A multifunction printer is one of those purchases that either quietly disappears into your workflow or becomes the thing you mutter about every time a scan fails or a page smears. The core job is deceptively simple: consolidate printing, scanning, and copying into a single footprint so you are not juggling three machines and three cables. But the range of quality in this category is enormous, and the wrong choice can cost you more in ink, paper jams, and lost time than the sticker price ever suggested.
What separates a good multifunction printer from a frustrating one in 2026 comes down to a handful of decisions: whether the engine technology matches your volume, whether the scanner handles your actual documents (stacks of two-sided pages versus single sheets), and whether wireless and mobile features work reliably enough that you stop reaching for the USB cable. Below, we compared published specifications, current prices, and recurring owner feedback across eight popular models to identify which machines deliver where it counts.
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Top 3 picks at a glance
Quick Picks
| Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Brother DCP-L2640DW | Small office monochrome printing | $209.99 |
| HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw | Office color laser with ADF | $538.90 |
| Canon imageCLASS MF273dw | Budget monochrome laser | $129.99 |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 8125 | Home office color inkjet | $119.99 |
| Brother MFC-L2820DW | Compact monochrome with fax | $279.99 |
| Brother MFCJ1360DW Work Smart 1360 | Lowest-cost color all-in-one | $99.98 |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 9125 | Office color inkjet with fax | $199.99 |
| Canon PIXMA TR4720 | Casual home use on a tight budget | $69.00 |
How We Picked
We narrowed this list using four criteria. First, engine type matched to likely workload: laser engines for high-volume text, inkjets when color or photo output matters. Second, scanner capability: an auto document feeder (ADF) is the single biggest convenience upgrade for anyone who scans more than a few pages at a time, and duplex scanning saves even more steps. Third, connectivity and ecosystem support: wireless, mobile printing, and compatibility with voice assistants or cloud services determine whether the machine stays usable as your setup evolves. Fourth, long-term cost signals: subscription trials, warranty terms, and ink or toner model all affect the real price of ownership beyond the box.
The 8 Best Multifunction Printer in 2026
Brother DCP-L2640DW
This compact monochrome laser is built for a small office or home workspace where most output is text-heavy documents. Duplex printing cuts paper use in half without manual page flipping, and wireless plus mobile printing means no cable tether to a desk.
- Pro: Laser engine handles steady text volume without per-page cost anxiety.
- Pro: Compact footprint fits a shelf or narrow desk without dominating the room.
- Con: No color output; anything photographic or presentation-ready is out of scope.
Skip it if your workflow regularly demands color prints or high-volume scanning with an ADF.
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw
The priciest pick here, aimed squarely at offices that need color laser output, a full ADF, and duplex in one package. If you print marketing materials, annotated reports, or color-copied forms alongside standard documents, this is the most capable all-in-one on the list.
- Pro: Color laser delivers sharper text and more consistent tones than any inkjet in its price tier.
- Pro: ADF with duplex support turns two-sided multi-page scans into a single job.
- Con: Price is nearly triple that of budget monochrome options, and toner replacement adds ongoing cost.
Skip it if your color needs are occasional and your monthly volume is modest; an inkjet will serve at a fraction of the cost.
Canon imageCLASS MF273dw
A 30-page-per-minute monochrome laser with an auto document feeder, this machine targets anyone who wants speed and scanning convenience without spending over $150. The one-year limited warranty is standard but reassuring at this price point.
- Pro: Thirty pages per minute is notably fast for a machine under $150.
- Pro: Built-in ADF eliminates flatbed-only scanning for multi-page documents.
- Con: Monochrome only; no path to color output without a second device.
Skip it if you need color or if your primary use is photos and graphics rather than text documents.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8125
A wireless color inkjet positioned for home offices that need occasional color but do not want to commit to laser toner costs. The included three-month Instant Ink trial lets you evaluate subscription-based ink before deciding whether it fits your budget. AI-capable features hint at smarter scan-to-action workflows.
- Pro: Low entry price with duplex and ADF included, rare at under $120.
- Pro: Color inkjet flexibility covers photos, forms, and text in one machine.
- Con: Inkjet engines generally have slower duty cycles than lasers for heavy office volume.
Skip it if you print thousands of pages monthly and want the lowest per-page cost over years.
Brother MFC-L2820DW
Brother’s compact monochrome laser adds fax to the DCP-L2640DW feature set and includes Alexa compatibility plus a Refresh subscription trial. The Refresh trial provides a pathway to toner and maintenance without upfront planning.
- Pro: Fax capability at a price still well under $300, uncommon in modern laser MFPs.
- Pro: Works with Alexa, enabling voice-triggered print jobs from a smart-home setup.
- Con: Still monochrome; no color path without stepping up to a different engine type.
Skip it if you have zero need for fax and do not care about voice-assistant integration; the cheaper DCP-L2640DW covers the same core tasks.
