It seems that no sooner do we get to grips with the latest version of the Windows operating platform than Microsoft release an upgrade. You only have to read on online forums the level of frustration that this seems to cause. For every supposed improvement the software giant makes, it would seem that a much-loved feature is removed.

It is clear that the Windows 8 platform was the first that was specifically targeting mobile devices, particularly tablets and especially smartphones. For those of us who still access the Internet via a PC, the subsequent upgrades to the new-style operating system, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 just seem to have made life more complicated. It is clear that the latest version, Windows 10, is very much mobile-oriented, so this then creates further questions which need answering.

The principal question relates to printing and printers. If you are using a tablet or smartphone to do the majority of your surfing on the ‘net, then you would seem to have only one option of printer available to you – a Wi-Fi-enabled computer, as trying to connect your smartphone to a printer via a USB cable or other form of connection would negate the advantages of ‘computing on the go’. However, there then comes another question.

Will the printer work with any new operating system, such as Windows 10? More to the point, even if your printer is Windows 10 compatible, what will happen when Windows release a new operating system, will your printer then become redundant? Well the good news is all is not lost. Whenever Windows release a new operating system, there are usually a whole host of new drivers released that are compatible with any new operating system and which enable your printer to retain its compatibility.

The next questions you need to answer before choosing a new printer for the Windows 10 OS is what you will use it for. If you will be using it mainly for printing black and white documents, then you would do well to choose a printer which has a separate black ink cartridge and colour ink printer cartridges, while if you use a printer for high definition colour images, then you will want to choose a printer with a large pixel number to increase the resolution, as well as having the capability of printing on photo-quality paper.

The last question you need an answer to is how quick the printer will produce copies. Once again the need for printer speed will vary depending on whether you frequently print multiple copies, or if you tend to do more one-off printing.

Once you have answered all these questions, then we are pretty confident we will have identified an ideal printer for you within our list of ten Windows 10-compatible printers below:

1. HP Officejet Pro 8730 $283.00 or less

This is an impressive all-in-one printer with a very appealing and unusual design. This is a great Windows 10 printer if you need your copies created in a hurry, and as an all-an all-in-one product, you’ve got a scanner, fax machine, copier and printer all wrapped up in one neat and tidy package.

This is very much a printer for the office environment, with a 50-page document feeder, superfast 2-sided copying, and an impressive 500 sheet main paper tray and 250-sheet secondary tray. Produces clear, crisp, water- and fade-resistant prints. A major time-saving plus for us is the one-pass two-sided scanning facility, while being able to print direct from any mobile device is to be expected for such a quality printer.

Sample Review (expert)

While it’s not perfect, this is generally a very good MFP. It’s helped by reasonable ink costs of about a penny per black A4 page, or 4.3p in full colour – calculated for the 953XL colour and 957XL black cartridges. At this price, if you can live without a PCL driver, I’d recommend Epson’s WorkForce Pro WF-5620DWF. If not, the OfficeJet Pro 8720 is a decent alternative.

Features:

Technology         Thermal inkjet

Maximum print resolution           4800 x 1200dpi

Maximum optical scan resolution (output bit depth)       1200 x 1200dpi (24-bit)

Number of colours (cartridges)  4 (4)

Maximum number of colours (cartridges)             4 (4)

Quoted photo durability (source)             Not stated

Standard interfaces        USB, USB host, Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wireless

Optional interfaces         None

Dimensions (HxWxD)     339x500x530mm

Weight 15kg

Maximum paper size      A4/legal

Supported operating systems    Windows Vista or later (including Windows 10), Mac OS X 10.8 or later, Android, iOS, Linux

Consumables: L0S60AA, L0S72AA, L0S51AA, L0S63AA, L0S54AA, L0S66AA, L0S57AA, L0S69AA, L0R42AA.

 

2. HP Officejet Pro 8620 e-All-in-One Printer $499.00 or less

This printer delivers on quality of reproduction thanks to the original HP pigment inks for a vibrant and durable finish. This is a top-of-the-range inkjet printer which produces laser quality copy and from the point of view of economy, uses individual black HP ink cartridges and three separate colour HP ink cartridges.  This is backed up with impressive printing speeds of 21ppm in black and white, or 16.5ppm in colour.

Wireless printing is an essential element, allowing you to print from any mobile device, while ‘copysmart’ solutions allow for two-sided scanning to create a single sided copy. This is at the upper price point for this range of printer, copier, scanner and fax machine all rolled into one stylish package, but one we recommend, particularly as it is geared up to work with all Windows operating systems, including Windows 10.

Sample Review (expert)

It’s funny to think of a pigment-based inkjet as being suitable for business use considering how expensive ink can be, but that’s exactly what HP is touting with this model. Once you start using it, the capabilities of the machine become obvious. In full swing, it can print documents at a rate that is almost as fast as a colour laser printer, and with results that are highly acceptable as far as quality is concerned. The best part is, it won’t incur high running costs.

Features:

Max Copying Speed Up to 34 ppm (mono) / up to 34 ppm (color)

Max Copying Resolution Up to 1200 x 600 dpi (mono) / up to 1200 x 600 dpi (color)

Max Copying Speed B/W 34 ppm

Max Copying Speed Color 34 ppm

Max Copying Resolution B/W 1200 x 600 dpi

Max Copying Resolution Color 1200 x 600 dpi

Max Document Enlargement 400 %

Max Document Reduction 25 %

Automatic Duplexing Yes

Maximum Copies 99

Inkjet Technology HP Thermal Inkjet

Ink Cartridge Configuration 4 HP ink cartridges (1 each: cyan, magenta, yellow, black)

AirPrint Enabled Yes

First Print Out Time B/W 12 sec

Consumables: CN049AA, CN045AA, CN046AA, CN047AA, CN048AA.

 

3. Brother MFC8910DW $899.00 or less

This laser printer is for the busy office/business environment, ideally used for document reproduction and production. As a monochrome printer it is fully wireless enabled, allowing you to print remotely from any mobile device, such as a tablet or smartphone. While a monochrome printer, the capability of this all-in-one printer does allow for colour scanning, which is a big plus. Speed of printing is impressive at up to 40ppm. This is a 5-function machine, offering a Laser Printer, Laser Fax, Flatbed Colour Scanner, Flatbed Digital Laser Copier, PC Fax.

