A color laser printer inherits all its features from its black and white counterpart. It’s just that different colors and shades are formed here sequentially, in several steps or immediately in one pass, having previously collected all the colors on a separate reel. That is, there is a whole bunch of different characteristics that influence certain indicators. Let's see what is still worth paying attention to.
Printing performance and speed
These two parameters, although logically related, are usually understood differently. Performance shows the overall working life of the device. That is, maximum amount printed sheets for a certain period. For example, printer specifications often indicate a value of 50,000 pages per month. This, in essence, is productivity. How to choose the best color for your needs? It’s very simple - based on the amount of work. For large offices with large volumes of work, it is better to pay attention to printers with a large resource reserve. If you need to buy an inexpensive color laser printer for your home, then there is no point in overpaying for high performance, because most of it is not realized anyway.
By the way, it is these two parameters that determine the winner in the debate about which color printer is better - inkjet or laser. Few inkjet printers can print such a number of pages quickly, and even with the proper quality.
Printing speed is directly related to productivity. It reflects the number of pages printed over a certain time. Usually in a minute. The faster the print speed, the better. But there is also a direct relationship between this indicator and the price. Printing speed also includes an equally important parameter - first page output. The fact is that the printer needs to heat the thermocouple to print. In fact, if we discard all other preparatory operations - sending data, preparing the sheet for printing, then the speed shows the heating time. It is interesting that the run-up of this parameter in modern devices can be in the range from 13 to 66 s. But, in general, what less time, the better, because you can get the finished document faster. It is worth considering this when choosing a color laser printer.
Print resolution and data buffer memory
Print resolution is the same as the resolution of your monitor or smartphone screen. That is, the detail of the image. True, in printers it is customary to measure the number of dots that fit in one inch. You can often find this designation in the printer specification - 1200×1200 dpi. This means that a 1x1 inch square will have 1200 dots in width and the same in height. The higher the numbers, the higher the detail and quality, similar to screens. Interestingly, color laser printers can have two types of resolutions - for and color.
Memory is a little more interesting. Whatever image or data format you send for printing, the printer must always convert the job into a raster image. And for this he needs memory. Theoretically, the more memory, the more complex graphic structures the printer can print continuously. In practice, even inexpensive home color laser printers can handle almost any graphics or data. But various laboratories or large enterprises working with “heavy” printing try to choose devices with large amounts of memory, since sometimes they have to print really complex things. In general, if your budget allows you to buy a printer with more memory, you should buy it.
Types and costs of consumables
A color image is usually formed from several basic colors. Most often there are three colors plus black. This means that the device contains at least 4 cartridges. And everyone has the ability to end. And the further economic feasibility of use depends on their cost. Before choosing a color laser printer for home or office use, it is advisable to monitor the prices of cartridges. This will help you estimate the cost of printing and not overpay when purchasing.
Now a little about chips. Manufacturers have begun to observe a tendency to install chips on cartridges. If we talk in simple language- this is a small section of memory that contains data on the number of printed pages. When a certain value is reached, the operation of the cartridge is blocked. After this, the chip must either be reset by reprogramming or replaced with another one. In both cases you will need to pay for this. Although you can find it online folk recipes, thanks to which you can do this at home. However, this will require skills and knowledge of the nuances and operation of electronic devices. In any case, before buying a printer, along with the prices of the cartridges themselves, it is worth finding out the cost of chipping or reprogramming them. It is worth noting that there are still printers without chips, however, their number is steadily decreasing.
Power consumption and noise
These are also quite important parameters. And if at home you have to print from time to time, then in the office this is quite important. A noisy printer that prints non-stop and consumes a kilowatt per hour can drive you crazy. Therefore, noise indicators should be selected based on the area of application. For offices, if it will be in the same room with employees, it is better to choose a quieter model. For the home, you can neglect this characteristic, unless, of course, you are going to print out all the collected works of Russian writers around the clock.
Duplex printing available
This feature provides nothing but convenience and printing speed. But at the same time, the cost of a device with such functionality can be significantly higher than without it. If the main area of your work is printing double-sided forms, then this “trick” will significantly simplify and optimize your work. If you print a maximum of 5 documents a day, both double-sided and single-sided documents, then it won’t be of much use to you.
The best color laser printers for A4 photo printing with prices and reviews
Let's see what the modern printer market can offer for printing photos at home or in a small office.
Xerox Phaser 6020 Color Laser Photo Printer
Probably one of the best laser color printers in the ranking. Positioned as a device for a small office. Although the declared resource is not so large - 30,000 pages per month. The resolution of both types of printing is good - 1200×2400. The printer can print black and white pages at a speed of 12 ppm, and color pages at 10 ppm. The start time is only 19 seconds. Same good indicator among similar devices. Printing is possible on almost anything - plain paper, envelopes, gloss. The maximum paper density is stated at 220 g/m2.
4 colors are used for printing, that is, 4 cartridges. The color resource should be enough for 1000 pages, and black and white for 2000. The memory capacity is enough for most office and home tasks - 128 MB. Additional functionality includes Wi-Fi and AirPrint support. This laser color printer for printing photos costs 12,600 rubles.
