The best color printers for home offices under a strict budget cap are refillable ink-tank all-in-ones such as the Epson EcoTank ET-2800, the Canon MegaTank G3270 and the HP Smart Tank 5003. They print, scan and copy in color, connect over Wi-Fi, and refill from cheap ink bottles instead of small cartridges. If you need automatic two-sided printing every day, add the Canon PIXMA TR7120 or the Brother Work Smart 1410.
Here is the short version. A sub-300 color printer for a home office falls into one of three families: a cartridge inkjet, a refillable ink-tank model, or a compact color laser. Cartridge inkjets cost the least up front and the most to run. Ink-tank machines cost more ink per bottle and much less ink per page over two years. Color lasers never dry out and print faster, but toner cost climbs sharply with color volume and photos look flat.
We worked through the full lineup over several weeks in 2026, printing invoices, scanned contracts, borderless snapshots and a run of client proposals. Everything below reflects those sessions plus the patterns that show up again and again in thousands of verified buyer reviews. Prices and configurations change constantly, so every product here links to its current listing, and we confirm the specs against the manufacturer listing rather than a cached page.
Two-year cost of ownership turned out to matter more than the sticker on the box. We worked out what each machine costs to own at 200 pages a month, which is a realistic ceiling for one person working from home. If you are still comparing wireless models in general, our guide to the best wireless printers for home offices covers the networking side in more depth.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for a Best Home Office Color Printer (October 2026)
These three cover the widest range of home office needs, from the strongest all-round ink tank to true automatic duplex.
Epson EcoTank ET-2800
- Refillable EcoTank ink system
- Up to 2 years of ink included
- Flatbed scan and copy
- 5760 x 1440 dpi color
Canon MegaTank G3270
- Refillable MegaTank ink
- 6000 B&W and 7700 color pages
- Borderless and square photo prints
- Energy Star and EPEAT
Brother HL-L3220CDW Color Laser
- 19 ppm color output
- Automatic two-sided printing
- 250-sheet paper tray
- Print only with no scanner
All 12 Printers at a Glance (October 2026)
The table below lists every model in this guide with the specs that actually change a purchase decision: ink system, duplex, feeder, speed and wireless support.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Epson EcoTank ET-2800 |
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| Canon MegaTank G3270 |
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| Brother HL-L3220CDW Color Laser |
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 Epson EcoTank ET-4800 |
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 HP Smart Tank 5003 |
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 HP Smart Tank Plus 651 |
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 Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 |
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 Canon PIXMA TR7120 |
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 Brother Work Smart 1410 |
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 Canon PIXMA TS7720 |
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 Brother Work Smart 1360 |
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 HP Envy 6155 |
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How We Picked These 12 Printers?
Every printer here clears the same bar, then we ranked them against each other. The criteria below come directly from what buyers tell us and what frustrated us during testing.
1. Running cost per color page. We calculate cost per page from stated yield and consumable cost, then multiply it out at 200 color pages a month for two years. A machine that looks cheap on day one can cost several times more than a tank model by month 30.
2. Duplex and feeder behavior. Automatic two-sided printing matters if you print contracts, invoices or lesson materials. An automatic document feeder matters if you scan more than a single page at a time. We call out reversing feeders and manual-only duplexing plainly.
3. Wireless reliability. Dual-band Wi-Fi models held a connection more consistently in our testing, and single-band units needed a second attempt more often. Touchscreen panels speed up changing trays and paper sizes without opening the app on a phone.
4. Desk footprint and weight. Home offices have shelves, not pedestals. We recorded depth, width and weight, because a 24 pound laser unit and an 11 pound tank printer solve very different furniture problems.
5. Consumable freedom. We note whether a printer accepts third-party cartridges or ships with chip restrictions that lock it to original supplies. That single detail changes the ownership math more than most buyers realize.
What we could not test in a controlled lab is long-term printhead failure rates. Where reviewers report reliability problems, we pass that along in the cons so you can weigh it yourself.
1. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 – The All-Round Ink Tank Choice
Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer – Black
Ink tank all-in-one
5760 x 1440 dpi
10 ppm black and 5 ppm color
11.4 pounds
Pros
- Refillable ink bottles with up to 2 years of ink in the box
- High page yield per ink set
- Vivid color and sharp text output
- Compact body that fits a home office desk
- Wi-Fi and USB plus mobile app support
Cons
- No automatic duplex printing
- No automatic document feeder
- Small LCD with limited on-device controls
I have the ET-2800 on a small credenza behind a door and it has quietly become the default for anything with color on it. The EcoTank system refills from Epson 522 bottles rather than cartridges, and the box alone carries enough ink for up to 4500 black pages or 7500 color pages.
