Table of Contents
Any printer can, of course, print. But only an all-in-one (AIO) printer can push off your old fax machine, copier, and scanner to the great recycler in the sky. These do-it-all models range from compact units for homes and small offices to floor-standing corporate furniture. PCMag's been testing printers for four decades, and I've been in the thick of it for much of that time. We speed-test printers with a formalized methodology I've devised, and assess models on output quality, design, usability, and more. I've outlined here the best home and office AIO printers we've tested. Our top pick in a laser model is the Brother MFC-L3780CDW, and for an inkjet, the Canon Pixma G7020 MegaTank All-in-One. However, we stand behind all our choices, which are tailored to different volume needs and budgets. (No single printer is perfect for everyone.) Below, our detailed buying advice will steer you to the right AIO printer so you can buy with confidence.
Our Top Tested Picks
Brother MFC-L3780CDW
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Brother MFC-L3780CDW offers excellent output quality with relatively low print costs, making it our top recommendation for a budget color laser all-in-one printer.
Pros
- Prints, scans, copies, and faxes
- Relatively fast
- Competitive toner costs
- Excellent print, copy, and scan quality
- 50-page single-pass auto-duplexing ADF
- Wide range of wireless connection options, including NFC
Cons
- Modest 30-sheet multipurpose tray
Canon Pixma G7020 MegaTank All-in-One
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Pixma G7020 inkjet all-in-one delivers some of the lowest running costs available in a consumer printer, making it a great value for families and home offices.
Pros
- Solid feature set, software bundle, and paper capacity for a bulk-ink model
- Superb print quality, especially photos
- Auto-duplexing print engine and ADF
- Super-low running costs
- Faster than previous MegaTank models
- Up to 18,000 pages worth of black ink in the box
Cons
- Last decade's control panel
Epson EcoTank ET-3950
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Epson EcoTank ET-3950 stands out for its fast simplex (one-sided) printing and its automatic duplex scanning, making it the all-in-one inkjet printer to beat for micro or home offices.
Pros
- Supports printing, scanning, and copying
- Low running cost
- Automatic duplex (two-sided) printing and scanning
- Robust mobile printing and scanning features
Cons
- Duplex scanning uses a reversing ADF rather than a single-pass ADF
- Only one paper input tray
Brother MFC-J6955DW
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The tabloid-size Brother MFC-J6955DW all-in-one printer is speedy and can scan both sides of a page at once, making it a compelling choice for small offices and workgroups.
Pros
- Fast
- Prints and scans on up to tabloid-size paper
- Single-pass duplex scanning
- Three paper trays
- Supports printing and scanning from mobile devices
Cons
- Can't print on or scan supertabloid-size paper
Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
High-quality photo output—plus the ability to scan, copy, and print on discs—makes the Epson XP-8800 a solid choice for printing photos at home.
Pros
- Prints, scans, and copies
- Mobile printing support
- Prints from and scans to USB memory and SD cards
- Two paper trays and automatic print duplexing (two-sided printing)
Cons
- No automatic document feeder
- Scans up to letter and A4 size only
- Lackluster quality when copying photos
Brother MFC-L2900DW XL
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Brother MFC-L2900DW XL mono laser all-in-one printer delivers every feature a small office needs, including the convenience of single-pass duplexing for copying, scanning, and faxing.
Pros
- Prints, scans, copies, and faxes
- 250-sheet paper tray; single-sheet manual feed
- 50-sheet automatic document feeder
- Automatic duplex printing; single-pass duplexing for scanning
- Compact size suitable for small offices or personal printing
Cons
- Separate imaging unit requires costly replacement
- No option for additional paper trays
HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
HP’s Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f, a mid-volume color laser AIO printer, outclasses the competition with beautifully detailed printing and reasonable running costs.
Pros
- Robust mobile connectivity
- Excellent print quality
- Relatively small footprint
- Expandable
- Competitive running costs
Cons
- Somewhat high purchase price
Brother MFC-L5915DW
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The four-function Brother MFC-L5915DW all-in-one (AIO) printer delivers fast laser printing and copying, a higher maximum paper capacity than most competition, and a low cost per page, making it an excellent choice for a large office or workgroup.