Review of Xerox Phaser 6020
Review of Xerox Phaser 6020
More details on Yandex.Market: https://market.yandex.ru/product/12253959/reviews?track=tabs
Laser color printer Canon i-Sensys LBP613
Your own control panel is convenient
The cartridge resources of this device are distributed approximately in half: 1300 pages for color and 1400 for black and white. 4 cartridges from type 045 are used. There are also extended versions of 045H with an increased toner supply: 2200 for color and 2800 for black and white. The memory capacity is a whole gigabyte. The maximum resolution for both types of printing is 600×600 pixels. The overall print speed is 18 ppm. In this case, you can expect the first page to appear within 10 seconds. The total declared resource of the printer is 30,000 pages per month. The device costs 11,000 rubles.
Review of Canon i-Sensys LBP613
More details on Yandex.Market: https://market.yandex.ru/product/1728015750/reviews?track=tabs
HP Color LaserJet CP2025 Color Laser Printer
An interesting printer with a stated resource of 40,000 pages per month, resolution is 600x600 pixels. Not the highest figure. The speed is also not all smooth sailing - the total is 20 ppm, and you have to wait for the first one for 18 seconds. But everything is fine with the cartridges, of which there are 4. The color resource is 2800 pages, black and white - 3500. Out of the box, the device has 128 MB of memory, but you can supplement it with another stick up to a maximum of 384 MB. There are no wireless interfaces. You can connect to the network via standard RJ-45. Reviews about this laser color printer are not the worst, although the price is a little steep - 26,700 rubles.
Review of HP Color LaserJet CP2025
More details on Yandex.Market: https://market.yandex.ru/product/2664899/reviews?track=tabs
The best budget laser color printers for home with prices and reviews
Now let’s look at a number of inexpensive models that can be used as a home printer.
Samsung Xpress C430
This model is the cheapest in our top, its cost is only 8,600 rubles. What is offered for that kind of money? Not the largest resource at 20,000 pages per month, just relevant for home use. The resolution is also not very surprising - 600×600 pixels. The print speed is quite good - 18 ppm, as is the first page out time - 14 s for a black and white print. The color one will come out no earlier than in 26 seconds. Cartridge resources are small - 1000 and 1500 pages for color and black and white cartridges. By the way, there are also 4 of them here. The amount of memory should be enough for home tasks - 64 MB. There are no network interfaces at all. That is, you can only print directly from a PC.
Review of Samsung Xpress C430
More details on Yandex.Market: https://market.yandex.ru/product/12863989/reviews?track=tabs
Canon i-Sensys LBP7018C
This printer can be bought for 10,000 rubles. Its resource is 15,000 pages per month. Ideal for home. The resolution is interesting - 600×2400 for both types of printing. The overall speed is 16 ppm. You can get the first page after 13 seconds. The toner supply for color is enough for 1000 pages, and for black and white - for 1200 pages. There are 4 cartridges in the device. There is not much memory, but it is more than enough for ordinary tasks. The noise level of the device is estimated at 50 dB, which is quite a lot.
Review of Canon i-Sensys LBP7018C
More details on Yandex.Market: https://market.yandex.ru/product/7741873/reviews?track=tabs
Kyocera Ecosys P5021
This model differs primarily in its resolution - 1200×1200 for both types of printing. Its speed is 21 ppm. And this is a very good indicator. The first page from a cold start will appear in 11 seconds. Cartridges - 4, all 1200 pages each. There are extended options - 2600 and 2200 pages. There is a lot of memory - 512 MB. There are network interfaces, including Wi-Fi. The device can also print directly from an SD card. In general, a fun and interesting printer for 11,000 rubles. True, it has slightly larger dimensions than other presented models. Therefore, you will have to allocate more space for it.
The device has its own LCD display and has direct printing
The printer itself costs 17,600 rubles. And the original cartridge for it 046 will cost about 5,000 rubles. Moreover, its resource is 2200 pages. For this model there are cartridges with the letter H in the marking - they are of increased volume. It costs approximately 10,000 rubles. and is capable of printing 5,000 pages.
As for the printer itself, there is nothing unusual about it. The resolution of most of these models is 600×600 pixels. Speed - 27 ppm. First out in 8 seconds. There is a lot of memory - 1024 MB. There are both cable network interfaces and wireless ones. The maximum resource per month is 50,000 pages.
Brother HL-L8260CDW
Not the cheapest printer - 22,800 rubles. Its cartridges, designed for 3,000 pages, can be purchased for 6,000 rubles. Larger options are also available. The device resolution is 2400×600 pixels. High speed - 31 ppm. The total resource is 40,000 pages per month. There is also a duplex printing feature. There are cable and wireless interfaces.
The time has long passed when a multifunctional device combined the capabilities of only a printer, copier and scanner and was intended exclusively for office use. Today there are designs on sale that are also suitable for home installation. Using an MFP, you can convert an e-book into a regular paper format, print a photograph, a postcard, and so on. There are a lot of equipment models on the market, so it’s easy to get confused.
All MFPs are divided into inkjet and laser.
The former are much cheaper, provide high-resolution image printing, and have a simple design that makes them easier to use. However, they have a high cost per print; ink is consumed quickly and dries when the device is idle for a long time. A set of cartridges is cheap, but they will have to be refilled often, and you can do this yourself.
Laser MFPs print much faster, and one print is much cheaper due to low toner consumption, but they themselves are more expensive. They are suitable if there is a need to print large volumes of images. Cartridges are quite expensive, but refilling is cheap and is done less frequently than with inkjet MFPs.