Brother toner cartridges allow for between 3,000 and 8,000 pages between refills, which is also impressive.

Sample Review (verified purchase)

This is replacing a MFC-8860DN. The printing speed is excellent and the print quality is fantastic. What is exceptional is the scanning speed. I scanned a 640 page double sided document at 300dpi in under 30 minutes. Scanning coloured photos at 1200dpi is really fast scans 4 photos in 1 min 20 seconds

Features:

Print Speed 40ppm (A4)

250 Sheet Paper Capacity

Network Ready

Wireless

iPrint & Scan

AirPrint

Automatic Duplex

Secure Print

PCL6 & BR-Script

Direct Print from USB Devices

Energy Star

Uses all Windows OS including Windows 10

iPrintScan            Yes

AirPrint               Yes

Standard Warranty          12 Months Return to Base

Consumables: TN3310, TN3340, DR3325.

 

4. Brother HL-L2340 $149.00 or less

As a laser printer, this is a neat package with print quality up to 2400 x600 dpi in monochrome. It is ready to print within 30 seconds of powering up and 8.5 seconds from sleep mode. What we like about this printer the most is the size (365mm x 360mm x 183mm) and wireless function, making it ideal for those with limited space.

We also liked the fact that Brother toner cartridges and Brother ink cartridges will cover between 1,200 and 2,400 pages so you won’t be forever running out of ink at vital times.

Sample Review (verified purchase)

5* Great printer, cheap, fast and easy to set up. I bought this printer recently and have been impressed by the cost of ownership, it’s speed, the print quality and the ease of set up. Would recommend.

Features:

Up to 26ppm print speed

Automatic 2-sided (duplex) Printing

Hi-Speed USB 2.0 & Wireless Network + Wi-Fi Direct

32MB Memory

250 sheet lower paper tray

Apple AirPrint & Google Cloud Print

Standard yield toner up to 1,200 & High-yield toner up to 2,600 pages

Operates with all Windows platforms, including Windows 10

Consumables: TN2330, TN2350, DR2325.

 

5. Brother MFC-6890CDW $699.00 or less

This Brother inkjet printer is very much geared towards the medium-sized office with its A3 printing, copying, fax and scanning capabilities. W-Fi enabled allows you to print direct from smartphones and tablets, making this a very adaptable and functional printer that will operate well with the Windows 10 OS. As well as having a touch screen, this particular model also has duplex capabilities, meaning you can print both sides of one page, and scan both sides of a document with one single pass. This certainly helps save precious time.

For an A3-capable printer, it is not too bulky and takes up surprisingly little space considering the numerous functions it offers. High-yield ink cartridges also helps to reduce per-sheet costs, while a 50-page automatic document feeder also enables you to swiftly scan, fax and copy multiple documents. This may not be the fastest printer on the market, but for this price point, it is certainly impressive.

Sample Review (expert)

Good print quality. 11 x 17 inch prints, scans, copies. Built-in networking with remote setup. Large paper capacity. Comes with high-capacity Brother ink cartridges. I would still recommend the device to a small business with wide format printing needs since you would be hard pressed to find a machine that can do as much as the Brother MFC-6890cdw [for the price].

Features

Direct Printing Yes

Maximum Resolution (Colour) 1200dpi x 6000dpi

Print Speed Colour (pages per minute) 28

Photo Printer Yes

Print Speed B&W (pages per minute) 35

Printer Type Inkjet

Printer Usage Small Office / Home Office

Colour Printer Yes

PRINT MEDIA

Print Media Load Type Automatic, Manual

Double-sided Printing

Print Media Supported

Photo paper, A4, Plain paper, A3

Total Media Capacity (Sheets) 350

Media Feeders Two front-facer input media trays

Print Media Size Maximum A3 (297 x 420mm)

Scanner Form Factor Desktop

Maximum Scanner Resolution 1200dpi x 2400dpi

Scanner Type Flatbed Scanner

Consumables: LC-67BK, LC-67C, LC-67M, LC-67Y, LC-67BK2PK, LC-67CL3PK, LC-67PVP.

 

6. Epson Expression Home XP-420 $129.00 or less

This is a well-designed printer which epitomises Epson’s commitment to quality and functionality. This is a small yet powerful colour printer (390mm x 300mm x 145mm) with the option of either a 2.0 USB connection, or wireless Wi-Fi to save on cable tangles. Scanning is such a useful option on a printer, and this one scans at a resolution of 1200 x 2400dpi, while printing at a range of clarity and precision, up to an impressive 5760 x 1440 dpi. Speed is competent at 33ppm B&W and 15ppm colour. If you do a lot of B&W printing, you’ll benefit from individual Epson ink cartridges as opposed to an all-in one cartridge.

Operates well using Windows 10 OS

Sample Review (verified purchase)                                                 

The main reason for purchasing this printer was the Wi Fi direct feature, this enables you to print directly from a smart phone to the printer without using a Wi Fi router.

Features:

Small size without compromise – space-saving design with great performance.

Easy set up and menu navigation – large, intuitive 2.5″ colour LCD and touch panel means easier navigation and easily view, crop and print photos.

The complete wireless solution1 – connect to wireless network in seconds including Wi-Fi Direct.

EPSON Connect™ – easily print from iPad®, iPhone®, tablets and smartphones; print and share from anywhere.

Remarkable print quality – get crisp, sharp documents and brilliant colour photos.

Print customised & borderless photos – built-in card slots for PC free photo printing.

Better image enhancement tools2 – red-eye removal, photo restoration and correction of over/under exposed images.

Print templates – easily create calendars, envelopes, message cards and lined paper.

Simple to use – easy to set up in minutes, with one-touch copying and scanning; intuitive touch panel for ease of use.

Epson DURABrite® Ultra resin coated pigment ink – for water resistant and highlighter friendly laser sharp results.

