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Best Inkjet Printer for Home
Megan Edwards
|
November 14, 2018
Whether you’re a professional photographer or simply want to print out pictures for Grandma, a solid, at-home printer is an essential item for every busy household.
The problem is, with so many on the market, which one is right for your needs? How do you tell the difference between them? Is an all-in-one printer better than a standard printer?
HP® offers dozens of inkjet printers that deliver crisp blacks and bold colors to ensure all your projects pop off the page. When you want to get professional-grade prints from your home office, HP® has the right device to get the job done. Let’s take a look at features of different kinds of printers so you have all the information you need before deciding on which printer is right for you.
The difference between inkjet and laser printers
Before we dive into which printer is the best for your at-home needs, it’s important to know the proper terminology behind the technology.
Just like the name suggests, inkjet printers use ink to create images or text documents. Through spraying a series of tiny dots onto the page, four basic colors are combined to generate an exact replica of your file.
Paper quality is important for inkjet printers because rough or low-quality paper can blur the precise combinations of ink dots, which makes your image look blurry.
Laser printers use heat to fuse toner, an electronically charged powder, onto the paper fibers of each page. Because the image is fused to the paper, there’s no danger of your print smudging once printing is complete.
Originally designed to accommodate the large volume of projects in a bustling workplace, laser printers are ideal for offices that require speedy turnaround times and medium-quality color photos.
When it comes to home use, you can’t beat an inkjet printer. Vivid photographs will make your yearly holiday card come to life and budget-friendly options will keep the cost of printing lengthy school projects relatively low.
Not to mention, many inkjet printers are designed to fit into small home office spaces. Their economical construction and unobtrusive exterior blend in perfectly with all your other at-home devices so you get the quality of a professional print shop without the pain of large equipment.
All-in-one printers versus print-only devices
Even though you’ve narrowed down your selection to an inkjet printer, the next task is to choose between an all-in-one or a print-only device.
When you need to scan, fax, copy, and print both text and photo documents, an all-in-one is absolutely the way to go. These multi-tasking machines make office chores a breeze with their slew of efficient features.
But if you don’t need the bells and whistles of an all-in-one, a print-only device is always a safe bet. These printers specialize in producing high-quality photos and complex text prints that will surely spruce up a bare wall or impress your boss in an important meeting.
No matter which model you choose, HP printers are equipped with a host of exceptional features that banish fears of difficult setups and frustrating upkeep. And most HP printing devices feature mobile printing capabilities so you can easily send jobs from your smartphone or tablet straight to the print queue.
When it’s time to scan or copy a document, intuitive touch screens and clearly-labeled buttons guide you through the print process so each project looks exactly how you envisioned it. Plus, when it’s time to replace your ink, the HP Instant Ink printer service plan makes it easy to get new cartridges delivered straight to your door.
Whether you’re looking for the best home printer-scanner or the best color laser printer for home, HP® has the tech you need to turn your house into a productive haven.
Key features to look for in home inkjet printers
With all the complex lingo surrounding printers, it can be difficult to determine which features are the most important for your at-home device. There are a couple key specifications to keep your eye on while browsing for an HP printer.
PPM
PPM stands for Page Per Minute, and it indicates how many pages your printer can create within 60 seconds. If you need to finish high-volume projects in a hurry, opt for a printer with a high PPM so you never have to wait on slow print times.
The HP OfficeJet Pro 8710 all-in-one printer is equipped for 22 PPM, making it ideal for bustling households that need documents printed in a flash. Forget to print out resumes before a job interview? This printer works overtime to make sure you won’t show up empty-handed.
It’s important to note that a speedy PPM isn’t ideal for users who want to print professional-grade photos at home. When you want to create a masterpiece worthy of the Louvre, rushing the process will only lessen the quality. In this case, opt for a printer with a lower PPM to make sure every pixel is exactly where it needs to be.
Wireless connectivity
Ever need to print a document while you’re out-and-about? Thanks to multiple wireless connectivity options, you can get the job done from virtually anywhere. If you’re able to connect to the same WiFi network as the printer, you’ll be able to send your order to the queue in just a few clicks.
If you aren’t able to connect, printers like the HP OfficeJet 3830 AiO home printer feature a built-in network that will let you wirelessly print from any of your mobile devices. When you aren’t at home, simply send your document as an attachment to the printer’s HP ePrint email address. Whether you’re out running errands or working late at the office, never let distance separate you from having your in-house projects printed on time.
Ink yield
If your daily schedule requires a lot of printing, it’s a good idea to look for an at-home device that can handle large workloads with a high ink yield. Typically, ink cartridges come in several different sizes such as standard yield, high yield, and extra high yield. The yield size corresponds to how many pages it can print before you need a refill.
When you opt for a printer with Original HP High Yield Ink, you can instantly double the number of prints per cartridge. Powerhouse machines like the HP OfficeJet Pro 8740 AiO printer take advantage of this technology so you can maximize your output without worrying about constantly restocking supplies.
These cartridges are constructed to deliver consistent high-quality work so you can rest assured all your projects will come out looking flawless. Despite the economic design of high yield cartridges, the depth of the colors and richness of the black is never diminished when you invest in one of HP’s best all-in-one inkjet printers.