An important role when choosing is played by the price of the device, the cost of maintenance and other costs associated with its operation. In addition, you should pay attention to a number of points to make working with the device as convenient as possible:
- You should check whether the MFP can be used in a network format;
- Ability to send a scanned image by email;
- Availability of USB ports for working with removable drives, however, some devices are not compatible with all file systems;
- Telephony functions that allow you to make calls, send faxes;
- Appearance of the device.
When compiling the ranking of the best MFPs of 2018, we took into account all these indicators. In addition, we analyzed customer reviews and the price-quality ratio of devices. We hope our rating will help you choose the most suitable equipment for home or office use.
List of the best MFPs of 2018
The device is perfect for a home or office with low document flow. The kit includes everything you need, including refilled cartridges. The MFP supports paper weights from 64 to 105 gsm. m. When using photo paper, this figure increases to 200-230 g/sq. m. Maximum format – A4, using the appropriate software You can also set a smaller paper size.
The highest image resolution is 4800*1200 pixels - it is achieved in printer mode. In copier mode, the MFP produces an image with a resolution of up to 1200*600 pixels, but this is quite enough to obtain a high-quality copy. Outputs up to 8 A4 sheets per minute in single-sided printing format, capable of printing a 10*15 photo in a minute. The printing system supports the standard four colors - black, cyan, magenta and yellow.
Advantages:
- High response speed;
- There is a continuous ink supply system, which prevents it from drying out when the device is idle for a long time;
- Ease of setup;
- Low price;
- Good print quality;
- High functionality.
Flaws:
- It makes a lot of noise during printing;
- Finding replacement cartridges if necessary is very problematic;
- High cost of repair;
- High ink consumption.
It is characterized by high operating speed - the device is capable of producing up to 18 A4 pages per minute. The scanning and copying capabilities are very high, due to which the productivity of the device is very significant, and a two-sided printing function is provided. The device can be connected either via wire or via Wi-Fi. This equipment is well suited even for offices where about 100 pages are printed daily.
The resolution of color images is 2400*600 pixels. The device has several paper trays with a total capacity of about 250 sheets. There is a connector for storage devices – USB 2.0. If necessary, you can print photos or other documents via mobile devices, running on iOS, Android, Blackberry platforms. Has a CISS that reduces ink consumption.
Advantages:
- Availability of an easy-to-use touch screen;
- High print quality;
- Reasonable cost;
- Works quickly in full color and single color mode;
- Consumable parts have a significant service life;
- Possibility of two-sided printing;
- Wi-Fi channel.
Flaws:
- Sometimes it doesn’t respond immediately to a touch press;
- Sometimes in duplex printing mode it chews sheets of paper;
- When the cartridges are running low, it starts printing with streaks in the images;
- Consumables are quite expensive.
The first model equipped with six colors. Like those already discussed earlier, there is a continuous ink supply system. The device is not too large in size and has good functionality: it can be connected via wire or via Wi-Fi or Lan. The MFP is equipped with a color liquid crystal display.
The device uses piezoelectric inkjet technology, due to which the MFP allows you to obtain excellent output quality of any images, including photographs. The manufacturer claims that this is a real full-fledged photo center - this is quite true. Photos are printed very quickly - the 10*15 format is ready in 12 seconds. Images can be applied to a variety of surfaces - cards, films, photographic paper, disk surfaces, labels, and so on.
Advantages:
- Good quality photo printing;
- Reliable performance;
- Low ink consumption;
- Dimensions acceptable for home use.
Flaws:
- When copying photographs, the quality is not the highest;
- Low black resource - only about 1800 pages.
This is one of the most compact devices, which has a rather strict design and a different printing technology: the MFP produces an image using a laser beam. All elements of the case fit tightly together and do not become loose during operation: its dimensions are 340*385*255 mm. It will easily fit even on small sizes desk. The design provides two paper trays – an input for 150 sheets and an output for 50 sheets.
WITH reverse side There are connectors for connecting to the network and to a personal computer. There is no function that provides remote printing or printing from USB media. The cartridge resource is 1000 prints; refilling it is much cheaper compared to inkjet MFP cartridges. The maximum resolution of a color image is 600*2400 pixels. It produces up to 20 pages per minute. In copier mode, the copy quality will be 600*600 pixels, and paper jam protection technology is provided.
Advantages:
- Good value for money, quick software installation;
- High printing speed;
- Inexpensive maintenance;
- Small overall dimensions;
- Neat and reliable assembly.
Flaws:
- Supports A4 format only;
- The scanner beam travels rather slowly, the lid has a small stroke, which makes it inconvenient to copy thick or large materials;
- In sleep mode it sometimes makes an unpleasant squeaking sound.
This is one of the best laser MFPs for home, it is reliable and inexpensive. The printing speed is 24 pages per minute, it has 32 MB of RAM, and the cartridge is designed for 2000 pages. The controls are easy to understand, and refilling cartridges is inexpensive. The scanner responds quickly.
The device is designed to work with paper sizes A4, Letter and some others, and supports densities from 60 to 150 g/m2. m, can send scanned images by email. The device has small dimensions. It can be used in small offices with a daily printing volume of about 70-80 sheets. All basic information regarding the document being printed or scanned is displayed on the LCD panel.
