Best printer 2026: quick picks

Short on time? These are our standout printers for 2026:

• Best overall: Epson EcoTank ET-2856 — refillable ink tanks slash cost per page for any regular-printing household.
• Best value: Canon MegaTank G3570 — huge ink yield from a single bottle set, pays for itself within a year or two.
• Best for text / office: Brother HL-L2375DW — fast, cheap-per-page mono laser that lasts for years.
• Best budget: Canon Pixma TS3450 — affordable all-in-one inkjet for occasional printing and the odd photo.
• Best premium / photos: Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 — A3+ pigment photo printing with low running costs.

Last updated: May 2026. Listed prices are indicative — check the live lowest price on each product page.

Choosing the best printer in 2026

Printers look simple, but the choice is deceptive: the purchase price is usually not the real cost. A 50-euro inkjet can swallow 200 euros in cartridges per year, while a 400-euro ink tank printer prints 5-10x as many pages per unit of cost. In 2026 there are three main types:

Inkjet — high photo quality, low purchase price, expensive cartridges. For people who print little or mainly photos. Laser — fast and cheap per page for text, no photos. For business use and anyone printing a lot of black and white. Ink tank (Epson EcoTank, Canon MegaTank) — higher purchase price, dramatically lower ink costs. For people who print regularly.

Browse the full range of printers on Productvraag for live price comparison across Dutch web shops, including ink usage per page.

Which printer fits you?

The right choice depends on your print volume:

Occasional printer (< 100 pages per year): a cheap all-in-one inkjet (60-120 euros) or even a trip to the copy shop. With light use the ink dries out — with standard cartridges you may need a new one while 80% is still inside.

Average family (500-1500 pages per year): an Epson EcoTank or Canon MegaTank is the smartest choice. Around 280-500 euros up front, but one set of ink bottles prints 5,000-8,000 pages. It pays for itself within 1-2 years compared to cartridges.

Lots of black and white (office, > 1500 pages per year): a mono laser is faster and cheaper per page. Brother HL-L2400 or HP LaserJet for 120-250 euros. Toner cartridges last 1,500-3,000 pages.

Lots of photos and design: an Epson SureColor or Canon Pro photo printer with 6-12 ink tanks for pigment prints. 300-1,000 euros depending on format. Not meant for text printing.

What to know before you buy

Four factors determine total cost and convenience. Ink or toner cost per page is the decisive factor. Standard inkjet: 0.05-0.20 euros per page in black, 0.20-0.50 in colour. Ink tank: 0.005-0.02 euros per page. Mono laser: 0.02-0.05. Calculate annual usage x cost per page before you choose.

Print speed: 6-12 ppm (pages per minute) is common for inkjet, 15-30 ppm for laser. It matters for an office; for home use, far less.

Duplex (double-sided) is practical and saves paper. Standard on mid-range models; entry-level printers often require flipping pages by hand.

Connectivity: WiFi and mobile printing (AirPrint, Mopria) are now standard. USB-only is for budget models only. NFC and cloud printing (Google Cloud Print is end-of-life) are extras. For anyone who occasionally wants to print from a phone, a good mobile app is essential.

Cartridge lock — watch out

HP regularly applies a 'cartridge lock' to new models — only HP cartridges work, third-party ones don't. This limits your options for cheaper alternatives. If you want to consider third-party ink, pick a model without that restriction, or a brand such as Brother, Canon or Epson that is more open.

Top picks per segment

For light printing + photos: Canon Pixma TS3450 or HP DeskJet 4220e for 60-110 euros. For an ink tank all-in-one: Epson EcoTank ET-2856 or Canon MegaTank G3570 for 300-450 euros. For mono laser: Brother HL-L2375DW or HP LaserJet M209dw for 130-200 euros. For colour laser: Brother MFC-L3750CDW or HP Color LaserJet Pro M283fdw for 400-700 euros.

For photo printing: Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 (A3+) for 700-900 euros, or Canon PIXMA Pro-200 for 500-700 euros.

Frequently asked questions

Inkjet or laser — which is better for home? If you print < 500 pages per year, mainly colour and the occasional photo: inkjet or ink tank. If you print a lot of black and white (> 1500 pages per year) and few photos: laser is cheaper per page and faster. All-in-one ink tanks (Epson EcoTank) are the best overall choice for most families.

How expensive are cartridges really over the lifetime? With a standard inkjet, cartridges cost 2-4x the printer's purchase price per year at average usage. Ink tank models flip that completely — a bottle of ink for 15-25 euros that prints hundreds of pages. Laser toner is expensive per cartridge but prints 1,500-3,000 pages per cartridge.

Which printer is good for occasional use? For occasional printers, an Epson EcoTank is the smartest choice — the ink dries out less quickly than with standard cartridges. Anyone printing less than once a month is better off going to a copy shop than maintaining their own printer, because of dried-out cartridges and software frustration.

Which printer brands are reliable? Brother and HP lead for business reliability. Canon and Epson dominate in photo and home use. Brother lasers typically last 10+ years. HP sometimes causes hassle with cartridge locks — look for models without that restriction if you want third-party ink.

What's a reasonable price for a good home printer? Basic inkjet: 50-120 euros (don't forget 100-200 euros of cartridges per year). All-in-one ink tank: 280-500 euros (20-40 euros of ink per year). Mono laser: 120-250 euros. Colour laser all-in-one: 350-700 euros. Photo printer (A3+): 400-800 euros.