Printers might be boring devices in the world of tech but we all need one at some point and even more so with the increase of working from home that’s now normal due to the pandemic. Printers can be quite hard to find in the current climate, but we have rounded up the best we’ve tested.
You might want to print a calendar, gig tickets, a boarding pass or some photos you’ve taken on your phone. Many printers are multi-function and therefore also handy for scanning and copying, too.
Whatever your needs, buying a new printer can be a confusing process. Not only do you have to worry about the upfront cost and whether it can print a good photo, but you’ve also got to consider print speeds, ongoing costs and a host of potential features.
We cover all these areas in our full reviews, which you can click through to if you want to read more about each printer.
It’s worth bearing in mind that the printer market moves slowly, and the latest printers aren’t always the best. Printer tech moves slowly so reviews might not be from this year or even the year before that but they stay on sale for a long time unlike categories like phones or laptops.
Read on below our chart for more in-depth printer buying advice on things like whether to choose inkjet or laser.
1. Canon Pixma TS7450/1
- Prints quickly
- Excellent quality
- Inexpensive to buy and run
Cons
- Mobile apps aren’t always intuitive
- Bulky design
- Photos need glossy paper
Printers are hard to even find in stock right now so a great value all-rounder from Canon at under £100 is worth snapping up, even though it is quite heavy.
This is a great value all-in-one printer that’s easy to set up and use. It’s also no slough with lots of features and versatile printing including documents and photos. Cheaper printers can be expensive to run but the TS7450 doesn’t even fall into this category.
The mobile apps are a little frustrating at times but print quality is good, although you’ll want to stick to proper glossy paper for photos. Note that the TS7451 is the same printer, only in white.
Read our full Canon Pixma TS7450 review
2. HP Envy Inspire 7220e
- Attractive price
- Fast printing speeds
- 2-sided printing
- Good text and photo quality
Cons
- No ADF
- Can’t print on A4 glossy paper
Those looking for a compact and easy-to-use printer for the whole family might have just found it.
The Envy Inspire 7220e is an excellent all-rounder for those needing to regularly print text and photos at good speeds and affordable costs. The printer looks nice, has wide support for different wireless printing services and offers high-quality results.
It doesn’t have an automatic document feeder but that’s normal, so as long as you don’t need to print on A4 glossy paper, it’s a bit of a steal.
Read our full HP Envy Inspire 7220e review
3. Epson Expression Photo XP-8600
- Compact design
- High quality photos
- Lots of features
Cons
- Fairly slow
If you need an all-rounder that’s compact and offers good quality without breaking the bank then the Epson Expression Photo XP-8600 is a great choice.
It might not be the fastest or cheapest printer around but the XP-8600 can do a lot for the price including regular document printing and high-quality photos with six inks – plus the ability to do CDs and DVDs if you need. And you don’t have to keep changing the paper due to two trays.
The design includes a handy touchscreen and the printer is also a copier and scanner.
Read our full Epson Expression Photo XP-8600 review
4. HP DeskJet Plus 4120
- Very cheap
- Easy to use
- Good photo & graphics quality
Cons
- Average text quality
- Needs Instant Ink to keep running costs down
Those on a budget needing a printer for a mix of different tasks should consider the DeskJet Plus 4120 – known as the 4155 in the US.
It’s basic in style and design with things like a simple LCD display but keeps costs down, especially if you use HP’s Instant Ink subscription service.
Despite the low price, it can print on both sides of the paper and also has Amazon Alexa compatibility. middling text quality and misaligned photos stop it from scoring higher.
Read our full HP DeskJet Plus 4120 review
5. Epson EcoTank ET-3850
- Cost per page is very low
- Good print speed
- Excellent print quality
Cons
- Pigment black isn’t ideal for photos
- Lack duplex copying
- One year warranty
Anyone against traditional cartridges should consider this EcoTank model from Epson. The ET-3850 offers high-quality printing at decent speeds while keeping the cost down, even if you’re printing A4 colour pages on a regular basis.
It’s more expensive to buy the device itself than cartridge rivals but may well work out better value in the long run. And it has virtually the same specs as higher-end EcoTank models, including the PrecisionCore print head.
One of the main practical downsides is that it doesn’t offer duplex printing and Epson only offers a one year warranty or 50,000 pages – whichever comes first.
6. Brother DCP-L3510cdw
- 2-sided printing
- Decent performance
Cons
- Single-sheet scanning
- No colour screen
- Running costs
If you don’t need to print photos on photo paper but instead need a printer primarily for documents then a laser is a great choice.
The Brother DCP-L3510cdw uses LEDs instead of a laser, but it’s very similar and can reliably handle lots of printing with crisp quality at a decent speed.
You’ll need more room for it than a typical inkjet printer but running costs over the long term are more affordable and with Brother’s EcoPro subscription you get the printer for just £1.20!
This model has a basic LCD screen but still has useful features including 2-sided printing, a single-sheet scanner and Wi-Fi, complete with AirPrint support.
Read our full Brother DCP-L3510cdw review
7. Canon Pixma TS3350 MkII
- Cheap
- High quality printing
- Connectivity
Cons
- Slow printing
- Expensive ink
If you’re looking for a cheap printer to handle day-to-day tasks then the TS3350 MkII (or TS3320 in the US) is an excellent choice.
This is not only affordable but offers great quality printing for a range of jobs, including colour images. This is even a copier and scanner too so you’re getting a lot for your money.
It’s quite slow so isn’t a workhorse and you’ll want to get XL cartridges to keep running costs down. For printing the occasional letter, boarding pass or family photo without breaking the bank it’s perfect.
Read our full Canon Pixma TS3350 MkII review
8. HP Envy Pro 6420
- Excellent print quality
- 2-sided printing
- Scanner with ADF
Cons
- No screen
- Paper pickup & feeding issues
Here HP offers an all-in-one inkjet printer at under £100 making it a tempting buy for a home office or similar.
Like other HP printers, the value is best when used with the Instant Ink cartridge subscription.
The Envy Pro 6420 (or 6455 in the US) has lots of things to like including excellent print quality, two-sided printing and an automatic document feeder (ADF).
However, there’s no screen but worse is that it struggles to cope with heavier weight paper if that’s something you plan to use.
Read our full HP Envy Pro 6420 review
9. Epson EcoTank ET-1810
- Low cost per page
- Cheap within EcoTank range
- Excellent print quality
- Sublimation possibilities
Cons
- Flimsy build
- Won’t print A4 borderless
- One year warranty
Those wanting an ink tank printer don’t have to spend as much as the EcoTank ET-3850. The ET-1810 is a very affordable option and still offers you low-cost printing and it’s readily available at prices much lower than its RRP.
It still offers excellent printing quality and could be used for sublimation too, although can’t be reverted back. There are a few things to bear in mind with this cheaper EcoTank model, though.
It won’t print borderless, the black tank is no bigger than the others, the plastic build is basic and it doesn’t offer duplex printing either. if none of this matters to you then it makes for a good value option in the ink tank market.
10. Epson Workforce WF-110W
- Lightweight portable design
- USB charging
- Wi-Fi
Cons
- Expensive black ink
- Small paper capacity
- No multi-function
There’s a premium cost for the portable design but with almost all printers being bulky and heavy if you need one to travel around with you then the Workforce WF-110W is the best option.
It’s not particularly fast and replacement black ink is expensive but the quality is as good as a conventional rival.
There’s also USB charging so you can even print when away from mains power.
Read our full Epson Workforce WF-110W review
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