Pros
- Lightning-fast 50ppm rating for both printing and copying
- High 1,200-by-1,200dpi maximum resolution
- Roomy legal-size flatbed
- Single-pass duplexing ADF
- 5-inch color touch screen control panel
- Toner cost is just 1.1 cents per page
Cons
- Slower two-sided printing speed
HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile All-in-One Printer
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile All-in-One Printer is an inkjet that's light enough to travel with, but can copy and scan as well as print.
Pros
- Portable.
- Scans and copies.
- Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and USB connectivity.
- Rechargeable battery.
- 50-sheet input tray.
- 10-sheet ADF.
- Output quality worthy of a desktop inkjet.
- High claimed page yields for print cartridges.
- Lighter than its predecessor.
- Fast photo printing.
Cons
- Lacks a USB cable.
- Heavier than most laptops.
The Best All-in-One Printer Deals This Week*
- HP DeskJet 4255e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer — $49 ($109) Save $60.10
- Canon Pixma TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer — $69 ($107) Save $38.99
- Canon Pixma TS6520 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer — $79 ($140) Save $61.00
- Epson EcoTank ET-2400 Wireless All-in-One Color Printer — $159 ($189) Save $30.99
- HP Smart-Tank 5000 Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer — $179 ($239) Save $60.00
EDITORS' NOTE
December 21, 2025: With this update, our lineup of recommended laser printers remains unchanged. All of our existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability. We currently have three printers in PC Labs for evaluation, from makers including Epson and Canon.
- Prints, scans, copies, and faxes
- Relatively fast
- Competitive toner costs
- Excellent print, copy, and scan quality
- 50-page single-pass auto-duplexing ADF
- Wide range of wireless connection options, including NFC
- Modest 30-sheet multipurpose tray
The Brother MFC-L3780CDW offers excellent output quality with relatively low print costs, making it our top recommendation for a color laser all-in-one printer for home or small offices. It prints, scans, copies, and faxes at a relatively fast speed, and its competitive toner costs mean it could have a lower total cost of ownership than many competitors, depending on the volume of printing. The image quality of the prints, copies, and scans is excellent. And it has loads of wireless options, including NFC. The main potential drawback is its modest 30-sheet multipurpose tray, which may be limiting if you frequently print on envelopes, labels, or glossy paper.
Home offices: For small or home offices that require excellent quality from an all-in-one printer without overspending, the MFC-L3780CDW should be at the top of their lists.
Businesses that handle sensitive documents: The MFC-L3780CDW features wireless NFC badge authentication, which can be valuable if you need to protect sensitive business information from being spotted in the output tray before you can retrieve your printout.
- Solid feature set, software bundle, and paper capacity for a bulk-ink model
- Superb print quality, especially photos
- Auto-duplexing print engine and ADF
- Super-low running costs
- Faster than previous MegaTank models
- Up to 18,000 pages worth of black ink in the box
- Last decade's control panel
The Pixma G7020 MegaTank All-in-One is pricier than some models that offer similar performance and features, but require you to purchase ink in cartridges instead of bottles. Print enough, however, and the ink cost savings can make it less expensive in the long run. Both color and mono printing are less than a penny a page, and you don't even pay that much until you run through the ink that comes in the box—enough for 6,000 text pages or 7,700 standard color pages.
The G7020 also offers a generous 350-sheet paper capacity, split between a 250-sheet drawer and a 100-sheet rear tray. For scanning, copying, and faxing, it supplements its letter-size flatbed with an ADF that can handle either 35 letter-size or five legal-size sheets. Output quality for text and graphics is suitable for schoolwork and most business use, and photo quality is quite good.
Families: The G7020 is a near-ideal fit for a family that needs a four-function AIO for both home use, such as schoolwork and photos, and for medium-to-heavy-duty printing needs in a home office.