Brother MFCJ1360DW Work Smart 1360
At under $100, this wireless color inkjet is the cheapest all-in-one on the list that still supports duplex printing. It suits students or light home users who need color output without investing in a dedicated photo printer.
- Pro: Lowest price on the list while still offering wireless and duplex.
- Pro: Color inkjet handles school projects, photos, and everyday documents alike.
- Con: At this price tier, ADF and higher-duty-cycle hardware are absent.
Skip it if you scan multi-page documents regularly or need the machine to survive a shared office workload.
HP OfficeJet Pro 9125
A step up from the 8125 in both price and capability, this color inkjet adds fax and dual-sided ADF scanning. The three-month Instant Ink trial and AI-capable features position it as a smart home-office hub.
- Pro: Duplex print, scan, and copy in a sub-$200 color inkjet is a strong value.
- Pro: ADF with two-sided scanning handles contracts and multi-page forms efficiently.
- Con: Inkjet maintenance and head-cleaning cycles can interrupt output if left idle for weeks.
Skip it if your printing is sporadic and mostly black text; a laser will stay ready with less upkeep.
Canon PIXMA TR4720
The absolute floor of this list at $69, the PIXMA TR4720 is a home-use inkjet with an ADF, mobile printing, and built-in fax. It targets users who want an all-in-one for occasional schoolwork, receipts, and light photo printing.
- Pro: Under $70 with ADF and fax included is hard to beat on raw feature-per-dollar.
- Pro: Mobile printing support means no driver headaches from a phone or tablet.
- Con: Build quality and duty cycle place it firmly in the “occasional use” tier.
Skip it if more than one person in a household will be sending jobs daily or if print speed matters to you.
Buying Guide
Laser vs. Inkjet: Match the Engine to Your Volume
Laser engines use toner that fuses to paper, making them faster per page and generally cheaper per page at high volume, especially for black text. Inkjet engines spray liquid ink and excel at color blending for photos or graphics, but they can dry out between uses and cost more per page for text. If your monthly output is dominated by forms, documents, and text, a monochrome laser like the Canon MF273dw or Brother DCP-L2640DW will keep running costs low. If color matters or your volume is under a few hundred pages per month, an inkjet like the HP OfficeJet Pro 8125 is the more versatile choice.
Scanner: Flatbed Alone Is Rarely Enough
A flatbed glass is necessary for books, ID cards, and single fragile originals, but an auto document feeder is what turns scanning from a chore into a batch process. When evaluating a multifunction printer, check whether the ADF supports duplex (two-sided) scanning in a single pass. Models like the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125 and HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw include this; lower-priced units such as the Canon PIXMA TR4720 may have an ADF but with fewer automation features. If you routinely digitize contracts, invoices, or forms, a duplex ADF will save hours over the machine’s life.
Connectivity and Smart Features: Wireless Is Table Stakes, Ecosystem Fit Is Not
Every printer on this list offers wireless connectivity, so the question shifts to which ecosystem features you will actually use. Mobile printing protocols matter if your team or family uses a mix of iOS, Android, and desktop devices. Voice-assistant integration (Alexa on the Brother MFC-L2820DW) and AI-capable scan-to-action workflows (the two HP OfficeJet Pro models) add convenience if you already live in those ecosystems. Subscription trials for ink or toner (Instant Ink on HP, Refresh on Brother) can lower short-term costs but lock you into a service; evaluate the exit cost before committing.
Our Verdict
For most small and home offices that print a mix of text and color, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125 stands out as the best-balanced pick: duplex everything, an ADF with two-sided scanning, fax, and a color inkjet engine all under $200. For buyers whose needs are purely monochrome text with fast, low-cost output, the Canon imageCLASS MF273dw is the budget winner at $129.99, delivering 30 ppm and a built-in ADF. That said, if your office requires color laser quality for presentations or client-facing documents and you can justify the spend, the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw is the only option here that truly replaces a small print shop.
FAQ
Do I need a color multifunction printer if most of my output is text?
No. A monochrome laser will handle text faster and at a lower per-page cost than a color inkjet, and you avoid the maintenance cycles associated with unused color heads. Add a dedicated photo or graphic print path only if the need becomes regular.
Is an auto document feeder worth the extra cost?
If you scan more than a handful of multi-page documents per month, the answer is almost always yes. The time saved loading a stack of pages into an ADF versus placing them one-by-one on a flatbed compounds quickly, and duplex ADF models eliminate manual page flipping entirely.
Are printer subscription services like Instant Ink and Refresh actually cheaper?
For predictable, steady-volume users they often reduce per-page cost compared to buying cartridges outright. For irregular printers who go weeks between jobs, you may pay for a tier you are not using, so compare your actual monthly page count against the subscription plan before signing up.
How long should a multifunction printer last before replacement?
A well-maintained laser engine can handle five to seven years of moderate office use, while inkjets often degrade earlier due to head-clogging if left idle. If your machine requires more than one service call per year or produces streaky output despite cleaning cycles, replacement is usually more cost-effective than repair.
