Best Home Printers – Choose The Best Printer For Your Home Printing Needs

There are a lot of reasons why printers are becoming a necessity in the home for many people. These reasons include but are not limited to the fact that a large portion of New Zealanders are now working remotely, distance learning, diving into new projects or running a small business, or simply looking to express their creativity in new ways.

When compared to making a trip to the nearest print shop or ordering prints online, a home printer can add a tonne of convenience and even save you money! All from home, you can create physical copies of documents, print reference material, signs, images, craft projects, and more. With so many printers to choose from, it can feel like a pretty daunting task. That’s why we’ve put together this quick guide to help you choose the best printer for your needs.

Jump to:

• What to Consider When Buying
• Best on a Budget
• Best for Families
• Best for Home Office (Inkjet)
• Best for Home Office (Laser)
• Best for Creative Work
• Best for Portability

What to Consider When Buying a Printer

Before we dive into our top picks, let's cover some of the key factors to consider when buying a printer. We'll include more than one option for each category so understanding the specs will help you make an informed choice.

• Inkjet vs. Laser: The first thing to consider is whether you need an inkjet printer or a laser printer. An inkjet printer is best suited for tasks that include high-quality colour images and photographs. Laser printers excel at producing fast, efficient, and crisp black and white text output.
• Print Quality: Take note of the printer's DPI (dots per inch) rating. It measures the resolution of the prints that your printer can produce. Higher DPI generally means better-quality images and text.
• Cost: Look beyond just the purchase price of the printer. Analyse the cost-per-page factor, which includes the price of ink or toner cartridges, their yield (how many pages they can print), and the frequency of replacement.
• Print Speed: If you print high volumes or in a hurry, you'll appreciate a fast printer. Laser printers usually print faster than inkjet printers (of course, keep in mind laser is less ideal for photos and colours).
• Connectivity: Most printers connect via USB but wireless connectivity offers greater flexibility. You might need WiFi or Bluetooth if you want to print from your mobile devices. Most of the printers on this list have wireless connectivity unless stated otherwise.
• Versatility: If your workload involves more than printing, consider a multifunction or all-in-one printer that also scans, copies, and faxes.
• Paper Handling: Pay attention to the printer's paper handling capacity. Some printers have auto-duplex (double-sided printing) and can handle different paper sizes. The size of the input and output trays may also affect your decision. 

For more in-depth information about what to look for when buying a printer, check out our Printer Buying Guide!

Best on a Budget

If you have fairly basic printing needs or don’t have a large budget for a printer, don’t worry, there are plenty of affordable models that’ll do a good job! We’ve included inkjet options as well as a laser option. Keep in mind, inkjet printers generally have a lower upfront cost but may cost more to run over time. Laser printers on the other hand, have a higher upfront cost, but the cost per page printed is typically lower, meaning you’ll save more in the long run if you have a high print volume (unless you're printing in colour). Laser printers are recommended for anyone predominantly printing in black and white. 

Canon PIXMA TS5160 Inkjet

The PIXMA TS5160 is a reliable all-in-one home printer that's perfect for everyday printing needs. Compact, affordable and efficient, it’s an ideal basic printer for the home. Its size makes it suitable for small spaces, and its multifunctionality allows for printing, scanning, and copying. It supports a resolution of 4800 x 600 dpi and has print speeds of up to 13 PPM for black and white and 7 PPM for colour prints. Additionally, it has a dual paper feeder allowing flexibility in how your printer receives paper. It covers just about everything you need at a truly affordable price point! It even has wireless support, allowing you to print with applications such as PIXMA Cloud Print, Apple AirPront, and Google Cloud Print.

_{DPI: 4800 x 600 - Print Speed: Up to 8 PPM for B&W and 4 PPM for colour - Connectivity: USB, Wireless, Bluetooth (Android) - Auto-Duplex Function: No}

HP Envy 6020E Inkjet

The HP Envy 6020E is another great budget-friendly option. This multifunctional device can print, scan, and copy with ease. It can do it all wirelessly too! Users can print directly from their mobile devices using the HP Smart App. The printer offers sharp print quality with a resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 dpi for colour prints, and 1200 x 1200 for black and white. It has a print speed of up to 20 PPM for black and white prints, and up to 17 PPM for colour prints. It also supports wireless connectivity and has an auto-duplex function! HP ink typically costs more than Canon’s or Brother’s, however, with an HP Instant Ink subscription, you can enjoy convenience and cost-saving advantages. 

_{DPI: 4800 x 1200 - Print Speed: Up to 20 PPM for B&W, 17 PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mobile - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Brother Home HL1210W Mono Laser

The Brother HL1210W is a compact, yet efficient monochrome laser printer that is perfect for home use, especially if printing primarily in black and white. This printer offers wireless connectivity which makes it ideal for a modern home setup, as it can easily connect to your devices for seamless printing. It supports a resolution of up to 2400 x 600 dpi, ensuring crisp and clear prints; and a printing speed of up to 21 PPM, ensuring rapid output. Not only does it perform efficiently, but it’s also cost-efficient, with affordable toner cartridges and lower running costs. A great choice for those with basic, black and white printing needs!

