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Top product: Brother HL-L2350DW | $ 120 | Amazon
Most of us thought things would be back to normal by now and we would all be safe in our offices … but no. There may be good signs on the horizon, but the pandemic has made our work-from-home settings pretty permanent. And once you’ve looked into buying a home printer, it may be time to face the facts and just bite the bullet.
We get it: Unless you’re a heavy printer, you probably don’t want a huge, dedicated device that takes up space and collects dust most of the time. However, there are much smaller printers out there these days that cut the fat by creating smart snippets of things like perks and print speed, but still have solid printing capabilities. Some can even be used on the go.
Would you like a printer that is not a thorn in the side? Here are some of the best compact printers today.
Best Compact Printer Value: Brother HL-L2350DW
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“I’ve been burned a million times by cheap inkjet printers,” said Brian Kelleher, director of content at Killer guitar rigs, told me in an interview. “A friend suggested I get me a laser printer and after weighing what I actually needed – something small [that] never [prints] in color, [and] must contain [a] Scanner – I took this one Brother Compact Monochrome Laser Printer. ”
“It’s the best printer I’ve ever owned,” Kelleher says enthusiastically. “I’ve had it for a year now and have just replaced the toner cartridge for the first time. It never jams, never runs out of ink, and the toner cartridge was cheaper than ink. “
Like many parents, Kelleher has a young child to support, and this printer has been a lifesaver for him. “I printed thousands of worksheets for my kids without explaining to a 3-year-old what a paper jam was – and I didn’t have to go out and get new ink because it never runs out.”
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Our friends at Gizmodo recently Put multiple home printers into a head-to-head battle Also, the Brother HL-L2350DW found it to be the most affordable printer in the range, making it a compact option that can also save you money over time.
“While you get 1,200 pages per cartridge in the cheapest Brother toner cartridge, it costs only $ 43 upfront,” wrote Gizmodo’s John Biggs. “With the Brother HL-L2350DW starting at just $ 120 and a $ 43 toner cartridge that pays you 3 cents per side, it’s the absolute winner if you’re looking to save your wallet.”
Best portable compact printer: Epson Workforce WF-110
Mark Condon is the CEO and founder of Shotkit. As the CEO of a photography company, he needs both a high quality printer and a portable printer. “I would suggest that Epson WorkForce, “Candon emailed me.
The Epson WorkForce WF-110 is extremely light and one of the lightest mobile printers on the market. Candon continues, “It comes with a nice built-in battery that allows users to print up to 100 pages on a single charge, which is quite good for a printer of its quality and size. It also generates some great looking prints for a portable printer and includes tons of connectivity options to ensure users stay truly mobile while using them. “
Of course, slow printing is definitely a disadvantage, but for Candon this printer is really an “all-round winner,” he tells me. “It’s easy to maintain and the price of the ink is low, which is beneficial in terms of long-term use and cost-effectiveness.”
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Best smartphone compatibility: HP Tango X.
The HP Tango X. wasn’t on my list when I was looking for a printer, but the HP model I thought I wanted has been discontinued. Luckily HP sent me this and it was exactly what I needed.
I don’t print very often; In fact, most of the time I only have to print shipping labels as my local UPS store charges an arm and a leg for it. I would only use the printer once a week and only briefly. Also, I often try to print from my phone rather than my computer. I love how the HP Tango allows me to easily email my printer so that things can be printed wirelessly, and I can even use voice commands. It really is a smart home office device.
In addition, the HP Tango X doesn’t take up much space on my desk. It fits in a small corner and folds up completely flat. It holds up a vase of flowers when I’m not in use.
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Best for NYC apartments (and NYC size): Canon Pixma TR150
My editor, Gabe Carey, director of content and strategy here at The Inventory, is a technical reviewer through and through. He lives in Manhattan and doesn’t have much room for a bulky all-in-one inkjet printer. “However, when we work from home, we both have to print our own shipping labels to send and receive packages,” he tells me.
The Canon Pixma TR150 is the little printer that it does the job with. At just 12.7 x 7.3 x 2.6 inches, it claims it is “the best compact printer for our limited space and budget”.
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While some people see the 50-page limit as a disadvantage, he doesn’t. In fact, “everything about it is exaggerated.” As a technical appraiser, Carey raves about the wireless nature of the printer and how easy it is to set up. “An optional battery keeps the cord free, while a 1.44-inch OLED display guides you through an easy set-up.”
Ultimately, this is the perfect all-round printer. “Not only is it small and light, but the Pixma TR150 is accessible enough that I recommend it to everyone,” says Carey.
Bottom line?
If the lack of a printer is about as stressful as the thought of having a huge, typical home printer in your room, then you should compromise: a compact printer can meet your basic needs without taking up a lot of space.
Compact printers like the above can spit out standout pages, but they may lack some of the bonus features of larger models. But they have hit a sweet spot in terms of size, capabilities, and price. Once these people have found a printer that suits their needs, so can you.
This story was originally published by Chaya Milchtein on October 2020 and updated with new information by Andrew Hayward on 02/26/2021.
