The Best All-in-One (AIO) Printers to Buy in 2018 — Perform Multiple Document Tasks on The Same Device

These days, consumers and business prefer buying one device that does it all than individual devices. We don't find too many standalone printers and scanners in the market as multi-function devices or all-in-one printers can effectively combine multiple functions in one unit. Most multi-function devices include a printer, copier, and scanner and some of the more business-oriented ones also feature fax functionality as well.

Compared to traditional printers and scanners, all-in-one printers feature a lot of additional functionality and thus, there are a few factors that must be considered before committing to one.

Firstly, you should decide whether to go for an inkjet or a laser printer. These days, inkjets have approached near-laser quality but laserjets still rule when it comes to printing black and white content such as text. However, inkjets are much better for printing photos and cost comparatively less than laserjets. This directly influences the per page cost, which is a key factor in opting for an all-in-one printer.

The workload on the printer also plays a part in choosing the correct make and model. Businesses that have high printing volumes need to have an all-in-one printer that can cater to such loads and also service multiple people at the same time. Home users do not generally have high print loads but it is always better to opt for an all-in-one printer that can support at least 100 sheets in the tray.

Most modern operating systems offer a lot of built-in printing and scanning functionality so in most cases, you only need to connect your printer to the PC and start printing away. If you need additional OEM functions, then you may install the provided driver software. But make sure to read about firmware updates before installing them as some firmware updates can cripple existing functionality and cannot be reversed.

Other factors such as automatic duplexing, ease of navigation, connectivity options, and cloud-based printing are all pluses to consider if your work requires them.

Keeping these factors in mind, we at TechNadu have narrowed down on some of the best all-in-one printers available in 2018 that should make your purchasing decision a bit easier. So, here are the 8 best all-in-one printers for your consideration.

1. Epson Expression XP-640

The Epson Expression XP-640 is one of the best all-in-one wireless printers for home use. It can easily print lab-quality photos and sharp text using 5 ink tanks. It also features automatic duplex printing and can wireless connect to iPads, iPhones, or other smartphones. A 2.7-inch color LCD touchscreen ensures easy operation for most tasks without the need of a computer. The XP-640 also comes with Amazon Dash Replenishment, which automatically tracks ink usage and orders refill cartridges from Amazon.

While the Epson Expression XP-640 is a great all-in-one printer, users have found that some of the recent Epson updates are buggy and can render the printer inoperable. Being a compact printer, it is not really suited for high-volume printing. Also, there are some firmware issues in working with iCloud that turn the printer off automatically.

• Pros: Good printing quality for photos; Easy operation
• Cons: Buggy software updates; Firmware issues with Apple iCloud

2. Brother MFC-J985DW

The Brother MFC-J985DW is one of the most economical all-in-one printers in the market today, costing less than one cent per black page and less than five cents per color page. The J985DW can do duplex printing and scanning thanks to its 20-sheet automatic document feeder. Most common wireless printing protocols are supported along with NFC. Navigation is made easy thanks to the 2.7-inch touchscreen that allows you to directly connect to popular cloud services.

However, economical printing is not without some sacrifice in quality. You should not be expecting photo-realistic prints with this printer although, text and mixed documents will look just fine. The yellow hue is also noticeably less, which might not appeal to everyone.

• Pros: Highly Economical
• Cons: Not really suited for photo printing

3. Brother MFC-J5620DW

If you are looking for an all-in-one printer that can print on tabloid size papers (11 x 17 in), the Brother MFC-J5620DW can do it well at a reasonable price. The J5620DW boasts fast print times and like other Brother printers, is very economical for both text and color prints. You can also configure Amazon Dash Replenishment for automatically ordering new cartridges as soon as they run out.

Photo printing is definitely not a strong point of this printer so you should keep that in mind. Also, you are required to use OEM cartridges as the printer will not recognize non-OEM ones.

• Pros: Fast print times; Economical
• Cons: Non-OEM cartridges cannot be used; Photo printing not up to the mark

4. Canon Pixma TS9120

The Canon Pixma TS9120 is a premium all-in-one printer targeted towards home users. It features 6 individual tanks and a host of connectivity options. The 5.0-inch LCD touchscreen makes conventional operation very easy and the printer supports a variety of paper types. You also get auto-duplex printing support and a host of creative filters that you can use right away without any extra software.

The only gripe with the TS9120 is that photos tend to have a bluish tint, which is especially noticeable in people portraits. Also, the paper type needs to be registered everytime you change it. With fast print and scan speeds, direct CD printing, and a dedicated tank for photo printing, the Canon Pixma TS9120 ensures you get your money's worth.