Advantages:
- Low price;
- Fast printer response;
- Almost never chews paper;
- Has a network interface;
- Possibility of printing from external media;
- The cartridge is not chipped, so you can use consumables from other manufacturers;
- There is a toner saving mode;
- Menu in Russian.
Flaws:
- Long warm-up time;
- There is no paper control sensor;
- It can turn on on its own and begin to warm up;
- During warm-up mode it is a little noisy.
It is one of the most economical laser printers that is perfect for office use. In principle, it would be useful at home, but its significant size will require a lot of space. The scanner dimensions are limited to A4 format, which is not always convenient, since many books or magazines are larger.
The scanner produces an image with a resolution of 600*600 pixels, which is quite enough for this budget device. All the default settings are chosen quite well, so in most cases the user does not have to play with contrast or brightness. The scanner works quite smoothly and produces an image without any glare. The device warms up very quickly – about 8-10 seconds.
Advantages:
- Low price;
- Good print and scan quality;
- Compatible with non-original cartridges;
- Durability;
- Attractive appearance;
- Reliable housing, no backlash.
Flaws:
- Batch scanning is not provided;
- It can be problematic to install drivers on a laptop;
- There is no duplex printing function;
- The cartridge quickly runs out when printing about 200-300 pages per day;
- No digital keypad.
In the ranking of the best MFPs for the home, this model is the most economical in terms of cartridge consumption. It uses laser printing technology and has excellent response speed. Volume random access memory is 128 MB, the first page comes out just 10-12 seconds after printing starts. A black and white cartridge is designed for one and a half thousand pages, a color one will be used up faster - it will last about a thousand. The MFP supports major paper sizes up to A4 sizes: Letter, Legal, A5, A6, B5, Executive and many others. Paper weight can range from 80 to 175 gsm. m.
There is an original ePrint function that allows you to use the printer to print attached documents on any device that supports email. The design is equipped with a Russified touch control panel, however, to gain access to all the capabilities of the MFP, you will have to register on the manufacturer’s official website. It can print documents and images from external media, has a Wi-Fi module, and also the ability to send a fax.
Advantages:
- High build quality;
- Expanded functionality;
- Low cost of consumables;
- Beautiful appearance;
- Prints quite quickly;
- Scans with a resolution of 600*600 pixels;
- Drivers are quickly configured.
Flaws:
- Sometimes it picks up the paper crookedly, which leads to a jam;
- The display is not backlit;
- There is no button to start scanning on the printer itself;
- The Wi-Fi module is not very reliable, sometimes the connection is lost.
In the ranking of the best MFPs of 2018, this model took only third place for only one reason - it has large sizes– 406*359*235 mm, which is why installing it at home is not very convenient. Many users in their reviews highlight the ease of use of the scanner, the lid of which is equipped with movable hinges. This makes it easy to use it to work with thick books or voluminous documents. The output tray is designed for one hundred sheets, there is USB port. The display is liquid crystal, next to it there are several backlit buttons responsible for control.
The amount of RAM is 128 MB. Print resolution is 1200*1200 pixels; in addition to paper, the device supports materials such as film, cotton or recycled materials - the main thing is that their density is in the range from 60 to 175 gsm. m, their format is from 76*127 mm to 216*356 mm. Laser printing, multicolor and monochrome, scanning and photocopying possible. After the equipment has fully warmed up, the printing speed is about 20 sheets per minute. There is a duplex printing function, but you will have to configure and manage it manually. The MFP can be used wirelessly; documents can be sent for printing even from cloud service Google Cloud.
Advantages:
- Keeps wireless connection well;
- You can print documents from your tablet or smartphone;
- High printing speed;
- Connects and configures as quickly as possible.
Flaws:
- Significant overall dimensions;
- When turned off, the settings may be lost;
- Noisy when warming up;
- Chip cartridge;
- Sometimes he chews paper.
Well suited for home use due to its small overall dimensions. The body is made of matte plastic, dust or fingerprints are completely invisible on it, almost all corners are rounded. Connecting the device to your computer is quite easy. There is no need to search for and install drivers - when you turn on the MFP for the first time, it downloads them from the official website on its own, and also supports software updates.
A monochrome touch display is provided to make it easy to find the required functions. Scanning and printing are done remotely. You can restrict the printer's use with a password. There is an original Printables section, where there is a large number of various free printable sets - crosswords, recipes, puzzles and so on. Print speed is 21 pages per minute in black and white or 19 in color. In photocopy format, you can enlarge or reduce the image from 25 to 400%.
Advantages:
- Well suited for both home and office;
- Wide functionality;
- Reasonable cost;
- Possibility of wireless connection.
Flaws:
- There are problems with photo printing;
- High cost of cartridges.
1. Canon MAXIFY MB2340
Originally designed for the office, but can easily be used at home. The main advantages of the leader in our ranking of the best MFPs are very high print speed, good color reproduction during scanning, and a significant resource reserve of both black and color cartridges. There is a wireless module for connecting various devices.
In black and white format it produces about 23 pages per minute, in color – up to 20 pages. Used in production Quick technology First Print, due to which the first sheet output time was reduced to 7 seconds. There is a function for batch scanning of documents, and they can be immediately sent for printing or saved in a special folder in the data storage cloud. The device warms up almost instantly.
