The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.The Insider Pick:A great printer can make or break your workflow, and there are plenty of options for yourhome office or small business. None better, however, than the Brother MFC-J985DWwith its top printing quality and low running cost.Working from home is becoming increasingly popular in this connected world we live in, but if you start working from home, you may not have access to all the tools that an office-space has to offer. Not only that, but if you have kids in school, or simply need to print every now and then, having a good printer at your disposal can be extremely helpful. Of course, there are a ton of printers out there to choose from, and not all of them are created equal.Before you decide on a specific model of printer to go for, you should make a few decisions on the type of printer you need. Here are a few key points to consider before you make the decision to pull the trigger on a new printer.Laser or inkjet: There are two main types of printers ' laser and inkjet, and they're actually pretty different. Laser printers are generally more expensive, but the trade-off is that you don't have to worry about buying ink, and pages are printed a lot quicker. Laser printers need toner, which lasts longer than the ink used by inkjet printers. This type of printer is also best for printing documents and sometimes only prints in black and white, though many laser printers can do color, too. Inkjet printers are cheaper to buy, but ink is expensive. However, if you print photos, this is the printer you want. Inkjet printers are also easier to maintain, so most people will likely prefer them.Do you want a scanner' Many printers these days also come with a scanner, meaning you can combine your printing and scanning needs into one device. Speaking from personal experience, it's common to use the scanner after signing a document that may have been emailed to you, so it may be a good thing to have in your home office.Double-sided printing: Many printers out there offer the ability to print double-sided documents, so you won't have to worry about flipping the page over and printing again if you want dual-sided printing. This also helps cut down on the number of pages you print, which is obviously good for the environment.Some companies also offer some extra features. For example, HP offers an ink subscription service, in which you can pay $2.99 per month and have HP automatically send new ink when it detects that your ink supply is running low.But what's the best printer out there' Here are the five best printers you can buy. You should also check out our guides to the best computer mice and the best Bluetooth keyboards.Althoughthe Brother MFC-J985DW is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider theHP Envy 5560, the HP LaserJet Pro M252dw, the Canon ImagePrograf PRO-1000, and the Canon Pixma iP8720.SEE ALSO:The best computer mice you can buyThe best printer overallWhy you'll love it:The Brother MFC-J985DWhas a low operating cost and can print double-sided sheets, making it our pick for the best printer you can get.Brother may be a little less well-known than the likes of HP and Epson, but it makes great printers, and the Brother MFC-J985DW is the best all-around printer you can get right now. There are plenty of things that make this a great printer. For starters, the ink cartridges are super high-capacity, but they aren't much more expensive than competitors' ink cartridges. Long story short, you get more ink for less and it lasts longer. In fact, a single black ink cartridge will set you back a mere $23.99 and print a whopping 2,400 pages on average. Thats not bad at all.On top of that, while the printer works excellently with your computer over a home network, itll also connect easily with a USB, if a wired solution is more up your alley. The printer can even make a direct connection with compatible devices like your smartphone using Wi-Fi Direct or NFC. It also has a scanner, and scans can be sent to compatible devices like your computer. The printer isnt perfect, though it is pretty great. Its better suited to home offices and smaller offices because of its smaller size and slower printing rate of 4.6 pages per minute, according to PCMags tests. It also has a somewhat low paper capacity, so if you print a lot, youll have to reload the paper tray a little more often than you might like. Still, the fact that it prints double-sided sheets will help cut down on the paper usage.In general, the Brother MFC-J985DW is an excellent printer for all smaller applicationsand many reviewers agree. PCMag gave the printer 4/5, while Toms Guide gave it an equal 8/10.Pros: Prints double-sided sheets, lots of connectivity options, low operating costCons: Lower paper capacity, slower printing speed compared to more industrial printersBuythe Brother MFC-J985DW on Amazon for $169.99 (originally $199.99)The best printer on a budgetWhy you'll love it:The HP Envy 5660 features excellent connectivity options and cloud printing, but the best part is that it costs less than $100 when it's on sale.HP has been adopting new tech trends in its printer lineup of late, and surprisingly, those printers tend to be pretty inexpensive. Our favorite affordable one in the lineup is the HP Envy 5660.It's best suited for a small office or home use,though it allows for both a wired USB connection and a wireless connection to a Wi-Fi network. Youll also be able to print from the cloud by creating a custom email address for the printer, so that the device will print any documents youemail to it.The 125-sheet paper tray in the printer isnt amazingly big, but the duplexer in the printer, which allows for double-sided printing, is a welcome extraespecially for a printer in this price range. The Envy 5660 also has a built-in scanner, so you wont need to buy a scanner separately, which is good news for any home office.Some of the more interesting features include the ability to print through the cloud, as well as HPs ink subscription service, which costs $2.99 per month and guarantees that HP will send you ink whenever it detects your printer is about to runout, so you're not screwed when it does.There are a few things to consider before pulling the trigger on this $70 printer. For starters, it doesnt print all that quickly, and theres no Ethernet port, so itll need to connect to the internet through a Wi-Fi network. It also doesnt support faxes, though most people shouldnt need the ability to fax anyway. Regardless, it's a steal at this price.Pros: Cloud connectivity, ink subscription service, duplexer for double-sided printing, inexpensiveCons: Somewhat slow, no Ethernet portBuythe HP Envy 5660 on Amazon for $52.56 (price variesoriginally $149.99)The best laser printerWhy you'll love it:If youre looking for a laser printer, the HP LaserJet Pro M252dw is the best option, thanks to its high printing speed and built-in duplexer.HP doesnt just offer great inkjet printersit boasts a great selection of laser printers, too. One of its best laser printers, at least from a home office perspective, is the LaserJet Pro M252dw. It's one of the few laser printers to offer color printing. It still prints relatively quickly and outputs quite high-quality images. When it comes to connectivity, the printer boasts a USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connection, as well as the ability to print through the cloud.TheLaserJet Pro M252dwalso has a high-quality touchscreen, making it easier than ever to interact with the device. Finally, it sports a built-in duplexer, so it can print double-sided sheets.There are plenty of great features, and the only real downside is the somewhat low paper capacity of 150 pages.Still, many reviewers agree that its among the best laser printers for home and small office use. PCMag rated it a hefty 4/5, while Trusted Reviews awarded it 9/10. Not bad ratings at all.Pros: High-quality prints, good connectivity options, built-in duplexerCons: Low paper capacityBuythe HP LaserJet Pro M252dw on Amazon for $189.00See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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