The 5 Best Inkjet Printers 2021

If you've already decided to get an inkjet printer but you're having a hard time choosing, it's quite understandable. There's a very wide range of inkjet printers, from expensive, full-featured models to simple budget options. There's also a lot of things to consider when shopping, like how much you print, your budget, and whether you need other features, like a scanner or support for USB thumb drives. So, here's rtings.com list of the best inkjet printers, and hopefully, it can help guide you to the best printer for your needs.

Best Inkjet Printer For Small/Home Office: HP OfficeJet Pro 9025

Type: All in One | Technology: Inkjet | Wireless: Yes | Color: Yes | SuperTank: No

The best inkjet printer for small or home offices that we've tested is the HP OfficeJet Pro 9025. This versatile all-in-one is ideally suited for an office setting due to its excellent build and outstanding scanner features. It's made of solid plastic that feels quite sturdy, and it also has a removable power cable in case it gets damaged. Ink cartridges are easily accessible from the front panel, and potential paper jams can be accessed from the rear side panel.

The scanner has everything you may need in an office environment, including integrated fax, an automatic document feeder with duplex scanning, and a flatbed scanner with high resolution. The cartridge system has a high yield, and the cost-per-print of black-only ink is quite affordable. Also, its printing speed is great for both black-only and color documents, despite the first page of a print job taking a bit longer.

Unfortunately, the quality of printed photos is only decent, and color accuracy is mediocre. It's compatible with the HP Smart app, but you can't print Microsoft Office files from the app. Also, you can't connect to it over Bluetooth, but at least it does support Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet. Overall, this is a great choice for office work, and it's also one of the best home printers that we've tested.

ALTERNATIVE WITH SUPERTANK: EPSON ECOTANK ET-3760

Type: All in One | Technology: Inkjet | Wireless: Yes | Color: Yes | SuperTank: Yes

If you want a printer with a supertank ink system, consider the Epson EcoTank ET-3760. It doesn't feel as well-built as the HP OfficeJet Pro 9025, and it can't perform duplex scanning, but it has a significantly higher page yield and a lower cost-per-print since it uses ink tanks instead of cartridges. It has very good scanner features, including an automatic document feeder and a flatbed with high resolution. It's compatible with the exceptional Epson iPrint app, which lets you print any file type directly from your mobile device. Unfortunately, it doesn't have Bluetooth or external storage support, but it still has a wide range of connectivity options.

If you prefer a printer that can perform duplex scanning, go with the HP, but if you want a supertank system that reduces your cost-per-print, get the Epson.

Best Family Inkjet Printer: Brother MFC-J995DW

Type: All in One | Technology: Inkjet | Wireless: Yes | Color: Yes | SuperTank: No

The best inkjet printer for families we've tested is the Brother MFC-J995DW. This all-in-one model is incredibly versatile and should meet your household's needs. It feels very well-built, and it provides easy access to paper jams and ink cartridges. It has a flatbed scanner, an automatic document feeder, and it has fax and copy features, making it great for both leisure and work-related tasks.

Thanks to its Brother's INKvestment tank, it has an outstandingly high page yield, so you won't have to replace the cartridges often, which helps to keep the cost-per-print exceptionally low. It has good connectivity options since you can connect to it via Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, AirPrint, and you can print directly from a USB key or SD card. Although it doesn't support Bluetooth or Mopria Print, it's compatible with the Brother iPrint&Scan app that lets you print, scan, and perform maintenance tasks.

Unfortunately, the color accuracy is only okay, and most colors look inaccurate; however, it shouldn't be an issue for printing family photos or adding some color to a report or school project. Also, it doesn't have duplex scanning, so scanning large double-sided documents might be tedious. Nevertheless, it's a very versatile inkjet model, and it's among the best all-in-one printers we've tested.

ALTERNATIVE WITH BETTER PHOTO PRINTING QUALITY: CANON PIXMA TR8520

Type: All in One | Technology: Inkjet | Wireless: Yes | Color: Yes | SuperTank: No

If you want a printer that can print better quality photos, take a look at the Canon PIXMA TR8520. While it isn't as well-built as the Brother MFC-J995DW, and its overall printing speed is much slower, it produces better-looking photos, with plenty of detail, vibrant colors, and no presence of banding at all. It can't perform double-sided scans, but it does have Bluetooth support, and it's compatible with Canon's excellent mobile app. Unfortunately, its cartridges have a significantly lower yield, so you have to replace the cartridges often if you print a lot; however, the cartridges are reasonably-priced, which helps keep the cost-per-print low.

Overall, the Brother is a better choice due to its versatility and exceptional cartridge system. However, if you need a model specifically for printing photos, then go with the Canon.

Best Budget Inkjet Printer: Brother MFC-J805DW INKvestment Tank

Type: All in One | Technology: Inkjet | Wireless: Yes | Color: Yes | SuperTank: No

The best inkjet printer we've tested in the budget category is the Brother MFC-J805DW INKvestment Tank. It's an impressively well-built all-in-one printer designed to give easy access to ink cartridges and paper jams. Its high-resolution flatbed scanner has an extendable lid to accommodate thicker items like books, and it has an automatic document feeder to make processing long, multi-page documents easier. However, it can't perform duplex scanning, so you need to flip the pages manually when scanning double-sided documents.

The standout feature is the INKvestment Tank cartridge system. It yields an incredible number of black and color pages, which means you shouldn't have to replace the cartridges as frequently, saving you money in the long run. There are higher-yield cartridges available if you print a lot, and it accepts third-party cartridges as well. Unfortunately, printing speed is mediocre, and its input tray can only hold up to 150 sheets of paper. Also, while printed photos look decent, they're not the most color accurate.

You can connect to the printer via a wired or wireless connection, and there's also support for AirPrint and Mopria. Epson's mobile app is fantastic as it allows you to print, copy, and even scan using your smartphone's camera. The display screen is a bit small and isn't touch-sensitive, but thankfully, there are tons of buttons to help you navigate the user interface. All in all, this is a good inkjet printer that's easy on the wallet and one that most people should be happy with.

Notable Mentions

HP OfficeJet Pro 9015: The HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 is a good alternative to the HP OfficeJet Pro 9025, but its cost-per-print isn't as low.
 
Canon PIXMA TS6320: The Canon PIXMA TS6320 has excellent photo printing quality, and it isn't expensive, but it doesn't have an automatic document feeder.
 
Epson EcoTank ET-2760: The Epson EcoTank ET-2760 is a cheaper version of the ET-3760, but without a sheetfed scanner and with a higher page yield. 

HP ENVY Photo 7855: The HP ENVY Photo 7855/7858 has excellent color accuracy and photo printing quality, but it has a much lower page yield than the Brother.

Canon PIXMA TR7520: The Canon PIXMA TR7520 is a cheaper alternative to the Brother MFC-J805 INKvestment Tank with better photo printing quality and faster printing speed, but it has significantly lower black and color page yields, which leads to a higher cost-per-print. 

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820: The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820 is a good budget inkjet printer with better color accuracy and faster printing speed than the Brother MFC-J805 INKvestment Tank, but it yields fewer black and color pages, making its cost-per-print much higher.