2d • Computer setup
Printers
If you’re buying a printer in 2026, the big thing is to choose based on what you print most, not the sticker price. The most important buying criteria are cost per page, printer type (laser vs tank inkjet), whether you need scan/copy, and how often you actually print. For most people: laser = best for black-and-white documents, tank inkjet = best for color/photos without expensive cartridges, and cheap cartridge printers are usually the most expensive long-term. Consumer Reports and RTINGS both still emphasize text quality, graphics/photo quality, and running costs as the main factors.
Best overall
If you mostly print:
- Documents / invoices / labels / forms → buy a monochrome laser
- Color docs + occasional photos → buy a tank inkjet (EcoTank / MegaTank / Smart Tank)
- Lots of photos → buy a photo-focused tank printer
- Rarely print and just want cheap upfront cost → buy a cheap all-in-one, but expect higher ink cost
That Brother model is a strong “safe” choice because it gives you:
- Print + scan + copy
- Fast black-and-white output (up to 36 ppm per listing)
- Wireless + USB + Ethernet
- Auto duplex
- Better long-term sanity than bargain cartridge inkjets if you’re doing normal business/home paperwork.
Best for cheapest long-term color printing
Why this is smart:
- MegaTank means refill bottles instead of cartridges
- Listing claims up to 6,000 black / 7,700 color pages per ink set
- Great for: home office color docs occasional flyers school/home use moderate photo use
This is usually a much better value than a cheap $50–$100 cartridge printer if you print more than lightly.
Best for simple black-and-white only
Why:
- Monochrome laser
- Up to 30 ppm
- 250-sheet tray
- Wireless + USB
- Great if you print: invoices shipping labels forms estimates checklists
For a tech/business workflow like yours, this is the kind of printer that usually causes the fewest headaches.
Best low-hassle color all-in-one for home
Why:
- Cartridge-free tank system
- Good “starter” tank printer
- Better long-term economics than budget cartridge units
- Good for: light home office color handouts basic scanning/copying occasional photos
It’s not the fastest, but it’s a common “good enough and cheaper to run” pick.
Best if you only care about lowest upfront price
Why:
- Cheap to buy upfront (~$80)
- All-in-one
- Borderless photo support
- Easy for light home use
But the catch:
- Cheap HP cartridge printers often become expensive later unless your print volume is very low
- Fine for: occasional forms return labels rare school/home print jobs
If you print regularly, I’d usually steer you to laser or tank instead.
Product comparison table
Attribute
Brother DCP-L2640DW
Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTank
Brother HL-L2405W
Epson EcoTank ET-2800
HP Envy 6155e
Type
Mono laser all-in-one
Color tank inkjet all-in-one
Mono laser printer
Color tank inkjet all-in-one
Color cartridge inkjet all-in-one
Print / Scan / Copy
Yes / Yes / Yes
Yes / Yes / Yes
Print only
Yes / Yes / Yes
Yes / Yes / Yes
Best for
Home office docs
Low-cost color
Simple B&W docs
Entry color tank
Lowest upfront cost
Speed listed
Up to 36 ppm
—
Up to 30 ppm
—
—
Duplex printing
—
—
—
—
Yes
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet
Wireless
Wi-Fi, USB
Wireless
Wireless
Typical street price seen
~$209.99
~$248.99
~$139.99
~$239.99
~$79.89–$79.99
Running-cost advantage
Very good for B&W
Excellent for color volume
Very good for B&W
Excellent for color volume
Usually weakest long-term
How to buy the right printer (simple rules)
1) First decide: laser or inkjet?
Buy
laser
if you mostly print:
- invoices
- forms
- labels
- estimates
- contracts
- shipping docs
- black-and-white paperwork
Why:
Laser is usually:
- faster
- crisper for text
- less likely to dry out if it sits
- better for “it just needs to work”
Buy
tank inkjet
if you mostly print:
- color handouts
- flyers
- school/home color pages
- occasional photos
- marketing material
Why:
Tank printers have:
- much lower color cost per page
- better photo ability than monochrome laser
- way better economics than cartridge printers
2) Avoid cheap cartridge printers unless you barely print
A $50–$100 printer can become the most expensive printer you own.
Bad pattern:
- cheap printer
- tiny starter cartridges
- expensive refills
- clogs if rarely used
- app/subscription annoyances
Best use case for cheap cartridge printers:
You print very rarely and just need something now.
3) Decide if you need scan/copy
For most people, the answer is yes.
If you ever do:
- IDs
- receipts
- signed forms
- tech paperwork
- client docs
- labels
- serial number sheets
…an all-in-one is worth it.
For your type of work, I’d usually say:
- All-in-one if it’s your main printer
- Print-only laser if it’s a dedicated “workhorse” printer
4) Check for these features before buying
Must-haves:
- Wireless
- USB fallback
- Auto duplex (2-sided printing)
- At least 250-sheet tray for a real work printer
- AirPrint / Mopria / mobile app support
Nice to have:
- Ethernet (better for reliability in a fixed setup)
- ADF (automatic document feeder) for scanning stacks
- Tank system if color volume matters
- Separate toner/ink availability from multiple retailers
5) Think about how often it will sit
If a printer sits for weeks or months:
Better choice:
- Monochrome laser
Worse choice:
- Cheap cartridge inkjet
Why:
- Inkjets can dry out/clog
- Lasers tolerate intermittent use much better
That’s a big real-world factor a lot of people ignore.
6) Match the printer to your real use case
Best for home office / small business docs:
- Brother mono laser all-in-one
Best for cheap color long-term:
- Canon MegaTank / Epson EcoTank / HP Smart Tank
Best for occasional home use only:
- Cheap all-in-one, but understand ink costs
Best for photos:
- Photo-oriented Epson/Canon tank/photo printersRTINGS currently ranks the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 as its top home printer overall and notes the ET-8550 as the flagship wider-format sibling, which reinforces the “photo-focused tank printer” category if that’s your main goal.
My blunt recommendation for you
For the kind of stuff you do (client docs, forms, labels, occasional business paperwork):
Best practical move:
- Brother monochrome laser all-in-oneLike the DCP-L2640DW
If you need color often:
- Canon MegaTank or Epson EcoTank
What I’d avoid:
- super-cheap cartridge HP/Epson unless it’s just a backup/rare-use printer
Fastest buying shortcut
If you want the least regret:
- Mostly black-and-white docs? → Buy a Brother mono laser
- Need affordable color often? → Buy a MegaTank / EcoTank
- Only print once in a while and want cheap upfront? → Cheap all-in-one, but know ink is the trap
If you want, I can do the next step and give you a “Best printers to buy right now under $150 / under $300 / under $500” with the smartest pick for your tech business workflow (labels, invoices, scans, client paperwork).
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