_{DPI: 2400 x 600 - Print Speed: Up to 20 PPM for B&W - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile Printing - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Best for Families

If you have general printing needs with children in the family, therefore, may find yourself printing things for home learning – such as printing infographics, handouts, or school work for primary-intermediate school children – we recommend an inkjet printer. Inkjet printers handle colour printing well making it a great choice if you’re printing graphics and images often. If you’re printing colours frequently, the running cost is actually quite favourable compared to laser printers which will often be much higher for the same number of images.

Brother Home DCPJ1050DW Inkjet

The Brother Home DCPJ1050DW is a great choice for those with children, as it offers all you could possibly need for school, learning and other general printing needs. This stylish, compact all-in-one printer offers printing, scanning, and copying - helping with everything, from homework to colour photographs. It delivers high-quality prints with a resolution of up to 6000 x 1200 dpi; print speeds up to 30 PPM for Black and White and up to 12 PPM in colour; and automatic double-sided printing. A high-capacity paper tray reduces the need for frequent refills, adding convenience for busy families. 

_{DPI: Up to 6000 x 1200 - Print Speed: Up to 30 PPM for B&W, 12 PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Canon PIXMA TS6360A Inkjet

The Canon PIXMA TS6360a is a sleek all-in-one printer that can print, scan, and copy, offering an all-in-one solution for various needs, from home-learning to general printing. This printer delivers high-quality prints with a resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 DPI; and has print speeds up to 15 PPM in black and white and up to 10 PPM in colour. Additionally, it is compatible with various film and paper types, including magnetic and restickable photo paper. This makes it perfect for documents and projects with the kids!

_{DPI: 4800 x 1200 - Print Speed: Up to 15 PPM for B&W, 10 PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mobile - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Best for Home Office (Inkjet)

Every home office needs a decent printer. If you’re going to be printing a combination of text and images, we’d recommend a more sophisticated inkjet printer model. These are printers that will deliver higher-quality prints and often have more features compared to entry-level inkjet printers. They’re well-equipped to handle a mix of black and white and colour printing demands.

Canon PIXMA TR7660a Printer

The Canon PIXMA TR7660a All-in-One Printer is a great option for the home office setup, especially for those who don't want to spend too much. It offers high productivity printing with print speeds of approximately 15 PPM for black and 10 PPM for colour, and an automatic duplex function. It also offers printing, scanning, and faxing, all performed with a high print resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 dpi. Wi-Fi connectivity also makes setup super simple and allows you to print quickly and easily from your computer or smartphone

_{DPI: 4800 x 1200 - Print Speed: Up to 15 PPM for B&W, 10 PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile Printing - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Brother MFCJ4440DW Printer

The Brother MFCJ4440DW is another excellent choice for the home office, especially for those who prioritise efficiency. There are many ways this robust printer will make your home work-life easier. First, it combines printing, scanning, copying, and faxing functionalities, with high-resolution printing of up to 6000 x 1200 dpi; and high speed printing at up to 13 PPM for black and white and 10 PPM for colour prints. Additionally, the high-yield cartridges for this printer are made to yield up to 3,000 pages so you won't have to worry about replenishing the ink so frequently. A reliable choice for the home office!

_{DPI: 6000 x 1200 - Print Speed: Up to 13 PPM for B&W, 10 PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile, Ethernet - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Best for Home Office (Laser)

If you’ll mostly be printing documents in the home office with little need for image-printing, we recommend a laser printer. Laser printers cost more upfront, but they provide the best performance, are more convenient to use, and in most cases, have an overall cheaper running cost (unless you’re printing in colour). Most laser printers print in black and white, but in case you’d like the option to print in colour, we’ve also included a colour option.

Brother DCP-1610W Mono Laser Printer

The Brother DCP-1610W Mono Laser Printer is a top-notch option for the home office, and it offers great value too! Known for its efficiency and reliability, this monochrome laser printer performs at efficient speeds, capable of printing up to 20 PPM. Its print resolution of up to 2400 x 600 dpi ensures detailed, sharp black and white prints. If you frequently print things double-sided, keep in mind that this printer does not have an automatic duplex option. Brother is known to have cheaper toner and ink making this a great choice for those concerned about long-term costs. 

_{DPI: 2400 x 600 - Print Speed: Up to 34 PPM for B&W - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi - Auto-Duplex Function: No}

HP LaserJet Pro 4001DN Mono Laser Printer

The HP LaserJet Pro 4001DN Mono Laser Printer is another top contender in the laser printer category for the home office. This robust monochrome printer has high-speed performance, delivering impressive printing speeds of up to 42 PPM for black and white prints. Its high print resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi guarantees crisp, professional-quality documents. The printer also offers Ethernet connectivity along with HP ePrint and Apple AirPrint features, allowing for easy mobile and network printing. 