People who print a lot: If you expect to print enough over the printer's lifetime to at least break even on the overall cost of ownership compared with a cheaper AIO that uses more expensive ink cartridges, the G7020 is a good fit.
People who value convenience: Even if you don't plan to print enough to make the G7020 a good value, there's something to be said for the convenience of not having to constantly worry about replacing cartridges as each one runs dry on a different schedule.
- Supports printing, scanning, and copying
- Low running cost
- Automatic duplex (two-sided) printing and scanning
- Robust mobile printing and scanning features
- Duplex scanning uses a reversing ADF rather than a single-pass ADF
- Only one paper input tray
If you need an AIO for a small office or home office, it's easy to find less-expensive ink cartridge-based models with similar speed, output quality, and features as the Epson EcoTank ET-3950. But for offices that print enough for cost per page to be a major consideration, the savings in initial cost for those printers can be eaten up quickly by ink costs.
With the ET-3950's running cost of 0.29 cent per mono page and 1.1 cents per color page, it doesn't take many pages per month to hit the break-even point. The ET-3950 also offers a solid feature set, including a 30-sheet reversing ADF, which duplexes by scanning one side of a page, turning it over, and then scanning the other side. Finally, you can count on text and graphics output quality that's just short of top-tier for business inkjets.
Small offices that print a lot: The ET-3950 is an excellent choice for small offices and home offices. It's a sterling pick, especially if you expect to print enough for the running cost to save you money over time on the total ownership cost.
People who occasionally scan multipage two-sided documents: If you need to scan or copy multipage two-sided documents once in a while, the reversing ADF will be a lifesaver, making the ET-3950 stand out among inkjet AIOs for a micro or home office.
- Fast
- Prints and scans on up to tabloid-size paper
- Single-pass duplex scanning
- Three paper trays
- Supports printing and scanning from mobile devices
- Can't print on or scan supertabloid-size paper
The tabloid-size Brother MFC-J6955DW all-in-one printer is a compelling choice for small offices and workgroups. The MFC-J6955DW offers a solid combination of print speed and paper handling for both printing and scanning, supporting up to tabloid-size documents. Graphics on plain paper delivered vibrant color and smoothly shaded gradients in our tests, while the text quality is good enough for most business purposes.
For scanning, the printer features an automatic document feeder (ADF) that can accommodate up to 50 sheets of paper, including tabloid- or A3-size paper. Even better, it offers single-pass duplex scanning, which means it can scan both sides of each page simultaneously, for faster copying, scanning, and faxing.
Offices that scan tabloid-size sheets: If your micro or small office needs the ability to scan at tabloid size, the MFC-J6955DW is the exact right fit.
Businesses that print a lot of documents: The MFC-J6955DW offers good-enough output quality for most business-document needs, and it's reasonably fast, coming in at an average of 15 pages per minute on our business-document speed test.
Best All-in-One Inkjet Printer for Photos
Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One
- Prints, scans, and copies
- Mobile printing support
- Prints from and scans to USB memory and SD cards
- Two paper trays and automatic print duplexing (two-sided printing)
- No automatic document feeder
- Scans up to letter and A4 size only
- Lackluster quality when copying photos
The Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One printer stands out for both its high-quality photo output and its long list of features. Built around a six-color ink system that helps boost photo quality, it offers a flatbed for scanning and copying, supports mobile printing, and can print directly on appropriately surfaced discs. It also features a 4.3-inch color touch screen for issuing commands, automatically extends the output tray from its closed position when you start a print job, and prompts you to retract the tray when you power down.
Families: At $299.99, the XP-8800 is a little pricey, but it offers enough to make it our top recommendation for families who need a light-duty home printer that can also print high-quality photos.
Aspiring photographers seeking high-quality prints: Photo output quality, using Epson Photo Paper Glossy, is a match for a professional photo lab. Shadow detail and highlights hold well, and we saw no hint of dithering, posterization, or other common issues when we tested the XP-8800.
