The best printer for 2021 – CNET [CNET]

If you’re still working remotely, there may be a few aspects of working in an office that you wish you had at home, like a speedy, dependable printer. Even if you’re working by yourself in your pajamas, there are still times when you need a hard copy, and having a home office printer is still incredibly handy despite the near ubiquity of digital displays — from phones to TVs to laptops. However, shopping for a printer isn’t easy, and it can be downright confusing unless you’re intimately familiar with printer specs. This is doubly true due to the sheer volume of printers on the market. The labyrinth of arcane model names and numbers, technical specs and variables can make printers particularly challenging to compare and contrast. 

And if variety weren’t enough to deal with, printer prices are all over the place. This is a highly dynamic market, where prices can change from day to day. During our printer testing period, for example, we saw the price of the HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 selling for as low as $100 and as high as $250. The takeaway: Unless you have an urgent printer need, it’s worthwhile to identify one or two printer models that would work for you, keep an eye out for printer deals and discounts — and jump on a good price when you see it. Our list of the best printer options below is designed to help you do just that.

The good news: Every printer profiled below can handle the basics. They can handle mobile printing and wireless printing from a phone or any PC, Mac or Chromebook. They can print over a cabled connection and through wireless printer connectivity. (Note that some — but not all — printers support Apple’s AirPrint and Google’s Cloud Print protocols, which are usually less onerous than the printer vendors’ proprietary systems.) 

But what you print will determine which model is right for you. If you’re mostly working with shopping lists, concert tickets or travel itineraries, print quality is arguably less important than print speed and price. If you’re using your printer for professional materials or photo printing, color accuracy, quality and the inclusion of features like borderless printing will be primary considerations when you’re looking for the right printer.

Another factor to consider is the cost of ink, and making sure that you have enough ink to print everything you need (there’s nothing more frustrating than having a printer but no ink). So even if you’re getting a great printer deal, just be sure to do some research into the ink.

We’ve tested and reviewed the top models for home and small office use from the four major vendors — Brother, Canon, Epson and HP. Whether you print for business or personal use, at home or in an office, we’ve got the best printer for you. Check out our favorites below, which we’ll update periodically.

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