Best Printers of 2025, Tested and Reviewed

Add all of that up and it’s no surprise that consumer satisfaction with inkjet printers, as measured in those same surveys, is quite low.

That’s why we find that for typical home use, the best option is generally a black-and-white laser. Our research shows that people rarely print graphics and almost never print photos, but they print lots and lots of text in black and white.

And that’s where monochrome laser printers excel. They print crisp text, and they print it fast and economically. Our survey data says they’re generally more reliable than inkjets in the long term, which is why many of the survey respondents who bought laser printers really love them.

What about those times when you need to print in color? Most office supply stores can do a beautiful job of printing that one-off presentation, your kid’s school project, or those precious family photos on a professional-quality printer for relatively little money.

Some people, however, do need to print in color quite frequently, and if that’s you, there’s still a way to do so that’s economical. With tank printers, which use refillable ink reservoirs instead of disposable ink cartridges, you can spend less than $10 a year on bottled ink as opposed to $100 or more for ink cartridges. Color laser printers are also an option, though their relatively high purchase price and toner costs make them better suited to a small business or a graphics pro.