Digital Product Analysis & Reviews
by Remington May
Picture this: you're setting up a home office or upgrading the printer at work, and you've got a dozen browser tabs open comparing specs you barely understand. Inkjet or laser? Cartridge or tank? ADF (auto document feeder — the tray that automatically feeds stacked pages) or flatbed only? The multifunction printer market in 2026 is packed with solid options, and picking the wrong one means wasted money, slow print jobs, or an ink bill that never ends.
A multifunction printer (MFP) combines printing, scanning, copying, and usually faxing into one device. That sounds simple, but the differences between models go deep — print speed, running costs, paper capacity, and wireless connectivity all vary wildly. Whether you're printing color reports for clients, scanning receipts, or just keeping a home office functional, there's a right fit for your situation. If you're shopping for a standalone scanner to pair with your setup, check out our guide to the Best Sheetfed Scanner 2026 as well.
We've rounded up seven of the top multifunction printers available right now and put them through their paces. Below you'll find honest reviews, clear pros and cons, and a straightforward buying guide to help you make a confident decision. No fluff — just what you need to know.

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If your office regularly churns out color brochures, presentations, or marketing flyers, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e is built for exactly that. It prints color at up to 18 pages per minute (ppm) and black-and-white at 22 ppm — fast enough to keep a small-to-medium office moving without a line forming at the printer. The auto document feeder (ADF) handles multi-page scan and copy jobs hands-free, and the 250-sheet input tray means you won't be reloading paper every hour.
One standout feature is HP AI-assisted printing, which automatically cleans up web pages and emails before printing. It removes ads, navigation bars, and broken formatting so you get a clean, readable page instead of a half-cut mess. That's genuinely useful if your team prints a lot of web content. Auto two-sided (duplex) printing is included, which cuts paper use in half on longer documents.
The 9125e also comes with a three-month HP Instant Ink trial, which is HP's ink subscription service that ships replacement cartridges before you run out. Whether you keep the subscription after the trial is up to you, but the printer works fine with standard cartridges too. Setup is straightforward via the HP Smart app, and wireless connectivity is reliable once it's configured. For a color inkjet MFP at this price tier, it punches well above its weight for office use.
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The Epson EcoTank ET-4850 flips the traditional inkjet model on its head. Instead of cartridges you replace every few months, it uses large refillable ink tanks — the "supertank" in the name. The included ink bottles are estimated to last the equivalent of up to 90 cartridges, which means you're not constantly buying replacements. If you print a lot and hate the ongoing cost of cartridges, this is a serious option to consider.
Print quality is solid across the board. 4800 x 1200 DPI resolution (dots per inch — higher means finer detail) delivers sharp text and clean photos. Black-and-white speed tops out at 15.5 ppm and color at 8.5 ppm, which is slower than laser alternatives but perfectly acceptable for most office and home tasks. The ET-4850 includes an ADF for multi-page documents, Ethernet connectivity for wired networks, and wireless printing via the Epson Smart Panel app.
The upfront cost is higher than a typical inkjet, but the math works in your favor if you print regularly. Scan to Cloud via the app is a nice touch for remote or hybrid workers. It's a white unit with a clean, modern look that fits well on a desk or counter without dominating the space. The tradeoff is that color print speed lags behind competitors — if you're printing hundreds of color pages daily, a laser might serve you better.
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The HP LaserJet Pro M283FDW is a color laser multifunction printer — meaning it uses toner (powder) instead of ink, which gives you faster, crisper output that never smears. This renewed (professionally refurbished) model delivers the same performance as new at a noticeably lower price, making it one of the smarter value plays on this list. It prints up to 22 ppm in both color and black-and-white, handles print, copy, scan, and fax, and comes with a 50-page ADF for batch document work.
Wireless connectivity is solid, and the HP Smart app is one of the better mobile print apps available — it handles setup, job management, notifications, and remote printing cleanly. The app also includes customizable shortcuts that let you knock out repetitive tasks like scanning to a folder or printing a specific document type with fewer taps. HP claims you can organize documents 50% faster with these features, and in practice they do save real time.
The "renewed" label gives some buyers pause, but HP's refurbishment process is thorough, and the unit comes backed by a seller warranty. If you want color laser performance without paying full retail, this is a strong option. The 250-sheet tray and automatic duplex printing round out a capable, efficient package for small offices. If you also need business cards printed in-house, it pairs well with what we covered in our Best Printer For Business Cards 2026 guide.
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Brother has built a strong reputation for reliable business printers, and the MFC-L3720CDW lives up to it. This is a brand-new color laser all-in-one with print speeds up to 19 ppm, auto duplex printing, a 50-page ADF, and a 250-sheet paper tray. It covers the full MFP lineup: print, copy, scan, and fax. For a small-to-medium business that prints consistently throughout the day, this is a workhorse that won't let you down.