- Prints, scans, copies, and faxes
- 250-sheet paper tray; single-sheet manual feed
- 50-sheet automatic document feeder
- Automatic duplex printing; single-pass duplexing for scanning
- Compact size suitable for small offices or personal printing
- Separate imaging unit requires costly replacement
- No option for additional paper trays
The Brother MFC-L2900DW XL mono laser all-in-one printer delivers every feature a small office needs, including the convenience of single-pass duplexing for copying, scanning, and faxing. Its street pricing is higher than that of some older models with similar scan capabilities but faster print speeds and higher paper capacities—including the Canon imageClass MF455dw, one of our former top picks in this category. However, the MFC-L2900DW offers these scanning capabilities in a smaller printer, making it a better fit if flat space is at a premium.
Small offices: This Editors' Choice winner is ideal for micro-to-small-office or personal use, especially for users who need to scan, copy, or fax duplex pages.
Cramped desks: The MFC-L2900DW delivers single-pass duplex scanning in a reasonably small and light printer that's a great fit for desks with limited space.
Best All-in-One Color Laser Printer (Small/Midsize Office)
HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f
- Robust mobile connectivity
- Excellent print quality
- Relatively small footprint
- Expandable
- Competitive running costs
- Somewhat high purchase price
The HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f is a workhorse color laser AIO for any small to midsize office. It's rated at 29ppm for both color and mono printing, and its 50-page ADF offers speedy single-pass duplex scanning, helping to reduce the time spent making copies. In addition, it faxes and delivers excellent print quality, with ample paper capacity for medium-duty printing in a midsize office. Two trays divide its standard 300-sheet capacity into 250 sheets in one tray and 50 sheets in the other, while an optional 550-sheet tray ($199.99) is available, increasing the total to 850 pages. Welcome conveniences include a 4.3-inch color touch screen for the control panel.
Businesses of any size: Don't let the "Enterprise" in the name get in the way of considering this HP model for your non-enterprise business. Although it is packed with a wealth of security and network management features that many small and midsize offices won't care about, there's no reason you have to use them.
People who need secure printing: You might well appreciate some of the M480f's features that many other printers leave out, including private printing, which lets you send a print job with sensitive information to the printer, and not print it until you enter a PIN at the front panel, instead of leaving it sitting in the output tray where anyone can see it.
- Lightning-fast 50ppm rating for both printing and copying
- High 1,200-by-1,200dpi maximum resolution
- Roomy legal-size flatbed
- Single-pass duplexing ADF
- 5-inch color touch screen control panel
- Toner cost is just 1.1 cents per page
- Slower two-sided printing speed
The Brother MFC-L5915DW is one of the more impressive mono laser printers in its class. It delivers fast laser printing and copying, a higher maximum paper capacity than most of its competitors, and a low cost per page, making it an excellent choice for a large office or workgroup. In our tests, output quality was in the top tier for a mono laser. As for speed, the printer is undeniably quick overall, with stellar simplex speeds and only slightly less impressive duplex speeds. Another important feature for a printer that's most likely to be shared in a large office or workgroup is secure printing, which can let you avoid the risk of someone seeing sensitive documents sitting in the output tray before you retrieve them.
Large offices: For most medium or large offices and workgroups with heavy-duty monochrome print needs, the Brother printer offers a winning combination of low running costs and high capacity.
Offices that print a lot: If you need a higher capacity than the standard 350 sheets, you can add up to two additional 520-sheet drawers for a total of 1,390 sheets. The recommended monthly maximum duty cycle for printing is 8,000 pages.
Offices that need professional-looking documents: Output quality is in the top tier for a mono laser. Every font we test that you're likely to use in a business document is highly readable at sizes as small as 4 points.
- Portable.
- Scans and copies.
- Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and USB connectivity.
- Rechargeable battery.
- 50-sheet input tray.
- 10-sheet ADF.
- Output quality worthy of a desktop inkjet.
- High claimed page yields for print cartridges.
- Lighter than its predecessor.
- Fast photo printing.
- Lacks a USB cable.
- Heavier than most laptops.
The HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One Printer impressed us enough as a portable printer to earn an Editors' Choice award when we reviewed it, but its ability to scan, copy, and print was only one reason why. Along with typical text quality for an inkjet, it delivers slightly above-par graphics and photos, and it also came in faster on our tests than most print-only portable models.
While it lacks duplex (two-sided) printing (like all the single-function competitors we've seen), it offers manual duplexing, which prints one side of a stack of pages, waits for you to flip the stack over, and then reinserts it in the 50-page ADF, printing the other side. The simplex (single-sided) scanner offers its own 10-sheet ADF for scanning and copying. Connection options include USB, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi Direct, which allow you to print from iOS and Android phones and tablets, as well as PCs.
Travelers who print and scan on the go: If you need to scan documents (including for copying) as well as print them while on the go, the OfficeJet 250 is a suitable option. If you usually need both scanning and printing, or can't predict which one you'll need when, the OfficeJet 250 will be less cumbersome to set up than two individual devices, and it will be lighter to carry.
People who print from their mobile devices: The robust suite of connectivity options enables you to print from nearly any device, whether it's a phone, a tablet, or a computer.
All the Latest Tech, Tested by Our Experts
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
The Best All-in-One Printers for 2026 Compare Specs
Printer manufacturers offer a huge variety of MFPs, both inkjet-based and laser-based. Given the mix of print technologies and brands, as well as the vast number of potential combinations of features and functions, finding a model with the right set of features—or at least, the best set for your needs—is a task that needs to be taken on step by step. Here are the key things to consider when shopping for an AIO printer.
What's the Difference Between Home and Office All-in-One Printers?
One useful way to categorize MFPs is by intended use: (1) for home, including printing photos in particular; (2) for an office, focusing on text and graphics; or (3) for both. If you're looking to print photos at least at the level of quality you can get from your local pharmacy—whether the printer's for home use only, or intended for home and home-office—you want an inkjet AIO. Even most models that are aimed at office use offer good enough photo quality to clear that bar. That includes some aimed for business use that manufacturers have tried to discourage us from running through our photo tests, on the grounds that they weren't designed to handle photos well.
If you're looking for an AIO strictly for the office, you probably care more about text and graphics than photos, and you also likely need higher paper capacities than most inkjets that focus on photo quality typically offer. In that case, the choices include both inkjets and lasers. (The latter category also includes LED printers, which differ only in the light source they use.)
Between inkjets and lasers, each has its own distinct advantages. Inkjets can produce text that's almost as high quality as lasers, but laser-printed text has the advantage of not smudging if it gets wet. For graphics, most color (but not mono) lasers can deliver higher-quality color graphics on plain paper than most inkjets can. If, however, you take advantage of inkjet heavyweight (and more expensive) matte and photo papers, most inkjets can deliver higher-quality graphics than laser printers. (Read more about the inkjet versus laser question.)
For office use, if scanning, copying, or faxing multipage documents is on the agenda, you'll want an AIO that includes an automatic document feeder (ADF). And if the documents are printed on both sides of the page, you'll want an ADF that can handle duplex scanning, as well.
Faxing is usually considered an office function, but it can be even more valuable for home use. Medical offices typically require faxing rather than email due to HIPAA regulations, so it can be a welcome convenience to have an AIO at home that can also send and receive faxes. Consider insisting on standalone faxing in your AIO, although there is much to be said for using an online fax service instead, whether for home or office use.
Also consider how often you print, and how long you might leave your AIO sitting unused. Although inkjets are generally considered the default choice for home use, even if you're not interested in printing photos, a laser AIO can be a better choice if you don't print frequently. Inkjets tend to get clogged nozzles if left sitting unused, and nozzle-cleaning routines can waste a lot of ink when you need to print again. Lasers can sit unused for months, then work without problems when you fire them up again. Avoiding the cost of that wasted ink could actually save you more money than the extra cash you might pay for a fitting laser model.
What Are the Key Features to Get in an AIO Printer?
Getting beyond generalities about home and office MFPs, it's useful to make a list of the functions and features you actually need. Printing and copying are a given, and scanning is almost always included as well, but even these basics aren't as straightforward as you might expect.