_{DPI: 1200 x 1200 - Print Speed: Up to 42 PPM for B&W - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile, Ethernet - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Brother DCPL3551CDW

If you'd like the option to also print colour, we recommend the Brother DCP-L3560CDW Colour Laser Printer.  This printer provides impressive functionality and performance, providing high-quality prints at a resolution of up to 2400 x 600 dpi and has a printing speed of up to 18 PPM. It offers Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing for convenient wireless printing from devices throughout your home. Additionally, it supports mobile printing through apps like Mopria, Google Cloud Print, and Apple AirPrint. In the long-term, colour printing can be more expensive on a laser printer than an inkjet printer so this is something to keep in mind if you'll be printing colour often.

_{DPI: 2400 x 600 - Print Speed: Up to 18 PPM for B&W and Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile, Ethernet - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Best for Creative Work

If you’re printing for arts, crafts, and creative work, you will need a printer that’s up to the task. Not only should you look for a quality inkjet printer, but you should also ensure that it has a high DPI (dots per inch). The DPI is a measure of the resolution of a printed image and the higher the dot density, the higher the resolution. Put simply, this means that the higher the DPI, the sharper your image will be. Lower DPI printers means fewer dots while printing, which may result in ink spread, fuzzy lines, and lower resolution images.

Epson Expression XP-15000 Inkjet 

The Epson Expression XP-15000 Inkjet Printer is a top choice for creative work. This printer is particularly renowned for its superior photo printing capabilities. It delivers superior, professional-level image quality with a high resolution of up to 5760 x 1440 dpi. The printer operates at decent speeds, outputting documents at 9.2 PPM for black prints and 9 PPM for colour. It has a wide colour gamut, capable of producing vibrant and vivid images, essential for creative and artistic projects. The XP-15000 also supports a range of paper finishes and sizes - from CDs to A3+ size, offering remarkable versatility. 

_{DPI: 5760 x 1440 - Print Speed: Up to 9.2 PPM for B&W and 9PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile, Ethernet - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Canon IX6860 A3 Printer

The Canon IX6860 A3 Printer is another excellent choice for creative work. Known for its high quality prints and versatility, this machine is particularly well-suited to creatives who require broad format options, as it supports printing sizes up to A3+. It delivers exceptional image quality with its resolution of up to 9600 x 2400 dpi, making it an excellent tool for detailed and vivid artwork or photography prints. It also efficiently handles document printing at speeds of 14.5 PPM in black and white and 10.4 PPM in colour. 

_{DPI: 9600 x 2400 - Print Speed: Up to 14.5 PPM for B&W and 10.4 PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile, Ethernet - Auto-Duplex Function: Yes}

Canon Pixma TS8360

For those looking for great value, check out the Canon PIXMA TS8360! This versatile printer is well-suited for creative work, offering excellent print quality for both photos and documents. In addition to the standard pigment-based black cartridge and dye-based CMYK cartridges that most printers include, this one also features a pigment-based 'Photo Blue' cartridge. This increases the colour gamut and enables smoother gradations and reduced graininess when printing blues. This printer also offers wireless connectivity, allowing you to print from your smartphone or tablet, and it supports borderless printing for creating stunning photo prints.

Best for Portability

If you have a small working space or you want something you can take with you when you travel for work, a printer that’s designed for mobility is worth looking into. These printers feature a compact design that’s easy to take on-the-go and/or fit into small spaces. Despite a slim and compact design, they’re just as capable at producing quality prints for your everyday business needs.

Canon PIXMA TR150 Portable Printer

The Canon PIXMA TR150 offers a compact design and reliable performance. This petite but potent printer offers impressive print quality with a resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 dpi, ensuring sharp, vivid prints whether for documents or photos. It operates at a decent speed, producing up to 9 black and white pages and 5.5 colour PPM. It is truly portable, featuring a slim design and optional battery that enables printing on the go. It also supports mobile printing from both iOS and Android devices, making it extremely convenient to use.

_{DPI: 4800 x 1200 - Print Speed: Up to 9 PPM for B&W and 5.5 PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile - Auto-Duplex Function: No}

HP Officejet 250 Mobile Printer

The HP Officejet 250 Mobile Printer is a compact, portable printer that offers great functionality and convenience. This all-in-one device offers printing, scanning, and copying capabilities, all housed within a compact design that’s perfect for on-the-go use. It boasts a high resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 dpi for colour prints; and also offers a decent printing speed of up to 10 PPM for black and white prints and 7 PPM for colour. It has a durable battery that allows for truly portable printing and includes support for mobile printing through the HP ePrint app. 

_{DPI: 4800 x 1200 - Print Speed: Up to 10 PPM for B&W and 7 PPM for Colour - Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Mobile - Auto-Duplex Function: No}

So there you have it, the top printers we'd recommend for your home depending on what you'll be using it for. To check out what other printers are available, head over to PB Tech to view our entire range of Printers & Office supplies.