Brilliant results, smart value – 4 individual Epson ink cartridges and only replace the colour that is used.

XL size cartridges – For 2.5x more prints, 3 different sizes to suit your needs.

Quiet operation – Whisper-quiet printing and scanning prevents noisy distractions.

Consumables: C13T293192, C13T293292, C13T293392, C13T293492, C13T294192, C13T294194, C13T294292, C13T294392, C13T294492, C13T293692, C13T294692.

 

7. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4630 $399.00 or less

The small footplate belies the multiple capabilities of a printer which comes with the renowned name of Epson behind it. Versatility comes in the form of Wi-Fi capability, allowing you to print direct from your smartphone or tablet without having to connect via a cable or insert an SD card. PrecisionCore powers this unit to provide ultra-fast high-quality prints, while reducing per-copy costs by up to 50% when compared to a laser printer. This is a workhorse of an all-in-one printer which can copy, fax, scan and print, with a 330 sheet paper capacity.

Time-saving technology is integrated in the Pro WF-4630 through its capability to dual side copy, print or scan, meaning everything is done with just one pass. This printer is strongly recommended for small businesses and workgroups who use Windows 10 as their operating system.

Sample Review: (verified purchase)

I am not tech savvy but this printer was so easy to set up. Just plug it in and the screen takes you through the set up step by step. There is also a disk for your computer set up. The print quality is absolutely brilliant. Very sharp and very fast. The scanner is very quick. I was waiting for the document to start scanning then realised it had already finished and the document was saved as a PDF to my USB. I highly recommend this printer.

Features:

Get Performance Beyond Laser – the WorkForce WF-4630 powered by PrecisionCore

Save on Epson ink – up to 50 percent vs. colour laser

Higher colour resolution – high-quality text, colour graphics and images

Fastest printing – professional-quality prints at speeds of 20 ISO ppm (black) and 20 ISO ppm (colour)5

Versatile paper handling – up to 330-sheet capacity, with an 80-sheet rear tray; plus auto 2-sided print, copy and scan

Easy navigation and control – intuitive colour touchscreen

Remarkable durability – 30,000-page monthly duty cycle for high-volume printing

Laser-sharp black text – crisp fonts, precise lines and neat edges on plain paper

Extremely durable prints – fade, water and smudge resistant output

Print anywhere, anytime – from iPad®, iPhone®, tablets and smartphones3 with wireless and Wi-Fi Direct®

Consumables: C13T787192, C13T787292, C13T787392, C13T787492, C13T787592, C13T671000.

 

8. Xerox DocuPrint M255Z $299.00 or under

Xerox have lived up to their name for quality printers and copiers with the M255Z which operates on most Windows OS, including Windows 10. As is virtually standard these days, this printer is Wi-Fi enabled, which allows you to print direct from smartphones and tablets without the need for a wired connection. The size makes it ideal for the small-to-medium-sized business where space can be at a premium, yet it doesn’t lack in capacity holding over 250 sheets of paper for multiple copying.

High performance and efficiency are paramount in an office environment, and a particular feature we appreciated with this model was the automatic duplex facility as standard, allowing you to scan or print on both sides of a document with only one pass. Quality of print and speed of startup are two other features of this printer which also impressed us.

Sample Review: (expert)

The low-end laser printer market is rather glutted at the moment with entry level models, but it’s relatively rare to see a multifunction laser at this kind of price point. If you’re a sole printer operator, it’s a fine purchase, but those who need to share it will need to factor in the costs of running a PC to keep it shared.

Features:

Print, Copy, Scan, Fax

30ppm

Resolution 1200 x 1200 dpi

First page out time as fast as 7 seconds

Automatic Duplex

256MB Memory

295MHZ processor

Standard input 250 + 10 sheets

Standard output 125 sheets

Duty Cycle           20,000 Pages

Paper Output Capability                125 sheets face down

Copy Resolution               600 x 600 dpi ADF: 300 x 300 dpi (Std), 600 x 300 dpi

Copy Features   2 in 1 Copy (ID Card Copy), Auto Duplex Copy, Edge Erase, Collate

Consumables: CT201918, CT201919.

 

9. Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM305 df $429.00 or less

The perfect printer for the small-to-medium-sized business, the CM305 df is packed full of features that you would expect to find on a printer selling for in excess of $1,000.00. This is a high quality and efficient multi-function laser printer which despite its capabilities, is extremely simple to use. Enabled for use with the Windows 10 OS, prime features aside from being Wi-Fi enabled is the duplex feature. In simple terms, this is one of the most time-saving options on a quality printer as it can achieve double-sided scanning or printing with one single pass, saving you from having to turn documents over all the time.

Being able to print direct from tablets or smartphones is such a plus these days, though you still have the option of connecting directly. This is a fast printer with good cost-per sheet printing costs thanks to the quality ink included in the Fuji Xerox toner cartridges.

Sample Review: (verified purchase)

We run this printer way beyond its duty cycle. It’s often going for hours non-stop and nothing seems to faze it. Always great copies so I would highly recommend it over HP and Canon that never lived up to this printer.

Features:

This multifunction can be used for printing, scanning, faxing and copying of A4 sized documents.

It has a printing speed of 23 pages per minute for both colour and monochrome documents.

This machine has a printing resolution of 600 x 600 dpi and a scanning resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi.

It has a sheet capacity of 250 sheets so you’ll always have paper ready to go.

This machine supports automatic duplex printing so you can save on paper.

It has a 35 sheet document feeder so you can print and scan your documents automatically.

This machine is wired and comes with a USB cable included so you can start using it straight away.

It features a 256 MB standard memory and a 768 MB maximum memory.

The fax modem supports speeds of up to 33.6 kbps.

It has a monthly duty cycle of 40,000 pages.

It’s Energy Star qualified to help reduce energy consumption.

It comes with a 3-year warranty for your peace of mind.

The machine comes with a USB cable for your convenience.

