Best HP Home Printers for Every Need and Budget

Home printers provide a convenient, cost-effective way to transfer data onto paper. And despite our highly digitised lifestyles, the humble home printer remains in high demand.

Students use them to print lecture notes, while work-from-home professionals need to file paper copies of various documents. Families find home printers useful for printing recipes, labels, invitations, receipts, and photos, among many other things.

Whether you print large volumes or occasionally require a page or two, there's an HP home printer for you. This post covers the top factors to consider when shopping for a home printer, some handy printer maintenance tips, and the best-selling options available on the HP UK Store.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Home Printer

Understanding the home printer fundamentals will lead to a more informed purchase.

Laser printers versus inkjet printers

Home printers come in two main types, laser and inkjet. Laser printers are pricier to purchase but cheaper to operate for high-volume users. Home offices printing large monthly volumes may find they offer better value.

The more common inkjets sell for less upfront but cost more in ink for high-demand users. However, as most householders don’t print large quantities, the inkjet is a cost-effective choice. Inkjets also offer better quality when printing photos, especially in colour.

Inkjet tank versus ink cartridge

Inkjets come in two main types, tank and cartridge printers. Tank printers have little ink reservoirs you refill with an ink bottle, while cartridges get entirely replaced once the ink runs dry.

Tanks offer better bang for your buck for high-volume users, particularly those printing photos or text-heavy documents. On the downside, they’re pricier to purchase upfront, require more space, and have the potential for spillage.

Regular printer versus an all-in-one printer

Regular printers only know how to print. An all-in-one, on the other hand, can also copy, scan, and fax or email documents, making them great for home offices. But they do require extra space and investment. Many infrequent scanners make do photographing documents instead.

Monthly page volume

Monthly page volume determines how many pages the printer should print each month. Printing over the upper limit is possible but will lead to rapid wear and tear. Thus, high monthly page volumes provide clues into dependability and longevity. Prioritise high volumes if you print often or require a highly reliable device.

Pages per minute

Pages per minute (PPM) is an estimate of how many pages the printer will produce each minute. The real speed depends on complexity; images or text-heavy pages take longer to print. Casual users will be happy with around 10 PPM, while home office printers boast a speedier 20 PPM+. Many printers have different PPMs for black and white and colour.

Resolution

Resolution, measured in dots per inch (DPI), refers to image quality. Most home-use printers have between 600 and 1200 DPI, which is plenty for most people. Designers and photographers may prefer higher resolutions.

Colour versus black and white

Colour printers can print black and white, though black and white printers can’t print colour. Black and white printers are marginally cheaper to purchase.

Two-sided printing

This feature lets you print on both sides without manually flipping the pages over. Two-sided printing saves money on paper and reduces your environmental impact.

Automatic document feeder

An automatic document feeder (ADF) saves you time and hassle by feeding pages into the printer on your behalf. Look for a larger ADF if you regularly print big documents.

Instant Ink compatibility

Instant Ink is HP’s hassle-free subscription service that monitors the ink in your printer and delivers a fresh new cartridge to your door before you run out. This super-convenient subscription saves a trip to your computer store and often works out cheaper. Most—but not all—modern HP printers are now Instant Ink compatible.

Connectivity

Many home-use printers offer USB, Ethernet, and wireless connectivity, either via Bluetooth or WiFi. Wireless printing reduces cord clutter and lets you print from anywhere in the house on any device.

Size

Size is crucial for home users with minimal desk space. All-in-ones, lasers, and tank printers require more room. Measure your available space and factor in a little wriggle room.

Best HP Home Printers for Different Needs

We’ve curated a shortlist of the best HP home printers for users with varying requirements.

Best budget-friendly option: HP Envy 6022e

Ideal for infrequent, budget-conscious printers, the HP Envy 6022e offers crisp print quality and a sleek, easy-to-use interface for a low price. A high print resolution ensures top-quality colour photo printing, while its all-in-one functionality lets you copy and scan at home.

Shop HP Envy 6022e Now

· Type: Inkjet

· Tank/cartridge: Cartridge

· Function: All-in-one

· Page volume: 100 to 400

· DPI: 1200 x 1200

· PPM: Up to 10 ppm (black) and 7 ppm (colour)

· Colour: Colour

· Two-sided printing: Yes

· ADF: No

· HP Instant Ink eligible: Yes

· Connectivity: Bluetooth, WiFi

· Size: 432.5 x 361.1 x 132.1 mm

Best all-in-one for a home office: HP OfficeJet Pro 9122e

If you’re looking for a home business printer, you’ll want a reliable all-in-one with a high monthly page volume and lightning-quick print speed. The HP OfficeJet Pro 9122e offers all that, as well as a roomy 35-page ADF, wireless connectivity, and two-sided printing. All these features come at a reasonable price to appeal to small business owners, freelancers, and WFH employees.

