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Unlike a printer for Windows, almost any printer will work with a Mac. Just plug it into your computer, and it will automatically install your chosen printer. You won’t need any disks, as the operating system will do it all for you. Though, it is always advisable to check with the manufacturers if you need extra drivers you should install. Usually, this isn’t a problem.
This makes life an awful lot easier when choosing the best printer for Mac. Some printers, of course, will be better than others. There will be some that are better for the office, while some fit right in at home. Some specialize in certain activities like printing photos, and others have features that some may need, like security and password protection.
So, let’s take a look and see what is currently on offer…
Contents
- 1 Top 10 Best Printer For Mac In 2020 Reviews
- 2 Best Printer for Mac Buyers Guide
Top 10 Best Printer For Mac In 2020 Reviews
- HP LaserJet Pro M426fdn All-in-One Laser Printer – Best Monochrome Printer for Mac
- Brother Monochrome Laser Printer – Best Budget Printer for Mac
- HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 All-in-One Wireless Printer – Best Compact Printer for Mac
- Brother MFC-J6930DW All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer – Best Ledger Size Printer for Mac
- Epson Expression Photo XP-970 – Best Photo Printer for Mac
- Epson EcoTank ET-2720 – Best Student Printer for Mac
- Epson EcoTank Stampante ET-M1120 – Best Eco Friendly Printer for Mac
- HP OfficeJet 5255 Wireless All-in-One Printer – Best Low Load Home Printer for Mac
- Canon PIXMA TS9520 All In One Wireless Printer – Most Versatile Printer for Mac
- Canon TS8320 All In One Wireless Color Printer – Best Expandable Out Tray Printer for Mac
1 HP LaserJet Pro M426fdn All-in-One Laser Printer – Best Monochrome Printer for Mac
This is a printer from HP that is designed for use by small businesses. It could, of course, also be used at home if your workload demanded that. If you are going to use it at home, then you will need to make sure you have space, since it measures 15.35 by 16.54 by 12.72 inches and weighs 28 pounds.
It is a multifunction monochrome laser printer, and its capabilities extend to scanning, copying, and fax, and it has duplex double-sided print capability. As you would expect from a laser printer, print speeds are good. And this machine will give you an impressive 40 pages per minute.
The paper input tray will hold 350 sheets, and the recommended usage per month is up to 4000 sheets. There is an automatic document feeder that can hold 50 sheets at a time.
Paper compatibility…
It will support a range of paper sizes, including Standard letter and Legal size. The paper tray is adjustable if using Legal size paper, but further to these A5 and A6 sizes—this as well as envelopes and a variety of other dimensions of paper in common usage.
It has built-in connectivity for Ethernet but no wireless connections. There is also a color touchscreen that is conveniently placed, giving you usage options and current print status information.
Security…
We think this is a perfect addition for office use in that there are some built-in security systems, which offer protection for sensitive information. The scanning features are useful and include scan to email, Cloud, and USB. It also comes with a starter cartridge that will give you a print of approximately 1500 sheets.
This is quite a powerful printer with a range of uses. It’s not a cheap option, but if you need the capacity and print levels it produces, it is excellent value—certainly, one to be considered as the best printer for Mac.
Pros
- Multifunction machine.
- Fast print speed.
- Wide range of paper options.
Cons
- Might be a little expensive for a home-use computer.
2 Brother Monochrome Laser Printer – Best Budget Printer for Mac
Brother is a well-known name in the printing world. They have developed a substantial customer base with people who are looking for cost-effective print options.
Excellent value for the money…
This monochrome laser printer is an excellent choice for home use or a small office. It has a print speed of up to 36 pages per minute, so it isn’t the fastest laser printer you will find, but at the price point is perfectly acceptable.
The paper tray holds 250 sheets, and it will work with both letter and legal sized paper. As an added facility, it has a 50 sheet automatic document feeder, which will give you multi-page scanning and copying. It also has the capability for duplex, double-sided printing, and it also has a manual slot for feeding envelopes or card stock.
Connections…
You can use the printer connected to your laptop or computer using the USB port. Or, you can use the built-in WiFi or Ethernet facilities, which will happily allow you to communicate and operate the printer through your smartphone or other devices.
Therefore, there are no annoying wires needed. If you prefer to use the machine itself, the controls are neatly positioned on the top, where you’ll find a small screen for up to date status information.
A superb money-saving option…
We think it’s a good printer with plenty of useful features at a very cost-effective price, and sure to be very popular amongst those on a budget. For those seeking a cost-effective budget option, this could be considered the best printer for your Mac.
Pros
- Well made.
- Cost-effective option.
- Plenty of useful features.
