Table of Contents
Introduction
People nowadays have opened up home offices. This has been a practice for a long time. However, due to COVID-19, it has become a requirement to have a complete set up in homes. This aids the work efficiency and makes working at home convenient. If you are setting up an office at home, or even otherwise, you might want to have a reliable home printer.
Latest update on 2022-12-07 | Images | Affiliate links from Amazon Product Advertising API
What Makes a Printer Reliable?
The reliability of the printer is subjective. It depends on your usage and your requirements for the printer. There are a lot of things you need to consider while thinking of a printer as reliable. For some, reliability might mean durability, and for others, it might mean the quality of prints or even cost-effectiveness. However, the following are some of the points you can consider while looking for a reliable home printer:
- The company or brand of the printer
- Good quality prints
- Affordable prints
- No connectivity issues
- Easy troubleshooting
What to Look for When Choosing a Reliable Home Printer
The type of printer you need to purchase depends on your usage. You need to ask yourself some questions to figure out what suits your requirement. Some of these questions are how much printing do you need to do, what kind of matter you are going to print, speed of the prints, ink cost, and what type of connectivity is required. So let’s discuss some of these factors.
Laser printer vs Inkjet printer
Laser printers are usually used in offices. This is because they are good for bulk printing. Laser printers are also good for office settings because they are mainly used for monochrome printing. This kind of printer can be easily available at lower prices. They offer bulk printing at a low cost and good speed. However, if you need to print in color, a laser printer would be costly. They cost more per page than the Inkjet printers.
Inkjet printers work best if you have a lot of colored printing to do at home. Usually, these are preferred in homes because people need colored prints rather than a monochrome print at home. These color inkjet printers are easily available in markets. They are efficient in printing and can print almost anything. You can print charts, colorful images, or even pictures on glossy sheets. This might be what you need if you like to have a printer that can add a little color to your home. However, you should note that inkjet printers use cartridges. These are initially wet when the print is taken, and then the ink dries out quickly. While the laser printer uses toner. The toner is applied to the paper much quicker and gives a good quality result instantly.
The Ink Cost
Cost is a factor you need to consider before making a purchase. Once you have invested in a good printer, the costs that come along with the printer is the ink cost. You can measure ink cost per page. A good quality printer might cost around 4 cents for a monochrome print and 8 cents for a colored print. If you are purchasing a cheaper printer, then there is a possibility that the per-page cost for both the monochrome print and the colored print might increase. The reason being, an expensive printer will make use of ink more efficiently than a cheaper one.
However, the difference in cost is not too much. If your usage of the printer is not very extensive, you can purchase a more affordable printer. This will save you a good amount in the initial cost. However, if your usage is considerably more than usual, you might want to invest more in a printer that will save you the cost of ink later on.
Connectivity Options
The connectivity of the printer is also one factor. Today, companies design printers with a lot of connectivity options for the convenience of the customer. These options include Wi-Fi connectivity, USB, and Ethernet.
The most common connectivity option is Wi-Fi. For this, you will provide the Wi-Fi network details to the printer while setting up. Then, after downloading the software on your device, you can send your prints to the printer with just one click. There is no need for able cable or wiring. Therefore, it is one of the most convenient options.
The other is Ethernet. This is an option of a wired connection to the internet. It is not as convenient as the Wi-Fi option. Therefore, it is not commonly used in a home printer. This option is more useful in office settings.
The USB connection is also one of the common options. It is easy to use as you just need to plug in your device and get a print. It also gives you the option of getting print from an external hard drive. With this option, you do not need to have a computer to get a print. You can simply plug in the device and use the printer’s screen to get your print.
Printer + Scanner
You can even have a printer that offers both the options of printing and scanning. This is a major plus point in a printer, especially if you are working from home. You might once in a while need a scan of a certain document to send to your customer or vendor. The scanning option in the printer will make it easier for you to get the job done. With this option, it will be quite easy for you to edit any document. You can simply take a scan first and make the changes on it on your computer and take a print of the document.
The above mentioned were few of the basic factors that you should know about before making a purchase of your home printer.
Top 5 Reliable Home Printers
Below, we are going to discuss some of the best home printers.
The Expression Premium XP-7100 Small-in-One Printer is a wireless printer that has been manufactured by Epson America, Inc. It is one of the best printers available, and it is quite cheap compared to many modern printers. This printer features ink-jet-color printing technology and 5-color inks that provide awesome results. It comes with built-in external memory card slots and USB slots that make it easier to carry the data and print it whenever the user wants.
