Need a new printer.
How do I pick one?
At Consumer Reports, we print hundreds of photos, charts,
and memos each month to find the printers that deliver
the best performance in value.
Here are some of the key things we've
learned that may help you pick the best printer for you.
There are two main types of printers-- inkjets and lasers.
When choosing between the two, it's
best to think about what you'll be printing.
If you typically print a combination
of text, graphics, and photos--
an inkjet is the way to go, most can print just about anything.
All-in-one inkjets can copy, scan, and some can still fax--
yes, fax.
They run $40 to $500.
More basic inkjets just print, and cost
between $40 for compact models and $400
for larger or photo models.
Surprisingly, models with the smallest price tag
could actually cost you more in the long run when you factor
in those pricey ink cartridges.
Printer ink is so expensive.
Cartridge ink may be one of the most expensive liquids
you buy at $75 an ounce, or a whopping $9,544 a gallon.
That's even more expensive than gasoline--
in fact, you could buy 3,817 gallons of gas
for the price of just one gallon of cartridge ink.
And a lot of it never even ends up on the page
because inkjet printers use ink when they're not even
printing to keep the print heads from clogging.
And every time you turn your printer on,
it performs this routine maintenance.
It's a big enough deal that we test printers to find out
just how much extra ink they use during routine maintenance.
Those results are included in our printer ratings
so you know which models waste more ink than others.
Another thing to look out for with inkjets--
some have one cartridge that holds the cyan, magenta,
and yellow inks, plus a second cartridge for black--
others have a separate cartridge for each of the four colors.
Inkjets with separate color cartridges
can save you money since you only
have to replace individual colors as they run out.
Anyone heard of tank printers?
Are they a thing?
One type of inkjet that can really save you money over time
is a refillable tank printer.
Instead of using expensive ink cartridges,
they use refillable ink reservoirs.
Tank printers may cost more up front, but after a few years,
they become cheaper to own and operate
than nearly every printer in our ratings.
I love my laser.
Laser printers are all business--
so if you're printing mostly text documents,
a black and white laser printer is your best choice.
They're super fast, and they tend
to be more reliable than inkjets according to our members
surveys.
Instead of using ink, lasers use a cartridge filled with toner--
an ultra fine powder.
Lasers are more efficient than inkjets
because they don't waste toner during printer maintenance.
A basic black and white laser printer will cost you 80$
to $400.
For an all-in-one model that can scan, copy, and possibly fax,
you'll pay about $100 to $500.
Laser printers also come in color--
they use for toner cartridges instead of just one.
Color models that only print run $150 to $400--
color all-in-ones cost $200 to $650.
Our surveys show many people connect their printer using
Wi-Fi--
that allows you to print wirelessly
from your computer, tablet, or your smartphone--
but printers still offer a USB port
for connecting to a computer if going wireless isn't an option,
or if you're concerned about the weak data
security of a Wi-Fi connection.
An adjustable paper feature allows
you to print on various sizes of paper,
and an auto duplexer allows you to print
on both sides of a page.
For more information and our exclusive printer ratings,
go to cr.org/printers.
We're a not-for-profit, pay for all of the items we test,
and accept no advertising.
Thanks for your support.