The 5 Best Printers for Home Use
What comes out of your home printer most often: a return label, a school worksheet, a colored recipe or a photograph? That answer matters more than a long wireless-feature list. Inkjet makes sense for mixed color pages; a small mono laser is a better tool for stacks of black text. And a refillable tank earns its higher purchase price only when you print enough to use the ink. I would decide the page mix before looking at the sticker price.
For most occasional households, the Canon TS6520 covers print, scan and copy at an accessible price. The G3270 is the color-volume alternative, Brother is for text, HP Envy adds another everyday duplex option, and TR7120 is worth a look when you prefer its paper handling. The hidden comparison is replacement ink or toner plus paper, so check the exact cartridge or bottle before choosing the lowest upfront offer.
Our top 5 printers for home use
Swipe to compare price, rating and best use →
| Product | Price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
01 Canon PIXMA TS6520Details ↓ | $79.00 | 4.2/5Amazon | Best occasional home all-rounder |
02 Canon MegaTank G3270Details ↓ | $199.00 | 4.1/5Amazon | Best for frequent color pages |
03 Brother HL-L2405WDetails ↓ | $139.99 | 4.0/5Amazon | Best black-text workhorse |
04 HP Envy 6155Details ↓ | $159.89 | 4.1/5Amazon | Best HP home alternative |
05 Canon PIXMA TR7120Details ↓ | $89.00 | 4.2/5Amazon | Best Canon with office-style paper needs |
01 — Canon
Best occasional home all-rounderCanon PIXMA TS6520
TS6520 is the home printer I would start with for a mix of labels, homework, forms and occasional color pages. The exact Canon model lists wireless print, scan and copy plus automatic two-sided output, so it covers common household jobs in one small purchase. It is a cartridge inkjet; before committing, I would price the replacement cartridges for your likely page volume rather than assume the low entry offer means cheap long-term printing.
It ranks first for the widest ordinary home use at the checked price. Brother is better for repeated black text and G3270 can justify itself for sustained color volume, but neither is as simple a default for a low-volume mixed home.
View on Amazon ↗Homes printing a little of everything.
You print enough color pages to justify refillable tanks.
What I like
+Affordable color all-in-one with duplex.
What to weigh
−Cartridge cost can dominate at higher volume.
- ProductType
- printer
02 — Canon
Best for frequent color pagesCanon MegaTank G3270
The G3270 replaces small cartridges with refillable ink tanks. I would put it on a shopping list when a family regularly prints color worksheets or projects and dislikes buying cartridges every few weeks. The upfront price is much higher than TS6520, and tank economics depend on actually using it; compare scanning and paper-handling requirements against the exact Canon specification before treating it as a universal upgrade.
Second place reflects a real buyer split rather than a simple quality ladder. It can be first for a color-heavy household, while TS6520 is easier to justify for sporadic pages.
View on Amazon ↗Families printing repeated color assignments.
You print only a few pages a month.
What I like
+Refillable tanks for sustained color use.
What to weigh
−Higher initial spend needs page volume.
- ProductType
- printer
03 — Brother
Best black-text workhorseBrother HL-L2405W
Brother's HL-L2405W is a compact wireless monochrome laser, built around text rather than photos. I would buy it for shipping labels, forms and long documents when color is rarely needed. Check the starter toner yield and future drum or toner costs in the exact package; this model is not a stand-in for a color all-in-one, and a separate scanner may still be necessary.
Third place is intentional specialization. It outranks every color inkjet here for a black-text-only buyer, but the lack of color and scanning keeps it from leading a general home guide.
View on Amazon ↗Households printing mainly black documents.
You need color photos or built-in scanning.
What I like
+Simple monochrome laser workflow.
What to weigh
−No color or all-in-one features.
- Output
- Monochrome
- Connection
- Wireless
- Functions
04 — HP
Best HP home alternativeHP Envy 6155
HP's Envy 6155 gives a home a color inkjet with printing, scanning, copying and automatic two-sided output. I would compare its screen and app workflow with Canon's TS6520 if several family members send pages from phones. The more important decision is the exact cartridge price and whether any optional ink subscription suits your habits; an ongoing plan should be a choice, not a surprise.
Fourth place reflects overlap with the lower-priced Canon default at this check. It moves up when you prefer HP's controls, connection process or support and have confirmed the supply cost.
View on Amazon ↗HP households wanting a color all-in-one.
You want the lowest upfront mixed-use printer.
What I like
+Print, scan, copy and duplex in one device.
What to weigh
−Competes directly with a cheaper Canon.
- ProductType
- printer
05 — Canon
Best Canon with office-style paper needsCanon PIXMA TR7120
TR7120 is another Canon color all-in-one, worth comparing when home work includes more document handling alongside occasional color. Its listing includes wireless printing, scanning, copying and duplex; I would check the exact paper path, tray capacity and cartridge family before paying for features a household may never use. It is still a cartridge printer, so high-volume color jobs can change the value calculation quickly.
Fifth place reflects how close it sits to the TS6520 for many homes. I would move it above that model only if its particular document-handling details solve a task in your house.
View on Amazon ↗Homes comparing Canon's document-oriented layout.
You want the simplest or least expensive Canon option.
What I like
+Mixed document and color all-in-one functions.
What to weigh
−Value depends on exact paper workflow.
- ProductType
- printer
Price information
Amazon price and availability checked Oct 17, 2026, 10:25 PM Lisbon time. Prices and availability are subject to change; the information shown on Amazon.com at purchase applies.
Our process
How we picked.
We compare five relevant products for different needs, using documented specifications, clear use cases and practical trade-offs. Our goal is to make the differences clear and help you choose with confidence.
- 01Relevance
Each product must fit the guide’s intended use, audience and requirements.
- 02Specifications
We compare the key product details that meaningfully affect the buying decision.
- 03Use case and fit
We compare the intended use, configuration and practical fit of every selected product.
- 04Strengths and limitations
We explain where each option performs best and the compromises to consider.
Good questions
FAQ — Printers for Home Use
01Is a tank printer worth it for occasional home printing?+
Often no. A tank system costs more upfront; compare its bottle cost and your realistic color-page volume against a less expensive cartridge printer.
02Should I buy a monochrome laser printer for home?+
Choose one when most pages are black text and you do not need color or photo printing. Check whether the exact model scans, copies or offers automatic duplex before ordering.
The short answer
Start with the Canon PIXMA TS6520.
I recommend it for homes printing a little of everything. Choose something else if you print enough color pages to justify refillable tanks.
View on Amazon ↗Keep looking
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