In addition to printing from and scanning to a computer, many AIOs today can print from and scan to cloud services, which can be useful for printing files already stored online or for storing scans that can be downloaded to any device connected to the service. If there's a particular online service you want to use, check that it's on the list of services supported by the AIO.
Most AIO manufacturers also offer free apps that allow you to print from and scan to mobile devices, either by connecting your phone or tablet directly to the AIO using Wi-Fi Direct (sometimes referred to by a different name) or by connecting through Wi-Fi to the same network as the AIO. You'll want to check that the mobile printing and scanning work with the connection you plan to use. Similarly, if you plan to connect over a network, be sure that scanning works over the network. (A few AIOs are limited to scanning over a USB connection only.)
Copying and Faxing Features: Some Nuances
Some AIOs rely on a computer for copying. If you want to copy with the computer off, be sure to pick one that works as a standalone copier, operated from its control panel.
Much the same comment applies to faxing, but in reverse. Fax features almost always include standalone faxing, controlled through a front-panel keypad or touch screen. However, they don't necessarily include a PC-controlled faxing function, which would allow you to fax documents directly from your PC without needing to print them out first. PC faxing can be implemented in one of three ways: as a fax utility, as a fax driver that functions similarly to a print driver, or as a combination of both.
Faxing by AIO used to require a connection to a phone line, and in some cases, it still does, but many AIOs now offer faxing through the cloud. The cloud service connects to the telephone network to send and receive faxes, and provides you with a phone number for receiving them. The cost of the service can be lower than maintaining a separate fax phone line.
Email features also come in two forms. A direct email function (mostly useful in business environs) lets you scan a document and send it as an email attachment directly. The more common choice for low-end AIOs is to open an email message on a PC and attach the scanned document. Any given AIO can offer either or both kinds of email.
Scanning Features: More Nuances
Almost all AIO printers feature flatbeds that are suitable for scanning photos or single-sheet documents. An automatic document feeder (ADF) will let you easily scan (plus copy, fax, and email) multipage documents. For models that have letter-size flatbed platens, an ADF will often let you scan legal-size pages as well. But not all do, so check first.
Some ADFs can also perform duplex scans (that is, they can scan both sides of a page). The duplexing can be fully automatic, or it can be done through firmware or a computer app that allows you to scan one side of a stack of pages, turn the stack over to scan the second side, and then automatically interfile the pages in the correct order. If you have to deal with multi-page, two-sided documents, some variation of this feature is all but essential.
The fastest, most convenient, and most expensive option for scanning two-sided pages is an ADF with one-pass scanning, which allows it to scan both sides of each page simultaneously. Second best, and the approach offered by most duplexing ADFs, is to scan one side of each sheet, turn it over automatically, and then scan the other side before feeding the next. The semi-automatic option, which requires you to re-feed the stack while being careful to feed it in the right orientation, is a solid third-place choice. However, many ADFs don't offer even that feature, and if you deal with duplex multi-page documents at all, it's a lot better than having to feed and refeed every page individually.
Another important item to check is whether the ADF's duplexing feature works with all functions that utilize the scanner, including scanning, copying, and faxing. (Some don't.)
Note that for AIO printers that offer some variation of duplex scanning along with duplex printing, you can usually copy both single- and double-sided originals to your choice of single- or double-sided copies. For those that offer print duplexing only, some will still give you the choice of copying single-sided originals to either single- or double-sided copies.
Should I Get Color Printing in an All-in-One Printer?
If you never print in color, there's no reason to spend money on this feature. Keep in mind, however, that many color laser MFPs can print at high enough quality to let you print your own marketing materials. This could be less expensive than printing small quantities at your local print shop, which may be a sufficient reason to choose a color laser, even if you don't need its color output for anything else.
