Inkjet printers are some of the most commonly used printers among consumers and small businesses. With new models starting around $100, they are reasonably priced and relatively small and lightweight in comparison to laser printers. They are also affordable to maintain since you can refill the ink cartridges once empty at a fraction of the cost of purchasing new ones. Most importantly, inkjet printers provide high-quality printing. While they may not boast the print speeds of laser printers, inkjet printers are designed for optimal print quality and can even be used to print professional-quality photographs at home.
On this site, you’ll find informative articles on inkjet printers and comprehensive reviews as well as our side-by-side comparison. Through extensive research, we found the best inkjet printers on the market to be the Lexmark Prospect Pro205, the HP OfficeJet Pro 8000 and the Canon Pixma iP4920. At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™
All inkjet printers may be similar in function, but differences in design and features separate the best printers from the mediocre ones. There are many factors to consider when looking for an inkjet printer, including printing quality, features, design, and supplementary help and support options. We used these factors as our criteria to evaluate these devices:
Printing
The best inkjet printers provide high printing resolutions for both color and black and white documents and images. The higher the resolution, the better the quality of the documents produced. Printing resolution is particularly important if you plan on printing mainly images or documents with graphics. Other printing factors to consider include print speeds, measured in pages per minute (ppm), and media capacity, or the maximum number of sheets the printer’s media tray can accommodate. If you plan on printing a high volume of documents, you should also look for a printer with a high monthly duty cycle. This refers to the maximum number of pages the printer can print in a month without failing or decreasing in quality.
Features
This category encompasses features that enhance the overall usability of the printer, making it more convenient and beneficial to use. Such features include wireless printing, a memory card slot and a USB port to connect external devices, such as mobile phones, directly to the printer. We also looked for ENERGY STAR qualified models and evaluated the maximum size of paper the printer can print on.
Design
If your home or office has space constraints, an inkjet printer is a great option. They are smaller and lighter than most other types of printers, measuring less than 2 feet in length and width and typically weighing between 10 and 20 pounds. We took into account the dimensions of each printer we reviewed as well as weight and power consumption when in use.
Help & Support
When it comes to inkjet printers, comprehensive help and support options offered by the manufacturer are vital. They ensure you can get your printer up and running and obtain immediate assistance if you run into any issues in the future. Look for printers that come with a user guide or manual and are supplemented with both online and telephone support from the manufacturer. You should also take note of the included warranty on any printer you're considering.
Whether you want to print pictures at home or graphic presentations at the office, an inkjet printer can produce high-quality prints without breaking the bank. Our in-depth reviews can help you determine which device is right for your printing needs.
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Lexmark Prospect Pro205 | HP Officejet Pro 8000 | Canon Pixma iP4920 | Lexmark Intuition S505 | Canon Pixma iP4700 | Lexmark Interpret S405 | Epson WorkForce 1100 | HP Officejet 6000 | Canon Pixma iP3600 | Epson WorkForce 610 |
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| Ratings | 9.13 | 8.83 | 8.73 | 8.63 | 8.20 | 7.75 | 7.65 | 7.33 | 7.20 | 7.00 |
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| Printing | ||||||||||
| Max Resolution B/W | 2400 x 1200 dpi | 1200 x 1200 dpi | 600 x 600 dpi | 2400 x 1200 dpi | 600 x 600 dpi | 2400 x 1200 dpi | 5760 x 1440 dpi | 600 x 600 dpi | 600 x 600 dpi | 5760 x 1440 dpi |
| Max Resolution Color | 4800 x 1200 dpi | 4800 x 1200 dpi | 9600 x 2400 dpi | 4800 x 1200 dpi | 9600 x 2400 dpi | 4800 x 1200 dpi | 5760 x 1440 dpi | 4800 x 1200 dpi | 9600 x 2400 dpi | 5760 x 1440 dpi |
| Black Print Speed | 33 ppm | 35 ppm | 12.5 ppm | 33 ppm | 9.2 ppm | 33 ppm | 13 ppm | 32 ppm | 26 ppm | 15 ppm |
| Color Print Speed | 30 ppm | 34 ppm | 9.3 ppm | 30 ppm | 8.1 ppm | 30 ppm | 5.5 ppm | 31 ppm | 17 ppm | 9.3 ppm |
| Monthly Duty Cycle | 5,000 | 15,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 2,500 | 5,000 | 1,200 | 7,000 | 5,000 | 1,200 |
| Input Tray Capacity | 100 | 250 | 150 | 100 | 150 | 100 | 100 | 250 | 150 | 100 |
| Features | ||||||||||
| Wireless Printing | ||||||||||
| Media Size | 8.5 x 17 in. | 8.5 x 14 in. | 8.5 x 14 in. | 8.5 x 17 in. | 8.5 x 14 in. | 8.5 x 14 in. | 13 x 44 in. | 8.5 x 11 in. | 8.5 x 14 in. | 8.5 x 44 in. |
| Memory Card Slot | ||||||||||
| ENERGY STAR Qualified | ||||||||||
| USB Port | ||||||||||
| Power Consumption | 32 watts | 48 watts | 18 watts | 25 watts | 17 watts | 32 watts | 26 watts | 32 watts | 16 Watts | 20 watts |
| Design | ||||||||||
| Depth | 14.1 in. | 18.9 in. | 17 in. | 14.1 in. | 11.7 in. | 13.3 in. | 12.7 in. | 15.3 in. | 11.7 in. | 13.6 in. |
| Height | 8.0 in. | 7.1 in. | 6 in. | 7.0 in. | 6.0 in. | 8.0 in. | 8.5 in. | 6.5 in. | 6.0 in. | 9.3 in. |
| Width | 18.8 in. | 19.4 in. | 11.7 in. | 18.3 in. | 17.0 in. | 18.8 in. | 26.3 in. | 18.0 in. | 17 in. | 18.1 in. |
| Weight | 17.6 lbs. | 17.2 lbs. | 12.6 lbs. | 11.6 lbs. | 12.4 lbs. | 17.1 lbs. | 26.3 lbs. | 10.6 lbs. | 12.3 lbs. | 18.3 lbs. |
| Help & Support | ||||||||||
| Warranty | 5 Years | 1 Year | 1 Year | 1 Year | 1 Year | 3 Years | 1 Year | 1 Year | 1 Year | 2 Years |
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