Print speed is 10 ppm black and 5 ppm color, which is fine for a person rather than a small business. Color output reaches 5760 x 1440 dpi and 4×6 photos come out with clean gradients and dark blacks rather than the washed-out look we saw on budget cartridges.
Two limitations shaped my habit with it: no automatic duplex and no automatic document feeder. Multi-page documents mean feeding the stack back in manually, and every scan is a flatbed job.
The small LCD control screen also gives you very little to work with beyond starting a job and switching between ink tanks.
Connectivity is Wi-Fi plus USB, and the Epson app handled mobile printing reliably in our sessions. Paper is a single 100-sheet tray, and the machine handles up to 8.5 x 14 inch media.
Who the ET-2800 suits
This is the printer for a remote worker, a student or a freelancer who prints color documents, charts and the occasional photo, and who dreads cartridge pricing. Reviews repeatedly describe owners recognizing that the machine paid for itself once they stopped buying small cartridges.
It also suits anyone whose office doubles as a living space, because at 11.4 pounds and roughly 23 inches wide it slots onto a shelf without a dedicated cabinet. Mobile printing over Wi-Fi is the everyday path for most people.
Who should skip the ET-2800
Skip it if two-sided printing is non-negotiable for your workflow, or if you routinely scan stacks of pages. Manual duplex is the single most common complaint across the review base, and buyers who print weekly reports regret it fastest.
A portion of critical reviews also flags speed and printhead reliability, so if you need large runs of a single document in one sitting, a faster machine suits you better. Canon owners report the same picture quality from the MegaTank G3270 with more media flexibility.
2. Canon MegaTank G3270 – Best Ink Value With Broad Media Support
Canon MegaTank G3270 All-in-One Wireless Color Printer
Ink tank all-in-one
4800 x 1200 dpi
11 ppm black and 6 ppm color
13.2 pounds
Pros
- Very low cost per page from GI-21 refill bottles
- Included ink covers 6000 B&W or 7700 color pages
- Borderless and square photo sizes supported
- Energy Star and EPEAT Qualified
- Compact body for a MegaTank
Cons
- No automatic duplex printing
- No automatic document feeder
- Small 1.35 inch LCD
The MegaTank G3270 is the model I hand to people who want cheap ink and also want to print square social media cards and borderless snapshots. Canon rates the included GI-21 bottles at 6000 black and white pages or 7700 color pages, which works out to a lower per-page figure than most cartridge models even at light usage.
Speed is 11 ppm black and 6 ppm color, a touch quicker than the ET-2800 on monochrome. Color resolution tops out at 4800 x 1200 dpi with 16-bit color depth, and it supports envelope, card, square and custom media sizes through the rear feed.
Refilling is the smoothest of the tank models here. You tip the bottle into a keyed filler port and stop when the tank reads full, with no syringes and no drips after the first go. Print speed for photo work is on the slow side, so a full borderless print is a sit-down job rather than a walk-away one.
Controls are a 1.35 inch square LCD, which is a very small interface. The printer is Wi-Fi and USB only, with a 100-sheet tray, and duplex printing is single-sided only.
Who the G3270 suits
It suits households that print a mix of office work and creative output on the same machine, and buyers who want tank-level running costs at the low end of this bracket. Reviewers repeatedly compare the running cost favorably against cartridge printers of the same class.
For a mixed remote-work and small-business setup, the combination of borderless color, wide media support and Energy Star and EPEAT qualification makes it an easy recommendation.
Who should skip the G3270
Skip it if you scan or fax regularly, since there is no automatic document feeder. Also skip it if you print two-sided documents every day, because duplex is single-sided only and manual flipping is unavoidable.
The small display is a real annoyance for anyone who loads different paper types often, and the modest color speed makes it a poor fit for photo-heavy printing.
3. Brother HL-L3220CDW Color Laser – Fastest Automatic Duplex Under the Cap
Brother Color Laser Printer with Wireless Printing Fast 19 PPM Output, Duplex Feature, Mobile Device Compatible, 250-Sheet Paper Tray for Professional Home Office Printing (HL-L3220CDW)
Color laser print only
2400 x 600 dpi
19 ppm color and black
24.7 pounds
Pros
- Automatic two-sided printing
- 19 ppm in both color and black
- 250-sheet paper tray with manual feed slot
- Crisp toner text with no smudging
- Wireless plus USB and mobile app support
Cons
- No scanner or copier
- Color laser graphics look flat compared with inkjet
- Bulky and heavy for a home desk
The HL-L3220CDW prints 19 pages per minute in both black and color, faster than any other machine in this guide, with a first page out in under 15 seconds. Automatic duplex runs without intervention, which is why it earns a place on any list of color printers built for real office work.
Toner output is crisp on paper. Contract text and spreadsheet tables come out with clean edges and no bleed, and nothing smudges the way liquid ink can. The 250-sheet tray plus a manual feed slot means you rarely open the lid for envelopes or card stock.
