When you are shopping for a printer, there is a lot to consider. You need a printer which is flexible enough to meet your family's needs, but also within your budget. A model that is durable and reliable will also be important.
Consumer Reports reviews printers and gives them ratings based on different criteria. These include the text quality and photographs. CR rates more than 200 printers, ranging from $39 for a low-cost inkjet up to $800 or more for a high-end color laser.
Home Printers for 2020
It's crucial to select a printer which will perform well right out of the package and consistently over time, whether you are printing for business or pleasure. Consumer Reports surveys its members and runs a battery test on each model to determine the brand's reliability. The data helps CR estimate how likely a specific brand's products are to encounter problems at the end of the fourth year they have been owned, roughly half way through their expected life span.
Costs for Ink & Maintenance Cleanup
Ink cartridges running out and the cost of replacing them are two major concerns for printer owners. To find out, Consumer Reports tested models for two different uses: continuous printing and intermittent, or "maintenance," printing, which simulated real-world use.
In continuous usage, some of the tested models only used around half of their total ink supply. In intermittent printing they can use more than 20%.
Refillable Tank Inkjets
Inkjet printers with refillable tanks are more efficient compared to cartridge-based machines. Ink is used less for maintenance and refills. They're also more expensive up front, but they should last longer than traditional models, so they'll cost less in the long run.
Best Home Printers in 2020
For a home office or small business, you need a good laser printer that's easy to use and can handle heavy workloads. HP Envy 7855 - a multifunction device with excellent print qualities and features that are geared towards productivity, such as an automatic document feed (ADF), a double-sided duplexer, and multiple paper trays suited for various media types – is our top choice. HP's system of five ink tanks should allow it to print lots of photos, without wasting much ink.
Switching from Arial font to Times New Roman is another great way to save money on printer ink. This is a small change that will give you 27% extra mileage from your cartridges. It could save you money over time. Inkjets which allow you to choose fonts could save you more.