15 best MFPs for home and office

Multifunctional devices simultaneously function as a scanner, printer, fax and copier, which makes them versatile assistants in working with documents. It is much more convenient to work with an MFP than with each of the mentioned devices separately, and at a price such a purchase is much more profitable than a separate purchase of a scanner, printer, fax and copier. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the best MFPs? What are the most successful models? What to focus on when choosing, so as not to miscalculate with the purchase? All this and a little more - below in the text.

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What do they look for when choosing an MFP?

Total costs. This means not only the cost of the device itself, but also those additional costs that the user will incur during operation. This includes the cost of consumables, the need for frequent maintenance and refilling / replacing cartridges. Inkjet versions of MFPs initially cost less than their laser counterparts, but the low resource and high price of cartridges can lead to much higher costs in the future. The lower the cost per print, the more profitable it is to use such a device. Unless, of course, it is characterized by reliability and does not have to spend every month on repairs.

Print type. Inkjet MFPs are compact, inexpensive, easy to use and just as easy to refuel. At the same time, they have a high consumption of energy and paints. When idle, the ink dries on the inkjet MFP, which can damage the print head. Laser models work much faster, print better, consume less toner, one cartridge refill is enough for a large amount of work. But such devices are more expensive and have a more complex refueling system that requires the involvement of a specialist. The laser type of printing is justified primarily for working with large volumes of documents.

Color or black and white printing. Of course, color printing offers many more options and is used more widely than monochrome. But given that color printing is more expensive, and the need for it is not always there (for example, for abstracts or reports without images), the purchase of an MFP with black and white printing may be justified for a certain category of users.

The presence of a continuous ink supply system. The CISS system allows continuous ink supply to the print head. It significantly saves the user's printing costs, since it does not require regular replacement of expensive cartridges, but instead, one needs to pay for the reservoirs once and then only buy ink in the future.

Print speed. This parameter is important for office MFPs. Office devices have a heavy workload, so the more pages per minute they can produce, the faster a large amount of work will get done. In turn, high demands on print speed are not imposed on a home printing device.

Sheet format. A4 is considered to be the standard paper size for printing documents. Accordingly, MFPs and printers that work with this page format are suitable for most home and office use scenarios. The enlarged A3 format is relevant for working with large photographs, drawings, ads, banners. For professional models, support for large formats A2, A1 and A0 is peculiar, this is important for publishers and printers.

Connection interfaces. In addition to the standard connection port - USB - the MFP may have a Wi-Fi wireless module and the ability to connect to a network via Ethernet (RJ-45).

The best MFPs for home

In this subsection, we have compiled inkjet MFPs with optimal capabilities for personal use and a wide price range for different budgets. The main reference point was the reviews of real owners who have experience in operating these models at home.

5 Canon PIXMA MG2540S

Canon printers and MFPs are almost always good value for money. So the PIXMA MG2540S fully complies with this rule, because it costs around 1,500 rubles, has a decent scanner (probably the strongest side of the model) and compact size. The printing uses 6-color inkjet technology, so color prints are possible. Moreover, the device can be used without a computer, there is a card reader for microSD.

The manufacturer accompanies the product with convenient software with a wide range of settings and functions. The cartridges are small, but not disposable and easy to refill.

Pros:

• Low price
• Good scanner
• Print quality for text documents
• Small size
• Refilling cartridges

Minuses:

• No possibility to work with glossy A4
• No borderless printing function
• Expensive cartridges

4 Canon PIXMA TS3140

A good and affordable option, in particular, for printing abstracts and term papers. The model cannot boast of a high speed of printing pages, as well as scanning and copying, but it does not require a mandatory connection to a computer or network. Here, in addition to USB, there is the possibility of direct printing from cameras, a wireless Wi-Fi module, support for Mopria, AirPrint and Canon Print technologies, which allows the MFP to work in tandem with mobile equipment and cloud storage.

There are only two cartridges, but they are easy to refill, you do not need to involve a specialist for this. Refilled cartridges are easy to "zero". The only bad thing is that you cannot install a continuous ink supply system.

