In our previous blog “Best Wireless Scanner for Home Use”, we discussed converting physical documents into digital formats that can be viewed, edited, and stored on a computer. However, there is more to paperwork; printing out documents is one of them.
A wireless printer is a device that allows users to print documents without the need for a physical cable connection to a computer or other device. Instead, it connects to a network, usually through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, enabling printing from various devices within the network's range.
Having a printer is invaluable to every modern office, but having a printer that is packed with wireless capability is essential, especially for small businesses or home offices with limited space.
Why Choose a Wireless Printer?
Wireless printers bring flexibility to work life, eliminating the need for physical connections, such as a USB cable. Other benefits include:
- Convenience and Flexibility of Wireless Printing: The ability to print over a Wi-Fi network or remotely offers unparalleled convenience, eliminating the need to physically connect your PC with a cable. A wireless printer allows you to print from anywhere within your network's range. This feature is particularly crucial for individuals who frequently work from a fixed workstation but need to print from various devices or locations within their home or office.
- Multi-Device Compatibility: Seamlessly print from mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops via WiFi or dedicated mobile applications.
- Space-Saving Design: Many wireless printers are compact, which makes them ideal for small home offices.
- Cost-Effective: Reduce the need for multiple wired printers and unnecessary cabling.
- Modern Compatibility: A wireless printer works seamlessly with cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Apple AirPrint, making it stress-free to work over the cloud.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Wireless Printer
When selecting a wireless printer, prioritise the following according to your business needs:
- Print Volume: For high-volume printing, models with large ink tanks or high-yield cartridges with a faster printing capability are ideal.
- Print Quality: For professional photos or colour accuracy, look for printers with high resolution. Also, prioritise inkjets above laser printers.
- Connectivity Options: Verify compatibility with your devices (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS).
- Additional Features: Scanning, copying, faxing, duplex printing, and touchscreen controls can add value. Look out for these features and enjoy a more flexible experience.
- Budget: Balance upfront costs with long-term running costs like ink or toner.
Editorial Picks: Best wireless printers on the market
Epson EcoTank ET-2720 Wireless All-in-One Supertank Printer
The EcoTank ET-2720 is an all-in-one printer that uses ink reservoirs instead of cartridges to print, scan, and copy. With its space-saving design, the printer offers easy wireless and mobile printing, ensuring maximum adaptability for various setups. You get ample ink for an impressive 4,500 black and 7,500 colour prints. It prints at an astounding speed of 0.5 ppm in black and 5 ppm in colour, allowing users to fulfil the demands of their jobs while producing excellent results. Also, it offers a resolution of 5760 x 1440 dpi, resulting in high-quality prints.
Highlights
- Cartridge-Free Ink System EcoTank
- 5760 x 1440 dpi print resolution
- All-in-one printing, scanning, and copying
- Print speed: 10.5 ppm black/5 ppm colour
- Wi-Fi and USB 2.0 connectivity
- Compact and space-saving design
- Photo printing with no borders
Pros: Accurate, life-like colour details, high resolution and excellent output
Cons: You may experience a slow printing speed.
EcoTank ET-M2170 Wireless Monochrome All-in-One Supertank Printer
The Epson EcoTank ET-M2170 is a wireless monochrome all-in-one printer that prints, scans, and copies wirelessly. Integrated with PrecisionCore inkjet technology and a big, easy-to-fill ink tank that can hold enough ink to print up to 6000 pages, the ET-M3170 eliminates the need for cartridges. For direct printing, the ET-M2170 has a high-speed USB connection. It also provides several mobile printing options, including wireless printing from an iPhone or iPad and Android tablets and smartphones.
Highlights
- Prints, scans and copies
- 1200 x 2400 dpi print resolution
- 1200 x 2400 dpi optical scan resolution
- Print speed up to 20 ppm
- Maximum copy size up to 8.5 x 14
- Duplex printing
- Flatbed scanning area up to 8.5 x 11.7
- 250-sheet input tray and rear feed slot
- USB 2.0, Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity
Pros: Accurate printing details, life-like colour details, high-resolution output, control through LCD screen, supports duplex printing.
Cons: Limited connectivity options, no fax functionality.
HP ENVY 6075 Wireless All-in-One Printer
The HP ENVY 6075 All-in-One Printer is suitable for use in a family environment. It features outstanding colour accuracy, photo quality, good connectivity, and mobile app support. The included colour and black cartridges deplete quickly, requiring frequent replacement, resulting in a high cost per print. It has a decent resolution and colour depth flatbed scanner. It also boasts excellent colour accuracy and photo printing quality, making it suitable for family photo albums.
