7 best home printers every Australian home office needs

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Printing from the comfort of one's home has become not just a convenience but a necessity for many in Australia.

Whether it's for printing out school assignments, photos from the latest family holiday, or documents for work-from-home tasks, the demand for a reliable home printer has surged.

Let's now take a closer look at some of the top contenders on the market, assessed for quality, efficiency, and user-friendliness.

Here's our shortlist of the five best printers for Australian households.

Whether you're after a basic model for occasional use, a multifunction printer for a home office, or a high-end photo printer, our roundup will guide you to the perfect choice.

For Australian homes and students needing a versatile printer without fuss, the HP Envy 6034e makes for a sound choice due to its balance of features and ease of use.

With its easy setup and smart device integration, the HP Envy 6034e All-in-One printer is ideal for home use and educational purposes. With the help of HP's self-healing Wi-Fi, this device aims to lessen the disturbances in connectivity that frequently affect home printers.

Six months of printing under the HP+ plan is a great bonus that offers significant ink savings.

With the added features of printing, copying, scanning, and managing images, this printer becomes even more useful and fits a wide range of home and educational requirements.

Support for various paper sizes is a benefit for people who frequently print a variety of papers, from typical letter documents to little cards.

With a maximum print speed of 10 pages per minute for monochrome prints, the printer is a good option for home and academic printing needs, but it might not be the fastest on the market.

To effectively utilise its array of capabilities, users must also keep an HP account, have a steady internet connection, and only use Original HP Ink cartridges.

When selecting this approach, ongoing expenses should be taken into account. Furthermore, reports from users have highlighted instances of paper jams and error messages, which could negatively affect the user experience.

You can get the HP Envy 6034e colour printer for $119 on Amazon, or your local Big W store for $119. Of course, you can buy it from HP for $127.

Pros

Cons

Canon's PIXMA Home TS3160 printer may be a good option for those of us searching for a little printer. Because of its small size, it may be discreetly integrated into a range of residential settings.

This device is capable of handling a wide range of tasks, including printing papers and images, making it ideal for occasional printing jobs.

This Canon printer comes in extremely handy when we need to print rapidly from our phones or tablets. The ease of using cords is removed by the Wi-Fi functionality, making for a more streamlined and practical experience.

The capability to print from many cloud-based platforms, which streamlines the process of printing our papers from the internet to paper, is another benefit.

It's crucial to keep in mind that colour printing isn't an option due to the printer's monochrome output. Additionally, it does not have an automated document feeder, which for those of us who handle many pages frequently, may be a deal breaker.

And while setup shouldn't scare us, it could take some perseverance to get over the initial configuration - especially for those of us who aren't as tech-savvy.

You can get Canon's PIXMA Home TS3160 printer for $74.95 on Amazon. Or, check out Big W.

Pros

Cons

We find that the Brother MFC-L2730DW prioritises efficiency and convenience in its design, as evidenced by its big Automatic Document Feeder and integrated wifi capabilities. You can print from several locations inside your network since mobile and tablet connectivity keeps you from being restricted to a desk.

Related reading: The best wi-fi extenders in Australia to boost network coverage.

The device has a sizable touchscreen, that contributes to its user-friendly interface and sturdy construction. Not only do quick print and scan times save time, but they also maintain uninterrupted workflow, which is essential in any fast-paced setting.

This printer's energy efficiency is yet another great point. It is an environmentally responsible investment that also maintains low running costs because it complies with environmental criteria like Energy Star.

This printer is a smart option for companies and households trying to reduce energy use without sacrificing productivity.

If you need an all-in-one solution for the home office then you pick this up on Amazon for $394.96 but its cheaper buying from Brother for $309.

Pros

Cons

Our top priorities when choosing a printer for home use are functionality and ease of setup. Simple steps and helpful Canon PrintAssist instructions are promised with the Canon PIXMA Home TS5160. It is a multitasking device that can effortlessly print, scan, and copy.

You won't be scratching your head over the interface because of its easy navigation and LCD display. Additionally, a complete complement of inks is included, allowing for instant use right out of the box.

It is crucial to be able to print from a variety of devices in today's connected society. By providing mobile and cloud printing options like Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print, the PIXMA Home TS5160 rises to the occasion.

The sharing of memories is slightly improved by the extra ease of the Message in Print application, which allows users to insert messages in their prints.

This printer is a good fit for people with minimal requirements or those who print rarely. For those who intend to use their printer more frequently, it's crucial to take into account the eventual expense of replacing ink.

Furthermore, even with all of its advantages, the first setup may take some time. This multipurpose printer is a true gem for the average home user who appreciates simplicity and quality.

This value-for-money printer is the cheapest on Amazon at $88, otherwise, The Good Guys have it for $97.

Pros

Cons

The user-centric features of Canon's PIXMA TR8660a set it apart and make it simple to set up and operate. It is going to be a game-changer for your home office because of its dual paper feeder, which makes it possible to handle a variety of printing chores efficiently. Additionally, photographers will value the excellent photo prints this model produces, which will elevate your visual projects with breathtaking clarity.

Although the TR8660a has a high functionality rating, there are some issues. A little perseverance and possibly some debugging may be required as some users have had difficulties when establishing a wireless connection.

Its hefty 7.9 kg weight can be problematic if you have limited room on your desk. Finally, you may find it strange that the front control panel needs to be raised to print; this is something to consider depending on how your workspace is set up.