Pros:

• Affordable price
• Print and scan to the cloud
• Wi-Fi Direct support
• The simplest connection, convenient software
• Acceptable print quality

Minuses:

• Slow work
• Noisy work
• No borderless printing on A4

3 Brother DCP-T510W InkBenefit Plus

This MFP is characterized by a good page processing speed for a home printing device - in one minute it produces 12 monochrome or 6 color pages. It prints at 6,000 x 1,200 dpi for impressive image fidelity. The scanner also cannot be called too slow - up to 13 sheets per minute, the result of the work can be immediately sent by e-mail.

The device is universal, if we talk about paper weight - from 64 to 300 g / m2, it works with envelopes, glossy sheets. The front cover is transparent for easy refueling. The progress of the file processing can be observed on the single line liquid crystal display.

Pros:

• Low cost of printing
• Work with any paper
• No noise
• CISS cleans heads by itself
• Wi-Fi connectivity

Minuses:

• Good photo prints require premium paper
• No automatic two-sided printing

2 Epson L3050

The model has a built-in CISS and offers really high quality printing of documents and photos. Tanks are built into the body, which saves free space. The ink tank is many times more capacious than the usual standard cartridges. This MFP is designed to be economical - refills are infrequent, with a single refill covering approximately 7,500 color documents.

A technological device from Epson has a Wi-Fi module, supports a resolution of 5760x1440 dpi, prints photographs both with and without borders, boasts good performance - in one minute it makes it possible to get up to 33 monochrome A4 pages.

Pros:

• Original CISS
• Excellent scanner and copier
• High-quality photo printing
• Ability to work with the phone via Wi-Fi
• Low ink consumption
• Presentable design

Minuses:

• Does not support Wi-Fi 5 Hz, there may be problems with setting up the connection
• Demanding paper quality

1 Epson L7160

The first place in the rating of "the best MFP for the home" is taken by the Epson L7160. The model works on the technology of inkjet piezoelectric printing, uses 5 primary colors. The main purpose is just to print photos, with a maximum resolution of 5760 × 1440 dpi (an impressive figure).A 10x15 photo can be printed in just twenty seconds. There are many interfaces, such as Wi-Fi and an SD card slot. There is an option for duplex printing and an LCD display for monitoring the operation.

Users note consistently high-quality printing on glossy paper, the ability to print without borders, "digesting" thick thick sheets, automatic firmware updates over the air.

Perhaps such a device is not entirely justified for home use due to the high price, but there will always be buyers willing to pay more and get the most out of their purchase. At the same time, the speed of work in high quality still remains at the "home" level.

Pros:

• The quality of the final prints
• Stable Wi-Fi operation
• Automatic duplex printing
• Convenient smartphone printing
• 3 trays for loading paper
• SD card reader and USB port for flash drives
• Additional diaper and ink included

Minuses:

• Excessive manipulations with the moving parts of the MFP
• No automatic nozzle check and cleaning

Best MFPs for the office

When printing intensively, device performance and low cost per page are important. In this regard, laser printers perform better than inkjet printers. We have handpicked the best laser models for small, medium and large offices at the appropriate rates.

5 Xerox WorkCentre 3025BI

Affordable small office device that delivers quality monochrome printing. In a minute, the MFP is capable of producing up to 20 pages at a resolution of 1200 × 1200 dpi. Accordingly, with the help of such an inexpensive device, you can print materials with good clarity of small text and diagrams. The scanner has a slightly lower resolution - 600x600 dpi, which, in principle, is enough for most everyday tasks. One sheet can be digitized with it in just 3 seconds.

The cartridge does not have a large resource and is designed for 1,500 sheets, but if you refill using good ink, it will have almost no effect on print quality. The model is equipped with a Wi-Fi module, the operating speed "over the air" is practically the same as over a wired network, although setting up interaction with a smartphone is not quite easy.

Pros:

• Compact dimensions
• Inexpensive consumables
• High speed Wi-Fi
• Complete (not "cut") cartridge
• Sleeping mode
• Low price

Minuses:

• Android devices may not detect MFPs
• "Dancing with a tambourine" when installing drivers
• No duplex printing

4 Brother MFC-L2740DWR

Based on feedback from real owners, this is an excellent balanced and durable unit suitable for small to medium sized workgroups. Mobile technologies are supported (for example, AirPrint), the model has received excellent equipment with modern interfaces: USB + Wi-Fi + Ethernet (RJ-45). The MFP can scan 2 sides of a sheet in one pass, which saves a lot of work time. The manufacturer has provided the ability to automatically feed documents and support for PostScript language (typical for productive printers).