The vast majority of inkjet AIOs are color printers, and they should be avoided if you don't specifically need color output. Even if you never print a single color image, an inkjet AIO will use up some of its color ink for cleaning nozzles and similar housekeeping tasks. And when those colors run out, many models will refuse to print at all, forcing you to buy more color ink just to print monochrome pages. Note that a few mono-only inkjet AIOs are available on the market; they are designed to compete with mono laser printers in offices. The least expensive of these is roughly $300.
Consumables: Should I Choose Cartridge or Tank Ink?
One of the most common complaints about printers is the running cost, primarily in the form of ink or toner cartridges. Printer manufacturers have responded by offering tank printers, which offer a significantly lower cost per page than printers with the traditional cartridge-based design, and allow you to purchase the ink or toner in bulk. With tank-style inkjets, for example, the ink typically comes in bottles, and you pour it into large reservoirs in the printer. Brother is an exception, providing the bulk ink in cartridges, but the same logic applies, with inexpensive ink sold in large quantities. Regardless of the details and actual delivery method, these printers are collectively known as tank printers due to their large ink tanks. (Read more about how to weigh the cost of tank versus cartridge ink.)
The catch is that tank printers are initially more expensive to purchase than cartridge-based printers that offer similar capabilities and performance. Whether the lower ink cost will save you money in the long run depends on how much you print. When choosing between tank and cartridge printers, it's worth the effort to compare the total cost of ownership in both cases to see which will be the less expensive choice. As another option for lowering running costs, consider the available ink subscription programs, if any, for the printers you're considering. (Check out our feature How to Save the Most Money on Printer Ink for more on bulk ink and ink subscription plans, as well as our breakdown of HP's many ink programs.)
Printer Size and Connectivity: Do I Have the Space for an All-in-One Printer?
AIO printers tend to be bigger than single-function printers, and even some home-oriented models can be tall enough to tower over you if you put them on your desk. Check out the MFP's size and weight, though chances are you won't be moving it very often.
Then there's the connectivity, which might tie in to where you place your printer. In addition to a USB port, some MFPs include an Ethernet jack, and almost all support Wi-Fi for easy printer sharing across multiple computers. (See advice on diagnosing printer Wi-Fi issues.) When choosing between Ethernet and Wi-Fi for connecting the printer to your network, keep in mind that if your router offers Wi-Fi, you can print wirelessly to any MFP on that network, regardless of whether the MFP is connected via Wi-Fi or not.
Some MFPs now include support for Wi-Fi Direct (which can be known by different names from some printer manufacturers). If available, this allows the printer to effectively function as its own access point, enabling you to connect a phone, tablet, or computer directly to it, rather than through a wider network. A few models offer support for Near-Field Communication (NFC), which allows you to initiate a wireless connection to a compatible mobile device simply by tapping the printer with your phone or tablet.
How Do I Judge an All-in-One's Scan and Print Quality (and Quantity)?
In addition to checking the printer's output quality, you may need to check the scan quality, although this is rarely an issue. For offices, virtually any scanner can scan documents at sufficiently high quality for copying or optical character recognition (OCR). For home use scanning photos, virtually any scanner can provide suitable resolution and color quality for photographic prints. Resolutions higher than 300dpi are generally unnecessary unless you're scanning transparencies, and even monochrome laser AIOs offer color scanning.
In past years, some home AIOs designed specifically with photos in mind included the ability to scan transparencies, most often limited to 35mm slides and negatives. At the time of writing, none of those models is still in production; however, if you come across one for sale, be sure to check out the photo-scanning capability, particularly for both color quality and high resolution.
When you're calculating the duty cycle and paper input capacity you'll need for an MFP, remember to factor in copies and incoming faxes to the total number of pages you'll print. Choose a paper capacity based largely on how frequently it will force you to add paper. A good rule of thumb is that you probably don't want to add paper more than once a week, on average.
Ready to Buy the Best All-in-One Printer for You?
Whether you're looking for a home or office all-in-one, a good place to start your search is with our highest-rated AIO printers outlined above and in our detailed spec table. Looking beyond strictly AIO models, if you are interested in exploring more printer options to expand your search, consider our top printer picks overall, as well as our favorite inkjet and laser models.