Overall, the TR8660a lives up to Canon's reputation as a manufacturer of sturdy and dependable home office equipment. Because of its inkjet technology, your printouts will have clear documents and brilliant colours.

The benefits of this model provide a strong case for its installation in your home office, even despite a few minor shortcomings. The PIXMA TR8660a might be a great addition to your home productivity collection if you value functionality above glitz.

You'll find this printer to be the cheapest on Amazon for $229, or Harvey Norman for $249.

Pros

Cons

The WorkForce WF-4835 from Epson uses PrecisionCore technology to easily meet most home office printing needs. Because it can easily print high-quality images from smartphones and tablets, it's a great option for people who value efficiency above all else. Furthermore, printing is much easier with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct since there are no bulky connections needed.

Another noteworthy feature is auto-duplex, which helps users conserve paper by automatically printing on both sides without any human intervention. These characteristics highlight how well-suited it is for a busy home office where efficiency and cost are top priorities.

It is impossible to ignore the setup procedure, which some people may find tiresome, even with the obvious benefits. A small percentage of users have also voiced concerns about paper feed. Despite the printer's relatively small design, consumers with limited room may find its height to be a deciding factor.

Overall, the WF-4835's extensive capability considerably outweighs these drawbacks, making it a dependable option for anyone in need of a proficient home printer.

The Epson Workforce WF-4835 can be bought on Amazon for $214 or Harvey Norman for the same price.

Pros

Cons

For individuals who don't need to use a printer frequently, the HP DeskJet 2330 is a practical choice because it offers dependable performance for routine printing chores. Being the top printer supplier in the world, HP guarantees reliability and quality. This device offers a decent balance between capability and affordability, handling printing, scanning, and copying with ease.

The HP Smart app's assistance with a straightforward PC setup is one of this printer's key advantages. For those who prefer simpler technologies, the USB port facilitates a hassle-free direct connection to your computer by eliminating the need for wireless networking.

The printer's exclusive reliance on USB for connectivity could pose a limitation for many individuals, particularly in a world where wireless communication is becoming more common. Furthermore, the dearth of comprehensive feedback coupled with the relatively small number of user evaluations slightly limits our confidence in its efficacy.

However, the HP DeskJet 2330 can be a good option for printing requirements in a small home or office setting given its reasonable price point and HP's reputation.

Pros

Cons

There are numerous varieties of home printers on the market, each with unique advantages and purposes:

Seek out printers with a high DPI rating (dots per inch) to get the best print quality. A DPI of 600 or above usually results in crisp, readable text for text documents. For colourful and detailed printing quality, look at printers that have a DPI value of at least 2400x1200 or higher for printing images.

Pages per minute (PPM) is a common unit of measurement for printing speed. Generally speaking, laser printers print more quickly than inkjet printers. If you routinely print huge amounts of paper, you might want to look into a printer with a higher PPM rating-20 PPM or greater, for example.

Make sure the printer is Wi-Fi compatible so you may print wirelessly from your tablet, smartphone, or computer. To connect your printer to your home Wi-Fi network, look for models that have simple setup procedures. The printer should also be compatible with Australian VPNs which are commonly used to protect against privacy and security issues.

Verify whether the printer is compatible with widely used mobile printing protocols, such as Google Cloud Print for Android devices or AirPrint for iOS devices. Because of this, you can print straight from your mobile device without first transferring data to a computer.

An all-in-one printer is a good option if you require scanning, copying, and faxing in addition to printing. If you need to scan and copy a lot of pages rapidly, look for features like automatic document feeders (ADF) and integrated fax capabilities.

By automatically printing on both sides of the paper, duplex printing helps you save time and use less paper. Seek for printers that can print two sides of an image simultaneously, using either manual or automatic duplexing.

Examine the printer's paper handling capabilities, taking into account the sizes and types of paper it can handle. Seek for printers that have movable paper trays that can hold different kinds of paper and specialist materials like cardstock and envelopes.

Seek for printers with controls that are easy to use, instructions that are clear, and an intuitive interface. It can be less frustrating to access settings and complete printing operations using touchscreen displays or simple button layouts.

With printers that have separate ink cartridges for every colour, you may replace just the colours that are almost out, cutting down on wastage and ink replacement expenses. Furthermore, certain printers have ink-saving options or modes that help you get more use out of your cartridges.

Think about the recurring expenses for the printer's toner or ink cartridges. To calculate the cost per page, compare the pricing of replacement cartridges for various printer types and account for each cartridge's anticipated page yield. Certain printers include alternatives for bulk ink refills or subscription services, which might result in cost savings over time.

In our opinion, we believe the best all-in-one printers are the HP Envy 6034e All-in-One and the Canon PIXMA MG5765. For home usage, they provide excellent printing, scanning, and copying capabilities.

Reputable for their reasonably priced ink solutions are the Epson EcoTank ET-2750 and the Brother DCP-J1100DW. High-yield cartridges and ink tank systems enable them to print at a low cost per page. These printers are stocked at places such as Big W and Office Works.

For people on a budget of less than $200, the HP Envy 5030 is a dependable option. It is a well-liked choice for residential use since it strikes a balance between quality and cost. You can buy it on Amazon Australia.

Students looking for a printer that combines performance and value should have a look at the Canon PIXMA TS6220. It prints assignments and projects with clarity and comes with reasonably priced ink cartridges.

The Canon PIXMA MG2560 and HP DeskJet 2131 are both good options for under $100. Both offer affordable necessary printing functions, making them ideal for everyday home use.