Unlike analogs, this laser multifunctional device uses non-spiked cartridges in its work, which means that there is the possibility of refilling and reducing the cost of consumables.

Pros:

• Fast batch scan
• Duplex scanning and printing
• Wi-Fi, LAN, fax
• Color touch display
• Low cost of consumables
• Strict design with black body

Minuses:

• Noises and heats up
• There are complaints about the paper tray and top cover

3 Xerox WorkCentre 6515N

The only representative of the LED type MFP in this section. LED printing is almost identical to laser printing, however, instead of a laser, a series of LEDs are used to form an image. Sometimes this approach allows you to reduce the cost of the printing device.

The Xerox WorkCentre 6515N maintains high print performance despite more cost-effective technology. The speed is also excellent - 28 pages per minute (both monochrome and color). There is an Ethernet port, support for a web interface and AirPrint service. The MFP is capable of handling heavy workloads.The device is positioned as a solution for the average office, producing up to 50,000 pages per month at a maximum resolution of 1200 × 2400 dpi.

Pros:

• Simple and user-friendly interface
• Good print speed
• Excellent quality printer and copier
• Two-sided printing
• Convenient automatic document feeder for scanner
• Good color rendering on original cartridges

Minuses:

• Expensive consumables
• There are freezes with error 116-357

2 KYOCERA ECOSYS M3145dn

Due to its low power consumption, this MFP is not too expensive to operate, and its maintenance costs are moderate. The model has an outstanding print speed of 45 monochrome pages in 1 minute. Thus, this device processes large volumes of textual documentation much faster than many analogs.

The capacity of the cartridge is designed for printing 12,500 copies, that is, without additional. The device can “live” for several months. Replacing the toner is a simple task; you do not need to contact the SC for this. ECOSYS supports duplex printing and direct sending of scanned documents to e-mail, fax or print.

Pros:

• High-speed printing
• Large cartridge yield (200,000 sheets per month)
• Low prices for spare parts
• Duplex function
• High build quality
• Self-refillable toner

Minuses:

• High price
• Thin plastic

1 Canon imageRUNNER C1225iF

The Canon imageRUNNER C1225iF is ranked # 1 in Best Office MFPs of 2020. A good solution for a medium to large office. For even better print quality, the manufacturer used Vivid & Vibrant technology. The supplied toner is rated for 7,300 color and 12,000 monochrome pages. Provides a mechanism for double-sided printing with automatic sheet feeding. The built-in fax function offers a maximum resolution of 400x400 dpi.

The MFP is friends with smartphones and tablets thanks to the support of AirPrint and Mopria applications (for gadgets based on iOS and Android, respectively). There is a sleep mode, when activated, the level of energy consumption is reduced to 1 W. It takes 10 seconds for the device to wake up from sleep mode.

Pros:

• High print quality
• Supplied toner may last for a year
• Large capacity of paper trays
• Convenience in customization
• Embedded fax
• Interaction with smartphones

Minuses:

• High price
• Increased power consumption

Best color MFPs

So, we have already figured out that inexpensive inkjet MFPs are best suited for home use, while laser ones with black and white printing are best suited for work tasks. What color MFPs can be considered the best on the market (within reasonable prices)?

5 Xerox VersaLink C405DN

There is a perception that powerful multifunctional devices are very noisy, and a large set of functions negatively affects the operation of their systems. However, the manufacturer Xerox managed to combine in one laser MFP low noise level (about 28 dB in standby mode and 52.3 dB in active mode) and high speed (35 pages per minute, and this indicator is typical for both printing and copying). and for scanning). Duplex scanning and copying are supported.

The color MFP can work via Wi-Fi direct, has an NFC module, interacts with mobile devices via AirPrint, and also using its own Xerox Print Service plug-in. You can print documents directly from the "cloud" OneDrive, Google Drive or DropBox.

Pros:

• Low cost per page
• Manufacturability at an adequate price
• Print speed
• Long warranty
• 5-inch touch display
• OCR function

Minuses:

• No paper size sensors in the feed trays
• Prone to failure

4 Epson L1455

A productive inkjet device (piezoelectric technology) from Epson, unlike the previous rating model, is capable of printing in an enlarged A3 format. Thus, the scope of the device expands to the production of posters, presentation materials, and the production of large brochures.The maximum print resolution reaches 4800 × 1200 dpi, scanning - 1200 × 2400, fax - 1200 × 600.