Consumables: CT201632, CT201633, CT201634, CT201635, CT350876, EL300822

 

10. Canon MG6860 $129.00 or less

Described as a journeyman of printers, Canon never produce a printer that won’t so the job it claims it can. The MG6860 is no exception to that philosophy. Output quality is excellent, while even at this price point it has the duplex capability allowing you to double-side print and scan with just one pass. And for those of you who are entering the printer market, this is very easy to set up, while still offering Wi-Fi capability for those of you who want to be able to print direct from your smartphone or tablet, as well as being able to hook up via a cable if preferred.

Suitable for those running the Windows 10 OS, this small and space-saving printer is ideal for students and those of you with a small home office where space is always at a premium.

Sample Review:

Great features, ticks the boxes I wanted. I bought this product a month ago and found it easy to set up and fully compatible with Windows 10.

Features:

Direct Wireless Connection

Do you need the technology that allows you to print images using a smartphone or tablet even without a Wi-Fi router or access point? Eliminate the need for a Wi-Fi router and automatically connect to your printer.

New and Improved Inks

Looking for better visual impact? With new PIXMA inks that offer you improvements in black and red ink quality, your webpage and photo print quality will be more vivid then ever.

Touch Screen

Enjoy the convenience of printing with a built in 3.0 inch colour touch screen and benefit from a more enjoyable printing experience with an intuitive printing workflow.

Easy Printing App

Easily print with the newest smart device application Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY. Using a Wi-Fi connection, it’s the perfect way to perform simple printing especially for those who have printers without a display.

Smartphone Based Printing

Printing has never been more enjoyable and easy to use your smart phone or tablet. Offering an array of creative software to help you print directly from Instagram, enhance your creativity through Creative park premium and Easy Photo Print+.

Consumables: PGI670BK, CLI671BK, CLI671C, CLI671M, CLI671Y, PGI670XLBK, CLI671XLBK, CLI671XLC, CLI671XLM, CLI671XLY.

Technological advancements in the realm of digital photography are, to a degree, a double-edged sword for the professional photographer. For the keen amateur, they are all fully beneficial. There is no question that the quality of many images has increased, though for professional photographers, only up to a point. While around 10 megapixels may seem a good number for a camera to take great images, then you should see what a camera with double, or even greater resolution can produce, you realise what average quality your own images actually are. So when do you really see the difference? When those images are printed off, assuming you are using a printer suitable for printing photographs.

The major problem with digital photography is that so many of you are now content to leave images confined to a file on your PC or stored somewhere on a tablet or smartphone, never likely to see the light of day. Physical photographs are disappearing and everything now seems to be file-based digital images to look at.

This obviously needn’t be the case if you have access to a top quality printer, as there really is no substitute for the look and feel of real photographs. Unfortunately, your standard desktop printer just isn’t man enough for the job and it is this aspect of digital photography where the ‘amateur’ tends to lose out. There is little point in spending the sort of money necessary to get your hands on a printer that can do your photographs justice if you are more used to just taking random snaps and selfies on your smartphone.

At the opposite end of the scale, if you are a professional photographer, then you will need a printer that can produce images of the highest quality. The choice then lies between whether you prefer the finish you can achieve from an inkjet or laser printer. Additionally, because of the volume of colour printing you are going to be doing, the rate at which a printer consumes ink, and the quality of the ink used, will also have a great influence on your choice. While wireless printing is now pretty much the norm for many of today’s printers, where printing from digital photographs is concerned, many prefer to use SD memory cards to ensure no reduction in image quality.

The most crucial part of a printer though for photographers is the print resolution. There is little point in being able to take ultra-high quality digital images if the printer you subsequently use cannot faithfully reproduce the same quality. The dpi resolution will be appreciably higher than you would find on a standard desktop printer which, at best would be offering a resolution of 2400 x 1200 dpi. Through the use of multiple inject printer cartridges or toner cartridges for laser printers, instead of the usual three colour and one black ink cartridge, you will find that photo-quality printers will have up to 12 individual printer cartridges.

Below we have selected 5 printers that should be of interest to photographers:

1. Epson SureColor SC-P600 $1299.00 or lower

A printer doesn’t need to be big to be powerful, and the SureColor SC-P600 is a prime example of great things coming in small packages. Time was when a printer took up a whole section of a room and caused permanent problems with passing traffic – the people variety that is. Today Epson, a well-respected name in the field of printers, has produced some of the most ergonomic and space-saving printers on the market that pack one hell of a punch.

Of particular note, Epson UltraChrome^® HD pigment ink, combined with Epson’s innovative MicroPiezo^® print head, allows the SC-P600 to produce gallery-quality black-and-white images, with vivid colour prints demonstrating stunning blues and violets. Once you break the $1000.00 mark you expect superior quality, and Epson will impress with all the extras that come with this model.

Sample Review: 

With its extensive media-handling capability and high-end print quality, the P600 is an excellent companion to a high-end camera kit. If we must nit-pick about something, it’s the lack of a roll paper cutter that slices the print off the roll when finished and the 13-inch limitation of paper width. Other than these very minor complaints, Epson’s newest offering for the serious photographer is an excellent choice. If you need to make larger prints, the next step up in Epson’s photo line is the Stylus Pro 3880, which does not have roll paper or CD/DVD print capability but can print on 17-inch wide media.

Features:

A3+ size printing – Exhibition Quality prints up to A3+ size.

Unprecedented black density – Epson UltraChrome HD Ink, an industry-leading ink technology, delivers the highest black density never before seen from a pigment ink for the richest blacks and outstanding colour prints. The SC-P600 offers the highest D-max seen to date on a printer of this calibre.

Auto-switching black inks – A Intelligent linking technology enables the printer to automatically switch between Photo and Matte Black inks to optimize your output, based on the media type you choose. Photo Black Ink produces rich, deep blacks on traditional photographic papers; while Matte Black Ink produces exceptional results on matte surface media.

Individual High Capacity Ink Cartridges – The Epson SureColor SC-P600 includes new high capacity ink cartridges which provide you to print more and change ink cartridges less often.

Advanced, simple media handling – An improved design allows precise front feeding of fine art paper – a definite advantage that not only simplifies a delicate task, but reduces installation space.