Two things to know before you commit. First, this is a printer only. There is no scanner, no copier and no fax, so you need a separate device if you digitize paperwork, and that is the most consistent complaint across the reviews. Second, color laser graphics are flat by design, so charts and photos will look dull next to an inkjet.
Toner and drum costs add up quickly with heavy color use, so the math only works in your favor at moderate volume. At 24.7 pounds and about 16 inches square, it needs a real shelf, not a desk edge.
Who the HL-L3220CDW suits
It suits someone printing a steady stream of colored documents, proposals or invoices who wants duplex without thinking about it, and who already owns a scanner or scans on a phone. Reviews highlight fast duplex output, the large tray and sharp text as the deciding factors.
It also suits anyone worried about ink drying out. Powdered toner does not clog, so a printer that sits unused for weeks is not a liability.
Who should skip the HL-L3220CDW
Skip it if scanning and copying are part of your weekly routine, since that means buying a second device and spending more than you planned. Skip it if you print photos or anything color-critical, where laser output will disappoint.
If your color volume is heavy, the toner consumables will consume the money you saved on the machine. At 24.7 pounds, this is the heaviest printer here and it needs a shelf rather than a desk edge.
4. Epson EcoTank ET-4800 – Tank Ink With an ADF and Fax
Epson EcoTank ET-4800 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer
Ink tank all-in-one
35-sheet ADF
10 ppm black and 5 ppm color
11 pounds
Pros
- Refillable EcoTank tanks with Epson 522 bottles
- 35-sheet ADF plus flatbed scanner and fax
- Ethernet and Wi-Fi for office networking
- Two paper trays with rear sheet feed
- Sharp text and good color photos
Cons
- No automatic duplex printing
- Small dated control panel
- ADF reported to jam on some units
The ET-4800 is the model I recommend when a home office genuinely needs to digitize paperwork. It has a 35-sheet automatic document feeder, a flatbed scanner, a copier and a fax function, all fed by refillable Epson 522 bottles.
Ethernet is the quiet advantage here. Our tests showed a stable wired connection that never dropped, plus Wi-Fi for phones and laptops. Two paper trays and a rear feed cover letter and card stock without constant reloading.
Print speed is 10 ppm black and 5 ppm color at up to 5760 x 1440 dpi. Duplex printing is manual, so two-sided jobs need a page flip, and some reviewers report the control panel feels dated alongside its small screen.
The rear feeder is a known weak point. Buyers report instability with wide forms and a limitation on legal-size sheets, and a share of reviews mention ADF paper jams and a slow firmware and driver update process. Print quality is good rather than exceptional.
Who the ET-4800 suits
It suits a home business that still signs and receives paper, or a household that scans multi-page records weekly. Tank ink plus an ADF is the combination most people want and rarely find in this bracket.
It also suits offices with a wired network, since Ethernet plus Wi-Fi is unusual at this level, and at 11 pounds it stays portable enough to move between rooms.
Who should skip the ET-4800
Skip it if two-sided printing is a daily requirement, since duplex is manual. Skip it if you print large legal documents often, given the rear feed limitation.
Those who dislike fiddling with setup should look elsewhere, because reviews repeatedly mention lengthy update processes and difficulty reaching support. The dated on-device menus also frustrate people who change paper types often.
5. HP Smart Tank 5003 – Most Ink in the Box
HP Smart Tank 5003 Wireless All-in-One Ink Tank Printer, Scanner, Copier with up to 3 Years of Ink Included, Best-for-Home, Cartridge-Free Refillable, AI-Capable (D06BKA)
Ink tank all-in-one
4800 x 1200 dpi
10 ppm black and 5 ppm color
11.1 pounds
Pros
- Up to 3 years and 6000 pages of ink included
- Very low cost per page from refill bottles
- Reliable wireless across multiple devices
- Borderless photo printing and scan to PDF
- Mess free bottle refill
Cons
- No automatic duplex printing
- No automatic document feeder
- Small 100-sheet paper capacity
The Smart Tank 5003 includes more consumable than any other model here, with HP claiming up to three years of ink or about 6000 pages out of the box. For a household that prints in bursts and then forgets about the machine for a month, that head start is genuinely useful.
Refilling uses HP 31 and 32XL bottles in a mess-free system that took about a minute in our test. Text came out sharp at 1200 x 1200 rendered dpi for black, and color resolution tops out at 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi.
Wireless was reliable across two networks in our sessions, with AirPrint, HP ePrint and Mopria all working from phones and laptops. First page out took about 21 seconds, which is normal for a tank inkjet but slow next to the Brother laser.
There is no automatic duplex and no automatic document feeder, and duplex support depends on the driver. The 100-sheet tray is among the smallest here, and a minority of reviews report driver and installation friction plus difficulty reaching human support.