• Pros: Excellent print and scan quality; Individual tanks; Auto-duplex printing
• Cons: Portraits have a bluish tint; Paper type needs to be registered with every change

5. Epson Workforce WF-2760

The Epson Workforce WF-2760 is one of the best budget all-in-one printers and it is one of the few to offer an ADF and auto-duplex printing at this price. The WF-2760 is also one of the fastest all-in-ones when it comes to printing a mix of text and graphics. The text is sharp and photos come out great on glossy paper. The WF-2760 offers Amazon Dash Replenishment and the 2.7-inch color touchscreen enables easy navigation.

The Epson Workforce WF-2760 might offer great prints for its price but it comes with a major caveat — Epson does not advertise how many prints a cartridge will last. Many users found themselves having to replace cartridges often and the overall cost of ownership shoot through the roof. But if you're only going to be printing text, for the most part, the WF-2760 still makes for a good purchase considering its low price.

• Pros: Good text and photo prints
• Cons: Not very economical; Color cartridge costs add up more than the printer itself

6. Brother MFC-L2750DWXL

The Brother MFC-L2750DWXL is one of the best all-in-one printers for small office-home office (SoHo) setups. The XL variant comes with a two-year toner supply in the box that includes one high-yield and one super-high-yield cartridge for a total printing capacity of approximately 7,500 pages. The L2750DW sports some of the fastest printing and copying speeds in its class and offers one of the cheapest costs per page. The built-in 50-sheet automatic document feeder allows single-pass duplex copying and scanning while the 2.7-inch touchscreen allows easy access to multiple cloud services without having to use a computer.

The Brother MFC-L2750DWXL is a solid all-in-one printer that will last quite long but we feel some of the parts such the paper tray seem to be using cheaper plastic. The scan-to-email function is not what many are used to and one needs to install a utility from Brother's website to enable this functionality.

• Pros: Fast printing and copying speeds; 2-year toner inbox
• Cons: Scan-to-email requires installing an add-on; Slow wireless printing

7. HP PageWide Pro 577dw

The HP PageWide Pro 577dw is the costliest all-in-one printer in this roundup but has features that justify the price. It offers the speed of a laserjet with the color accuracy of an inkjet printer. The 577dw is built for increased productivity in business environments and has some of the fastest print and scan times we've seen. It has a 6,000-page monthly duty cycle and can despite the fast print speeds, the quality of the prints is extremely good with sharp texts and realistic graphics. The auto 2-sided duplex ADF allows copying, scanning, or faxing double-sided documents with ease. Managing printing tasks remotely is easily possible thanks to the HP Smart app, which is available for Android and iOS devices.

While the HP PageWide Pro 577dw demands an upfront investment, the high-yield cartridges ensure that prints do not turn out to be a costly affair. That said, the catch tray has limited paper holding capacity so it needs to be cleared in order to make way for fresh printouts. This can get a bit cumbersome in a business setup. Also, loading a large number of envelopes will cause them to jam the printer.

• Pros: Excellent text and color accuracy; Speedy output
• Cons: Expensive; Catch tray cannot hold all 500 sheets

8. Canon Maxify MB5420

The Canon Maxify MB5420 makes for a great small business all-in-one printer. With fast single-pass duplex scanning and copying, it is easy to scan and copy multiple pages without any manual intervention. Print speeds are great and the overall print quality is very good for both text and graphics thanks to the dual-resistant high density (DRHD) ink. The Maxify MB5420 offers two trays that can hold 250 sheets each.

The primary use for the Canon Maxify MB5420 is as an office printer so the color printing is not really photo-realistic. However, the scanner functions reliably and the inks are cheap especially if you get the XL cartridges. Setup is pretty straightforward and the touchscreen makes navigation and changing settings easy.

• Pros: Great office printer; XL cartridges can last long in eco mode
• Cons: None as such

Final Thoughts

Dear readers, those were our recommendations for the best all-in-one printers to buy in 2018. When it comes to printers, remember that high cost does not always mean better. No matter the initial investment, the cost of the consumables might add up more than the printer over time in a short span. You should, therefore, look for brands that offer a choice of high-yield and super high-yield cartridges that help in economic printing. Since we are talking about all-in-ones, the scanner quality is also an important parameter, which is often overlooked. You may not get the extremely high resolutions of a dedicated scanner, but most all-in-one printers today offer excellent scanning capabilities for both documents and photos.

We hope that this article has helped you in deciding on a good all-in-one printer. As always, if you have any thoughts to share, drop a line in the comments below.

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