Grocery lists, family photos or crafts for the kids—there are so many ways home printers can come in handy these days, especially if you’re working from home or helping your children with schoolwork. Looking to buy or upgrade? Save yourself from scanning all the specs with our roundup of 2021’s best home office printers.
What type of home office printer are you looking for?
Best Printer Overall
We picked the Canon PIXMA TS5020 as our best overall printer because we believe it has the best combination of style, affordability and versatility on the market today. For its price, this compact printer produces high-quality text and photos, making it a great all-around pick for work emails, colouring pages or pictures of the family. The TS5020 also conveniently allows you to copy or scan from any room in your home using Canon’s PRINT app on your mobile device.
| Pros | Cons |
| It can print 6 pages per minute (ppm) for monochrome and nine ppm for colour. | There’s no automatic two-sided printing or automatic document feeder, so you must print and scan pages manually. |
| The built-in SD card reader allows you to print camera photos directly—no computer needed. | Due to the five ink cartridges, ink costs can add up. |
| With its five ink colours, plus front and rear paper feeders, the PIXMA TS5020 is capable of printing documents, labels, photos, cards and T-shirt heat transfers. |
I bought this two months ago and it’s amazing. The ink that comes with the printer lasts a really long time.
It just prints one side and if you want to do both sides then you must do it manually.
Best All-in-One Printer
The Canon PIXMA TR4520 is the lowest-cost printer on our list, yet it surprisingly packs features normally seen in much more expensive models. Like most all-in-one printers, you’re able to print, copy and scan—but this machine also has built-in fax capabilities. This quality multi-function machine is great for photo printing or crafts, while also handling the family’s work-from-home needs.
| Pros | Cons |
| Its print, copy, scan and fax features make this printer highly versatile. | With a monochrome printing speed of 8.8 pages per minute (ppm) and 5 ppm for colour, the TR4520 has average printing speeds. |
| The print quality is excellent, particularly for producing vibrant photos. | Some users have reported paper jams that need fixing from time to time. |
| Its automatic two-sided printing and 20-sheet automatic document feeder are great conveniences. |
Its Wi-Fi connectivity is excellent without any hassles. Everything was fast from fixing the cartridges, loading the papers and the first printing from my Android phone.
The big problem is that I’ve had to repeat scanning because the document has become misaligned somehow during the scanning (there are rollers that pull the document in, not a flatbed-style scanner).
Best Economical Printer
For long-term value and saving money, the Epson EcoTank ET-2720 is one of the best options on the market. Instead of using costly ink cartridges, the EcoTank has easy-to-fill, supersized ink tanks that can print up to 4,500 pages. Typically, that’s up to two years of printing with moderate daily use. This printer is ideal for families that have a lot of colour needs.
| Pros | Cons |
| It’s built for portability with its 13-pound weight and many wireless connectivity options including Wi-Fi, Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print and Mopria Print Service. | There’s no automatic document feeder or auto two-sided printing, so these tasks must be done manually. |
| The EcoTank is a very economical machine that can cost less than one cent per printed page. | Some users say it takes practice and a steady hand to refill the tanks without spilling any ink. |
| The print quality is on par with other inkjet printers, so you’re not making any quality sacrifices. |
Easy-to-follow directions that get right to the point of set-up. Filling the ink was so simple and not messy like cartridges.
It says it prints 10 pages per minute but, in reality, one sheet of labels takes about three minutes. But the quality is superb.
Best Laser Printer
If you run a small business or work from home, the Lexmark C3224dw Laser Printer will not only make your presentations stand out with crisp, vibrant colours, but it will also save you money and time. It uses economical toner (versus the more expensive ink used in inkjet printers), which can yield up to 1,500 pages per single cartridge. Plus, its 250-sheet tray is significantly larger than the usual 60 to 100 sheets most home office printers can hold, so you don’t have to waste time loading paper.
| Pros | Cons |
| It’s a fast machine capable of printing up to 22 pages per minute. | At 35.5 pounds, it’s nearly three times the weight of our Best Printer Overall, the Canon PIXMA TS5020 (which weighs 12.1 pounds). |
| This printer has double-sided printing, saving you time and money. | Some users have reported the minimal set-up instructions included in the box meant a longer-than-expected set-up time. |
| You can limit users, restrict the use of colour printing or set up confidential PINs that only allow those with the codes to access the printer. |
Wonderful print quality and extremely fast prints in black and white and colour. I love the pullout tray/drawer that holds all the toner cartridges.
The one thing I didn’t like about it and the only reason I didn’t give it a perfect rating was setting it up. There are no instructions.