Like most other features, the right ink yield for your personal device depends on how you plan to use it. Standard yield cartridges are perfect for the average family, but artists and students may want to up the ante with a yield that can tackle rigorous projects.
DPI
DPI, or dots per inch, corresponds to the resolution of the images you’ll be printing. The higher the DPI, the better quality prints you’ll get. Inkjet printers create images through marking each page with thousands of little dots to make up the larger image.
A low DPI means you’ll be able to see the individual dots more clearly, which often doesn’t look very professional. No matter what you need your at-home printer for, HP® prides itself on engineering equipment that delivers professional-grade photos and documents with a detailed DPI.
Many printers, like the HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 AiO printer, feature an optimized DPI of 4800 x 1200. While the standard DPI for this printer is 1200 x 1200, the optimized mode can be activated whenever you want true-to-life photos that are ready to be hung in a gallery.
Before selecting your at-home printer, take a look at the DPI to make sure you’ll be able to get the quality you desire.
How to determine which inkjet printer works for your home
Before pulling the trigger on a new printer, ask yourself a few questions about its function in your home.
- How often will you use it?
- Will photos or documents take up most of the pages you use?
- Do you need to scan and copy documents on a regular basis?
You can invest in a jack-of-all-trades device with one of the best home printers on the market. The HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 all-in-one printer is ready to handle even the toughest tasks. Equipped with automatic two-sided printing capabilities and a monthly duty cycle of up to 20,000 pages, you’ll be able to print, scan, and copy to your heart’s content.
If size is an issue, fear not; HP® carries the world’s smallest all-in-one printer. At only 15.86 x 6.97 x 5.55 inches, the HP DeskJet 3755 home printer is perfect for compact home offices that can’t afford to sacrifice any extra space. But don’t let the small size fool you - this terrific piece of tech is packed full of all the helpful features of its larger counterparts.
Do you frequently create eye-catching presentations or pamphlets? One of the best home color printers available, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 wide-format printer is ideal for busy professionals who need to wow clients or coworkers with exceptional prints. This machine can handle legal size documents and produce water, smear, and fade-resistant prints so your work withstands the test of time.
For creative professionals, the best home photo printer might be a bit more intense than the standard device. When you need to print large posters and gallery-sized photos, the HP DesignJet Z3200 large-format printer guarantees award-winning quality. Make your projects stand out with bold 24 x 66-inch prints, and feel confident knowing that this powerful printer is compatible with dozens of paper types.
Make the world your office with the HP OfficeJet 200 mobile printer. This nifty machine can deliver high-quality documents on the road so you never run into a printing emergency again.
Wirelessly connect to it and send print jobs straight from your mobile device. The long battery life and durable construction ensure it can withstand the rigors of travel, making it truly one of the best home wireless printers out there.
Wish printing could be as easy as playing with your smartphone? With the HP Tango smart home printer, it is. This sleek machine uses cloud-based printing to set up a two-way network connection.
Print and scan directly from your phone, get notifications, use voice commands to customize the print queue, and send documents straight to the cloud. The elegant design blends in with your home decor so you never have to worry about clunky technology creating an eyesore in your little oasis.
No matter what your needs may be, HP® carries the best inkjet printers for home use. From students to CEOs, it’s important to find the right device to take the hassle out of all your printing needs.
How to save money on at-home printing
Tired of spending time and money on sending your documents to a print shop? With an HP home printer, you can get professional-quality projects for a fraction of the cost. Even if you print in bulk every day, there are plenty of ways to print from the comfort of your home without breaking the bank.
HP Instant Ink services
There’s nothing worse than running out of ink when you have an important document to print. With HP Instant Ink, you’ll never have that problem again. Once you sign up, your at-home inkjet printer communicates when you’re low on specific ink cartridges and new ink is then shipped straight to your door.
No annual fees, included shipping prices, and pre-paid printer cartridge recycling are all included with your subscription. Pick from four different plans that are designed to fit your unique needs to give you the most efficient printing process possible.
Double-sided printing
Make your paper last longer when you opt for an HP printer that’s equipped to handle double-sided projects. Not only will your print jobs be more efficient, but you’ll save money on replenishing your paper supply in the process.
Also known as duplex printing, devices like the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 all-in-one printer automatically feed your paper through twice to achieve cost-efficient print jobs. This feature improves your ability to scan two-sided documents and save them directly to your computer, giving you all the capabilities of a print shop at your fingertips.
ENERGY STAR® Certified
Looking for an environmentally friendly printer? Many HP devices are ENERGY STAR® certified to help reduce the impact of your at-home energy consumption. Lower both your monthly energy bill and greenhouse gas emissions by investing in a printer that makes the most efficient use of its processing power.
When you’re on the hunt for the best home office printer, HP® has got you covered. From speedy all-in-one machines to nimble color photo printers, there’s guaranteed to be a device to meet your needs.
Related articles:
- Best HP Home Printers
- Best HP Photo Printers
- Best Printers for College Students
- 10 Best HP Instant Ink Eligible Printers
About the Author: Megan Edwards is a contributing writer for HP® Tech Takes. Megan is a digital content creator based in Southern California and specializes in creating multimedia content for various industries, including technology.
