The need for an at-home printer has never been higher, what with homeschooling, hybrid work, and general at-home activities still a part of our daily lives. The best wireless printers allow all of this to be taken care of without the wasted space and tangled wires you might expect in an office, with all-in-one Wi-Fi printers also taking care of your scanning and photocopying needs right there in your home office or living room.
Wireless printers do what they say in the name, allowing you to send anything you need to print to the device without it needing to be connected to your laptop or phone. Apps make this process even easier so, if your working space is in the kitchen but your printer lives in the spare room upstairs, you don't need to worry about getting up.
But we know that choosing the best Wi-Fi printer for your particular set-up is easier said than done, with a huge array of features, prices, and sizes available. Below you will find recommendations from us, whether you need something for work, creating physical copies of your photos, or occasional use.
The best wireless printers in 2022
A fantastic all-rounder, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e is a printer that would fit in at the office or home alike. The 9015e prints in black and white or color at 18-22 pages per minute, respectively, offers two-sided scanning with an automatic document feeder and has a 250-page capacity.
In a world where buying a printer is just the tip of the iceberg, and it's really replacing the ink that becomes the expense, going with HP does have its perks. It can feel a little like the company is holding its best features hostage with the HP+ subscription but, for heavy users, it can definitely be an economical solution.
For example, a subscription will get you new ink cartridges delivered right when you've run out, and you can recycle old cartridges to be more eco-friendly. You get six months of Instant Ink free. The HP+ Smart Printing System also ensures that software is kept up to date and as secure as possible.
But don't worry about staying connected - the printer has self-healing dual-band Wi-Fi that promises to resolve any issues as soon as possible.
Another printer that could be used in the office but works just as well at home, the Epson EcoTank ET-3850 is an all-in-one printer, scanner, and copier that does away with ink cartridges completely in a move that Epson promises will save you up to 90% on the cost of refills.
It does this will refillable ink tanks that are visible on the front of the printer, showing you exactly when you're running a bit low. This, of course, also saves on the plastic used in traditional ink cartridges.
The ET-3850 isn't cheap, but the price tag makes sense when you consider the costs saved in the long term. If you're only after a printer for occasional use, however, it might not be the best choice. This is a top pick for those who need to print frequently, with 2-sided printing and a 250-sheet capacity.
Another printer from Epson that bypasses the need for ink cartridges, the Epson Expression Premium EcoTank ET-7750 is only placed lower due to its high price tag. As with the slightly cheaper ET-3850, the potential savings made via the cartridge-free design significantly outweigh the initial cost.
The ET-7750 also benefits from an amazing maximum print resolution of 5760 x 1440dpi, which means great-looking photos, and it can also print A3 size should you need something larger.
There are some downsides, with a slightly smaller than average 100-sheet capacity and lack of smart features, but overall the printer is a good option for those worried about the long-term cost of ink cartridges, and prefer a more compact design for when it's not in use.
The need for smaller at-home printers has shot up with the increased need that comes with working from home, but the smallest printers can lack some of the necessary features. The Canon PIXMA TR-8520 splits the difference with a compact design and all-in-one functionality.
Despite being one of the most affordable printers on our list, you won't compromise on things like print quality, and the TR-8520 benefits from a touchscreen display and automatic power on when you send something to be printed.
Canon's My Image Garden is also great if you plan to print a lot of photos, offering filters and layout options for your snaps. Speeds are relatively slow, but it's a small quibble for a printer this convenient.
For those who just need a good, reliable printer for documents, letters, and other work-related output, this mono laser printer from Brother could be perfect. It won't be any good for color printouts or photos, but the focus on black and white means faster speeds and a large paper capacity.
The Brother HL-L2390DW is perfect for those who need to do a lot of printing on a daily basis, with 33ppm speeds and room for 250 sheets of paper. The overall design keeps the upfront costs low, but that also means that Brother may not have given too much thought to making the model pretty.
There is a screen, but it is monochrome and not touch-sensitive, and it's on the bulky side when compared to other home printers.
How to choose the best wireless printer for your home
How do wireless printers work?
Wireless printers work in much the same way as laptops or mobile phones when connected to the internet, using the signal from your home or office router to connect to the same Wi-Fi. While some printers allow you to set this up via an app on your phone, others will require you to input your password via the printer's LCD screen. From there you will be able to send documents and photos to print from any device on the same network.
Can wireless printers work without internet?
Whether you can use a wireless printer without an active internet connection (such as when yours goes down or you are in a patchy spot in the house) varies depending on which printer you choose. While some Wi-Fi printers will only allow for internet-enabled printing, most will have an option to connect to your laptop via USB. This ensures that, even when you're not able to get online, you can still use the device for what it's intended for.