Best Monochrome Printer
If your family only needs to print in black-and-white—or you’re looking to save money on costly colour cartridges—the Canon imageCLASS MF267dw is an excellent choice. This monochrome laser printer has a large 250-sheet paper capacity and prints up to 30 pages per minute in high quality. It can also copy, scan and fax, making it suitable for sending signed documents or making extra copies of homework.
| Pros | Cons |
| Like Epson’s EcoTank, the Canon MF113w is an economical alternative to costly inkjet cartridges. | Some users have reported paper jams that need fixing from time to time. |
| You can print up to 1,700 pages per toner cartridge, which is a lot more than you would typically get from an inkjet cartridge. | A few reviewers say the Wi-Fi connection may occasionally drop. |
| With a print speed of 30 pages per minute, the MF113w is fast enough for family and business needs. |
My favorite feature: very fast printing/copying. Right when you turn on the printer it prints quickly The instructions are very clear and easy to follow. They provide pictures and the instructions are broken up into easy-to-understand sections. The printer is also very easy to install and easy to connect to any computer or phone/iPad device.
When it works it prints quickly but if we don’t use it for a couple weeks, the power saving mode seems to drop the Wi-Fi connection and won’t show up in s happens to us every couple of months.
Best Inkjet Printer
For maximum versatility, the HP DeskJet Plus 4132 is hard to beat. This entry-level four-in-one is a printer, copier, scanner and mobile fax machine—making it ideal for everything from your children’s school assignments and crafts to your home business. It’s also a speedy printer capable of producing 8.5 pages per minute (ppm) for black and 5.5 ppm for colour.
| Pros | Cons |
| Its print, copy, scanner and mobile fax functions make it perfect for multitasking families. | As an entry-level machine, the print quality is average. If you need high-quality prints, the Canon PIXMA TS5020 or the Lexmark C3224dw Laser printer are better options. |
| It’s built to save time with its 35-page automatic document feeder that makes copying a breeze. | Replacement ink cartridges can get expensive without HP’s Instant Ink monthly plan. |
| You can connect the printer to HP’s Smart app, which enables you to print, scan, copy or fax right from your smartphone or tablet. |
This is a great all-in-one printer, scanner, copier and fax machine. It is easy to set up—just plug into your computer USB and connect to your Wi-Fi and you are all set.
Once connected we tested it out and found the paper loading tray to be awkward to use.
Get Everything You Need for Your Home Office
Your Questions, Answered
What type of printer is the best?
There are four main types of home printers to consider, each with unique advantages:
- Laser printers: Laser printers are great if you’re looking to print a lot of text-heavy documents like contracts and agreements.
- Inkjet printers: If you want to print a variety of different documents, photos and crafts with the kids—and you want to print in high-quality colour—an inkjet printer is likely better suited to your needs. They can be expensive to use, often requiring four or more cartridges.
- All-in-one printers: All-in-one printers are a great choice if you have a lot of documents to sign because they typically include scanning and copying functionality. That way you can scan and return documents easily. Some even have a built-in fax machine.
- Monochrome printers: Also known as black-and-white printers, monochrome models are budget-friendly because they only use a single cartridge. They’re best for people who print out everything to read and proof but don’t really care about print quality.
What printer specs are most important?
When it comes time to choose the best home office printer for you, you might want to consider these factors:
- Printer speed: While people often focus on speed when choosing a printer, it’s most important for home businesses with regular high-volume printing needs.
- Colour capability: A graphic designer or marketing manager who’s printing graphics in full colour may want to get an inkjet printer because of the wide variety of colours available. If you’re printing numerous colour documents every day, you could also benefit from a printer with a large ink tank that’s able to print up to 7,000 pages.
- Printer connectivity: While many printers come with Wi-Fi capabilities, it’s crucial to know what mobile devices your family uses (iPhone or Android) and whether the printer is compatible. You’ll also want to know if the printer is USB-only (meaning that it must plug into a computer) or Wi-Fi, plus the devices or apps it can connect to.
- Ink type: Ink cartridge replacement costs can really add up. If keeping ink costs low is your goal, consider a refillable ink printer. And if you want a printer specifically for high-volume business needs, a laser printer is generally more economical than an inkjet.
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How we choose products: Simply put, we don’t recommend any products we wouldn’t buy ourselves. Our writers leverage a number of sources as a starting point, including reputable third-party reviews, Walmart.ca user reviews, and Walmart Canada’s category specialists. theHUB editorial staff has final say for all products included in this guide.
Any product claims noted are provided by the manufacturer, unless otherwise stated.
Prices shown are subject to change. Please check Walmart.ca for the latest pricing.
This article is intended as general information. To be sure a product is right for you, always be sure to read and follow the label(s)/instruction(s) that accompany your product(s). Walmart will not be responsible for any injury or damage caused by this activity.