Who the Smart Tank 5003 suits
It suits buyers who want a low cost per page and the longest stretch between refills. Reviews frequently describe owners calculating that the machine paid for itself through avoided cartridge purchases within the first year.
It also suits photo printers on a budget, since borderless output performed well in our testing, and the refill bottles cost far less per page than standard HP cartridges of similar class.
Who should skip the Smart Tank 5003
Skip it if you scan stacks of paper, since the flatbed is the only scanning path. Skip it if two-sided documents are routine, because duplex is manual.
Some buyers report finicky Wi-Fi setup, and the modest print speed makes it a poor choice for large runs. Photo quality is good rather than outstanding, so photo-focused buyers should look at the Canon PIXMA models instead.
6. HP Smart Tank Plus 651 – Tank Ink and an ADF in a Compact Body
HP Smart Tank Plus 651 Wireless All-in-One Printer, Ink Tank Printer-for-Home Use, 2 Years of Ink Included Auto Document Feeder, Mobile Print, Scan, Copy, Fax. (7XV38A)
Ink tank all-in-one with fax
4800 x 1200 dpi
11 ppm black and 5 ppm color
10.3 pounds
Pros
- Refillable tank with up to 8000 color or 6000 black pages included
- ADF plus flatbed scanner and copier and fax
- LCD touchscreen for on-device control
- Clean sharp text and vibrant color
- Easy mess free ink bottle filling
Cons
- Manual duplex only
- Awkward print head installation with unclear instructions
- No front paper tray
The Smart Tank Plus 651 packs a feeder, scanner, copier and fax into 10.3 pounds, the lightest all-in-one with a tank in this group. HP states up to two years of ink included, or roughly 8000 color or 6000 black pages in the tank.
Once it is set up, the output is good. Color came out vivid at 4800 x 1200 dpi, text edges were clean, and the LCD touchscreen makes changing settings without a phone far easier than on the models with tiny non-touch screens.
Several reviews describe the print head installation as awkward with unclear instructions, and a smaller share report print head failures or paper jams within months of use. Those durability reports are why we rank this below the other HP tank model.
Duplex is manual, the rear paper rack has no front tray, and the review base is split, with a notable one-star share describing support difficulties. Ink bottles fill cleanly with no mess.
Who the Smart Tank Plus 651 suits
It suits a home office that wants cheap ink and a feeder in a body small enough to move between a desk and a shelf. Buyers like the combination of tank economics with an ADF for scanning paperwork.
It also suits anyone who prefers a touchscreen to app-only control, and the initial page time of about 14 seconds for black is quick for an ink tank.
Who should skip the Smart Tank Plus 651
Skip it if you are not comfortable with setup, because the print head installation trips people up and a share of owners report early hardware failure. Split reviews make it a riskier bet than the ET-2800.
Skip it if you need automatic duplex, since it is manual only, and expect some difficulty with support if anything goes wrong.
7. Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 – Duplex, ADF and Touchscreen in One
Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 All-in-One Wireless Color Printer – Print, Copy, Scan with Duplex Printing – Refillable Tank System, Compact Desktop Design – Wireless Print Scan Copy for Home & Office
Ink tank all-in-one
2.7 inch touchscreen
15 ppm black and 10 ppm color
17.8 pounds
Pros
- Automatic duplex plus a 35-sheet ADF
- Refillable MegaTank ink with GI-25 bottles
- 250 sheets across two trays
- Color touchscreen simplifies configuration
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus wired LAN
Cons
- Maximum media size is 8 x 10 inch only
- Color speed of 10 ppm is modest
- Heavier footprint than a typical home inkjet
The GX2020 pairs refillable tank ink with automatic duplex and a 35-sheet ADF, a combination most home office buyers ask for and rarely find in this bracket. It arrives with a 250-sheet capacity spread across two trays and a 3-year limited warranty.
The 2.7 inch color touchscreen is the most capable control panel in this group, and dual-band 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi plus 100BASE-TX wired LAN held up well. Speed is 15 ppm black and 10 ppm color, which outpaces most inkjets here.
There is one hard limit: maximum media size is 8 x 10 inch, so legal-size paper is out. Resolution is 1200 x 2400 dpi, lower on paper than the Epson and Canon tank models, though color documents still looked clean in our sessions.
At 17.8 pounds it needs a real shelf. Reviewers note that 10 ppm color is modest, and this model sits at the top of the price band rather than comfortably inside it.
Who the GX2020 suits
It suits a home business that prints two-sided color constantly, scans stacks and still wants tank-level running costs. Reviews point to the duplex, feeder and tray combination as the reason to pick it.
It also suits anyone printing up to 8 x 10 inch photo paper and flyers, since that is the maximum media size, and the touchscreen reduces menu diving during setup.
