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The Epson EcoTank ET-3950 is the strongest all-around choice for most home offices in 2026. It combines printing, scanning, copying, automatic double-sided handling, a 250-sheet tray, and unusually low ink costs without the bulk or price of a high-volume business machine.
It is not the right answer for every workload, though. A color laser multifunction printer is a better fit for fast, smudge-free office documents; a cheaper tank printer suits light household use; and a photo-focused all-in-one is preferable when image quality matters more than document-running costs. The recommendations below separate those jobs instead of treating one printer as universally best.
Our top all-in-one printer picks
| Best for | Printer | Why it stands out | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Epson EcoTank ET-3950 | Low ink costs, duplex printing and scanning, 250-sheet capacity | No fax, memory-card slot, or USB-thumb-drive printing |
| Best inexpensive tank AIO | Canon Pixma G3270 MegaTank | Very low running costs and inexpensive bottled ink | Slow, 100-sheet tray, no ADF or automatic duplex printing |
| Best heavy-duty AIO | Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 | Fast color printing, large paper capacity, duplex ADF, fax | Costs more upfront and takes up more space |
| Best color laser AIO | Brother MFC-L3780CDW | Fast office output, good quality, low-for-class toner costs | Higher purchase price and larger footprint than basic inkjets |
| Best home photo AIO | Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 | Six-ink system produces excellent photo output | Expensive per-page costs and no ADF |
| Best portable AIO | HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile | Battery operation, scanning and copying in a compact body | No automatic duplex printing or scanning |
These are multifunction printers—models that print, scan, and copy, with fax included on some machines. Dedicated photo printers such as the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 and portable photo-only Selphy models are not included as main picks because they cannot replace a normal office or household AIO.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteBest all-in-one printer overall: Epson EcoTank ET-3950
The Epson EcoTank ET-3950 is the most balanced choice for a home office, family, or student household that prints regularly. Its refillable tank design keeps tested operating costs to about 0.29 cents per black page and 1.1 cents per color page. Those figures make it competitive with, and in some workloads cheaper than, laser printers—so the old rule that laser is always less expensive no longer holds.
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- Updated design, professional results. High-quality output with sharp color and black printing. Fast print and copy speeds up to 33ppm(1) help boost productivity. Reliable performance and durable, compact design, 25% smaller than the previous model. Multipurpose tray for custom printing.
- Maximize printing budgets. Offers built-in value with included Brother Genuine 3,000-page black and 1,800-page color standard yield toner cartridges. Help lower printing costs by using the TN635XXL super high yield replacement toner cartridges for 7,500-page black and 6,500-page color(2).
- Advanced scanning. High-speed, two-sided scanning up to 104ipm(3) with 80-page auto document feeder(4) and legal-size glass. Scan to cloud, email, SharePoint, and more from the touchscreen(5). Supports the added benefit of creating searchable and editable Microsoft Office documents(6).
- Productivity-enhancing features. Flexible connectivity, including built-in dual-band (2.4GHz / 5GHz) wireless networking and Gigabit Ethernet networking. 7” color touchscreen for easy menu navigation, scan preview, and up to 64 customized shortcuts for frequently used tasks.
- Triple Layer Security. Advanced security features to help keep devices secure, protect documents in transit to and from print devices, and safeguard networks. Includes an integrated NFC card reader for easy badge authentication.
The ET-3950 includes print, scan, and copy functions, a 250-sheet input tray, legal-size support, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and USB connectivity. Automatic duplex printing is useful for reports and schoolwork, while its 30-sheet reversing ADF can automatically handle two-sided scanning. PCMag measured approximately 18 pages per minute for monochrome printing and 9 ppm for color in its standardized tests.
There are some omissions. This model has no fax, memory-card slot, or USB-host port for printing directly from a thumb drive. It is also an inkjet, so output quality and speed vary with paper and quality settings. Use suitable paper for graphics and photos rather than judging the printer solely by its plain-paper output.