It is supported by Windows 8.1 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows Vista (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 10 (64-bit & 32-bit versions), Windows 8 (64-bit & 32-bit versions), and Windows 7 (64-bit & 32-bit versions). This printer comes with a one year warranty.
The Epson Premium XP-7100 Small-in-One printer only supports cartridges that are specifically designed for it, and it only supports cartridges manufactured by the Epson Company. It consists of a 4.3 inches touchscreen and comes with a 30-page automatic feeder that makes it possible to automatically scan, print, and copy double-sided papers and other documents. It weighs around 10 Kilograms. Furthermore, a 5760 X 1440 dpi resolution provides good quality printing. It has the capability to print photos (4×6 inches) within 12 seconds of time.
Key Features
- MicroPiezo inkjet technology
- 5760 x 1440 print resolution
- 15.8 ISO ppm print speed
- PC- Free printing
- 5 ink cartridges
- Compatible with Windos 10, 8/8.1, 7, Vista, and Mac OS X 10.6.8 operating systems
Pros
- It is affordable as compared to many other modern printers.
- It has many features you may want in a modern printer.
- It has many built-in connectivity functions such as USB, memory card slots, Wi-Fi, etc.
Cons
- It only supports cartridges manufactured by the Epson Company.
- Despite having amazing functionality and features, it is still not preferred by many people. This makes it look like a bad product.
- It is difficult to set up.
Verdict
The Expression Premium XP-7100 is a good purchase. It offers excellent features at a very affordable price. If you want a home printer that gives you professional results at a nominal cost, you should consider buy this printer.
Canon Pixma G7020
The Canon Pixma G7020 Printer is one of the modern printers out there. Even though it is quite expensive, people highly prefer this printer. Canon company is the manufacturer of this high-quality printer. The printer is gifted with ink-jet-printing technology and 4-color inks. This technology provides a good quality of print.
The Canon Pixma G7020 is equipped with the Full-lithography inkjet Nozzle Engineering inkjet technology that gives a good quality of printing results. It is supported by Windows 8.1 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows Vista (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 10 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 8 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 7 (64-bit & 32-bit versions), iOS, Android, and MAC (X 10.10.5 to 10.14 versions) operating systems. It weighs around 8 kilograms.
The automatic feeder in this printer allows it to print, scan, copy, and even fax double-sided documents. Moreover, it is a wireless printer that allows the user to connect to it without any hassle. It has a print resolution of up to 4800 X 1200 dpi and a scan resolution of up to 1200X2400 dpi (Flatbed) and 600 x 600 dpi (Automatic Document Feeder Resolution). This makes it a superior printer with good specifications.
Key Features
- Mopria Print for Android
- Capacity of 350 sheets
- 4800 x 1200 print resolution
- 13 ipm print speed
- Borderless photo printing
Pros
- It has several features.
- It has a good number of page yield printing capability (Up to 7,700 Colored pages and 6,000 Black pages).
- It comes with great connectivity functions such as Wi-Fi, USB port, and LAN (Local Area Network).
Cons
- It is expensive
- The design of Canon Pixma G7020 is outdated.
- It is difficult to set up
Verdict
The Canon Pixma G7020 is one of the best home printers. It provides amazing features at a good price. The printer provides good resolution prints at a high speed. You can also get the benefit of scanner if you choose this printer.
EPSON EcoTank PRO ET-16650
The EPSON EcoTank PRO ET-16650 is one of the best printers on this list. However, it is one of the most expensive printers out there. It has almost all the features a user may expect in a printer. It weighs around 21 kilograms, as it is a large machine. It comes with a wide range of connectivity options such as Wi-Fi, USB connectivity, Ethernet, etc. It has a 4.29-inch touchscreen with many options.
This printer has two trays that can hold up to 500 A3 papers in total. It comes with “PrecisionCore® Heat-Free technology” by EPSON that reduces power consumption but still provides high-quality results. It is compatible with Windows 8.1 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows Vista (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 10 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 8 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 7 (64-bit & 32-bit versions), Windows Vista (both 64-bit and 32-bit), Windows XP SP3 (32-bit version), Windows XP Professional (64-bit version), Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012, and Mac OS X 10.6.8 or above versions.
It has a 4800 X 1200 dpi resolution with a 3.8 pl minimum droplet size. It has an average fax transmission speed of 33.6 kbps.