CD/ DVD Printing – In keeping with Epson’s precision CD/DVD surface printing tradition, the Epson SureColor SC-P600 supports high quality printing directly on to the surface of compatible inkjet printable 8cm and 12cm CD-Rs and DVDs.

Wired networking – Built-in Ethernet makes sharing the printer on your network quick and easy.

Print and share from anywhere in the world – Print wirelessly from your iPad, iPhone, tablet or smartphone using Epson iPrint4. Easily print documents, photos, emails and web pages while in your office, on the road or across the globe.

Intuitive 2.7″ touchscreen with gesture – The SureColor SC-P600 has a built-in 2.7″ touchscreen with a keypad and gesture navigation that features an impressive touch sensitive LCD display panel which allows you to check the printer status, ink levels and perform routine maintenance tasks along with a variety of other tasks all with a swipe of the screen.

Consumables: C13T760100, C13T760200, C13T760300, C13T760400, C13T760500, C13T760600, C13T760700, C13T760800, C13T760900.

 

2. Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-1000 $1299.00 or less

This is definitely a photographer’s printer with great thought and detail incorporated within the printing process to produce the finest images. Equipped with the L-COA PRO Image Processing Engine, the PRO-1000 is able to swiftly and accurately determine printing paths and patterns making it as efficient as possible. You can print 17 x 22″ photos in only 4 minutes 10 seconds while a two-way vacuum feeder that keeps media flat. Additionally, to expand on the potential of the LUCIA PRO ink set, it uses four monochrome inks to reduce bronzing, increase black density, and expand dynamic range in the shadows for superior grayscale prints. The Chroma Optimizer cartridge also improves color consistency on coated papers and minimises the difference in ink droplet height to guarantee a smooth ink layer and nominal metamerism.

Where printed images need to reflect the true quality of your work, the PROGRAF Pro-1000 is certainly one of the best inkjet copiers in its class.

Sample Review: (verified purchase)

The PRO-1000 is a photo printer… and a great one! The quality of the images produced are second to none. Both color – – and B&W images are deep and rich, with amazing tonal range. If you need a serious photo printer that prints up to 17×22″ look no further.

Features:

FINE (Full-Photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering) printing technology works with 1,536 nozzles for each color to produce impressively detailed prints on a variety of fine-art papers with deep blacks, and accurate quality colors

Two-way vacuum feeder keeps media flat and even while accurately and quickly moving media through the printer

Prints a color bordered 17 x 22″ photo in 4 minutes 10 seconds or a color bordered 13 x 19″ photo in 2 minutes 30 seconds

The Chroma Optimizer improves color consistency on coated papers and reduces the difference in ink droplet height to ensure a smooth ink layer, reducing metamerism

Four monochrome inks work to create images with deep blacks for dramatic grayscale prints as well as reduce the effect of bronzing for photographs with a wide dynamic range, most notably in the dark or shadow areas of the image

Minimum droplet size of 4pl for finely detailed imagery

Pigment-based LUCIA PRO ink tanks hold 80ml

Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity enables use with the Canon PRINT app for wirelessly sending files from a mobile device as well as remote monitoring of ink levels and printer status

Wireless PictBridge, Apple AirPrint, and Canon PIXMA Cloud Link for accessing cameras, mobile devices, and cloud files directly

1GB of standard memory for handling large files with ease

Support for fine art media up to 27.6 mil using the manual feed slot

Rated EPEAT Silver, ENERGY STAR qualified, and RoHS Directive Certified to guarantee efficient power consumption

Print Studio Pro v2.0 is plug-in for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom with 16-bit processing will help you easily send high quality large-format files to the printer for making vivid, detailed photographic prints

Media Configuration Tool enables customization of the media settings in both the driver and printer and can make adjustments such as print head height and vacuum strength

Accounting Manager will help users track use and cost of consumables such as ink and media in order to determine print costs, and it can manage a number of users in a multi-unit environment

Consumables: PFI1000B, PFI1000C, PFI1000CO, PFI1000GY, PFI1000M, PFI1000MBK, PFI1000PBK, PFI1000PC, PFI1000PGY, PFI1000PM, PFI1000R, PFI1000Y.

 

3. Epson Stylus Pro 3880 – A2+ $1495.00 or less

Printing on A2-size paper takes you into a different league of printer. The Pro 3880 is a compact, 17″-wide printer which incorporates Epson UltraChrome K3® with Vivid Magenta Ink Technology, which is recognised worldwide. When used alongside an advanced MicroPiezo® AMC™ print head, the Pro 3880 can produce gallery-quality color and black-and-white images up to 17″ x 22″. There is little question from feedback from purchasers that this is an impressive piece of equipment which delivers on every aspect of high-quality photographic image reproduction. The price point may at first seem high, but this is not your everyday desktop printer. This is a printer used to create ‘hard copy’ of images at the necessary quality to sow clients and potential clients the quality of your work without any compromise.

Sample Review: (verified purchase)

I have been an Epson user for years. They have never let me down and the prints from them let me keep my work in house. I love how it prints on canvas and basically only want to print on canvas now. Setup is easy, printer driver is good, tank access is easy and the several options for loading media is good. I have no complaints from people on the ultra-chrome inks it uses. Images on matte paper are stunning. I have yet to find fault with it.

Features:

Industry-leading pigment ink technology — Epson UltraChrome K3® with Vivid Magenta Ink for intense blues and violets

Professional control — Advanced Black-and-White Photo Mode to easily create neutral or toned black-and-white prints from color or monochrome images

Precision print head technology — Advanced MicroPiezo® AMC™, one-inch wide print head with ink-repelling coating for accurate dot placement

Optimal black density — auto-switching Matte and Photo Black ink for a high Dmax and superior contrast on glossy, matte and fine art papers

Advanced image-quality architecture — smoother color transitions and outstanding highlight and shadow detail with AccuPhoto™ HD2 screening algorithms

Broad media support — create prints on media types including semimatte paper, fiber paper, fine art media or art boards up to 1.5 mm thick

Consistent output from printer to printer — Epson PreciseColor™ ensures no colorimetric calibration is required to normalize the print head

Specialized support — dedicated support for Epson Stylus Pro 3880 users from an expert team at Epson

Consumables: T5801, T5802, T5804, T5805, T5807, T5808, T5809, T580A, T580B.

