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Your computer is wireless--why not your printer, too? We give you our picks for the best wireless AIO printers.
The advantages of a wireless printer are many. No messy and unsightly cords. More versatility in where you place the device. Many wireless printers and all-in-one (AIO) printers or MFPs (multifunction printers) can operate PC free and support Web apps and other online services. Most let you print directly to them (and some let you initiate scans) from your mobile devices.
The perception that Wi-Fi printers may take a hit in speed has held some people back from getting one. Although that’s occasionally the case—a lot depends on the specifics of your Wi-Fi versus wired networks—any time lost in data transfer is usually minimal compared with the total printing time. If you want to play it safe, you can cover all bases by picking a Wi-Fi printer that also has an Ethernet port.
Here are an even dozen of our favorite wireless multifunction printers (MFPs):
In the realm of business-centered MFPs, the Brother MFC-J6710DW offers tabloid-sized printing (11 by 17 inches), while the Brother MFC-9970DW, a color laser MFP, offers speed and great text quality. The HP LaserJet Pro CM1415fnw features a large touch-screen LCD. The Lexmark Genesis 816 offers wicked-fast scanning and a striking, upright design to appeal to style-conscious small offices. The Epson WorkForce 635 and WorkForce 840 provide a good feature set and ample paper capacity for micro or home offices.
Many inkjet MFPs combine features for home (good photo printing, for one) and business use. The Canon Pixma MX882 combines a good mix of home and office features, including an LCD with buttons that change depending on what functions you’re using. The Epson Stylus NX625 provides high speed for printing business applications and solid output quality across the board. The Kodak ESP Office 2170 All-in-One Printer and Kodak ESP C310 All-in-One Printer claim a very low ink cost among their attributes.
The HP PhotoSmart eStation is an innovative family PC that’s controlled by a tablet-like device.
Whatever your wireless printing needs, whether you’re shopping for an MFP for a mid-sized company, a model that can serve both as a home and home-office printer, or one solely for home use, there are good choices available. The ones featured here have at least a 4-star rating, and we’ve many of them Editors’ Choice status as well.
Featured in this Roundup
Brother MFC-J6710DW$300 street
The Brother MFC-J6710DW prints at up to tabloid size, and offers two paper trays, so you can keep letter- and tabloid-size paper loaded at the same time.
Brother MFC-9970CDW$700 street
The Brother MFC-9970CDW's output quality is a little disappointing for graphics and photos, but the color laser multifunction printer offers fast speed, high quality text, and lots of features.
Canon Pixma MX882 Wireless Inkjet Office All-in-One$199.99 direct
The Canon Pixma MX882 Wireless Inkjet Office All-in-One combines an attractive design with features for both home and office use, and prints great text and photos.
Epson Stylus NX625$149.99 direct
The Epson Stylus NX625 provides sizzling speed, solid output, and a good feature set at a reasonable price.
Epson WorkForce 635 All-in-One$199.99 direct
The Epson WorkForce 635 All-in-One proved fast at business printing, and offers a wealth of MFP and paper handling features.
Epson WorkForce 840 All-in-One$300 street
The Epson WorkForce 840 All-in-One provides a good set of all-in-one functions and superior paper capacity for a small-office MFP, at a decent price.
HP LaserJet Pro CM1415fnw$449 direct
The HP LaserJet Pro CM1415fnw color MFP is unusually easy to use, thanks largely to its color touch screen control panel.
HP PhotoSmart eStation$399 direct
The HP PhotoSmart eStation's 7-inch touch screen is detachable and doubles as a basic tablet and eReader.
HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One$149 direct
The HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One is an MFP geared largely to home use and particularly photo printing, at which it excels.
Kodak ESP C310 All-in-One Printer$99 direct
The Kodak ESP C310 All-in-One Printer is the least expensive Kodak AIO yet, making it both cheap to buy and cheap to run.
Kodak ESP Office 2170 All-in-One Printer$149.99 direct
Despite its name, the Kodak ESP Office 2170 All-In-One Printer is less suited for the office than for the home office or for the dual role of home and home office MFP.
Lexmark Genesis S816$399 list
The Lexmark Genesis S816 offers impressive speed and ample paper handling for a small to medium-size office or workgroup, but lacks paper handling options for heavy-duty printing.
