If you're looking for a new printer, chances are you've heard the terms laser and inkjet, as these are the two main types of printers on the market. Each has its advantages as well as disadvantages, and the one that's best for you will depend on your needs from a printer.
Laser printers use toner powder, whereas inkjet printers use liquid ink. An inkjet printer has a higher quality of printing, however, a laser printer doesn't smudge. Laser printers are usually more expensive, however, they're more efficient and cheaper in the long run. This is due to the fact that ink cartridges (which inkjet printers use) are costly and not as efficient.
We recommend laser printers if you'll be mostly printing documents and texts, whereas inkjets are much better suited for printing photographs. Additionally, inkjet printers are typically more compact, so they are ideal for small spaces.
If you'll also need a scanner, photocopier and a fax machine, you may want to consider purchasing an all-in-one printer, as they boast these properties and more.
Whichever you prefer, and whether you're on a budget or not, we've scoured the market and rounded up the best laser and inkjet printers below, all available to purchase right now:
The best laser printers:
Best overall laser printer
Description
At the top of our buyer's guide is this HP M15w printer. It's ideal for anyone who wants a compact printer that you can easily transport, this laser printer from HP is the smallest one you can find on the market. It's additionally incredibly quick, as it prints at a rate of 19ppm (pages per minute).
Best budget laser printer
www.argos.co.uk
Description
If you love the above laser printer but don't want to break the £100 mark, this printer would be an excellent substitute. It does only print in black and white, but this does mean you'll significantly save money on cartridges. USB and WiFi printing is a welcome addition. The print speed is also impressive, printing 20 pages per minute.
Best high end laser printer
Description
You can't go wrong with the HP Tango Smart Home Printer, with brilliant print quality, sleek design and voice-activated printing via Amazon Alexa or Google Home Assistant. It's wireless and can also copy, scan and even print on photographic paper. This product was made with ease in mind and it's an absolute dream to use.
Best laser printer for printing colour
Description
An overall excellent printer boasting an impeccable print quality. Make sure to download the HP app with it, as then you'll be able to print, scan and copy from your smartphone. The Wi-Fi connection also eases printing from Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print.
Recommended
Description
A robust, sturdy and reliable product, this mono laser printer by Brother can copy, print, scan, fax and it's wireless. We were also impressed by how fast it can print, as well as its 150-paper capacity, making it ideal for busier households.
The best Inkjet printers:
Best overall inkjet printer
Description
This is definitely the best inkjet printer out there, and we love that it's also an all-in-one printer, meaning it can print, copy and scan! Plus it includes a two month free trial of Instant Ink Ready.
Best inkjet printer for most features
Description
Featuring a sleek LCD screen, mobile printing, Wi-Fi and a compact aesthetic, the Epson Expression XP-3100 does everything you need and more from a printer. It's ultra user-friendly and automatically prints on both sides, so you can save paper too.
Best inkjet printer for busy households
Description
A brilliant printer, it hits all bases - print, scan, copy and fax - all at a great price point. We also love that if you download the HP Smart app, you can print and scan your documents from just about anywhere.
Best budget inkjet printer
www.argos.co.uk
Description
If you're looking for an inkjet printer on a tighter budget, we've got you covered with the HP DeskJet 2710e. It's under £50 and boasts Wi-Fi connectivity and even a scanner, a feature usually found with more expensive models. It even comes with a free two-month ink subscription!
Description
Boasting an impressive print quality, as well as a fast printing speed, there's not much this inkjet printer can't do. We also love how economical it is, as you can add black ink from more affordable refill bottles rather than just ink cartridges. These bottles can also be recycled much more easily than the cartridges, making it a more eco-friendly printer than others.