The best printers of 2018: inkjet, color, mono and laser printers | Tech News
With our guide to the best printers of 2018, it has never been easier to find the perfect printer for your needs. We’re constantly updating this list of the best printers, so keep checking back to find the newest printers.
No matter if you’re looking for an all-singing-all-dancing all-in-one printer that can also copy and fax, or you need the best photo printer for printing out your holiday snaps, or a fast and dependable laser printer for the office, our list of the best printers in 2018 will help you.
In 2018, printers have never been better, and there are so many brilliant printers out there, all at very competitive prices, that you’re spoilt for choice when looking for a new printer. This can make finding the best printer for your needs more complex, and that’s where we come in.
Our list of the best printers cuts through the jargon to make buying your new printer as simple as possible. We’ve also split this list into the best inkjet printers and the best laser printers, and we include standard printers as well as multi-function ones. No matter what type of printer you’re after, we have one for you, and our price comparison tool makes sure you get the best deals on the printer of your choice as well.
Best inkjet printers
1. HP Deskjet 3630
Small, affordable and smartly designed
Print speed: Varies depending on document | Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, B5, Borderless A4, Borderless A5, Borderless B5 | Paper capacity: 60 sheets | : | Weight: 4.2kg
Compact
Cheap to buy
Ink can be expensive
Basic paper handling
The Deskjet 3630 is a decent printer for the price, offering reasonable print speeds and the ability to connect to mobile devices without breaking the bank. Just be wary as its ink cartridges can be priced when picked up from shops. It doesn’t quite have the build quality of HP’s more expensive Envy models, but if you’re looking for an initially cheap model that catches the eye when sat on a shelf, the Deskjet 3630 is a great option.
Read the full review: HP Deskjet 3630
2. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4630 review
Economical print costs for volume printing
Print speed: ISO 20 ppm in black or colour | Print resolution: 4,800 x 1,200 | Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, B5, C4 (Envelope), C6 (Envelope), DL (Envelope), No. 10 (Envelope), 9 x 13 cm, 10 x 15 cm, 13 x 18 cm, 13 x 20 cm, 20 x 25 cm, 100 x 148 mm, 16:9, LT, HLT, LGL, User defined | Paper capacity: 330 sheets | Dimensions: 461 x 422 x 342 mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 14.35 kg
Fast print speeds
Cloud-connected
Loud
Uninspiring design
The WorkForce Pro WF-4630 is a solid printer for small businesses and workgroups given its fast print speeds, solid print qualities and remote printing and scanning capabilities. Using the larger XL print cartridges, the WF-4630 delivers economical print costs that rival laser printers.
Read the full review: Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4630
3. Canon Pixma TS8050
High quality, all-in-one printer
Print speed: 15 ppm black, 10 ppm colour | Print resolution: 9,600 x 2,400 | Paper sizes: A4, A5, B5, DL (Envelope) | Paper capacity: 100 sheets | Dimensions: 372 x 324 x 139mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 6.5kg
Compact
Great print quality
Cost
Expensive to run
Great for the traveling professional or someone who needs a small printer for occasional use, printing photos or using the scanner function. It’s a bit pricey to buy – and to run – but the flexibility and quality of the printouts is excellent.
4. Epson EcoTank ET-4550
A printer that comes with two years’ worth of ink
Print speed: 33ppm | Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, B5, Envelopes (C4, C6, DL, No. 10), 9 x 13cm, 10 x 15cm, 13 x 18cm, 13 x 20cm, 20 x 25cm, 10 x 14.8cm | Paper capacity: 150 sheets | Dimensions: 515 x 360 x 241mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 7.4kg
Money saving EcoTank ink system
Three-year warranty
Not the fastest printer
Small paper tray
Consumables are usually expensive when it comes to printers. So it is quite surprising that one vendor, Epson, single-handedly decided to challenge that status quo by allowing users to refill their printer using ink bottles. What’s even more surprising is that Epson includes two years of ink with the package; no more expensive cartridges and instead, you have enough material to deliver 11,000 pages worth of black and colour inks (that’s 700ml worth of liquid). Oh and there’s even a three-year warranty making this a great choice for bean counters fixing the TCO of their printers. The ET-4550 lacks the features found on cheaper competitors – it is relatively slower (although it has a higher printing resolution) and has a small paper input tray.
5. Canon PIXMA TS9150
Amazing print quality – for a price
Print speed: ISO 15ppm black, 10ppm colour | Print resolution: 4,800 x 1,200 | Paper sizes: A4, A5, B5, LTR, LGL, 20x25cm, 13x18cm, 10x15cm, 13×13, Envelopes(DL,COM10) | Paper capacity: 120 sheets | Dimensions: 372 x 324 x 140 mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 6.7g
Great print quality
Lovely design
Expensive
Slow to print
If you’re looking for a great all-round printer which doesn’t skimp on print quality for your photographs, then we don’t think you will be disappointed by what the PIXMA TS9150, Canon’s flagship printer, has to offer.
While it’s certainly more expensive than some of the cheap two in one printers you can pick up, it’s not a bad price for something which produces high quality prints, especially if you only need to print at A4 or below.
