, colored droplets onto a page. As a result, they’re able to create a wide array of colors, making them a great choice for people who regularly print photos or graphic-rich documents. They’re smaller and more affordable than laser printers; however, they also print a bit more slowly.
• Laser printers use toner to print rather than ink. This makes them faster and more efficient than inkjet printers, and a better option for busy home offices that frequently print large quantities of pages. While toner is generally more expensive than inkjet printer ink, it also lasts longer.

Monochrome Or Color

If you plan on printing in color at all, you of course need a color printer. Otherwise, a monochrome printer should be suitable for most of your needs. “If an individual is looking to print primarily documents, then I would suggest going for a monochrome printer, as it will only do black ink and is much more cost effective than using a color printer,” says Sean Otmishi, founder and senior management consultant at TAF Solutions. He recommends a color printer for anyone looking to print “rich media material.”

Features

Most printers can copy, scan and fax in addition to print. Models that can do these functions are called all-in-one printers, and they’re an convenient option for busy small businesses and households. That said, all-in-one printers may lack certain print-specific features, like high-resolution photo printing. If you plan on printing primarily photos, your best bet is a standard printer that prioritizes image quality over an all-in-one model.

Connectivity

Wireless printers are the norm, but wired printers still have their place. Wireless connectivity offers easy setup and use across multiple devices via home Wi-Fi. However, if you only print from a single desktop computer or laptop, a wired model that connects via cables is a reliable choice. Wired printers trade the convenience of wireless connectivity for a connection that is more stable and reliable.

Tray And Ink Capacity

A printer’s tray capacity refers to how much paper it can hold at once; most printers range from 50 to 250 pages. Generally, the higher the tray capacity, the less time you need to dedicate to refilling the printer, which reduces the amount of interruptions (and possible paper jams) during printing jobs.

Similarly, the number of ink cartridges inside a printer and the volume of those cartridges determines how many pages you can print before running out of ink. High-capacity ink/toner is generally preferred by most users because it requires less maintenance.

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Why Trust Forbes Vetted

Here at Forbes Vetted, we’re skilled at researching, testing and reviewing all things tech. By tapping into our years of product-testing experience, we’ve built a library of tech and electronic guides, including dozens of home office stories that provide advice on work-from-home and small business essentials.

• Forbes Vetted consumer tech and electronics editor Rebecca Isaacs is the author of this guide. Over the last six years, she’s monitored the latest developments in home office gear and stayed on top of new releases from HP, Brother and Epson. In addition to this guide, she’s also written about the best all-in-one printers and the best portable monitors, based on her testing.
• Forbes Vetted executive editor Dave Johnson edited this guide and participated in our panel-testing efforts. With decades of experience reporting on consumer tech, he’s tested all sorts of products and written three dozen books on the topic.
• We regularly revisit this guide to make sure our recommendations stay current. It was last updated in August 2026 by another one of our panelists, Forbes Vetted commerce writer Alexandra Garrett. She also has several years of experience writing about consumer tech and electronics.

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Our Experts

• John Yensen, president of Revotech Networks Ltd.
• Sean Otmishi, founder and senior management consultant at TAF Solutions

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