Shop HP OfficeJet Pro 9122e Now

· Type: Inkjet

· Tank/cartridge: Cartridge

· Function: All-in-one

· Page volume: Up to 1,500

· DPI: 1200 x 1200

· PPM: Up to 22 ppm (black) and 18 ppm (colour)

· Colour: Colour

· Two-sided printing: Yes

· ADF: 35-page ADF

· Instant Ink eligible: Yes

· Connectivity: WiFi, Ethernet, USB

· Size: 439.3 x 342.5 x 278 mm

Best photo printer for home use: HP Smart Tank 7605

Photographers love the crystal clear image quality of the HP Smart Tank 7605. Not only does this high DPI device deliver stunning detail, but it’s super affordable to run thanks to its refillable ink tank design. For cost-effective, high-quality colour printing, this unit is hard to beat.

Shop HP Smart Tank 7605 Now

· Type: Inkjet

· Tank/cartridge: Tank

· Function: All-in-one

· Page volume: Up to 1200 pages/month

· DPI: Up to 1200 x 1200

· PPM: Up to 15 ppm (black) and 9 ppm (colour)

· Colour: Colour

· Two-sided printing: Yes

· ADF: 35-page ADF

· Instant Ink eligible: No

· Connectivity: Ethernet, USB, dual-band WiFi

· Size: 427 x 364 x 240 mm

Best for high-volume printing: HP Color LaserJet Pro 4302dw

Not all householders print small documents. If you’re a high-volume home user, look no further than the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4302dw. This enterprise-level workhorse pumps out up to 4,000 monthly pages and boasts a blistering 33 ppm print speed in both black and white and colour. A massive 50-page ADF means you won’t have to restock the feeder anytime soon.

Shop HP Color LaserJet Pro 4302dw Now

· Type: Laser

· Function: All-in-one

· Page volume: Up to 4,000 pages/monthly

· DPI: 600

· PPM: Up to 33 ppm black & colour (A4)

· Colour: Colour

· Two-sided printing: Yes

· ADF: 50-page ADF

· Instant Ink eligible: No

· Connectivity: WiFi, USB, Ethernet

· Size: 421 x 435 x 384 mm

Best Compact Printer for Small Spaces: HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile

They say good things come in small packages, and the age-old cliché rings true with the HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile. While it can’t match the volume or speed of our other recommendations, its tiny stature makes portable printing a possibility. Slip it into a backpack and print on the move.

Shop HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile Now

· Type: Mobile inkjet

· Tank/cartridge: Cartridge

· Function: All-in-one

· Page volume: Up to 300 pages/monthly

· DPI: 1200

· PPM: Up to 9 ppm (black) and 6 ppm (colour)

· Colour: Colour

· Two-sided printing: No

· ADF: 10-page ADF

· Instant Ink eligibility: No

· Connectivity: USB, WiFi

· Size: 380.2 x 198.3 x 91.3 mm

Tips for Maximising Your Home Printer Performance & Longevity

Once you’ve found the perfect home printer, take good care of it to enjoy many years of trouble-free printing.

· Updates: Periodically check for printer driver and software updates.

· Keep the inside clean: Gently clean the rollers and interior with a soft brush to remove dust.

· Tweak the settings: Set the printer to draft mode to enhance ink efficiency.

· Use frequently: Try to print every week or so to prevent the ink heads from drying out.

· Store ink safely: Keep your bottles and cartridges upright in a cool, dry place.

· Preview: Use print preview to identify any formatting errors before printing.

· Only use print-friendly paper: Other pages might damage the rollers or printer heads.

· Avoid direct sunlight: Hot UV rays can warp metal, make plastic brittle, and dry out ink.

· Don’t overload the printer tray: Too much paper can cause roller-damaging page jams.

Summary

Home printers range from simple, budget-friendly devices to enterprise-ready machines with massive monthly page volumes. Evaluate your unique needs and review the top printer considerations before investing in a home printer.

If none of our recommendations tickle your fancy, there are plenty more brilliant home printers in the HP UK Store.