Best of all, the print quality here is stunning, and it also has an attractive design. While the looks of your printer may not seem that important, it does mean you don’t feel the need to try and hide it away out of sight if you’re using it at home.
Best laser printers
1. Samsung M2885FW 4-in-1 Multifunction Xpress
Excellent image quality, connectivity and flexibility for a low price
Print speed: 28ppm | Print resolution: Effective 4,800 x 600 | Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, Letter, Legal, Executive, Folio, Oficio, ISO B5, JIS B5 | Paper capacity: 250 sheets | Dimensions: 401 x 362 x 367mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 11.3kg
Superb print quality
Good connectivity
Multi-purpose tray only holds one sheet
Fiddly control panel
This temptingly priced printer offers 28ppm printing at up to 4,800 x 600 dpi (effective, rather than optical, resolution). With wired (Ethernet/USB) and wireless (Wi-Fi/NFC) connectivity, duplex printing, decent eco settings and support for a wide range of media, the Samsung is an excellent all-rounder, although the multi-purpose tray can only handle one sheet of media at a time. The main cassette has a more useful capacity of 250 sheets.
2. Samsung Xpress M2070W
A wallet-friendly MFP with a smart Eco system
Print speed: 20ppm | Print resolution: Effective 1,200 x 1,200 | Paper sizes: A4, A5, Letter, Legal, Executive, Folio, Oficio, ISO B5, JIS B5, Envelope (Monarch, Com10, DL, C5), Custom | Paper capacity: 150 sheets | Dimensions: 406 x 359.6 x 253mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 7.4kg
Clever Eco mode
Reasonably quick
Duplexing is manual
No high yield cartridge option
The M2070W delivers a lot of bang for your business buck – there’s NFC printing from compatible smartphones, online document sharing, and a clever Eco system that supplements the usual toner saving mode with a feature to remove images from documents by replacing bitmaps with sketches.
Factor in claimed speeds of 20ppm, a clever scan to mobile feature and an effective print resolution of up to 1200dpi and you’ve got a multifunction printer that’s well worth considering.
3. Brother DCP-9020CDW
An excellent all-rounder for mono and colour printing
Print speed: 18ppm | Print resolution: 600 x 600, Effective 600 x 2,400 | Paper sizes: A4, Letter, B5 (JIS), A5, A5 (Long Edge), A6, Executive, Legal, Folio | Paper capacity: 250 sheets | Dimensions: 410 x 483 x 410mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 23.2kg
Cloud service integration
Automatic duplexing
Colour cartridges can be pricey
Scanner isn’t the best
The DCP-9020CDW is a baby Brother – it’s an entry-level all-in-one aimed at small offices, and with claimed speeds of 18ppm and a resolution of up to 2,400 dpi (effective) it has a decent spec for the price. It can upload to cloud services such as Dropbox and OneNote, it’s wireless with WPS authentication and wireless direct printing, and its running costs are competitive. It also offers automatic duplex printing and its colour screen makes it easy to install and operate. This device is a solid all-rounder for PCs and mobile devices alike.
4. Dell C1760NW
A neat and simple colour laser printer
Print speed: 15ppm | Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, ANSI A (Letter), Legal, Executive, Folio, Envelopes (Com-10, C5, Monarch) | Paper capacity: 150 sheets | Dimensions: 394 x 300 x 225mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 10.6kg
Surprisingly compact
Good workhorse for everyday printing
No USB host connectivity
Not the biggest paper capacity
This is a colour laser printer, plain and simple. It has a relatively small footprint on the desk thanks to a surprisingly compact design. The printer is fitted with a 150-sheet main paper tray and a 100-sheet output tray, with an integrated drum/fuser unit and manual duplexing capabilities. Controls are adequate, with a two-line LCD display and a number of buttons for basic menu navigation. The C1760NW also offers an Ethernet connector, 802.11n Wi-Fi and a USB 2.0 port; although there is no USB host connectivity. The printer is aimed at office or small workgroups and has a high-rated speed of 15ppm for black and colour. This is a good workhorse for everyday printing, where colour isn’t a major part of the mix.
5. Brother HL-3140CW
A budget bargain if you don’t need Ethernet or duplexing
Print speed: ISO 18ppm | Print resolution: 600 x 600, Effective 600 x 2,400 | Paper sizes: A4, Letter, B5 (JIS), A5, A5 (Long Edge), A6, Executive, Legal, Folio | Paper capacity: 250 sheets | Dimensions: 410 x 465 x 240mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 17.4kg
Good mono and colour printing
Cheap to buy, fairly cheap to run
No duplexing
No Ethernet
At the time of writing, this Brother was Amazon’s best-selling laser, and with good reason – for very little cash you’re getting a superb wireless colour laser. However, at this price don’t expect rock-bottom running costs – it’s a printer for livening up documents with the occasional flash of colour, not constant photo printing.
It doesn’t have automatic duplexing or an Ethernet port, but the HL-3140CW delivers superb print quality, reasonable mono running costs and good wireless features for a very low price.
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