How to Select the Best Home Office Printer for Your Workspace

Take the pain out of printing, scanning & copying

Whether you’re a freelancer, small business owner or remote worker, finding the best home office printer for your workspace is critical for any paperwork-fueled endeavor.  Efficiency, low chances of mishaps and wallet-friendly operating costs underscore every aspect of good business, so why shouldn’t they apply to your printer? By putting these qualities first, you can find a home office printer that keeps your operation running smoothly.

Finding the best home office printer for you

Over the last decade, printers have developed a relatively standard set of features, ensuring that most options will fill your basic needs. But a jack-of-all-trades printer can be a curse to someone who prints a lot, while an ultrafast printer is wasted on someone who only prints occasionally. It pays to figure out which features are most important for you and then use that information to find the option that most closely fits the bill.

How to prioritize your printing needs

Buying a printer is similar to buying a new computer in that the amount you invest will depend on how much you use it. After all, there’s no reason to buy a bulky machine capable of churning hundreds of sheets if you only print the occasional invoice. To make the right choice, consider three factors: scope of work, frequency of work and type of work.

• How much do you print?: How many pages are you printing each month? Do those jobs fall on a particular day of the month, or are they relatively spread out? Do you have to print several types of documents or just one?

• How often do you print?: You may consider printing 500 pages a week relatively light, or it may be a hefty workload. If you’re printing that amount frequently, it may be worth investing in a larger, faster printer.

• What do you print?: Some printers are great at documents, while others produce high-quality photos. Consider what you print most frequently and whether it’s worth making concessions to save on equipment costs.

7 Important printer qualities

Once you understand the frequency, type and scope of your work, you can use individual specs to find the perfect solution for your home office. Here are some key features to look out for and why they matter.

1. Size & capacity

Finding a printer that fits in a home office can be challenging, especially if you have limited space. While even compact printers will have adequate tray capacities for small jobs, you’ll likely want to go for as large a printer as possible if you have more demanding needs. Measure your available space, then see which printers fit those dimensions.

2. Types of printers

The two most prominent types of printers are inkjet and laser printers. Inkjet printers are typically better for high-quality printing of fewer pages, while laser printers are intended for large-scale document work. 

You’ll also find all-in-ones, printer-scanner combos and dedicated printers. If you operate in a small area, try to find the best home office all-in-one printer. You’ll save space and get all the needed features without having to dedicate precious room to additional equipment.

3. Print speed

Anyone who has to regularly print a lot of documents will want to find something that prints quickly. If speed is your focus, go with a laser printer. They’re much quicker than inkjets and have larger tray capacities.

The average speed for an inkjet printer is around 10 pages per minute, but it varies greatly depending on the size and quality. Meanwhile, an entry-level laser printer will clock in around 20 pages per minute, then increase from there dramatically as you move to higher tiers.

4. Print quality

For some people, retaining a printed document is just a formality. For others, a fudged print can have serious ramifications. No matter where you fall, try to find a printer with a quality of at least 300 DPI to ensure your documents are legible. If you’re a professional photographer, graphic designer or anyone else working in a field where quality is key, you should strive for at least 600 DPI to get high-quality prints.

5. Scanning

Digital services have made getting your signature on a document easier, but not all clients or customers can support them. That means the combined ability to print, sign and scan a document can be a lifesaver. Most major printer manufacturers recognize these needs and sell all-in-one units that print, scan and copy.

There are still dedicated printers on the market, but finding the best home office all-in-one printer is especially great when space is limited. You’ll eliminate the need for an additional machine, and plenty of combo units excel at both functions. 

6. Wireless functionality

WiFi is a standard feature for most home office printer scanners, but there are other types of wireless functionality to be aware of. Certain printers will allow you to scan to a computer or email address wirelessly, making it far easier to place and connect your printer without the need for cables running around your workspace. 

Printers don’t always have the processing power to handle the job, leading to slow speeds and dropped connections. This issue plagues the connectivity features found on budget printers, so if you don’t want to invest much money in a printer, you may want to consider the logistics of physical connections.

7. Ink costs

Ink can be expensive, so consider the ongoing operational costs before you buy a printer. To determine the cost of printing a single page, check how many pages your printer’s cartridge can print, then compare that number to other models. The best home office printer scanner will fit your initial budget and be relatively inexpensive in the long term.

Looking for a printer? Walmart has you covered.

Once you’ve found the best home office printer for your needs, you should look for the best price. That’s where Walmart Business comes in. We offer a wide selection of home office printers that can make your workflow more efficient. If you already have an account with us, upgrade to a Walmart Business+ membership for free shipping access,¹ free delivery from store on orders over $35² and 2% rewards back for purchases over $250.³  It could all add up to a savings of $500 a year!⁴ Learn more here.

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply. 

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).