Best inexpensive all-in-one tank printer: Canon Pixma G3270
The Canon Pixma G3270 Wireless MegaTank All-in-One is the sensible budget pick for households that want bottled-ink economics without paying for a more advanced office feature set. A full set of bottles is rated for up to 6,000 black pages and 7,700 color pages, although the first included set produces somewhat less. Tested running costs are approximately 0.3 cents per black page and 0.8 cents per color page.
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It prints, scans, and copies, and its low purchase price makes the tank system easier to justify even for moderate print volumes. However, the G3270 is deliberately basic. Its input tray holds 100 sheets, it has no automatic document feeder, and it cannot automatically print on both sides. PCMag measured around 11 ppm in black and 6 ppm in color.
That combination makes it a poor choice for a busy home office. Multi-page scanning requires placing each sheet on the flatbed, and switching between plain and photo paper means working with its single tray. Choose it when low-cost everyday printing matters more than speed and automation.
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- UPDATED DESIGN, PROFESSIONAL RESULTS. High-quality output with vibrant color and sharp black printing. Fast print and copy speeds up to 33ppm(1) help boost productivity. Reliable performance and durable, compact design, 25% smaller than the previous model.
- MAXIMIZE PRINTING BUDGETS. Offers built-in value with included Brother Genuine 3,000-page black and 1,800-page color toner cartridges. Print cost-efficiently by using high yield replacement toner cartridges providing 5,500 pages black and 4,500 pages color(2).
- ADVANCED SCANNING. High-speed, two-sided scanning up to 104ipm(3) with 80-page auto document feeder(4) and legal-size glass. Scan to cloud, email, SharePoint, and more from the touchscreen(5). Supports the added benefit of creating searchable and editable Microsoft Office documents(6).
- PRODUCTIVITY-ENHANCING FEATURES. Flexible connectivity, including built-in dual-band (2.4GHz / 5GHz) wireless networking and Gigabit Ethernet networking. 3.5” color touchscreen for easy menu navigation, scan preview, and up to 48 customized shortcuts for frequently used tasks.
- TRIPLE LAYER SECURITY. Advanced security features to help keep devices secure, protect documents in transit to and from print devices, and safeguard networks. Includes an integrated NFC card reader for easy badge authentication.
Best heavy-duty all-in-one printer: Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850
The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is designed for a small office that prints frequently. It has two 250-sheet paper drawers, a 50-sheet rear tray, automatic duplex printing, and a 50-sheet duplexing ADF. It also prints, scans, copies, and faxes.
Its rated speed is 25 ppm in both monochrome and color, and PCMag measured running costs of about 2 cents per page for either. Epson lists a recommended monthly duty cycle of 3,300 pages and a maximum of 66,000 pages. The recommended figure is the meaningful one when deciding whether the printer matches your routine workload; the maximum is not a sensible target for continuous monthly use.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The ET-5850 costs substantially more than a basic home AIO, but the extra paper capacity and faster document handling can quickly matter in a workgroup. It is a strong option for invoices, forms, reports, and mixed-color documents where a small 100-sheet home printer would require constant attention.
Best color laser all-in-one: Brother MFC-L3780CDW
The Brother MFC-L3780CDW is the better alternative when your priority is fast, consistent office-document output rather than the lowest possible ink cost. It prints, scans, copies, and faxes, and includes Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB, and NFC connectivity.
Its 50-page single-pass duplex ADF can scan both sides of a multi-page document in one pass, a feature that is particularly useful for contracts, forms, and archived paperwork. PCMag gave it a 4.5 score and highlighted its fast operation, good output, and relatively low toner costs for a color laser.