Advantages:
- Easy to set up;
- Virtually no noise during operation;
— Acceptable cartridge volume.
1 - One of the popular printers on the market with the ability to print 6 colors;
2 - High quality for a great price.
Anyone's job creative person, whose activities are related to graphic drawing and photography, requires a color printer to work well. The scale of the work does not affect the need to purchase it. A printer with color printing capability is useful in any environment for working with images.
To make the right choice among the variety of products available on the market, it is easy for consumers to get confused. Focusing on the ratio of price and quality, based on customer reviews, the rating will be presented below best products, which are worth paying attention to. This includes color products with laser, LED and inkjet printing.
Rating of color laser printers for work and home use
Score (2018): 4.8
Advantages: The price justifies the high quality of the product
Manufacturer country: China
The leader among color printers for home and office services was the model C301DN, brand OKI. The web interface allows you to work with all computers in the room via the network.
The printer is capable of printing about 30,000 pages. To extend the life of the equipment, do not exceed this limit. And these are quite satisfactory characteristics for the offered price. In addition to intensity, it is worth noting the additional function of automatic printing on two sides. Printing speed does not exceed 22 black and 20 color pages. One color cartridge prints approximately 1,500 pages. In terms of its dimensions, it is not as massive as its competitors, only 22 kg.
Score (2018): 4.6
Advantages: High performance and resource up to 5000 pages
Manufacturer country: USA
The printer with the COLOR LASERJET ENTERPRISE M553N laser module from the HP brand is among the best in terms of its performance and considerable cost. The model failed to take first place in the ranking precisely because of its price, although there are no particular complaints about the quality of work.
An HP printer can be used in fairly large office spaces. The device's productivity is 80,000 pages per month, so it can also serve large offices. The maximum resolution of printed images is 1200x1200 pixels. Print speed is 38 pages per minute. A color cartridge can print 5,000 pages, and a black cartridge can print 4,000 pages.
Among the visible but minor shortcomings are only the dimensions of the device. It is quite massive and weighs 27 kg.
Score (2018): 4.4
Advantages: The right price for a device with Wi-fi
Manufacturer country: China
The Canon brand I-SENSYS LBP7110CW model has a low cost, which is the main criterion for choosing it. In addition, there is a Wi-fi function, so you can print pages from multiple devices. That's probably all its advantages. Otherwise, this is an ordinary device.
To extend the life of your printer, we recommend printing no more than 30,000 pages per month. The resource of color cartridges reaches 1500 pages, the black cartridge does not exceed 1400 pages. The intensity of the product reaches 14 pages per minute.
The disadvantages include the small print resolution - only 600x600 pixels. Also, many users consider the dimensions and weight – 16.6 kg – as disadvantages.
Best inexpensive color ny jet at nters for home
Score (2018): 4.4
Advantages: Printer with 5-color printing at a great price
Manufacturer country: China
The winner among models with inkjet printing technology in a budget version is the PIXMA IP7240 from the manufacturer CANON. Many buyers agreed that this model is ideal for working at home. PIXMA IP7240 is a small device with a modern design and an attractive price. No matter what level the printer is used at home, its functionality will allow you to perform work at a professional level.
Using a CANON brand printer, you can print photos, as well as do double-sided printing with automatic settings. The image resolution is 9600x2400 pixels. In addition, a system of 5 cartridges is a good feature. The CMYK scheme is complemented with black pigment paint. Despite this, monochrome photo printing is done on high level. According to customer reviews, this model is ideal. The printer is quite easy to operate and compact.
Score (2018): 4.4
Advantages: CISS attached
Manufacturer country: Philippines
Second place in the ranking of budget inkjet printers is occupied by the L312 model, brand EPSON. The equipment is suitable for working at home. The advantage of this model is that it is well-equipped; it weighs a little and does not take up much space.
Like other models in this category, EPSON L312 works with paper in A4 format, but you can give preference to this particular model due to light weight– only 2.8 kg. The remaining indicators are practically not inferior to heavier competitors. The color cartridge can print up to 6,500 pages. A CISS system is provided here - it ensures an uninterrupted supply of ink from reserves.
The printer has one downside - the lack of Wi-Fi, so working even in a small office will create a lot of difficulties.
Score (2018): 4.4
Advantages: Acceptable cartridge volume
Manufacturer country: Japan
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In third place in the top of the best inkjet printers is the AFICIO SG 3110DN model from the RICOH brand. This technique is suitable for work in small offices. The model is not ready for intensive loads, so the monthly printing limit does not exceed 10,000 pages. Even with low performance, it is quite fast – 29 pages per minute. CMYK is the scheme used here as a color choice. The color cartridge uses gel ink and can print up to 2,200 pages.
The AFICIO SG 3110DN model includes two-sided printing that is automatically configured.
A review of consumer reviews suggests that there are also shortcomings in the model from RICON. One of the main disadvantages is that it does not have the ability to print photos. In addition, its size is impressive, its weight is also not the positive side. Still, the consumer makes a choice in his direction, citing fashionable design and quality.