 

4. Epson Stylus Photo R3000 $1300 or less

When you put the word ‘photo’ in the name of a printer that retails at above $1000.00 then you get an instant idea that this is no run-of-the-mill desktop printer. Epson are world-renowned for their printers and as a ‘flagship’ type printer, this one certainly doesn’t disappoint. This printer sets a new benchmark for the quality of reproduced digital photographs, mainly thanks to Epson UltraChrome K3 ink, including vivid magenta.

Sample Review: (verified purchase)

The Epson R3000 lives up to my expectations as a teacher and a photographer. I have seen other printers and worked with them professionally and have generally been disappointed with the results. My concern has always been with consistency and the quality of the blacks, which I want neutral deep and black with no pixilation or colour casts. The Epson R3000 is my dream home business printer

Features:

A3+ size printing – Exhibition Quality prints up to A3+ size.

Superb colour photographic prints – Epson UltraChrome K3® Ink with Vivid Magenta expands the colour gamut in blues and purples, making it easier to reproduce the more difficult colours.

Outstanding black & white photographic prints – The Epson Stylus™ Photo R3000 includes three black cartridges, creating smooth tonal graduation, superior neutral grey tones and a high D-max for blacker blacks.

Auto-switching black inks – A new Intelligent linking technology enables the printer to automatically switch between Photo and Matte Black inks to optimize your output, based on the media type you choose. Photo Black Ink produces rich, deep blacks on traditional photographic papers; while Matte Black Ink produces exceptional results on matte surface media.

Individual High Capacity Ink Cartridges – The Epson Stylus™ Photo R3000 includes new high capacity ink cartridges which provide 2.3 times more ink than previous Epson models.

Advanced, simple media handling – An Improved design allows precise front feeding of the fine art paper – a definite advantage that not only simplifies a delicate task, but reduces installation space.

Roll paper Support – The Epson Stylus™ Photo R3000 has the ability to support roll paper handling as a standard feature, making continuous, high quality photograph printing absolutely straightforward. This feature makes the printer ideal for photographers looking for simple yet high quality panorama with edge-to-edge BorderFree photo printing on sizes up to A3+.

CD/ DVD Printing – In keeping with Epson’s precision CD/DVD surface printing tradition, the Epson Stylus Photo™ R3000 supports high quality printing directly on to the surface of compatible inkjet printable 8cm and 12cm CD-Rs and DVDs.

Wired and wireless connectivity – Out of the box compatibility with Ethernet and WiFi networks make the Epson Stylus™ Photo R3000 ideal for any photo studio, graphics house or SOHO environment, while support for USB further expands connectivity options. The Epson Stylus™ Photo R3000 also features USB connection and Pictbridge, meaning PictBridge-enabled cameras can be easily connected to the printer for direct-from-camera printing.

2.5 inch Colour LCD Display – The Epson Stylus™ Photo R3000 features an impressive LCD display panel which allows you to check the printer status, ink levels and perform routine maintenance tasks.

Consumables: C13T157190, C13T157290, C13T157390, C13T157490, C13T157590, C13T157690, C13T157790, C13T157890, C13T157990.

 

5. Canon Pixma PRO-1 $1296.00 or less

If you want a printer that will capture every single detail and print in ultra-high quality, then the Canon PRO-1 should be given serious consideration. The price point is extremely competitive when compared to other printers that are appropriate for the field of photography. This printer utilises FINE print-head technology and is capable of producing quicker print speeds with an impressive print resolution of 4800 x 2400 dpi. The Chroma Optimizer allows for a more accurate colour reproduction and the 12 LUCIA Pigment Ink System offers an exceptional colour range to capture all vibrant colours. The five monochrome inks deliver deeper blacks and smoother tonal gradations. This is an A3 photo printer which uses Canon’s Optimum Image Generating (OIG) System to analyses paper type and print mode for each print request and then intelligently and automatically calculates the optimum balance of inks to create the best possible results.

Sample Review: (verified purchase)

A whopping big piece of machinery but the print quality is excellent. Setup on Mac was easy and instructions easy to follow. Provided software is basic but easy to use. All up am very happy so far. Will be flogging the printer a but soon with some serious photo printing so we’ll see how she performs and then will submit a further review. Good product.

Features:

Printing Speed2

SG-201 A3+ bordered approx. 2 min 55 sec.

Printing Resolution – 4800 x 2400 dpi, 4 picolitre

Number of Nozzles – Total 12,288 nozzles (Y/M/C/R/PM/PC/MBK/PBK/DGY/GY/LGY/CO 1,024 nozzles each)

Borderless Printing – A3+, A3, A4, Letter, 5″ x 7″, 6″ x 4″, 8″ x 10″, 10″ x 12″, 14″ x 17″

Ink Tanks – PGI-29Y/M/C/R/PM/PC/MBK/PBK/DGY/GY/LGY/CO

Supported Paper Sizes – A3+, A3, A4, Letter, Legal, Ledger, A5, B5; Photo cards (4×6″,5×7″, 8×10″)

Supported Paper Weights – Plain Paper: 64-105 g/m2,

Windows: Solution Menu EX, M.Setup, Adobe RGB Profile for windows, Easy-WebPrint EX Downloader

General Features Bundled Software

Macintosh: Solution Menu EX, M.Setup, Easy-WebPrint EX Downloader, Mac OS EI X Capitan 10.11

Interface

PC: Hi-Speed USB (B Port) 7, Ethernet Camera Direct: Direct Print Port (PictBridge)6 (Connect your EOS or compatible camera directly to the PIXMA PRO-1)

Operating System

PC: Windows 7, Vista SP1/SP2, XP P2/SP3 Mac: OS.X (10.4.11 or later), Mac OS EI X Capitan 10.11

Consumables: PGI29C, PGI29CO, PGI29DGY, PGI29GY, PGI29LGY, PGI29M, PGI29MBK, PGI29PBK, PGI29PC, PGI29PM, PGI29R, PGI29Y.

