Best HP Printers

The HP LaserJet Pro M283fdw is not yet the company's flagship product but the model's not trailing behind them as much as most. Where everyday offices are concerned, this unit more than suffices (assuming that you're not working with more than a few hundred prints and/or copies each month).

This is a productive and capable machine but the part that we like the most is the 2.7-inch screen. With its intuitive menu structure, the screen lets you easily navigate the model's settings, keeping the controls responsive but without facilitating misclicking. Certain icons land on the small side, so choosing them with precision can be tricky sometimes but, apart from that, the screen does not present any challenges.

Speed is where the unit thrives, churning out 22 ppm black prints as well as prints brimming with colors. But, when the output is not matching the speed, these numbers become meaningless, so that's where we'll move next. To some extent, the model leaves a mixed impression in this department. Generally speaking, HP printers seldom disappoint on the output front and we're not saying that this is not the case here but, when you start comparing this machine with its HP peers, you might not like the results. The texts come out well-shaped but making them legible below 7 points is not something this unit can do, meaning that printing business documents that require fine print will prove challenging at times. Besides fine print though, the text will always look at least passable.

The HP 1001nw Neverstop is a laser printer that works without toner cartridges, the company's first attempt at dipping its toes into these interesting waters. While Epson and Canon are busy replacing bulk-ink inkjet units, the folk at HP are ditching disposable toners that make printers less compact and the printing costs not quite as affordable as they can be otherwise.

Rather than buying and replacing cartridges every few months, this unit lets you fill a nice little bin inside from an affordable replacement kit that holds enough toner for ~2,500 prints. The whole process takes no more than a few seconds. Also, unlike the machines that work with cartridges, this one comes equipped with a reservoir that holds 5,000 pages worth of toner.

The moment that you drain 50% of that, the model will use an indicator to tell you that it is time to add another replacement kit, so you can take the yield back to 5,000. Of course, you don't have to follow the indicator to a tee and can refill the unit later, hence the 'Neverstop' name. Provided you do not let the 2,500 pages run dry, the model will not run out of toner.

But one would argue that the more important part is that these replacement kits cost but a small fraction as much as 2,500-page cartridges usually cost, meaning that while the model is not necessarily cheap, you'll be saving hundreds down the road.

Looking at the latest models, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 lands among the most versatile and well-balanced HP printers, churning out high-quality prints, scans, and copies at almost no cost. Starting with its footprint though, the unit measures 10.9 x 17.3 x 13.5 inches (HWD) and weighs 20 pounds, much more lean and petite than you would expect knowing its all-in-one disposition, that the tray capacity measures 250 sheets, and that the interfaces include Wi-Fi, USB port, Ethernet port, 2 x "RJ-11" modem ports, and Front Host USB. The aforementioned tray even includes 35-sheet auto-duplexing ADF so that you can copy, scan, and fax two-sided multipage documents without flipping and replacing papers manually.

The part that we didn't necessarily like is the screen. Initially, the 2.7-inch screen displaying colors looked promising but its menu structure is a little convoluted and the icons are tiny at times, meaning that tapping and/or swapping them can be difficult. Fortunately, the company's embedded web resource is present here as well, enabling configuring, monitoring, and utilizing every feature and setting without even touching the control panel. The second fortunate part here is that the firmware can also generate reports that assess usage and calculate costs (including ink and paper).

The ENVY 4520 is a relatively new release by HP, which is now smarter and more compact compared to previous models from the company. It fits average desks with a subtle touch, not requiring as much space as most printers. Like many other similar devices, it uses a standard horizontal paper tray rather than a bulkier, top-loading design.

The ENVY 5055 is very convenient to use, largely owing to its touch screen design. At 2.2 inches, the touch screen is quite modest but still can provide quick access to all the essential functions. The monochrome display is very responsive so that you can quickly swipe it to browse menu icons instead of having to tap an arrow.

Setting up this printer takes a bit more than 5 minutes. The included software represents a basic suite for printing, scanning, and copying. Along with that, you can receive extra additions - Photo Creations and Printables. Photo Creations app is good for making personalized calendars, announcements, collages, invitations, flyers, and photo gifts, while Printables offers different filters and templates for making calendars, Sudoku, and the like.

Last but not least, the HP Smart app allows you to easily set up the wireless connection and scan documents with your camera or print from social media or the cloud. Also, the printer works with Alexa, meaning it can be voice-controlled by any Alexa device.

Most people, scratch that, even most offices nowadays do not rely upon or require heavy-volume printing. In other words, while there are workgroups that will benefit from more capable printers, most firms will be covered with something more basic, something like the HP Laserjet Pro M118dw.

Since the model costs a little above 100 bucks, the fact that this unit cannot copy, scan, or send faxes comes without saying. To some extent, its monochrome disposition is also understandable, though there are printers within this price bracket that can print colors, they're usually inkjet. What's interesting is that the device enables duplex printing, which is not something that budget printers are usually offering.

Before covering its print quality and features, let's start with the footprint. With its overall dimensions measuring 8.8 x 14.6 x 16 inches (HWD) and weight reaching 15 pounds, the model stacks up about average both size- and girth-wise. The control panel is sparse, which is the right move when you're designing something as bare-bones and basic as this device since, this way, you're eliminating misclicking.

These controls include Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), enabling one-touch wireless connectivity, Attention LED (flashing when the device runs into an error), Ready LED, Supplies LED (telling you when the toner's low), Resume (continuing the current print job), and Cancel. Needless to say, even the least tech-savvy users should be able to figure these out within a few minutes. That said, the more experienced users can also access more extensive settings, including different configuration options, consumables monitoring, status and usage reports, and more via the company's staple embedded web platform.