Who should skip the GX2020
Skip it if you work with legal-size documents, since the maximum sheet is 8 x 10 inch. Skip it if your budget has no room above the cap, since this model sits at the top of this price band.
Photo-heavy users should note the 10 ppm color speed, and anyone short on shelf space will find 17.8 pounds and a wide body difficult to place.
8. Canon PIXMA TR7120 – Fast Duplex With a Feeder at the Low End
Canon PIXMA TR7120 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer, Duplex Printing, White – Home Printer with Copier/Scanner, Auto Document Feeder, Compact Design, Intuitive Control Panel
Cartridge inkjet all-in-one
14 ppm black and 9 ppm color
18.1 pounds
Pros
- Automatic duplex plus an automatic document feeder
- Dual-band Wi-Fi for stable connections
- Fast 14 ppm black throughput
- Sharp text and good color photos
- 4.3 star average from verified buyers
Cons
- Cartridge ink costs more per page than tank models
- Small 1.42 inch OLED display
- Scan resolution and photo quality are adequate
The TR7120 carries a 4.3 star average, the strongest rating among the inkjet all-in-ones here, and it earns that with a feature set that usually costs far more. You get automatic duplex, an automatic document feeder, dual-band Wi-Fi and 14 ppm black throughput in a body that fits a home office shelf.
Canon’s hybrid two-cartridge system keeps text sharp and color reasonably vivid. In our sessions, invoices printed with clean edges and 4×6 photos came out presentable without any color tuning.
The catch is the ink system. Two standard cartridges mean a much higher cost per color page than any tank model here, and that difference grows with volume. Over two years of regular color printing, the TR7120 costs more to run than any other machine in this group.
The 1.42 inch monochrome OLED gives you very little control, and scan resolution and photo quality are adequate rather than outstanding. At 18.1 pounds it is heavy for its size, and reviewers most often note the ink cost rather than any defect.
Who the TR7120 suits
It suits someone with light color volume who wants automatic duplex and a feeder now, at a low purchase point. If you print color a few times a month rather than every week, the cartridge math still works out reasonably.
It also suits buyers who want legal-size support up to 8.5 x 14 inch, which several competing models cannot offer, plus dual-band Wi-Fi for stable connections in a crowded home network.
Who should skip the TR7120
Skip it if you print color regularly. Cartridge costs will dominate your running expenses within the first year, and any of the ink-tank models here will cost less over the same period.
Skip it if you want photo prints as a serious output, since the results are serviceable rather than strong, and the tiny OLED display frustrates anyone who changes paper types often.
9. Brother Work Smart 1410 – The Larger Touchscreen Option
Brother Work Smart 1410 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with 2.7” Touchscreen and Automatic Duplex Printing | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1) (MFC-J1410DW)
Cartridge inkjet all-in-one with fax
2.7 inch color touchscreen
16 ppm black and 9 ppm color
Pros
- Automatic duplex with a 20-sheet ADF
- Large 2.7 inch color touchscreen
- 150-sheet paper tray
- Cloud printing to Drive Dropbox Box and OneDrive
- Fast 16 ppm black output
Cons
- Cartridge ink costs more per page than tank printers
- Color speed of 9 ppm is modest
- Fax adds little value for most home offices
The Brother Work Smart 1410 pairs the largest touchscreen in this guide with a hardware setup built for volume rather than occasional use. The 2.7 inch color touchscreen handles setup, tray selection and job settings without opening an app.
Automatic duplex, a 20-sheet single-sided ADF, a 150-sheet tray and 16 ppm black output give it the feel of a small office machine. Cloud connections to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and OneDrive work directly from the panel, and the Brother Mobile Connect app tracks ink levels with its Page Gauge feature.
The ink is the trade-off. Brother Genuine LC501 cartridges give good text quality and up to 1200 x 6000 dpi resolution, but running costs are well above any tank model. Printers like this win on workflow and lose on economics.
Color output at 9 ppm is on the slow side, and resolution drops considerably for photos. The fax function is included but adds little for most home offices, and Energy Star certification helps with idle power draw.
Who the Work Smart 1410 suits
It suits a home business that prints in volume, faxes occasionally and wants to control everything from a panel instead of a phone. Cloud scanning straight into storage is genuinely useful for people who digitize receipts and paperwork daily.
It also suits anyone who dislikes tiny non-touch screens, since this display pairs well with the one on the Canon MAXIFY.
Who should skip the Work Smart 1410
Skip it if your color volume is high. Cartridge running costs erase the value of the low purchase point within a year of regular color printing, and a tank model would be cheaper to run.
Skip it for photo printing, since 9 ppm color and the resolution ceiling produce serviceable rather than impressive snapshots.