The MFP shows a good operating speed - 20 color and 32 black and white A4 pages per minute. Not without automatic two-sided printing. The ADF holds 35 sheets. Up to 99 copies of one original can be produced within one cycle.

The model is equipped to the maximum. In addition to USB, there is an RJ-45 network port, a wireless module, support for the AirPrint app, a memory card reader and a direct print function.

Pros:

• Large paper size support
• Cheap original ink
• Automatic duplex printing
• Wireless technology
• No complaints about print quality
• Adequate cost

Minuses:

• Not the best build quality
• Not the most user-friendly interface and a huge number of settings

3 Ricoh MP C2011SP

Almost ideal for the office, which also does not create long delays between starting the device and the release of the first print (19 seconds). In addition to the functions typical of MFPs, the device is capable of handling a variety of formats (including A3) and media, like a small printing center. Can carry out borderless printing, "friendly" and with thick paper, up to 300 g / m².

The weak point of the MP C2011SP model can be considered a somewhat slow operation of the printer - up to 20 pages per minute, where things are better with a scanning speed - up to 54 copies per minute. But at the same time, there are no "brakes" in the work and paper jams.

Cartridge capacity is limited to 15,000 monochrome sheets and 5,500 color, but refilling does not significantly affect print quality.

Pros:

• The ability to use paper of any weight
• Work stability
• Huge work resource
• High scanning speed
• The ability to connect an HDD disk
• One button stop

Minuses:

• Low print speed for this segment
• High power consumption

2 Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE C3520i III

This model also supports A3 format, and although it prints only 20 color sheets per minute, it can scan 70 or 160 ppm (the figure depends on the DADF feeder). Supports double-sided printing and interaction with mobile devices. There is a large touchscreen display, Wi-Fi and LAN connectivity, and a built-in Universal Login Manager. Toner is purchased separately.

The manufacturer claims that the C3520i III is the most economical MFP in its class in terms of cost of printing, which allows at least to some extent justify the huge price tag for the model. In general, such a solution is quite appropriate for offices, where there are always large volumes of work and workflow optimization is needed.

Pros:

• Reliable information protection
• SRA3 paper size support
• Low cost of printing
• Convenient touch screen
• Wide functionality

Minuses:

• High price

1 Epson WorkForce Pro WF-8590DWF

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-8590DWF takes the first place in the rating of "the best color MFPs". A real workhorse with A3 + support. A distinctive feature - on average, 50% lower cost of printing than laser analogue models. Uses separate high-capacity cartridges (up to 10,000 A3 pages) to save on high-volume printing.

In production, an advanced development was used - the latest production head Epson PrecisionCore, which will provide printing per month up to 35,000 A4 sheets and up to 65,000 - A3 sheets. Prints get rich, vibrant colors (using special Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment inks) and are resistant to water, abrasion and fading. The device supports paper weights up to 256 g / m².

Pros:

• High performance
• Minimum First Page Print Delay
• Stylish design and compact size
• Large ink supply
• A3 + support
• Low cost of printing documents
• Paper does not jam

Minuses:

• High price

What is the best MFP to choose in 2020?

Let's summarize how to make the right choice for your own tasks.

Having decided on the budget for the purchase (and estimating the future costs of the printing itself), you will automatically decide on a specific type of device, inkjet or laser. At home, there is no need for a laser MFP, but color printing is important for many, support for formats higher than A4 is not needed, printing speed practically does not matter, and the presence of CISS will be a real gift. For office purposes, on the contrary, a productive laser machine with a good print speed (from 20 pages per minute, even better - from 30) is better suited; for some work tasks, support for large formats and high paper density is needed. All this must be taken into account in advance before purchasing.

As for additional features, some models support direct sending of scanned documents to mail (Scan to Email), others are equipped with a USB port for connecting flash and volume drives, others have network functionality and are ready to "make friends" with mobile gadgets and cloud services.

To create ready-made presentations, devices with booklet makers are suitable, the presence of optional folding will allow you to print leaflets and brochures, the built-in sorter and stapling function will bring order to ready-made documents, and thanks to air flavors, your home or office will always have a fresh and pleasant smell. It remains only to understand whether you need all this. We hope this article will help you choose an MFP for home use.