Connectivity is one of its strengths. You get dual-band wireless (2.4GHz and 5GHz networks), Wi-Fi Direct (connect devices without a router), and USB 2.0. That range means multiple users across different devices can all print without fighting for access. The Brother Refresh Subscription Trial (Amazon Dash Replenishment) means the printer can automatically reorder toner when it's running low — handy if supply management is a pain point for your team.
Laser-quality output is sharp and consistent, which is what you want when sending documents to clients. Color accuracy is excellent for text-heavy materials and basic graphics. For high-volume photo printing, a dedicated photo inkjet would serve you better (see our Best Cheap Laser Printer 2026 guide for more context on when laser makes sense). But for professional documents day in and day out, the MFC-L3720CDW is a genuinely dependable choice.
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The HP LaserJet MFP M234dw is a compact black-and-white laser all-in-one designed for small teams of one to five people. Don't let its size fool you — this thing is fast. Up to 30 ppm single-sided and 19 ppm two-sided puts it among the quickest in its class for black-and-white output. If your team mostly prints reports, text documents, and forms — not color graphics — this is a genuinely smart, cost-effective pick.
Setup is quick via the HP Smart app, and wireless connectivity has been consistently reliable in practice. The printer includes scan and copy functions, making it a true MFP even at a compact size. Security features built into the firmware give peace of mind for offices handling sensitive documents — not something you always get at this price point. HP describes this as "best for small teams," and that framing is accurate.
The main limitation is obvious: it's black-and-white only. If you need color prints even occasionally, this isn't the right fit. But if your workflow is primarily document-heavy — contracts, reports, internal memos, invoices — the lower per-page toner cost and speed advantage make the M234dw a very practical choice. It's also eligible for HP Instant Ink, which can reduce supply management headaches further.
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The Canon PIXMA TR8620a is a versatile home office inkjet that handles print, copy, scan, and fax — plus a handful of smart extras that make daily use easier. The headline feature is Alexa ink monitoring and smart reorder: connect the printer to Alexa, and it will notify you when ink is running low and can automatically place a reorder on Amazon if you've enrolled in smart reorders. No subscriptions required. That kind of proactive supply management is genuinely useful when you're busy and don't want to run out mid-project.
Canon's five-ink system (individual CMYK cartridges plus a dedicated photo black) means you only replace the color that runs out, not a combined cartridge. That's a cost-saver over time compared to tri-color setups. Print quality is strong for both documents and photos, which makes the TR8620a a solid pick if you occasionally print family photos alongside work documents. AirPrint (Apple), Android printing, and Alexa compatibility cover most device ecosystems.
It's not the fastest printer on this list — print speeds are moderate — and the ADF capacity is smaller than dedicated office models. But for a home office user who wants reliable quality, smart ink management, and good connectivity without overspending, the TR8620a strikes a solid balance. It works with Alexa in a way that actually saves you effort rather than just sounding like a marketing bullet point.
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Every other printer on this list assumes you're staying put. The HP OfficeJet 250 does not. It's a compact, battery-powered mobile all-in-one that fits in a backpack or briefcase and prints, scans, and copies wherever you are — no power outlet, no network required. The built-in battery is included (a $119 value), and the HP Smart app lets you print directly from your smartphone or tablet over a direct wireless connection.
For field agents, real estate professionals, traveling consultants, or anyone who regularly works out of coffee shops, client offices, or vehicles, this fills a gap that no desktop printer can. You're not going to match the speed or paper capacity of a full-size unit — that's not the point. The OfficeJet 250 is about having a complete print-scan-copy solution in your bag when you need it. It handles standard documents, contracts, and basic color prints well enough for professional use on the road.
Print quality is decent for an inkjet this size, and color output looks clean on standard paper. The scanner bed is smaller than a full-size flatbed, so very large originals may need multiple passes. If you also need to scan receipts while traveling, pair this with insights from our Best Receipt Scanner for QuickBooks 2026 roundup for a complete on-the-go document setup. The OfficeJet 250 is a niche product, but for the right user, it's the only product that makes sense.
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Before you spend money on a printer you'll use daily, it helps to slow down and think through what you actually need. Here are the most important factors to weigh when comparing models in 2026.
This is the first fork in the road. Inkjet printers use liquid ink and excel at photo-quality output and color accuracy. They tend to cost less upfront but more per page over time. Laser printers use toner (a dry powder) that fuses to paper with heat, producing crisp text and fast output at a lower per-page cost — but with a higher purchase price. According to Wikipedia's laser printing overview, the technology has been refined over decades specifically for high-volume text documents, which explains why it dominates office environments. If you mostly print reports, spreadsheets, and emails, laser is typically the smarter long-term investment. If you regularly print photos or marketing materials with vibrant color, inkjet is the better tool.