Best Inexpensive Color Printers for photo printing
Score (2018): 4.9
Advantages: One of the popular printers on the market with 6-color printing capabilities
Manufacturer country: China and Thailand
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The leader in the ranking of budget printers with the ability to print photos is the STYLUS PHOTO P50 model from the manufacturing company EPSON. The use of an EPSON printer is quite possible not only at home, but also in small and medium-sized office spaces. The speed of printing images is truly impressive - 37-38 pages per minute, with a resolution limit of 5760x1440 pixels.
A 10x15 photo is printed in a record 12 seconds. This model contains the ideal qualities that a modern user may desire. Perfect image printing is achieved by its six-color image imprint function. Here for each specific shade, color range This means a separate cartridge. If desired, the cartridge compartment can be additionally equipped with a CISS system.
Despite a lot of positive exclamations in favor of this model, it has its drawbacks. If you compare the set of functions, quality, dimensions and cost of the printer, you can find only 1 minus - the lack of Wi-Fi connection. This function significantly simplifies life and work in any office. Despite this, the PHOTO P50 model is recommended for purchase.
Score (2018): 4.6
Advantages: High quality for a great price
Manufacturer country: China
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The second place in the top of the best budget printers for printing photos is occupied by the PIXMA G1400 from the manufacturer CANON. According to consumer reviews, the PIXMA G1400 model is almost ideal value for money. The functionality of the device is truly impressive.
The printer's operation is based on a thermal inkjet printing model; it is this fact that slows down the printing speed per minute - only 8.8 black and white and 5 color pages. The printer can print a 10x15 photo in exactly a minute. Although this speed cannot be called ideal, the quality of the printed image does not raise any questions. An ideal image without glare is achieved by a 4-color printing system. The maximum photo resolution is 4800x1200 pixels.
The modern design of the color printer is noted by many users. It looks neat and stylish, and its weight is only 4.3 kg.
The printer has some disadvantages. Firstly, there is no wi-fi connection. Secondly, the operation of the cartridge is based on older model cartridges.
When choosing a good laser or LED printer for a small office, buyers are often faced with the wide range of models available in stores. Such variety can confuse even an experienced user, which can lead to the purchase of a low-quality model. In order to make it easier for our readers to choose a reliable and functional device, we have compiled a review of the best laser printers for home or office for 2018 – 2019. The list includes not only expensive models with extensive capabilities for the office, but also more affordable solutions of excellent quality for the home.
Xerox Phaser 3020BI
Our review opens with a budget printer model for home use from the Xerox brand. The Phaser 3020BI is an excellent choice for those buyers looking for an inexpensive, but well-made and functional device. In this case, the manufacturer managed to offer users an economical and compact black-and-white printer for home and small offices, the cartridge resource of which is an impressive 1500 pages. Moreover, within a month, without compromising the performance of the device, it is allowed to print up to 15 thousand pages, which will be enough for most everyday tasks. As for the resolution and print speed, in the productive Phaser 3020BI printer these parameters are at the level of 1200x1200 dpi and 20 ppm. Among the useful auxiliary features of the device, it is worth noting the presence of a Wi-Fi module and support for AirPrint printing.
Advantages:
- high-quality assembly
- functionality
- printed resource
- good print speed for its price
- ease of setup
- low cost
Flaws:
- high price for cartridges
Ricoh SP 150w
One of the best manufacturers of laser printers, the Ricoh brand offers customers an excellent device called SP 150w. This is a stylish, compact and high-quality device that will be an ideal assistant for the home. The height of this model is only slightly more than 10 cm, and the width and depth fall within the limits of 36 and 27 cm. Of course, an inexpensive printer with excellent print quality and small dimensions does not make it possible to “stuff” it with a lot of auxiliary functions. However, there is a USB input and Wi-Fi support, and the SP 150w's print speed is 22 ppm. Due to the size, we also had to sacrifice the capacity of the cartridge, which is enough for 700 pages completely filled with text. But the lack of support for AirPrint with Wi-Fi in the budget SP 150w printer looks very strange. An alternative to this function is the proprietary application for iOS and Android, but it, completely ridiculously, only allows you to print images.
Advantages:
- weight and dimensions of the device
- combination of cost and quality
- presence of Wi-Fi module
- great build
- quiet operation
- long warranty period
Flaws:
- no AirPrint support
- small cartridge resource
Canon i-SENSYS LBP6030w
The third position is occupied by an inexpensive, but high-quality device model from the Canon brand – i-SENSYS LBP6030w. This printer has Wi-Fi connectivity and supports AirPrint. The resolution and print speed in this model are average: 600x600 dpi and 18 ppm. The capacity of one cartridge will be enough to print over one and a half thousand pages. Their total volume per month, which is supported by the LBP6030w black-and-white laser printer, is 5000. As for the shortcomings, taking into account the price tag, the device simply does not have them.
Advantages:
- Wi-Fi connection
- print quality
- assembly reliability
- stylish appearance
- affordable price of replacement cartridges
Flaws:
- not found at this price
HP LaserJet Ultra M106w
We also couldn’t ignore the popular LaserJet Ultra M106w model from HP. This printer is great for small office environments. Every month it allows you to print up to 20 thousand pages without increased wear of parts. The device has a Wi-Fi module and AirPrint support. The device has a printing speed of 22 ppm and an excellent cartridge resource capacity of 2300 pages. The device also has a section for a photodrum for 9200 pages. One of these comes complete with 3 toners, which can be called an important advantage of this model. Otherwise, we have before us simply a high-quality and stylish device for home or office use.