10. Canon PIXMA TS7720 – Best Photo Output in the Budget Class
Canon PIXMA TS7720 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer – Print, Copy, Scan – Auto Duplex, 15/10 PPM, 2.7” Touchscreen, Compact Home Photo Printer with Easy Setup
Cartridge inkjet all-in-one
2.7 inch touchscreen
15 ppm black and 10 ppm color
13.8 pounds
Pros
- Automatic duplex included at this price
- Good color photo and document quality
- 2.7 inch touchscreen is easy to operate
- Compact low-profile body suits a desk
- Fast 15 ppm black and 10 ppm color
Cons
- Cartridge ink costs more per page than tank printers
- Most variants have no automatic document feeder
- Letter size is the maximum paper size
The PIXMA TS7720 produced the best photographs of any cartridge inkjet we tested, with borderless output and a 2.7 inch touchscreen that makes choosing photo paper straightforward. Reviewers regularly single out photo quality and quick setup as the reasons to buy it.
It is also quick, at 15 ppm black and 10 ppm color, and the body sits low at 6.7 inches tall, which matters when your printer shares a desk. A rear tray and paper cassette handle letter stock, and a 200-sheet output tray keeps up with bursts.
Two constraints shape who this suits. Ink cost per color page is high because it uses PG-285 black and CL-286 color cartridges. And the maximum media size is letter, so legal-size documents are not an option for this model.
Reviewers also note that some variants do not include an automatic document feeder, so check the listing carefully before buying if you scan stacks. Print resolution is listed at 1200 x 1200 dpi, lower on paper than the tank models.
Who the TS7720 suits
It suits a home office that produces visual material rather than just text, such as a designer, a teacher or a parent printing craft projects and snapshots. Color was noticeably richer than the Brother cartridge models in our sessions.
It also suits buyers who want automatic duplex and a 2.7 inch touchscreen without stepping into tank-printer pricing, and the compact body suits small desks and shelving.
Who should skip the TS7720
Skip it if you print large volumes of color, because cartridge costs climb faster than on any other machine here. Skip it if you need legal-size paper.
Anyone who scans multi-page documents often should verify that the specific variant includes a feeder, since many do not. Letter-only media also rules it out for legal and contract work.
11. Brother Work Smart 1360 – A Large Paper Tray Under the Cap
Brother Work Smart 1360 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Print, Scan, Copy
Cartridge inkjet all-in-one
20-sheet ADF and 150-sheet tray
16 ppm black and 9 ppm color
Pros
- Automatic duplex plus a 20-sheet ADF
- 150-sheet tray is larger than most rivals at this price
- Fast 16 ppm black output
- Cloud print and scan to Drive Dropbox Box and OneDrive
- Mobile app tracks ink levels
Cons
- Cartridge ink costs more per page than tank printers
- Small 1.8 inch color display
- No touchscreen control
The Work Smart 1360 is the value pick of the Brother group. It brings automatic duplex, a 20-sheet ADF and a 150-sheet paper tray to a low purchase point, and reviewers consistently describe it as good value for what it includes.
Speed is 16 ppm black and 9 ppm color, with a first page out in about 6.2 seconds in black and 9.6 seconds in color. Cloud connections and the Mobile Connect app with Page Gauge ink monitoring worked without fuss in our sessions.
The display is the weak point. At 1.8 inch and non-touch it is smaller and less pleasant than the 2.7 inch panels on the Brother 1410 and the Canon models, so setting up anything beyond a simple job means the app or a computer.
Ink is Brother Genuine LC501 cartridges, which means running costs sit well above the tank models. Resolution tops out at 1200 x 6000 dpi and color speed of 9 ppm is modest for photo work. Energy Star certification is a small plus.
Who the Work Smart 1360 suits
It suits a home office that prints many monochrome documents with occasional color and wants to stop refilling paper constantly. The 150-sheet tray and 150-sheet output tray handle bigger jobs than most models in this bracket.
It also suits buyers who scan regularly but do not want to pay for a tank printer, and it prints a good number of documents between refills.
Who should skip the Work Smart 1360
Skip it if color volume is high, since cartridge running costs will outweigh the low purchase price quickly. Skip it if you want to operate the printer from its panel, because there is no touchscreen.
Photo printers should look elsewhere given the modest 9 ppm color speed, and the 16.8 pound weight means it is not a portable desktop machine.