- Print speed of 36 ppm.
Cons
- Lacking a few of the higher-level features, but that’s understandable for the price.
3 HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 All-in-One Wireless Printer – Best Compact Printer for Mac
The HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 is a machine that replaces the HP 8720. That was a very popular machine for people who wanted a printer for use at home or for a small business.
One of the reasons the 8720 was so popular is that it had plenty of features but was also relatively compact in size. It didn’t take up too much space, and the newly designed 9025 is the same. At 17.2 by 15.6 by 12.53 inches, it will fit into most spaces.
Print speed…
This machine offers a print speed of 24 ppm, which might be a little slow for some office users. But, it has an efficient scanner and obviously a copy facility so that it can be termed as an all-in-one printer. There’s also an automatic document feeder that holds 35 pages.
It has some handy security options that make it useful in the office since passwords protect sensitive data and documents. If you have any confidential documents, this is an excellent feature as passwords can be used to control who can have access to documents.
HP Smart app…
HP has an HP Smart app that gives you further control over the printer. Here you can organize your documentation, use the scanner and digitize any receipts. It will also allow you to check the status of the ink levels.
HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 has a WiFi connection that has diagnostics that allow it to remain stable and secure. This connection will also let you use iCloud and Box for storing away documents that you can use later.
A great all-rounder…
There are a lot of features on this machine that give it an adequate level of efficiency, and it is set at a very attractive price point. This makes it a strong option, in our opinion.
Pros
- Well organized document storage.
- Reasonable print speed.
- Password-protected security.
Cons
4 Brother MFC-J6930DW All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer – Best Ledger Size Printer for Mac
This is a machine from Brother that offers some extra features you don’t get on some printers. It gives you the standard options that all-in-one printers offer, print, fax, copy, and scan. But with this machine, you have the chance to copy, fax, or scan up to ‘Ledger’ size, which is 11 inches by 17 inches. The increased glass size allows you to create documents to that size, making them easier to read.
Another fantastic feature is the 2 by 250 sheet paper trays, which gives you a 500 sheet capacity. The automatic document feed feature offers a 50 sheet capacity, and single-pass copying and scanning are therefore faster.
But that’s not all…
This printer has a Duplex double-sided print option, and there is also an option for specialized printing of cards or envelopes using a multi-purpose tray.
Connections are good, and you can use Apple or Android phones or devices for operation. There is WiFi direct giving you the option to print from a phone or device without a router, and it also has NFC touch printing and scanning.
Using the 3.7-inch touch screen, you can link up directly with Cloud services without the need for a laptop or computer. But, links to many media options are made through the Web Connect interface.
Speed?
This Brother printer option has a maximum print speed of 22 pages per minute in black and white and 20 pages in color. The screen and other controls are placed neatly on the front of the machine for easy use. Unfortunately, it measures 18.8 x 22.6 x 14.7 inches and weighs quite a hefty 51.6 pounds. However, it is a Brother printer, which means the build quality will be good, and the price point very cost-effective.
Pros
- Plenty of good built-in features.
- Larger flat-screen bed.
Cons
5 Epson Expression Photo XP-970 – Best Photo Printer for Mac
Sometimes with some printers, they have a format and design style that lends itself to a particular operation. This printer from Epson is an excellent example of that. It is, of course, a printer and can also copy and scan, but it is for its reproduction of photos that it might be most notable.
If you are looking for a printer where that is a priority, then this machine is going to be worth a look. It uses six color inks to create vibrant and stunning reproductions. The prints are delivered with a borderless style up to eleven inches by seventeen inches in size. If you are printing photos with a 4-inch by 6-inch size, it will print each in about eleven seconds. You also have the option of printing from phones or tablets.
Voice-activated…
There is a 4.3-inch touchscreen that allows you to print without using a PC or laptop. But, the most impressive feature is voice-activated printing. There is a memory card socket and USB connections built-in, but if you choose, you can print straight to CD. There is a paper feed from the rear that lets you use specialty paper, and overall it measures 22.5 by 18 by 9.8 inches and weighs 22.8 pounds.
Concerning print speeds, you will need to refer to the Epson site as this can vary depending on your linked device. You may also need some additional software for some features, such as WiFi direct.
Great for photos, but not an all-rounder…
It does print its photos very well, and it is therefore ideal, as we have said, for those who require that facility. It may not be as good as a straightforward office-based printer for some basic features though yet it is set at a mid-range price level.
Pros
Cons
- Might not be suitable for a busy office.
- Only for basic copying and scanning.