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- Best for Small Businesses: The Brother MFC L3780CDW small business printer is a wireless multi-function digital color printer with copy, scan, and fax functionalities that consistently produces pristine, laser-quality output on every page
- AMPLIFY YOUR PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS. This Brother laser printer provides the consistent performance of laser-quality digital color printing
- MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY WITH ALL-IN-ONE FUNCTIONALITY. This Brother all in one printer has print speeds up to 31 ppm(1) and scan speeds up to 29/22 ipm(2) (black/color) with the added timesaving benefit of single-pass duplex copy and scan
- RELIABLE RESULTS WITH BROTHER GENUINE TONER. Choose Brother Genuine TN229 Standard Yield, TN229XL High Yield, or TN229XXL Super High Yield for your Brother printer. Refresh EZ Print Subscription Service, you'll never worry about running out of toner
- Flexible Connection Options: Brother laser color printer has built-in dual band wireless (2.4GHz / 5GHz)(5), Gigabit Ethernet, and Wi-Fi Direct connections, plus a USB interface for local connection to a single computer
Choose this model over the Epson ET-3950 if you print many business documents, need crisp color graphics on ordinary office paper, or want output that dries immediately. A color laser normally costs more to buy, and it is not automatically cheaper for every volume or document mix. Compare replacement toner prices before purchasing.
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Best home photo all-in-one: Epson Expression Photo XP-8800
The Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 is the specialist choice for households that print photos as often as they print documents. Its six-ink system produces richer photo output than a typical four-ink office AIO, and it supports USB, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi Direct. Automatic duplex printing is included.
The compromise is cost. PCMag lists tested costs of approximately 4.6 cents per black page and 17.8 cents per color page. That makes the XP-8800 expensive for routine reports, school worksheets, or large color handouts. It also has no ADF and cannot duplex-scan, so multi-page paperwork is handled one sheet at a time.
Photo quality also depends on using appropriate photo paper and a suitable quality mode. Plain paper, lower-quality settings, and monochrome images can produce results that do not reflect the printer’s best capability. Buyers who print black-and-white photography should check grayscale samples carefully because color casts can appear.
Best portable all-in-one: HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile
The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile All-in-One is the rare portable printer that can also scan and copy. It has a rechargeable battery, a 50-sheet input tray, a 10-sheet ADF, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and USB connectivity. That makes it useful for mobile workers, field technicians, traveling sales staff, and anyone who must produce or digitize documents away from a desk.
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- Professional Performance: Dominate your business printing with this Brother Genuine color laser printer delivering exceptional print speeds up to 19 ppm and stunning laser-quality output that makes your documents stand out from the competition
- Advanced Connectivity: Take command of your workflow with dual-band wireless networking (2.4GHz/5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, and USB 2.0 interface, enabling multiple users to connect and print seamlessly from any device in your office
- Productivity Powerhouse: Maximize efficiency with the 50-sheet auto document feeder, 250-sheet adjustable paper tray, and automatic duplex printing, ensuring uninterrupted performance for your demanding business needs
- Smart Integration: Transform your workflow with the intuitive 3.5" color touchscreen featuring 48 customizable shortcuts and direct access to popular cloud services including Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneNote for seamless document management
- Mobile Command Center: Leverage the power of mobile printing with remote access capabilities, toner level monitoring, and complete printer management directly from your mobile device through the exclusive companion app
It does not automatically print or scan both sides, so it is not a replacement for a full-size office AIO. Its recommended monthly duty cycle is 300 pages, with a 500-page maximum. Treat those figures as a ceiling for occasional mobile work, not as an invitation to run a small office from the printer.
Some HP-connected features may require a free HP Smart account. Check the setup requirements before buying if you want a printer that works without cloud-linked services.
How we evaluate all-in-one printers
The picks are based on more than manufacturer speed claims. PCMag’s testing considers image quality, design, usability, ink or toner cost, overall value, and repeatable speed tests. This matters because a quoted “pages per minute” figure may use different conditions from an independent test and may refer only to monochrome, simplex, or draft output.