Key Features
- 4800 x 1200 print resolution
- 4-color all-pigment print technology
- DURABrite ink
- 4.3″ Touch LCD Display
- Epson printer driver included
Pros
- It is one of the best printers with many features
- It comes with four ink bottles that have a large ink capacity
- You can get free ink with EPSON EcoTank Proo ET-16650 if you purchase it within the 3/26/2020 – 3/31/2021 date range
- It can print a lot of documents within a limited time
- Its PrecisionCore® Heat-Free technology helps to reduce power and makes it work efficiently at the same time
Cons
- It is a very expensive printer
- It is a bit heavy printer
Verdict
This is a high-quality printer that provides great results. The EPSON EcoTank PRO ET-16650 is one of the sleekest printers that provide high functionality. You should consider buying this if you are into environment friendly products.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8035
The HP OfficeJet Pro 8035 is a stylish printer manufactured by the Hewlett-Packard company. It is a unique printer that has been equipped with the HP Thermal Inkjet technology that gives optimal printing results. It has a good processing speed of up to 1.2 Gigahertz, and it weighs around 8.18 Kilograms.
It is compatible with a good number of operating systems such as Windows 8.1 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows Vista (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 10 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 8 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 7 (64-bit & 32-bit versions), macOS Mojave v10.14, macOS Sierra v10.12, macOS High Sierra v10.13, OS X El Capitan (v10.11). It is also compatible with the Windows Server 2008 (64-bit), Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit (SP1), Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2 (64-bit), and Windows Server 2012 (64-bit) versions of operating systems.
It has a 4800 X 1200 dpi (Colored) resolution and 300 X 300 fax resolution. It has a fax memory of up to 100 pages. It comes with various kinds of connectivity functions such as USB, wireless, and Ethernet connectivity functionality. It also has a standard memory of 256 MB. These features make it one of the best printers out there.
Key Features
- HP Thermal Inkjet print technology
- 4 print cartridges
- Duplex printing
- 225 sheets paper capacity
- Port and Wireless connectivity available
- Compatible with mobile printing devices
Pros
- It is a printer with stylish looks.
- It is affordable.
- It is easy to set up.
- The printing quality is optimal.
- It comes with various connectivity options.
Cons
- The phone cord and the USB cable does not come with it in the box when you purchase it.
Verdict
The HP OfficeJet Pro 8035 offers a number of useful features. Plus, the printer is quite user friendly. You do not need to go into a lot of technicalities to use it. It will be a good option for people how want professional printing results at home.
HP DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One Printer
The HP DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One printer is one of the most popular printers out there that offer high-quality printing results. The Hewlett-Packard company imparted the HP Thermal Inkjet technology to this printer so it can produce high-quality printing results, just like many other HP printers.
The HP DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One printer has a phenomenal seven-segment LCD, and it weighs approximately 9.07 kilograms. It has a 4800 x 1200 dpi (Colored) resolution and a standard memory of 64 MB.
It is supported by many operating systems such as Windows 8.1 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 10 (both 64-bit and 32-bit versions), Windows 8 (both 64-bit and-32 bit versions), and Windows 7 (64-bit & 32-bit versions), OS X v10.9 Mavericks, and OS X v10.8 Mountain Lion, and some other operating systems.
It has a processing speed of 360 Megahertz, and it can print papers of different sizes in the range of 3 X 5 to 85 X 14. It comes with a one year warranty. It is a wireless printer. Moreover, it is quite an affordable printer.
Key Features
- HP Thermal Inkjet print technology
- Seven-segment LCD display
- 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi color resolution
- ENERGY STAR qualified for energy efficiency
- Wireless and Mobile printing facility
- 19 to 15 ppm printing speed
Pros
- It is quite an affordable printer
- It is an efficient printer that provides high-quality printing results
- It is a quite small printer and it would not consume a lot of space
Cons
- The USB cable does not come with it in the box
- It has a bad monthly duty cycle, as reported by some users
Verdict
The HP DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One Printer gives some really good quality prints. The size of the printer also makes it suitable for a home printer. Moreover, the printer is very convenient to use. However, the printing speed is too much compared to other printers available.
Recommendation
Although the printer that you choose for your home depends on your usage and preferences, out of the printers listed above, HP OfficeJet Pro 8035 is the one you can opt for. This is because not only this printer is highly affordable, it also provides a good quality print. It is easy to set up, and since you want to use it at home, you will not have any trouble with its settings.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8035 offers a number of connectivity options. You can use it with Wi-Fi or USB connectivity, whatever suits your needs. The printer is stylish, and it will complement your home-based office décor.
Final Words
There are a lot of options available in the market. When you are searching for a home printer, you might get confused browsing through all the options. So in this article, we provided a quick guide for you to select the printer that is right for your usage, and hopefully this article helped you decide which printer is the best for your printing needs
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