6 Epson EcoTank ET-2720 – Best Student Printer for Mac
This is another printer from Epson that is aimed more for home use than the office. Because of its color print capabilities, it is excellent for printing holiday photos. It may also offer a significant benefit to students who need to print pictures to go with their work.
For a home printer, it is not particularly small, measuring 13.7 x 14.8 x 8.7 inches and weighing just under 13 pounds. It is designed to be user-friendly with a screen that tilts, and you can adjust it to be either nearly vertical or to sit flat. This gives you access to all the printer features courtesy of some forward and back arrows.
The paper tray sits at the back of the printer but only has room for 100 sheets, which is one of the drawbacks of this machine.
There are some others, but more on this later…
Work can be placed in a print queue via USB from Mac or Windows machines. Take note, though, that there may be one or two problems for Mac users with this machine on installation. Be prepared for a time-consuming exercise as the absence of an Ethernet or WPS connection means that options are somewhat limited.
The Epson iPrint app lets you connect your phone and does give you some diagnostic reporting, the amount of ink available being one useful addition. There is also a built-in scanner and copier, though these functions are also somewhat limited.
Further limitations…
We mentioned some other drawbacks other than a small paper tray. One is that there is no duplex double-sided printing. Also, it can only scan one side of a document.
We, therefore, think this is best then used for printing the holiday snaps rather than using it as an office machine. Having said that, it is quite an expensive buy, even though printing costs are relatively low.
Pros
Cons
- One-side scan only.
- One-side print only.
- Small paper tray.
7 Epson EcoTank Stampante ET-M1120 – Best Eco Friendly Printer for Mac
Staying with Epson, we look at another of the Ecotank models. They are given the ‘Eco’ appellation because the ink refills are cheaper and last longer. Also, the containers the ink comes in, or bottles can be recycled and used again. Printed pages cost about 0.2p in ink as against the 2-3p from a standard inkjet printer. Having said that, this is quite an expensive machine to buy, considering its features.
For a start…
This is only a mono printer, so no color. Secondly, it is a single-function printer that has no scanner or copying facility. If you need to print lots of black and white documents, reports, etc., then it is worth considering. If you just need an occasional printer for a few letters, it will be an expensive way to do it.
It is a delicate balance with printers; some look cheap enough but then cost you a small fortune in print cartridges that do not last long. The other way is a machine like this, which means more affordable costs, but a more significant initial outlay. It will depend on the amount of work you will be generating, whether this is the right printer for your Mac.
Ink bottle supplied…
One other advantage to this particular printer is that it is supplied with a large bottle of ink. Given the size, that could last you for about 5000 print pages. How many do you use a day? That could be 1-2 years before you need to fill up again, which then makes investing in this good sense.
There are both WiFi and USB connections. The paper tray holds a very modest 150 sheets, and it will only print 15 pages per minute, making for quite a few drawbacks with this machine. We feel it is going to suit a specific market that may be a little limited, especially with the price point set quite this high.
Pros
- Cheap per page printing.
- Recyclable ink bottles.
- About 5000 pages before black ink refill.
Cons
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8 HP OfficeJet 5255 Wireless All-in-One Printer – Best Low Load Home Printer for Mac
HP has spent a little time upgrading some of their older printers, and this is another example of that with the 5255 replacing the OfficeJet 4650.
This printer is designed for a small office or home use and has some excellent features. Its price point is very competitive, but it also comes with one or two drawbacks.
We’ll look at those later…
This is a printer that offers you everything you are likely to need in the office or at home. It will print, scan, copy, and fax, and it has an automatic document feeder that holds 35 sheets. It will also handle your two-sided printing requirements.
The printer has dual-band WiFi that will give you a stable and secure wireless connection and allow you to print from a phone, other devices, or laptops. You can also store away your documents for later use using iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox. There is also the ability to send and receive faxes using the phone port on the rear.
Small touchscreen…
For ease of manual use and for basic information, there is a small mono touchscreen. It has a wide range of paper sizes it will support, including Legal, and the alternative measures include 4 by 5 inches and 5 by 7 inches and also envelopes.
It seems like an ideal multitasking printer, and in some environments, it will be. But for the office, there are one or two drawbacks.
Firstly…
The print speed is really quite slow, at up to 10 pages per minute in black and white and 7 pages in color. Also, the paper tray only holds 100 sheets. This might be insignificant for low-level home use, but in the office, those numbers are rather inefficient. That then makes it ideal for the home but not so good for the office unless it’s being used occasionally as a backup.
However, it does have an impressively low price, though, so it is worth considering if the workload isn’t too heavy.
Pros
- All-in-one printer features.
- Good connections.
- Very attractive price.
