Ink Tank Vs Ink Cartridge: Battle of the Printers

Then, there are potential compatibility issues. Should you accidentally purchase non-genuine ink cartridges from websites such as eBay, there is a great risk that you will break your priner. New printer technology is slowly nipping this in the bud, however, there is still a risk that your cartridge is not compatible when purchasing from illegitimate sources.

The 8 Best Home Printers of 2021

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here . We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Choosing a printer for your home depends on what you need it to do, and the best home printers offer excellent print quality and a suite of features to streamline your work. If you have a home-based business, you may want to consider a laser printer with automatic double-sided printing to help save on print costs. Students should look for a high input and output capacity and wireless printing options to handle large reports and other documents. For anyone who needs a printer for occasionally making hard copies of online shopping receipts and other important documents, a single-function, budget-friendly printer is the best option. If you would like an all-in-one printer, it's important to look for an option that offers an automatic document feeder to streamline jobs that involve either large documents or stacks of different images. Integrated security features like data encryption and password protection are important to consider when shopping for a wireless printer to help keep your personal data and work documents safe from unauthorized access. No matter what your needs are, there is a printer out there that will be a perfect fit. We've gathered our top picks from trusted brands like HP, Epson, and Canon to help you choose which is right for you. The HP Envy 5660 is a great balance between form, function, and price. It features Wi-Fi connectivity, a USB port, and an SD card reader for printing from mobile devices or external memory storage. The Epson WorkForce WF-7720 is an excellent runner-up. This all-in-one printer features automatic double-sided printing and compatibility with Alexa for hands-free controls. Our expert testers and reviewers have evaluated home printers based on a variety of metrics. First, we look at the design, focusing on the printer's footprint, how many trays it has, and how much paper and ink it can hold. Next, we look at printing quality and speed, timing how many black and white/color sheets a printer can churn out in a minute. We also look at the fonts, make sure text is crisp, and there are no smudges or legibility issues. For photo printers, we evaluate much of the same factors, except with a bigger focus on color accuracy. We consider software features and connectivity as an added bonus, though not make-or-break factors by themselves. Finally, we look at price and compare the printer to its rivals to make a final determination. Lifewire purchases its review products; manufacturers do not provide them. Taylor Clemons has over three years of experience writing about games and consumer technology. She has written for IndieHangover, GameSkinny, TechRadar and her own publication, Steam Shovelers. Mark Thomas Knapp has been covering tech professionally since 2012 and has contributed a number of top tech publications. Amongst his specialties are digital cameras and photography, so he's had a ton of experience with printers, both of the traditional and dedicated photo printer variety. Erik Watson has been writing for tech and gaming publications for over five years now, and has covered a huge variety of topics and product categories, including printers, smartphones, and consoles. What to Look for in a Home Printer All-in-one functionality - Many of the top home printers now offer the ability to scan, copy, or even fax documents, so if any of those features is vital to you, make sure you invest in a printer described as an "all-in-one," or that highlights those specific functions in its product description. Speed - If you print at any volume, you will want a model that can deliver pages quickly. Even if you are only an occasional printer, you do not want to idly stare at your machine while pages slowly trickle out of it; a PPM (page per minute) rating of at least 20 means a pretty brisk pace, though of course color/photo prints will take significantly longer than black and white prints, generally. Connectivity - If you've only got a single PC/device you intend to print from and plenty of space near it to setup a printer, connectivity may not be that crucial, but for most users, you will likely want some other ways to feed documents to your shiny new Canon or Epson. Many modern printers support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or even have slots for physical media like SD cards and flash drives.