The Best Printers for Home
| Product | Score | Print quality(25%) | Speed & paper handling(15%) | 3-Year Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brother MFC-L2820DWBest Overall |
7.9 |
7.5/10 |
9.5/10 |
$574.86checked Sep 15, 2026 |
 Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTankBest Value |
7.7 |
8.0/10 |
5.5/10 |
$252.94checked Sep 15, 2026 |
 HP Smart Tank 7303Also Consider |
7.7 |
7.5/10 |
7.0/10 |
See brandprice not checked yet |
 Epson EcoTank ET-2400Also Consider |
7.6 |
7.8/10 |
5.0/10 |
$279.92checked Sep 15, 2026 |
Sorted by score. Prices come from each seller's site on the date shown and change often.
Brand claim vs independent measurement
| Product | What the brand claims | Independent figure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epson EcoTank ET-2400Black text print speed | 10.0 ISO ppm (Epson spec sheet) | About 9 pages per minute in RTINGS lab testing, close to Epson's claim but slightly under it | RTINGS |
| Brother MFC-L2820DWBlack text print speed | Up to 34 ppm (Brother spec sheet) | Up to 33 pages per minute in RTINGS lab testing, within 1 page per minute of Brother's claim | RTINGS |
| Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTankColor accuracy and color gamut | Canon does not publish a color-accuracy or color-gamut figure for this model | RTINGS lab testing found sub-par color accuracy and a limited color gamut, even though text and fine detail resolution scored well | RTINGS |
| HP Smart Tank 7303Independent print speed or quality measurement | HP markets its own in-house comparison claiming print quality ratings 31% higher than competing brands, footnoted to HP's own test methodology | No independent figure found. RTINGS' printer catalog does not include a Smart Tank 7303 review, and no public TechGearLab or Consumer Reports test of this model turned up in our research | RTINGS (catalog checked, no review found) |
We do not run these tests ourselves. Independent figures are quoted from the source named in each row.
The Brother MFC-L2820DW is the best printer for most homes if you mainly print forms, homework, and shipping labels: it scored highest across our five criteria on speed, setup, and toner cost, and its 50-page auto document feeder makes scanning a stack of paper painless. If you need color prints or photos, skip the laser and go with the Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTank instead: it scored second overall and has the cheapest ink per page of any color printer here.
Between those two, the rest of the field covers the gaps. The Epson EcoTank ET-2400 is the cheapest printer on this list at $189.99 and prints at up to 5,760 x 1,440 dpi. The HP Smart Tank 7303 is the priciest pick at $449.99, but it is the only ink tank printer here with a document feeder, plus up to 3 years of ink in the box. If you are setting up the rest of the room around any of these, see our home office guide for desks and chairs.
How we picked
We scored every printer on five weighted criteria: print quality (25%), speed and paper handling (15%), setup and connectivity (15%), ink or toner cost per page (30%), and reliability and warranty (15%). Ink cost carries the heaviest weight because it is what actually decides what a printer costs you over three years, not the sticker price.
We read each product’s own listing on its brand’s store (Epson.com, Brother-usa.com, HP.com) or on a major retailer (Staples, Target) for price, specs, and ink or toner page yield, plus separate ink and toner cartridge listings to price each printer’s running cost. These are researched picks: we did not print a page on any of these four printers ourselves. See how we score for the full method.
What to look for
- Ink or toner cost, not sticker price. A tank printer around 160 to 450 dollars can run under a few cents a page in ink, while a cartridge printer under 100 dollars can run 10 to 15 cents a page once you buy replacement cartridges.
- An automatic document feeder (ADF) if you scan multiple pages. Only two of the four picks here have one: the Brother’s 50-page ADF and the HP’s 35-page ADF. The Canon and Epson are flatbed-only.
- Auto duplex printing. Printing both sides automatically saves paper and time. Confirm it is listed before you buy, since some budget inkjets make you flip the page by hand.
- Print resolution of at least 4,800 x 1,200 dpi for sharp text and usable photo prints. Look for 5,760 x 1,440 dpi or higher if photo printing matters to you.
- Dual-band Wi-Fi. A printer that supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz connects more reliably on a crowded home network than a 2.4GHz-only model.
- Warranty length and registration extensions. Most printers here carry a standard 1-year limited warranty, but Epson extends the ET-2400 to 2 years if you register it. Check the brand’s page for the same offer before you buy.
FAQ
Is a laser printer or an inkjet tank printer cheaper to run at home?
It depends on what you print. A monochrome laser like the Brother MFC-L2820DW costs about 3 cents a page in toner for text, while a tank inkjet like the Canon PIXMA G3270 can cost under a cent a page for ink. For color or photos, only the tank inkjets are an option, since a laser like the MFC-L2820DW prints black and white only.