Cons
9 Canon PIXMA TS9520 All In One Wireless Printer – Most Versatile Printer for Mac
Canon is recognized as being one of the major players in the market of providing quality printers at cost-effective prices.
Versatility all the way…
This is a printer that is designed to be versatile and to give you plenty of options. It has a five-color ink system that provides sharp and vibrant colors but also clear black and white prints. This makes it very suitable for printing photos and other color documentation as well as text documents.
This printer will support a variety of paper sizes from 11 by 17 inches down to 3.5 inches square. The 11 by 17-inch paper support means it is able to copy or scan oversized documents, keeping the reproduction clear and making it easier to read. There is also an automatic document feeder for any multi-page documents.
Further good news…
It has a double-sided printing option, and connections are good and include WiFi, Ethernet, and the Mopria print service. You can also connect up your phone or device and print straight from the Canon app. With the card reader, you can also print your pictures directly from your camera. Finally, the LCD touchscreen makes for easy operation.
It will print at 15 pages per minute in black and white and ten pages in color. It is not the most compact of printers, measuring 18.5 by 14.5 by 7.6 inches, but it is not small enough not to be obtrusive. Still, it weighs just over 21 pounds.
Everything you could ever need…
We think this is a serious contender for the title of best printer for Mac, as it’s a decent printer with most things you will need at a competitive price to boot.
Pros
- Quality reproduction in both color and B&W.
- Good features.
- Attractive price.
Cons
10 Canon TS8320 All In One Wireless Color Printer – Best Expandable Out Tray Printer for Mac
Staying with Canon for the last printer, this is another all-in-one machine at a very cost-effective price. This printer has a lot of excellent and useful features built-in. It has good connections via Bluetooth or WiFi and can also be used with a USB. Additionally, the Dual-band WiFi ensures stability and keeps your connection secure too.
It will print, scan, and copy, and this can be operated using the Canon App linked to your phone or device. If you prefer, you can use the 4.3 inch LCD touchscreen to operate. It has automatic Duplex double-sided printing and can be used with a memory card.
Expandable output tray…
We like that there is an expandable output tray to make sure documents do not spill on the floor. Printing in color is vivid and bright, and it has the option of borderless printing for your photos.
It is a compact machine measuring 14.7 by 12.6 by 5.6 inches and weighing just seventeen and a half pounds. It is, therefore, not going to take up to much space at home or in the office.
Quality printer but a little slow…
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An excellent all-round machine with plenty of good points. But the page per minute speed of about 10 in black and white and 8 in color is maybe not the best.
Pros
- Good connections.
- Compact.
- Very attractive price.
Cons
Best Printer for Mac Buyers Guide
As we said in our opening, the vast majority of printers will work with both Mac and Windows-based systems. There is really then not going to be much difference in the printers. For some machines, you might have to download drivers, but the operating system on your Mac will usually find them itself if needed. The biggest decisions are about the following…
What Will You Use It For?
Of the printers we have looked at, some will be best for home, and some better for the office. If you need a fast page per minute speed for the office, there are those available. You might decide the page per minute for home is not so important.
Some printers are monochrome, usually designed for printing text, and maybe the best option if you want it for business. But, that will depend on whether you actually need color printing. Students may or may not need color print to support their work.
But if you are printing photos, then you go for the printer offering the best color options you can afford.
Build In The Cost
You might see some printers that, on the face of it, look like good deals. They offer lots of features at a reasonable price. But don’t forget to add on the price of print cartridges, especially for color machines. They can be quite a cost if it is to be used frequently. Over a year, you will be surprised just how much you might spend replacing them.
Find What You Were Looking For?
If you’d prefer to read printer reviews based on functionality, head to our Best Black and White Printers Review, our Best Color Laser Printers Reviews, our Best Printers for Art Prints Review, or our Best Printers for Photos Review.
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If it’s all about photo printing for you, it’s well worth checking our Best Photo Printers Review. Want total portability? No worries, head over to our Best Portable Photo Printers Reviews! Mostly scanning? Check out our Best Portable Scanners Reviews and our Best Scanner for Artwork Review.
You might also be interested in the latest home/office accessories for better health? Don’t miss our Best Under Desk Bikes Review and our Best Kneeling Chairs Review in 2020.
Back to printers for Mac…
So, What Is The Best Printer For Mac?
We wouldn’t be using a printer that often, but when we do, we want a decent print speed. It needs to have all the all-in-one features as well. For us, a monochrome printer is fine as we won’t be printing anything with color.
We would, therefore, choose the …
HP LaserJet Pro M426fdn All-in-One Laser PrinterThis is an excellent all-round machine with decent print speed. It’s not the cheapest, but for the performance level, we think it’s worth it.
Happy printing!