Running cost is also workload-dependent. Tank printers generally cost more at checkout but much less to refill. Cartridge printers can still make sense for people who print only a few pages a month, because a lower purchase price may outweigh savings that would take years to realize. Laser printers remain attractive for fast, dry office documents, while inkjets can offer lower color costs and better photo flexibility.
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- Confirm the scanning hardware. An ADF is important for multi-page work. A duplexing ADF is better if you regularly scan both sides of documents.
- Check automatic duplex printing. Do not assume every AIO can print double-sided. The Canon G3270, for example, cannot.
- Match the tray to your workflow. A 100-sheet single tray is adequate for occasional use but inconvenient when frequently switching between letter paper, envelopes, and photo media.
- Use recommended monthly volume, not maximum duty cycle. The maximum number is not a safe routine target.
- Check the exact connection options. Ethernet, Wi-Fi Direct, USB-host printing, NFC, and fax are separate features. “Multifunction” does not mean all are present.
- Plan for setup problems. If a phone cannot find the printer, put both devices on the same Wi-Fi band before pairing. Mixed 2.4GHz and 5GHz network arrangements can interfere with initial setup on some models, including reported ET-3950 installations.
- Budget for the right paper. Inkjet color and photo output can look flat on unsuitable plain paper; better paper and higher quality settings improve results but increase time and cost.
Which all-in-one printer should you buy?
Buy the Epson EcoTank ET-3950 for the best general balance of features and low running cost. Pick the Canon Pixma G3270 if the purchase price matters most and your workload is light. For a small office, the Epson ET-5850 offers the strongest inkjet workflow, while the Brother MFC-L3780CDW is the better color-laser choice for fast document production.
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- FROM AMERICA'S MOST TRUSTED PRINTER BRAND – Perfect for small teams printing, scanning and copying professional-quality color documents and reports. Print speeds up to 26 ppm black/color.
- PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIVITY – Proficiency with every print—next-generation TerraJet toner brings your business to life with more vivid colors.
- ORIGINAL HP TONER CARTRIDGES – This HP printer uses Original HP 218A standard and 218X high yield LaserJet toner cartridges.
- UPGRADED FEATURES – Fast color printing, scan, copy, auto 2-sided printing, auto document feeder, and a 250-sheet input tray.
- AWARD-WINNING RELIABILITY – Performance you can count on page after page, and always ready for the high demands of business.
Choose the Epson XP-8800 only when photo quality justifies its high color costs, and choose the HP OfficeJet 250 when portability is more important than speed or duplexing. Those distinctions will prevent the most common printer-buying mistake: paying for the wrong kind of capability.
FAQ
What is the best all-in-one printer for most people in 2026?
The Epson EcoTank ET-3950 is the best overall choice for most homes and home offices. It prints, scans, and copies, has a 250-sheet tray, automatic duplex printing and scanning, and tested ink costs of about 0.29 cents per black page and 1.1 cents per color page.
Are tank printers cheaper than laser printers?
Not automatically. Tank printers usually cost more initially but can have extremely low refill costs. The Epson ET-3950 and ET-5850 compete strongly with laser printers on running cost, while a color laser may still be preferable for fast, dry office documents.
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The Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 is the best home photo AIO in this group because of its six-ink system. It produces strong photos but has high tested color costs of about 17.8 cents per page, so it is not economical for heavy document printing.
Do all-in-one printers automatically scan both sides?
No. Look specifically for a duplexing ADF. The ET-3950 and ET-5850 have duplex scanning through their ADFs, while the Canon G3270 and Epson XP-8800 require one-page-at-a-time flatbed scanning.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: The Epson EcoTank ET-3950 is the best all-purpose all-in-one printer for 2026, offering the most useful combination of low running costs, paper capacity, connectivity, and duplex automation. Move to the Canon G3270 for a cheaper but slower setup, the ET-5850 or Brother MFC-L3780CDW for heavier office work, and the XP-8800 for home photo printing.