Whatever the nature of your business, it is very rare that a week doesn’t go by when you need to use a printer. Thanks to all-in-one printers, that need may not always be to print a document or form, but simply to scan a document to attach the image to an email. In addition, with a small business, cash flow and running costs are always critical, so there is little point in spending thousands of dollars on something you only use a couple of times a week when that money could be better spent more directly on the business.

The truth is, you may not even need a full colour printer, though the price difference between entry-level colour printers and a good monochrome one is not significant. However, where you can save money is on ink cartridges, as black ink is less costly than colour ink.

Space is another aspect you have to take into consideration. If you have your own office, chances are you may be short on space, so the more compact the printer, the better. Some designs are more space saving than others. Don’t forget that most dimensions given for a printer don’t include the space you need to pull out the paper draw for when you need to refill it, or an extension to catch printed paper.

One aspect of printers today that is a huge plus for small businesses is the capacity to print remotely. If you are within a reasonable distance of the printer, you can print direct from a tablet or smartphone via a Bluetooth connection. However, you can print from the other side of the world if you have an internet-connected printer, usually via Wi-Fi. This is excellent for when you are away from the office, but maybe want someone in the office to get a physical copy of an image you need them to see. It can be a document you’ve photographed, or a picture you’ve taken with your smartphone. You can simply print via email and you need not come anywhere near your printer.

One final thing to take into consideration is running costs. A printer’s initial price may seem competitive, but if it guzzles ink, then over time it could turn out to be more costly than anticipated. Do some research and see what you can discover about cost per page for printing – this is always the best guide and you can usually find it out somewhere if you have the name and model number of the printer.

Below we’ve chosen five printers that we feel are well suited to the small business environment:

1. Epson EcoTank ET-4550 $699.00 or less

The USP of this printer from Epson is the use of ink tanks as opposed to ink cartridges. This helps considerably to reduce the running costs and per-sheet cost of printing, and the tanks are simply replenished from larger individual ink bottles in black, cyan, magenta and yellow. This is an ideal home-office all-in-one printer which not only prints but has fax, scan and copying facilities included.

The printer should be supplied with enough ink for two years’ use, so that you don’t have any ongoing costs once the initial purchase has been made, and ink supplies are sufficient for 11,000 pages of black text, and 8,500 pages in colour.

Sample Review (verified purchase)

I am so happy with this printer. The quality of the prints is amazing, I have even printed photos for the first time ever and they came out perfectly. I can also print long articles quickly and economically for my Uni work. The features of being able to print double sided, use the document feeder to scan multiple pages, program different print qualities depending on what I am printing, all have me amazed. Overall I am extremely happy with the functionality and totally looking forward to never running out of ink in the middle of the night again, or having to spend so much on replacing ink cartridges. Yay for Epson.

Features:

2 years of ink included – you can print up to 11,000 pages in black2 and 8,500 pages in colour

Start in 3 easy steps: 1. Fill, 2. Set Up, 3. Print – without concern, week after week, month after month

Low-cost replacement ink bottles – and easily refillable ink tanks

Powered by PrecisionCore technology – delivers laser-quality black text

Epson Connect™ – easily print from iPad®, iPhone®, tablets and smartphones, includes Wi-Fi Direct® for router-free printing

Do more – auto 2-sided printing; plus a 30-page Auto Document feeder

Easy setup and menu navigation – 2.2″ Mono LCD

Load paper less often – 150-sheet paper capacity

One-touch copying – get high quality copies fast

Product Protection you can count on4 – two-year Return to Base Warranty with registration

Small size, great performance – save space at the home office

Easy – user friendly control panel buttons

Consumables: C13T774192, C13T664292, C13T664392, C13T664492.

 

2. Brother HL-L5100DN $299.00 or less

This is an excellent space-saving printer from Brother and for those in a rush, a printing speed of 42 pages per minute means this is no slouch. There is also a sensible amount of paper storage with a standard 250-page feeder tray, and a 50 sheet multipurpose tray for specialised media, which can be expanded to 1340 sheets with an optional feeder tray. The recommended monthly capacity is a remarkable 50,000 pages.

Wireless capability comes through the Ethernet and enables wireless connection to mobile devices so you can print direct from a smartphone or tablet, again adding to the time-saving design of this printer.

Sample Review: (expert)

With excellent speed and networking capabilities, the HL-L5100DN Monochrome Laser Printer from Brother is a versatile unit well-suited for use in a home or office. The printer will be able to work quickly and with precision with a 42 ppm print speed and a resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi. It can produce documents as large as 8.5 x 14″ and it will take less than 7.2 seconds for the first print out. Automatic duplex printing further enhances productivity and limits paper usage with its 2-sided output.

Features:

Fast, high-quality printing. With a print speed of up to 42 pages per minute, this printer is ideal for busy offices. Plus, it offers up to 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution for crisp, clear text and excellent graphics.

Built-in networking. Share the HL-L5100DN with multiple users on your network via its Ethernet interface.

Cost-efficient output. Help lower your operating costs via a high-yield 8,000-page replacement Brother toner cartridge.

Easily handle your large print jobs via an adjustable 250-sheet capacity paper tray and 50-sheet capacity multi-purpose tray. Additional optional paper trays are available in 250-sheet or 520-sheet capacities enabling users to configure the printer with multiple trays in a way that best meets their application requirements – up to 1,340-sheet total capacity.

Automatic two-sided printing. Use the duplex feature to produce professional brochures, documents and booklets. This feature can help save money and cut your paper usage by up to 50%.

Convenient mobile device printing. Print from your mobile device via‡: AirPrint™, Google Cloud Print™ 2.0, Mopria®, Brother iPrint&Scan, and Cortado Workplace

Advanced security features. Restrict unauthorized printing and help protect sensitive documents with a wide-range of security features including: Secure Print, Secure Function Lock, Enterprise Security (802.1x), IPSec, SSL/TLS and more.

Outstanding customer support. The Brother HL-L5100DN offers a 1-year limited warranty with free phone support for the life of your product.

