TOP GUIDE

Best Home Office Printers (2026)

By the DeskDropFinds team · Updated Oct 14, 2026

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Printer types at a glance
TypeGenerally good forWatch out for
Laser (mono)Lots of text documentsNo color on mono models
InkjetOccasional color and photosInk cartridge costs
Ink tankFrequent color printingUsually costs more up front
Laser (color)Busy offices that need colorBigger and pricier

Shipping orders? A thermal label printer is cheaper per label than printing on paper. See our label printer guide.

Quick verdict

Our pick: Brother DCP-L2640DW

Wirecutter names it the top pick for home printers. It's a mono laser all-in-one, so it prints, scans and copies, and it suits homes that mostly print text.

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Compare at a glance

Printers compared
ProductBest forKey specNotableLink
Brother DCP-L2640DWBlack-and-white documents, plus scanning and copyingMono laser all-in-oneWirecutter top pickAmazon
Brother MFC-J4355DWOccasional color printing at homeColor inkjet all-in-oneWirecutter inkjet pickAmazon
Brother MFC-T780DWFrequent color printingInk-tank all-in-oneWirecutter ink-tank pickAmazon
Brother MFC-L3780CDWBusy home offices that need colorColor laser all-in-oneWirecutter color-laser pickAmazon

Product images on this page are illustrative scenes, not photos of the exact item. Check the Amazon listing for real product photos.

Printers worth a look

Our pickIllustration of a compact gray mono laser all-in-one printer on a modern desk

Brother DCP-L2640DW

Best for: Black-and-white documents, plus scanning and copying

  • Monochrome laser all-in-one (print, scan, copy)
  • Wirecutter's top pick for home printers

✅ Buy if you mostly print text and want a scanner too.

❌ Skip if you need color prints.

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Illustration of a compact color inkjet all-in-one printer on a modern desk

Brother MFC-J4355DW

Best for: Occasional color printing at home

  • Color inkjet all-in-one (INKvestment line)
  • Wirecutter's inkjet all-in-one pick

✅ Buy if you want color and a scanner in one box.

❌ Skip if you print mostly black text in volume.

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Illustration of a color ink-tank all-in-one printer on a modern desk

Brother MFC-T780DW

Best for: Frequent color printing

  • Ink-tank all-in-one (INKvestment Tank)
  • Wirecutter's ink-tank pick

✅ Buy if you print color often and want refillable tanks.

❌ Skip if you rarely print.

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Illustration of a color laser all-in-one printer on a modern desk

Brother MFC-L3780CDW

Best for: Busy home offices that need color

  • Color laser all-in-one
  • Wirecutter's color-laser pick

✅ Buy if you want laser speed with color.

❌ Skip if you're short on desk space or budget.

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Our method

How we picked

For home offices that print anything from the occasional boarding pass to weekly stacks of documents. These picks are our team's curated selection, checked against listing details. We haven't tested them hands-on.

  1. Printer type

    Inkjet, ink tank or mono laser, matched to how much and what you print.

  2. Running cost

    Ink tanks and lasers usually cost less per page. We point to reviews that discuss it.

  3. All-in-one

    Do you need scanning and copying, or just printing?

  4. Expert consensus

    These picks lean on the published reviews linked below.

✅ What we checked

  • Each product's Amazon listing: title, listed features, and dimensions or capacity where shown
  • Manufacturer pages and manuals for specs the listing leaves out
  • Published reviews we cite:

🚫 What we skip

  • No paid placements. Brands can't buy a spot
  • No made-up ratings, scores or test results
  • No specs we couldn't find published
Not sure? Start here. Our pick is the Brother DCP-L2640DW.
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