Highlights
- Print, copy, scan and photo
- Print speed ISO up to 10ppm
- Automatic two-sided printing
- Decent connectivity options
- Good scanning resolution
- Excellent in colour accuracy
- Good photo printing quality
- USB and Wi-Fi connectivity
Pros: Combines printing, scanning, and copying. Delivers sharp, vibrant documents and photos. Enables double-sided printing.
Cons: Slower operation speed, especially during high-volume printing. Expensive maintenance due to ink cartridge integration. Not ideal for large-volume printing tasks.
Epson EcoTank L15160 A3 Wi-Fi Duplex All-in-One Ink Tank Printer
The EcoTank L15160 printer features a 10.9cm LCD touchscreen and complex buttons. The L15160 has a resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 dpi and a high yield of 7,500 black pages and 6,000 colour pages with pigment ink. It has a variety of connections to make mobile printing simple. Because there are fewer distractions, this printer is more convenient to use.
Highlights
- Maximum resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi
- PrecisionCore Heat-Free technology
- Print: 6,000 colour pages and 7,500 black-and-white pages
- USB, Ethernet, WiFi, and WiFi Direct interfaces
- Automatically prints on both sides
- Mess-free refill system
Pros: Offers low-cost, high-volume printing with refillable ink tanks. Supports large-format printing. Supports printing, scanning, copying, and faxing. Enables double-sided printing.
Cons: You may experience a slower printing operation compared to laser printers.
It does not support Automatic Document Feeder (ADF).
HP ENVY Pro 6475 Wireless All-in-One Printer
The HP ENVY Pro 6475 Printer meets all your document needs with features for printing, scanning, copying, and mobile faxing. It provides the ability to directly print, scan and copy without a physical connection to a computer. This makes your work faster and is fit for use in the home and small offices. The printer also comes with a two-year supply of ink when you sign up for the HP Instant Ink program.
Highlights
- Prints, scans, and copies
- Mobile Fax
- 8.5 x 14" maximum print size
- Colour print speed of 7 ppm
- Black print speed of 10 ppm
- Optical scan resolution of 1200 dpi
- 35-sheet Automatic Document Feeder
- USB 2.0 and Wi-Fi connectivity
Pros: Supports printing, scanning, copying, and faxing. Supports Wi-Fi and mobile printing from multiple devices. Produces sharp, vibrant prints. Enables double-sided printing to save paper. Easy navigation and control through a user-friendly interface. Compatible with the HP Smart App for smartphone printing.
Cons: Relatively low pages per minute compared to laser printers. Limited high-volume printing. It may be challenging in very compact areas.
Kodak ESP C315 Wireless Colour Printer
The Kodak ESP C315 is an all-in-one high-quality wireless printer that offers ease of use and high-quality, low-cost ink. With its elegant 2.4" colour display and simple Wi-Fi connection to your home network, printing is made simple, and the cost of the entire ink replacement is inexpensive. This printer offers high-quality, sharp text documents, stunning graphics, and photos that dry instantly to last a lifetime. It also offers an Online Printer Management Tool that helps you view printer status and set up accounts for Google Cloud Print and KODAK Email Print Service. Plus, the ESP C315 allows you to print wirelessly from a computer, tablet, or smartphone that supports Google Cloud Print.
Highlights
- All-in-one, easy-to-use, high-quality wireless printing
- 2.4" colour display
- Wi-Fi connection
- Reliable, high-quality, low-cost ink
- Offers crisps, sharp documents, brilliant photos, and graphics
- Prints seamlessly from your smartphone, tablet, and compatible devices
Pros: The ESP C315 is budget-friendly. Offers convenient wireless printing from laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Produces quality prints for everyday documents and photos.
Cons: Expect slower printing speeds. It lacks advanced features like an automatic document feeder (ADF), duplex printing, or fax capabilities.
Conclusion
From budget-friendly inkjets to office-grade workhorses, the printers above prove you do not have to sacrifice convenience for quality. The cords are gone. The paper jams? Almost. The future of printing is here, and it is one click away. No more wrestling with cables or deciphering cryptic error codes like you’re defusing a digital bomb.
By understanding the different technologies and key features, you can confidently choose a wireless printer that will cut the cord, boost your productivity, and seamlessly integrate into your connected lifestyle. Happy printing!