Advantages:
- drum/toner life
- contents of delivery
- Availability of Wi-Fi and over-the-air printing
- support for all possible OS
- good page printing speed
- build quality
- weight only 4.7 kg
Flaws:
- no Ethernet output
Kyocera ECOSYS P2040dn
Next up is the best black and white laser printer for medium and large offices from the Kyocera brand. The ECOSYS P2040dn model is capable of printing up to 50 thousand pages monthly without excessive wear. At the same time, the printing speed is an impressive 40 sheets per minute, and the resource of one toner is 7200 pages, which is one of the best indicators for models of this class. Additionally, this productive printer boasts a drum capacity of 100 thousand pages and an excellent set of interfaces, including a memory card slot, direct printing, Wi-Fi with AirPrint, USB and Ethernet, thanks to which you can add the printer to a local network in the office.
Advantages:
- assembly reliability
- very high printing speed
- resource capabilities
- appearance
- double-sided printing capability
- good performance and versatility
Flaws:
- not found
HP Color LaserJet Professional CP5225 (CE710A)
The presented model of the Color LaserJet Pro CP5225 printer from the HP brand is also one of the best laser MFPs. The workmanship of this device is at a very good level, so there are no shortcomings in it. Concerning high cost, then it is fully explained by the characteristics of the device. Among other things, this model boasts a resource capacity of each cartridge of over 7 thousand pages, as well as the ability to print up to 75 thousand sheets monthly without compromising the performance of the device. The print resolution in each case is 600x600 pixels, which will be sufficient for most tasks. Thanks to the printer's support for A3 format, the Color LaserJet Professional CP5225 is simply perfect for creating small advertising banners. Otherwise, this is a good device for the average office.
Advantages:
- great build
- resource consumption of toners
- A3 size support
- clarity of printouts
- possibility of refilling cartridges
- quite economical
Flaws:
- high price
- heavy weight
- no Wi-Fi support
OKI C712dn
Next up is a good OKI LED color printer. The C712dn is an inexpensive device for large offices that can print up to 100,000 pages every month without compromising performance. Based on user reviews of the printer, you can understand that it copes with any everyday tasks. The available color/black and white toner resources, image drum and developer resources are all at one of the best levels among similar devices. It is noteworthy that the most functional OKI LED printer is inexpensive, about 40 thousand rubles.
Advantages:
- great build
- printing capabilities
- decent cartridge life
- automatic two-sided printing capability
- Possibility of printing from USB media
- a lot of useful software
Flaws:
- no option to print borderless
- high printing costs
Ricoh SP C440DN
Next up is a color laser printer with high-quality printing, which is suitable for a large office with a large number of employees. The characteristics of this device are truly impressive. The ability to print up to 150 thousand pages monthly without wearing out the device components is an extremely important argument in favor of purchasing the SP C440DN. This A4 office printer is no less surprising with its toner resource of 21 and 24 thousand pages for black and white and color printing, respectively. The interfaces of the SP C440DN will be sufficient for the most demanding buyer: USB standard 2.0, LAN, SD memory card reader and direct printing capabilities. But that’s not all that the product from the Ricoh brand can surprise you with. We are pleased with the best printer in terms of operational reliability and high printing speed of 40 ppm for all documents, as well as the presence of a web interface and PostScript support.
Advantages:
- flawless assembly
- printout speed
- cartridge resource
- monthly print volume
- interface kit
- direct printing capability
Flaws:
- high cost of components
- no Wi-Fi support
Canon i-SENSYS LBP710Cx
The LBP710Cx model from Canon's i-SENSYS line is one of the best color printers for the home and small office. With a reasonable price tag, the device is ready to offer a monthly printing resource of 80 thousand pages, as well as a supply of toners of 6300 for black and white documents and 5400 for color ones. The maximum print resolution for each mode, respectively, is 600x600 and 9600x600 pixels. With an excellent price-quality ratio, the printer can offer a good range of interfaces, including LAN and USB, PostScript support and a decent printing speed of 33 pages per minute. The key disadvantages of this universal printer for medium and large offices include high noise and noticeable energy consumption during operation.
Advantages:
- cartridge capacity
- good print resolution
- set of interfaces
- printing speed
- high operational reliability
- build quality
- easy to maintain
- does not cause any difficulties with setup and management
Flaws:
- noise at work
- power consumption
Xerox Phaser 7100N
Another device manufactured by Xerox has received the right to close our TOP. The Phaser 7100N is a very capable large format color laser printer. The device works with 4 colors and offers a maximum print resolution of 1200x1200 dpi. The Phaser 7100N desktop laser printer is capable of printing black and white and color pages at a speed of 30 pages per minute. For the maximum A3 format available here, the speed is already 17 pages. Also, this high-speed laser printer with support for A3 format stands out among competing products with its capabilities. So in a month the user can print up to 55,000 pages without wearing out the device. At the same time, the toner reserve for color/black and white printing is an impressive 4500/10000 pages. Considering its capabilities, the device consumes quite little energy, only 600 W during operation and 75 in standby mode. Among the disadvantages of a printer with A3 support from the Xerox brand, perhaps only expensive consumables and replacement components can be identified.