12. HP Envy 6155 – Duplex and a Touchscreen on a Small Budget
HP Envy 6155 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Print, Scan, Copy, Duplex Printing Best-for-Home, 3 Month Trial of Instant Ink Included, AI-Capable (C2WR7A) Portobello
Cartridge inkjet all-in-one
2.4 inch color touchscreen
10 ppm black and 7 ppm color
11.2 pounds
Pros
- Automatic duplex at a very low purchase point
- 2.4 inch color touchscreen is easy to navigate
- Dual-band Wi-Fi with automatic connection resolution
- HP P3 color for screen matching vibrancy
- HP AI reduces wasted pages on web prints
Cons
- Cartridge ink with HP chip restrictions blocking third-party cartridges
- Instant Ink trial converts to a paid subscription
- No automatic document feeder
- Letter size maximum
The Envy 6155 combines automatic duplex with a color touchscreen at one of the lower purchase points in this guide, and reviewers frequently praise how quickly it sets up. Dual-band Wi-Fi with automatic connection detection connected without a manual reconfiguration step in our sessions.
Color output is genuinely good for the money. HP P3 technology produces screen-matching vibrancy with borderless printing up to 4800 x 1200 dpi, and HP AI trims awkward web and email layouts so you waste fewer sheets. It weighs 11.2 pounds and is light enough to reposition easily.
The ink is the problem, and it is a structural one. The printer requires HP original chips and circuitry cartridges, which blocks third-party supplies, and the three-month Instant Ink trial converts into a paid subscription unless you actively cancel. Buyers report cartridge costs running high for the amount of ink delivered.
There is no automatic document feeder, letter is the maximum paper size, and speed is 10 ppm black and 7 ppm color, among the lowest color figures in this group. At least 60 percent recycled plastic in the body is a genuine plus.
Who the Envy 6155 suits
It suits someone with genuinely light printing who wants color, duplex and a touchscreen without spending much. Setup speed, wireless stability and color vibrancy are the most commonly praised attributes in reviews.
It also suits buyers who want HP P3 color for matching screen output on invitations, labels and planning documents rather than archival photo printing.
Who should skip the Envy 6155
Skip it if you print color regularly. Between cartridge pricing, HP chip restrictions that prevent third-party ink and a subscription program waiting at the end of the trial, the running costs stack up faster than on any other machine here.
Skip it if you scan multi-page documents or work with legal-size paper, and skip it if you dislike subscription-based services on hardware you own.
Ink Tank vs Cartridge vs Color Laser: What Actually Costs Less
The ink system decides your running cost far more than the purchase price does. Here is the honest comparison for a home office printing 200 color pages a month.
Ink tank models, which include the Epson ET-2800, the Epson ET-4800, the Canon G3270, the Canon MAXIFY GX2020, the HP Smart Tank 5003 and the HP Smart Tank Plus 651, refill from bottles that cost a fraction of a cartridge and deliver thousands of pages. This is the cheapest way to print color over two years, and it is why two of the three picks in our top three block are tank machines.
Cartridge inkjets, including the Canon TR7120, the Canon TS7720, both Brother Work Smart models and the HP Envy 6155, use sealed cartridges with small yields. They are fine at low volume and poor at high volume. Ongoing buyers in printer forums repeatedly describe cartridges as the thing that quietly makes a cheap printer expensive.
Color laser, which here means the Brother HL-L3220CDW, uses powdered toner that never dries, prints fast and produces the sharpest text of anything tested. Toner cost per color page is the catch, and it grows with color volume. For mostly monochrome plus an occasional color report, the economics hold. For daily color, they do not.
A related detail catches people out: some printers restrict third-party cartridges. HP chip requirements on the Envy 6155 rule out aftermarket supplies entirely, while Epson advises genuine ink because third-party fluid can affect warranty terms. Budget for original supplies on every machine in this guide.
If your setup leans heavily on documents rather than photos, our list of the best color laser printers for home offices covers that lane in more detail.
Two-Year Cost of Ownership at 200 Pages a Month
At 200 color pages a month, you print 4800 pages over two years. Here is how the ink and toner math behaves across this lineup, based on stated yields and typical consumable pricing. Use it as a shape, not a quote, since consumable pricing moves.
Tank models stay cheap. The Epson ET-2800, Canon G3270 and HP Smart Tank 5003 arrive with up to two to three years of ink included, so most two-year buyers spend nothing on ink at all at moderate volume. That single fact outweighs every purchase-price difference in this guide.
Cartridge models catch up and then pass them. The Canon TR7120, Canon TS7720 and HP Envy 6155 look inexpensive on day one, then a steady stream of cartridge purchases adds up. Over 4800 color pages the difference against a tank machine is substantial, and it grows every year after that.
The laser sits in the middle for text and the end for color. The Brother HL-L3220CDW is economical for documents with black toner, and its consumable cost climbs sharply once color pages become routine. Buyers who print mostly monochrome should also read our laser printer guide for home offices.
The break-even point is straightforward. If you print more than roughly 100 color pages a month, a tank model costs less within the first year. Below that, a cartridge machine is defensible if you value the automatic duplex and feeder you get for less.
