Printers: How to buy the best printer Choosing the best printer
Inkjet printers are usually better photo printers than laser printers.
You've got plenty of options when deciding which printer to buy. inkjets are generally better for printing photos whereas laser printers usually produce superior text prints.
Some printers only print, but others - called 'all in one' printers - can scan and copy documents too, some even fax.
If you buy a printer tha has wi-fi you can connect it it and print to it wirelessly from your computer and other devices.
Find out more about wireless, wi-fi printers in our wireless printing explained guide.
Inkjet printers
Inkjet printers like the Canon Pixma range or HP Photosmart models are the most popular type of printer for home use. They can print photos, graphics and text. If you want an inkjet printer you can sort the inkjet models from the lasers on our Compare features page.
Inkjet printers print in colour, but you can also change your computer settings so that they default to black and white, which will save money on running costs.
Inkjet printers are versatile and can print a wide range of documents
We’ve tested more than 95 inkjet printers such as the and in our extensive product testing. Read our full printer review to find out which is best for you.
All in one printers
All-in-one inkjet printers are increasingly popular with shoppers because they can scan, copy and sometimes fax, as well print.
The added functions you find in an all-in-one means they’re quite big, so check you have enough desk space before you buy one.
We’ve tested more than 80 all-in-one inkjet printers, such as the Canon Pixma MP640 so check our full printer review before you head to the shops.
Standard inkjet printers
A standard inkjet printer is the most basic type of inkjet available. You can only print on these machines, so if you want to copy and scan, this type isn’t for you.
Standard inkjet printers are often cheaper and more compact than all-in-one, so they’re good for those with small homes or offices.
If you want a cheap printer, the best time to search for a deal is late summer and early September. With students heading off to university needing a new printer and manufacturers launching new printer ranges in the autumn, bargain printers can be found.
If you really want an all-in-one printer there are some tricks you can employ to make printing cheaper, for example saving money on printer ink by using draft mode when quality isn’t a necessity. For more information on cheap printing take a look at our printing advice.
Save money on printer ink, read about who sells the cheapest printer ink.
Laser printers
Laser printers have come down in price in recent years, making them affordable for home or office. Lasers excel at printing text and tend to be quicker than inkjets at printing multiple pages. However, they're physically bigger and usually noisier when printing.
One advantage of a laser printer is the cheap printer ink running costs. Although toner cartridges are more expensive to buy, an A4 page of text can cost as little as 1p in toner – this compares with 2-5p for an A4 page of text on an inkjet printer.
However, laser printers are not as versatile as inkjet printers – many can’t print photographs on photographic paper. Very few 'home office' laser printers have auto-duplexing - without auto-duplexing they can't be set to automatically print on both sides of a page. If you print high volumes, double-sided printing is a great paper saver. You can use our Compare features page to search only for models with auto-duplexing.
Laser printers are either mono or colour. Mono laser printers can print only black-and-white documents, while colour laser printers can print both full-colour documents and can be set to print only in black and white.
Colour laser printers are considerably more expensive than mono lasers. However, prices have dropped in recent years and it’s now possible to get a colour laser printer for around £100.
To see how laser printers perform in our tests, check out our full printers review and use the compare products feature.
Mono laser printers are quick and produce crisp, clean text
Laser all-in-one printers
Laser all-in-ones are generally more suitable for offices than homes. They’re bulky and can be expensive to buy initially, although their running costs are low.
It’s possible to buy glossy paper to print photographs on a laser printer, but in our tests we’ve found the images flat and lifeless. This is why we don’t recommend colour laser printers for printing photos.
Standard laser printers
Standard laser printers can be as cheap as an inkjet, particularly if you just want a mono model to print black-and-white documents.
Standard mono laser printers are particularly good for those who want to print long text documents cheaply – so if you’re planning to write a book or are about to embark on a university degree, this could be the right printer for you.
To check print speeds for mono laser printers you can use the compare products feature in our full printer review.
Compatibility with Apple Mac or an old PC
If you have a Mac or a very old PC, check the printer manufacturer’s website before you buy to ensure there’s a driver that will make the printer work with your operating system.
Secondly, if you have a very old computer, make sure it has a USB port. All new printers use USB cables, so if your computer has parallel ports then you really need to consider replacing it.
If you're not sure how to download an up-to-date driver, take a look at our step-by-step guide, which can be found on the FAQ page.
- Which is the best printer brand for you? Find out with our printer reviews
- Find out how to save money on printing
- Want to print photos? Find out the best printer brands for printing photographs