How much ink or toner comes in the box?
HP says the Smart Tank 7303 ships with up to 3 years of ink, up to 8,000 color or 6,000 black pages. Epson says the EcoTank ET-2400 ships with about 2 years of ink at typical home volumes. The Brother MFC-L2820DW’s starter toner cartridge is rated for only about 700 pages, well short of the replacement TN830XL cartridge’s 3,000-page yield.
Do any of these printers have an automatic document feeder?
Two do. The Brother MFC-L2820DW has a 50-page ADF and the HP Smart Tank 7303 has a 35-page ADF. The Canon PIXMA G3270 and Epson EcoTank ET-2400 use a flatbed scanner only, so you load and scan one page at a time.
Why is a monochrome laser printer ranked as the best overall pick?
Because it won on three of the five criteria we scored: speed, setup and connectivity, and reliability, and it costs less to run per page than a typical cartridge inkjet, even against the HP tank’s ADF and included ink. It loses ground only on ink and toner cost against the tank printers, since it cannot print color at all. If color or photo printing matters to you, the Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTank is the better pick.
Is the HP Smart Tank 7303 worth the higher price?
Only if you want the document feeder and the longest included-ink claim of the four. At $449.99 it costs over 2.5 times what the Canon or Epson tank printers cost, and our scoring put it behind the Brother and roughly even with the Canon once ink cost is weighted in. If you do not need to scan multi-page documents, the cheaper Canon or Epson tank printers cover the same core job.
Best Overall: Brother MFC-L2820DW
Brother MFC-L2820DW
We don't earn anything from this link.
What we like
- +Fastest print speed of the four at up to 34 ppm
- +50-page ADF speeds up scanning and copying multi-page documents
- +Auto duplex printing and Ethernet for a shared home office
What we don't
- −Monochrome only, it cannot print in color or photos at all
- −In-box starter toner is rated for only about 700 pages
- −Highest printer price of the four at $279.99
Skip it if
Skip it if you ever need to print in color or print photos, since this is a black-and-white laser only.
The Practical Math · 3 years
| Printer | $279.99 |
| Toner: TN830XL, $98.29 per cartridge, rated for about 3,000 pages; at an assumed 200 pages a month (7,200 pages over 3 years) that is 3 cartridges | $294.87 |
| Total | $574.86 |
Best Value: Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTank
Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTank
We don't earn anything from this link.
What we like
- +Lowest ink cost per page of the four picks
- +Cheapest printer price at $159.99 on sale, regular price $248.99
- +Hybrid pigment black and dye-based color ink for sharp text and vivid photos
What we don't
- −No automatic document feeder, so multi-page scans go one sheet at a time
- −Slowest color print speed of the four at 6 ipm
- −No auto duplex printing listed on the spec sheet
Skip it if
Skip it if you scan or copy multi-page documents often and need an ADF.
The Practical Math · 3 years
| Printer, Staples sale price (regular price $248.99) | $159.99 |
| Black ink: GI-21 bottle $23.99, rated for about 6,000 pages; at an assumed 200 pages a month (7,200 pages over 3 years) that is 2 bottles | $47.98 |
| Color ink: GI-21 cyan/magenta/yellow set at $14.99 each ($44.97), rated for about 7,700 color pages, 1 set covers the assumed 3-year volume | $44.97 |
| Total | $252.94 |
Also Consider: HP Smart Tank 7303
HP Smart Tank 7303
We don't earn anything from this link.
What we like
- +Only ink tank printer on this list with an automatic document feeder (35 pages)
- +Up to 3 years of ink included in the box, the longest claim of the four
- +Self-healing dual-band Wi-Fi and HP AI print formatting
What we don't
- −Most expensive printer of the four at $449.99, over twice the Canon or Epson price
- −Standard warranty is only 1 year; longer coverage is a paid add-on, not free like Epson's registration extension
- −Genuine replacement color ink bottle price was not confirmed on hp.com or a major retailer, so 3-year color refill cost is not included below
Skip it if
Skip it if $449.99 is more than you want to spend and you do not need the automatic document feeder, since the cheaper Canon or Epson tanks cover the same core job.
The Practical Math · 3 years
| Printer (price read at Staples; confirmed as a current, non-discontinued model on hp.com) | $449.99 |
| Ink included in box: HP states up to 3 years of Original HP ink (up to 8,000 color or 6,000 black pages) at no extra cost | $0.00 |
| Extra black ink: HP 32XL bottle, $23.89, rated for 6,000 pages; at an assumed 200 pages a month (7,200 pages over 3 years) 1 extra bottle covers the shortfall past the box's 6,000 black pages | $23.89 |
| Extra color ink: yield is documented by HP but no confirmed genuine color bottle price was found, so this cost is not included | |
| Total |
Also Consider: Epson EcoTank ET-2400
Epson EcoTank ET-2400
We don't earn anything from this link.