The Features That Decide It in a Home Office
Automatic duplex is the feature buyers most often say they should have prioritized. Seven of the twelve machines here print two-sided automatically; the Epson ET-2800, Epson ET-4800, Canon G3270, HP Smart Tank 5003 and HP Smart Tank Plus 651 do not.
The automatic document feeder matters if you scan more than one page at a time. Six models include an automatic document feeder, ranging from 20 sheets on the Brother Work Smart units to 35 sheets on the Epson ET-4800 and Canon MAXIFY GX2020. Every model without one is flatbed only.
Duplex scanning is a separate question from duplex printing. A single-sided ADF, which is what all the feeders here use, means you flip the stack manually to scan both sides. Single-pass duplex ADFs, which scan both sides in one go, appear well above this budget line.
Wireless and apps matter more than they used to. Dual-band Wi-Fi models including the Canon TR7120 and HP Envy 6155 held connections more reliably in our testing than single-band units, and AirPrint plus Mopria support means phones can print without installing anything.
Desk footprint deserves real attention. Weight in this group runs from 10.3 pounds on the HP Smart Tank Plus 651 to 24.7 pounds on the Brother laser. Width runs from about 16 inches on the Canon G3270 to 23 inches on the Epson ET-2800, which is wider than most desks and demands a shelf.
Small-font legibility is worth checking if you print contracts. In our sessions the laser produced the sharpest 8-point text, the tank models were close behind, and the cartridge models were acceptable but not crisp at the smallest sizes.
Idle and noise behavior matters in a shared space. Powder toner machines can sit unused for weeks with no risk of clogged heads. Inkjets risk dried nozzles after long idle stretches, so printing a test page every few weeks keeps them healthy.
Best Picks If You Want to Avoid HP
Plenty of buyers shop specifically to avoid HP, whether because of Instant Ink subscriptions, cartridge chip restrictions or a past support experience. Eight of the twelve machines here carry no HP badge at all, and two of our top three picks are non-HP.
For the lowest ink cost with no HP involvement, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the answer. For an automatic duplex all-in-one with a feeder, the Canon PIXMA TR7120 handles documents well at light volume, and the Brother Work Smart 1360 adds a large tray at a lower entry point.
For tank ink with automatic duplex, a 35-sheet ADF and a touchscreen, the Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 is the most complete machine on this list outside the HP brand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best color printer for home office use?
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the best all-around choice for a home office, because refillable ink bottles keep the cost per color page far below cartridge models and up to two years of ink are included in the box. If you need automatic two-sided printing every day, the Canon PIXMA TR7120 adds duplex and an automatic document feeder.
What is the best home office printer on a tight budget?
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 leads this price bracket on running cost, with the Canon MegaTank G3270 close behind and the HP Smart Tank 5003 including the most ink in the box. For fast automatic duplex output, the Brother HL-L3220CDW prints 19 pages per minute in color, though it scans and copies nothing.
What is the best budget printer for a home office?
Budget depends on volume. Below roughly 100 color pages a month, a cartridge all-in-one such as the Brother Work Smart 1360 gives you automatic duplex and a 20-sheet feeder cheaply. Above that, a refillable ink tank model such as the Epson ET-2800 or Canon G3270 costs less to own over two years.
What is the best home color printer for occasional use?
For occasional color printing, the Canon PIXMA TR7120 works well because it combines automatic duplex and an automatic document feeder at a low purchase point. If your printing is truly infrequent, a color laser such as the Brother HL-L3220CDW never dries out, prints fast and keeps text crisp, though color toner costs add up.
What printer should I buy for office use?
Look for three things: automatic duplex, an automatic document feeder and low cost per page. The Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 delivers all three with tank ink, a 35-sheet feeder and a 250-sheet tray, while the Canon PIXMA TR7120 is the cheaper option if your color volume stays light.
What is the best budget-friendly color printer for home use?
The Canon MegaTank G3270 is a strong budget-friendly pick because refillable GI-21 bottles cover up to 6000 black and white or 7700 color pages and support borderless and square photo sizes. It prints 11 pages per minute in black, has Wi-Fi and a flatbed scanner, and carries Energy Star and EPEAT certification.
Final Verdict for Home Office Color Printing
For most home offices, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the right buy. Refillable ink keeps the cost per color page near the bottom of this group, the box carries up to two years of ink, and at 11.4 pounds it fits anywhere.
Choose the Canon MegaTank G3270 instead if you print square photo cards or borderless snapshots alongside office work. Choose the Brother HL-L3220CDW if fast automatic duplex matters more than scanning, and the Canon MAXIFY GX2020 if you want tank ink with a feeder and duplex together.
Pick a cartridge model like the Canon PIXMA TR7120 only when your color volume stays light and you need automatic duplex and an automatic document feeder today. Print a test page every few weeks on any inkjet, keep it clear of direct sun, and you will get years of trouble-free color printing in 2026.