Print speed is measured in pages per minute (ppm). For a home user printing a few pages a day, even 10 ppm feels fast. For a small office where five people share one printer and batch jobs pile up, you want 20+ ppm at minimum. Similarly, paper tray capacity matters — a 250-sheet tray needs refilling less often than a 100-sheet tray. Consider your monthly print volume honestly. Most manufacturers also list a "monthly duty cycle" — the maximum number of pages the printer is designed to handle per month — which gives you a ceiling to plan around.
The purchase price is only part of the equation. Ink and toner are where printers make their money back over time. Standard inkjet cartridges can cost $15–$40 per set and run out quickly if you print a lot. High-yield cartridges or supertank systems like the Epson EcoTank dramatically reduce the per-page cost. Laser toner cartridges last longer per unit but can be expensive to replace. If you're printing more than 200 pages per month, run the numbers on annual supply costs before committing to a model. It can swing the true value of a printer by hundreds of dollars per year.
In 2026, wireless printing is essentially standard, but the quality of implementation varies. Look for dual-band Wi-Fi (supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks) for faster, more stable connections in crowded wireless environments. Wi-Fi Direct lets you print without connecting to a router at all — useful in client spaces. Mobile app quality matters too: the HP Smart app and Brother's equivalent are among the better ones, offering reliable remote printing and scan management. If you use Apple devices, AirPrint support is worth confirming. For Android, look for the equivalent Google-certified printing support.
A multifunction printer (MFP) combines printing, scanning, copying, and often faxing in a single device. If you use more than one of those functions regularly, an MFP saves desk space, reduces the number of devices you manage, and typically costs less than buying separate units. For most home offices and small businesses in 2026, an MFP is the practical default choice.
It depends on what you print. If color quality and occasional photo printing matter to you, inkjet (like the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e or Canon PIXMA TR8620a) is the better fit. If you primarily print black-and-white documents and want speed and low per-page costs, a laser model like the HP LaserJet MFP M234dw or Brother MFC-L3720CDW makes more sense. Many home offices do well with an inkjet, while shared small-team environments usually benefit from laser.
A few strategies help: use high-yield cartridges instead of standard ones, consider a supertank inkjet like the Epson EcoTank ET-4850 which uses refillable tanks with very low per-page costs, or switch to a laser printer for text-heavy workloads. Ink subscription services (HP Instant Ink, Epson ReadyPrint) can also reduce costs if you use them consistently. Printing in draft mode for internal documents and defaulting to duplex (two-sided) printing also stretches supplies further.
ADF stands for Auto Document Feeder — a tray that automatically feeds a stack of pages through the scanner or copier one at a time. Without an ADF, you have to place each page manually on the flatbed glass. If you regularly scan or copy multi-page documents (contracts, reports, tax forms), an ADF is a major time-saver. Most of the printers on this list include one, but ADF capacity varies — 50-page ADFs handle bigger batches than 20-page ones.
Yes — virtually every modern MFP supports smartphone printing. HP's Smart app, Canon's PRINT app, Epson Smart Panel, and Brother's iPrint&Scan all support direct printing and scanning from iOS and Android devices. AirPrint (for Apple) and Mopria (for Android) are also built into most current printers and allow printing directly from your phone's share menu without installing a separate app. Wi-Fi Direct takes it a step further by letting you print even without a router present.
For a small business, prioritize print speed (20+ ppm), paper tray capacity (250 sheets or more), automatic duplex printing to save paper, a 50-page ADF for document handling, and reliable wireless connectivity including dual-band Wi-Fi. Security features matter if you handle sensitive client data. The Brother MFC-L3720CDW and HP LaserJet Pro M283FDW are strong fits for this use case. Also consider total cost of ownership — toner or ink costs over 12–24 months can significantly affect the value of a lower-priced unit.
The right multifunction printer for you in 2026 comes down to how you actually work — how much you print, whether you need color, how many people share the device, and whether running costs matter more than upfront price. Take the specs seriously, match them to your real workflow, and you'll end up with a printer that earns its desk space every day rather than gathering dust after the first month. Head over to Amazon, check current pricing on the models that fit your needs, and pick the one that solves your specific problem — not just the one with the most features.
About Remington May
Remington May is a technology writer and digital product reviewer with a focus on consumer electronics, software, and the everyday tech that shapes how people work and live. She has spent years evaluating smartphones, laptops, smart home devices, and digital tools — approaching each product from the perspective of a practical user rather than a spec-sheet enthusiast. At Pinwords, she covers tech buying guides, product reviews, smartphone and laptop comparisons, and practical how-to guides for getting more out of your devices.
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