What we like
- +Cheapest printer price of the four at $189.99
- +Highest print resolution spec at 5760 x 1440 dpi
- +2-year limited warranty with free registration, longer than the 1-year standard on the other three picks
What we don't
- −Lowest black ink page yield of the tank printers at 4,500 pages per bottle
- −No automatic document feeder
- −In-box ink is rated for about 2 years, shorter than HP's 3-year claim
Skip it if
Skip it if you print more than roughly 125 pages a month, since the box ink runs out sooner than on the HP or Canon tanks.
The Practical Math · 3 years
| Printer | $189.99 |
| Black ink: Epson 522 bottle, $17.99, rated for 4,500 pages; at an assumed 200 pages a month (7,200 pages over 3 years) that is 2 bottles | $35.98 |
| Color ink: Epson T522 cyan/magenta/yellow 3-pack, $53.95, each color rated for 7,500 pages; 1 set covers the assumed 3-year volume | $53.95 |
| Total | $279.92 |
What owners report
2.7 of 5 from 165 ratings on Epson.com product page (Epson's own store, not a neutral retailer) read Sep 16, 2026
Ratings shown on a seller's own page can leave out reviews the seller removed. We read the most recent reviews ourselves and summarize what repeats.
- +3 of the 5 most recent written reviews on Epson's own product page specifically call out an easy setup, including tool-free Wi-Fi connection.
- −The page's own aggregate score is 2.7 out of 5 from 165 ratings, well below every 5-star review shown in the visible review feed, meaning the sample Epson displays does not represent the full spread of buyer experience.
Installing this was so easy, it works over WiFi with no issue. The printing quality is great for a home printer. Would definitely recommend it.
Epson.com product review, Feb 2026
Some reviewers mentioned getting light gray blacks, but I haven't experienced that problem at all.
Epson.com product review, May 2026
The specs that matter, in plain English
- ISO ppm
- Pages per minute measured under the ISO/IEC 24734 test standard, a standardized document set all major printer brands use so claimed speeds can be compared apples to apples.
- ADF (automatic document feeder)
- A tray that feeds multiple loose pages into the scanner or copier one at a time, so you do not have to lift the lid and place each page by hand.
- Supertank (ink tank) printer
- An inkjet printer with large refillable ink reservoirs instead of small replaceable cartridges, refilled from bottles, which usually cuts the cost per printed page.
- Page yield
- The estimated number of pages one ink bottle or toner cartridge can print before running out, based on a standardized test pattern rather than any specific document you print.
- Duplex printing
- Printing on both sides of the paper. Automatic duplex flips the page inside the printer; without it, you flip and reload the page by hand.
What changed
- Sep 16, 2026 Refreshed with independent test data from RTINGS for 3 of the 4 picks, an owner-rating pull from Epson's own product page for the ET-2400, a CPSC recall check for all 4 current models (none recalled), a glossary, and full source citations. Re-confirmed all 4 printers are still sold as of this date on their brand or retailer pages. Prices, specs, and subscores were not changed because no factual error was found.
Sources we read
- CPSC SaferProducts.gov recall database, product name search: printer read Sep 16, 2026
- RTINGS printer reviews category page read Sep 16, 2026
- RTINGS: Canon PIXMA G3270 Review read Sep 16, 2026
- RTINGS: Epson EcoTank ET-2400 Review read Sep 16, 2026
- RTINGS: Brother MFC-L2820DW Review read Sep 16, 2026
- Epson.com product page: EcoTank ET-2400 (price, availability, and customer reviews) read Sep 16, 2026
- Staples product page: Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTank (price and customer rating) read Sep 16, 2026
- HP.com product page: Smart Tank 7303 (price, specs, availability) read Sep 16, 2026
- Staples product page: HP Smart Tank 7303 (price) read Sep 16, 2026
- Brother USA product page: MFC-L2820DW (price, specs, availability) read Sep 16, 2026
- Staples product page: Brother TN830 high-yield toner cartridge read Sep 16, 2026
- Epson EcoTank ET-2400 printer specification sheet (PDF) read Sep 16, 2026
- Epson.com: T522 black ink bottle product page read Sep 16, 2026
- Epson.com: T522 color ink bottle 3-pack product page read Sep 16, 2026
- HP Support: Smart Tank 7300 series product specifications read Sep 16, 2026
We research products from published specs, certification databases, independent lab reports and owner reviews. We do not test products in our own lab. How we score.