Advantages:
- print format and speed
- a high resolution
- cartridge resource
- workmanship
- versatility
- best price and functionality
Flaws:
- high cost of consumables
- long warm-up before printing
- To replace the cartridge you need to tinker a little
Which laser printer is better to buy?
Still haven't decided which laser printer is best to buy for use at home or in the office? Then you shouldn’t waste time reviewing hundreds of models from dozens of popular manufacturers presented in online stores. Our rating of the best laser printers will help you choose a truly high-quality and reliable assistant that can please you with a reasonable price and impeccable work.
Read also:
The most economical printers are those models that have a long cartridge and drum life. Typically, the cartridge life is 600-1000 pages, but if this figure is more than 2000 pages, then such a printer can already be called economical. Otherwise, if the cartridge resource is short, the toner/ink will quickly run out, which means you will have to spend money on refills or buying new cartridges/drums. Sometimes it's better to spend more money and buy an expensive printer with a longer lifespan than often paying in the future for refilling cartridges and replacing the photodrum.
The ability to refill toner cartridges also plays a role. Typically, printer manufacturers sell original toner cartridges with toner inside, and when the toner runs out, the customer is expected to buy a new cartridge. However, this is expensive, and many people simply refill the cartridge by adding toner. This reduces the cost of ownership.
1st place – Kyocera FS-4300DN ($630)
Although this printer is expensive to begin with, it is so economical that if you print frequently, it will pay for itself in full.
Immediately about the main thing:
- productivity: 275 thousand pages per month;
- cartridge for 25 thousand pages;
- photo drum with a resource of half a million pages.
Thanks to such indicators, the cost of owning the printer is low, which makes it one of the most economical. The cost of a print will be low, therefore, if you print frequently, the device will pay for itself quickly.
From the reviews we learn: the cartridge can be refilled many times, but a special toner is required, so you should approach the choice of refiller carefully.
2nd place – HP LaserJet Enterprise P3015dn ($577)
Another expensive but economical printer with a productivity of up to 100 thousand pages per month.
It is equipped with one cartridge with a resource of 6000 pages. This is, of course, less than the cartridge of the previous model, but there are no problems with it: the cartridge can be used without chips, it is easy to refill, and this greatly reduces the cost of printing one page.
The device itself is very good: it prints quickly at a fairly high resolution (1200x1200 dpi), lasts a long time and has a network interface for connecting to local network. However, to be fair, it should be noted that the supplied software for setting up a network printer is simply terrible. This is perhaps the only drawback.
3rd place – Kyocera ECOSYS P2135dn ($208)
If previous printers seemed expensive to you, then, as an option, you can consider the Kyocera ECOSYS P2135dn model. This device will cost only 208-210 dollars.
The printer has excellent characteristics: its resolution is 1200x1200 dpi, its cartridge is designed for 7200 pages, and its drum is designed for 100 thousand pages. Performance also deserves attention - 50 thousand pages per month. This printer is ideal for a home or small office.
For the money, this is the best printer: it has duplex printing, a VERY capacious cartridge for 7200 copies, and an impressive drum life. As for cartridges, they are very cheap (if you buy non-original ones). The cost of one non-original cartridge with toner costs 1,200 rubles - and this is for 7,200 copies. This means that the cost of one printout will cost approximately 16 kopecks. And if you refill the cartridges, then the cost of printing will be even cheaper (however, here we did not take into account the cost of the drum, it also has its own resource).
4th place – Kyocera FS-4200DN ($580)
We couldn’t ignore this wonderful printer with a high productivity of 250 thousand pages/month. It prints at a resolution of 1200x1200 dpi and has a cartridge with a resource of 25 thousand pages.
The printer is receiving positive feedback, and for good reason. It has a very capacious cartridge that can be refilled frequently. This makes this model one of the most economical. With all this, the printer works well, but there is also a drawback - a flimsy design that does not inspire confidence. You should use the printer carefully, otherwise you may break some tray.
5th place – Brother HL-5340D ($180)
Cheap and economical printer Brother HL-5340D worth $180. It prints at a resolution of 1200x1200 dpi. It provides a cartridge with a resource of up to 8,000 pages and a drum with a resource of up to 25 thousand pages.
From the reviews we learn: after the toner in the cartridge runs out, it is not necessary to buy a new expensive original cartridge. There are also non-original cheap cartridges on sale, which, moreover, can be refilled. Hence, this printer is very economical with low operating cost.
However, efficiency is not the only advantage of this model. It also prints well and quickly - documents (or even images) turn out clear, without streaks or any distortion.
6-7-8-9-10 places
We have completed the TOP 5 best economical printers. We will write down the remaining models in the table below, indicating the price and resource of cartridges (which can be refilled):
| Place | Model | Price | Cartridge life |
| 6 | Xerox Phaser 4600DN | $390 | 13,000 pages |
| 7 | Kyocera FS-1370DN | $280 | 7200 pages |
| 8 | Kyocera FS-2100DN | $445 | 12500 pages |
| 9 | Kyocera FS-4100DN | $464 | 15500 pages |
| 10 | Brother HL-6180DW | $430 | 8000 pages |
Remember: we have presented only those cost-effective printers that have received positive reviews from customers. This means this rating is subjective. We could easily have missed some models that are more economical, but due to the lack of reviews about them, we did not use them in this rating.