Consumables:  TN3420, TN3440, DR3425

 

3. Canon imageCLASS MF229dw $599.00 or less

As is common with a number of Brother printers, this is a swift machine which saves wasting considerable time. It is ready virtually instantly from sleep mode, and takes only 6 seconds to produce a first copy. Now that’s impressive. Once again we’ve got wireless connectivity enabling network access from mobile devices such as a smartphone or tablet, while minimal running costs are also a key feature of this printer.

Monochrome means that you can still scan in colour, but it will only print in black and white, or greyscale. This obviously saves on the cost of coloured ink or toner cartridges. This one operates with a toner cartridge which will further reduce per-copy costs. This is complemented by the duplex scanning and printing function which requires only one pass.

Sample review: (expert)

If you need a monochrome laser multifunction printer (MFP) with the ability to scan duplex (two-sided) documents, be sure to include the Canon imageClass MF229dw on your short list. It delivers speed and paper handling suitable for a small office, offers an easy-to-use, touch-screen control panel, and lets you copy or scan stacks of two-sided pages, courtesy of a duplexing automatic document feeder (ADF). For a micro office with moderate print needs, it could easily be the right fit.

Features:

High print resolution (27 ppm, 600 x 600 dpi / up to 1200 x 1200 dpi enhanced)

Convenient access to the front panel from a standing or seated position.

Auto duplex for easy double sided printing and copying via the Duplexing Auto Document Feeder

Easy set-up mode will search for access points to connect to – ensuring trouble free network connections.

50-page Duplex Automatic Document Feeder (DADF) for fast unattended copying and faxing.

Huge fax memory of up to 256 pages to ensure there are no lost message.

CCD scanning at 600 x 600 dpi (optical) and 9600 x 9600 dpi (interpolated)

All-in-one printer cartridge system meaning only 1 consumable to stock

(requires Wi-Fi connection)

Useful toner gauge function to confirm remaining toner quantity

Consumables: CART337

 

4. Samsung M2885FW 4-in-1 Multifunction Xpress $299.00 or less

Samsung have produced a very competitively priced all-in-one printer, fax machine, copier and scanner in an eye-catching and impressive space-saving design. Advanced ReCP (Rendering Engine for Clean Pages) helps to ensure that you get crisp and clean prints and scanned copies. The large Samsung toner cartridge reduces risk of running out of ink at vital times, while also helping to reduce per-page printing costs.

Download the Samsung Mobile Print app for both iOS and Android platforms and you will be able to control the printer from your smartphone, enabling you to wirelessly use all four functions.

Sample Review (verified):

I just replaced my Epson XP-800 with this, and am very pleased with its performance thus far. This is a workhorse of a printer for those who want efficient and speedy printing of black-and-white documents.

Features:

Print, Scan, Copy, Fax

NFC, Mobile Print, WPS

600 MHz Processor

2-line LCD Operational Panel

128 MB Memory (Standard)

Interface (Standard) Hi-Speed USB 2.0 / Ethernet 10 / 100 Base TX / Wireless 802.11b/g/n

Power Consumption – 400 watts (Printing) / 50 watts (Standby) / * 1.6 watts (Power Save) * (Wi-Fi Direct on: 2.4 watts)

Dimension (WxDxH) 401 x 362 x 367 mm (15.8″ x 14.2″ x 14.4″)

Weight 11.3 kg (24.9 lbs)

Max. Monthly Duty Cycle 12,000 Pages

Print Speed (Mono) Up to 28 ppm in A4 (29 ppm in Letter)

First Print Out Time (Mono) Less than 8.5 seconds (From Ready Mode)

Resolution 4800 x 600 dpi effective

Windows 8 / 7 / Vista / XP / 2000 / 2008R2 / 2008 / 2003, Mac OS X 10.5 – 10.8, Various Linux

Consumables: MLT-D116S/SEE, MLT-D116L/SEE, MLT-R116/SEE

 

5. HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M277dw $549.00 or less

Jet intelligence ensures that you get peak performance from this laser printer to minimise running costs, while speed of printing helps save considerable time. Both wired and wireless functionality means you can operate this printer remotely and print direct from mobile devices such as a smartphone or tablet. The all-in-one design saves on space in your office, which is usually at a premium, so in one workhorse you can print, scan, fax and copy documents on full colour or black and white.

At just over $500.00 this fits in well against stiff competition in this sector of the printer market, but with HP’s name for robust and reliable printers and other computer-associated hardware, you’re pretty well guaranteed trouble-free performance.

Sample Review:

Fuss-free setup and easy to use features. Fax worked for me via a splitter. Able to print via iPad, scan to USB. Duplex printing is a breeze. Still checking out all its capabilities though – would love to know how to automatically scan to both sides of the paper. Really small footprint to boot!

Features:

Accomplish more with your time

Create professional-quality color documents, and speed through tasks with super-fast two-sided printing.

Choose the MFP that’s the smallest in its class, and prints from sleep mode faster than comparable devices.

Access time-saving apps from the 3-inch (7.6 cm) touchscreen, and scan directly to email and the cloud.

Easily print Microsoft® Word and PowerPoint® documents—now directly from your USB drive.

Easy mobile printing options

Print to this MFP with just a touch of your NFC-enabled mobile device—no network needed.

Count on wireless direct printing in the office—from mobile devices—without accessing the company network.

Easily print from a variety of smartphones and tablets—generally no setup or apps required.

More. Pages, Performance, and Protection.

Get more pages than ever before—using Original HP High-Yield Color Toner cartridges with JetIntelligence.

Count on professional quality at high speeds—HP ColorSphere 3 toner works best with your HP printer.

Get the authentic HP quality you paid for with anti-fraud technology.

Print right away with preinstalled HP toner cartridges. Replace them with optional high-yield cartridges.

Meet every day IT challenges head-on

Safeguard data and easily manage devices with a suite of essential security and management features.

Easily access, print, and share resources with Ethernet and wireless networking.

Increase security, restore control, and help avoid additional expenses—with HP JetAdvantage Private Print.

Consumables: CF400A, CF401A, CF402A, CF403A, CF400X, CF401X, CF402X, CF403X