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The hunt for a color printer and scanner usually stalls at one question: will the ink drain my wallet and the setup wreck my afternoon? The key trade-offs are speed, running costs, and document feeder capacity. This guide reviews seven all-in-ones to match your print volume and workflow.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind Gardening Beyond. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
The real-world take on the color printer and scanner market is that speed, paper handling, and ink costs matter far more than brand loyalty.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Color Printer And Scanner
Every all-in-one here prints color and scans, but they split into two distinct worlds: inkjet and laser. Inkjets like the Canon and Epson models shine with glossy photos and lower upfront cost, while laser machines like the Brother and Canon MF753Cdw use toner that stays crisp for years and handles heavy text loads without smudging. Your document mix determines whether inkjet or laser suits you.
Match Speed to Your Patience
Black-and-white pages per minute ranges from 14 on the budget Canon to 35 on the Canon laser flagship. If you print school packets or client decks in batches, a faster engine like the Epson’s 21 ppm or the Brother laser’s 19 ppm saves real time. Color speed matters less unless you produce presentations or marketing flyers regularly; the HP 9125’s 18 color ppm is noticeably quicker than the Canon TR7120’s 9 color ppm.
Paper Handling Is the Hidden Workhorse
An Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) lets you stack a pile of pages and walk away while the scanner chews through them — the Epson carries 35 sheets, the Brother laser holds 50. Auto duplexing (printing on both sides automatically) is standard across these picks, but the Canon MF753Cdw goes further with one-pass 2-sided scanning, meaning it reads both sides of a page in a single pass without flipping. Check the tray size too: 150 sheets on the Brother 1365 versus 250 on the Epson and most higher-tier models dictates how often you reload.
Ink and Toner Economics Decide the Real Cost
Cartridge costs, not the purchase price, determine your long-term budget. The Brother INKvestment ships with a 1,200-page black cartridge and 500-page color cartridges, which lowers early costs considerably. The Canon MF753Cdw uses high-capacity toner 069 options with a 2,100-yield black cartridge, designed to cut replacement interruptions. HP leans into its Instant Ink subscription, which ships ink before you run out — handy if you hate last-minute cartridge runs but a commitment some owners dislike.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | B&W Speed (ppm) | Color Speed (ppm) | ADF Capacity | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TR7120★ Best Overall | Budget home use | 14 | 9 | Yes | Amazon |
| Epson WF-3823Top Performer | Home offices | 21 | 11 | 35 sheets | Amazon |
| Brother MFC-J1365DW | Compact home offices | 16 | 9 | 20 sheets | Amazon |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 8125 | Home offices | 20 | 10 | Yes | Amazon |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 9125 | Small offices | 22 | 18 | Yes | Amazon |
| Brother MFC-L3720CDW | Heavy home offices | 19 | 19 | 50 sheets | Amazon |
| Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw | Busy offices | 35 | 35 | 50 sheets | Amazon |
In-Depth Reviews
1. Canon PIXMA TR7120
Our pick — over 4★ from 400+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The budget-friendly all-in-one that nails setup and sharp prints while staying affordable.
Print quality is the thing everyone raves about here, and it is easy to see why once you look at the 2-cartridge hybrid ink system. That setup pairs a black cartridge for crisp text with a color cartridge for vivid photos, so documents and snapshots both come out looking sharp. Owners consistently describe the output as clear and vibrant, which is remarkable for a machine at this level.
Setup is the other big win — buyers report “I had no problems with the set up and it connected quickly to my wi fi.” The dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz) keeps a stable link from anywhere in your house, and you can print from your phone using the Canon PRINT App, Apple AirPrint, or Mopria Print Service (a standard for Android printing). The 1.42″ Monochrome OLED screen (a small, high-contrast display) shows ink levels and printer status at a glance, so you know when to refill without guessing. It prints up to 8.5” x 11” with or without borders, so it handles standard documents and borderless photos alike.
Paper handling is thoughtful for the price: an Auto Document Feeder (ADF) (a tray that feeds multiple pages automatically) tackles multi-page scanning and copying without you standing over it, and automatic 2-sided printing cuts paper use in half. The trade-off is speed — at 14 black and 9 color pages per minute, it trails the Epson WF-3823 above it, which hits 21 black and 11 color ppm, roughly 50% faster on black text and about 22% quicker on color. That gap matters only if you routinely print long documents in a hurry.
What Wins People Over
- Sharp, clear print quality praised by owners
- easy wireless setup with dual-band Wi-Fi
- Compact footprint fits small desks
- Reliable multi-page handling via ADF
The Honest Trade-offs
- Slower engine than pricier Epson rivals
- Paper tray runs on the small side
- Ink consumption gets mixed feedback on longevity
Reach for this if: you want a dependable home printer for a mix of documents and photos without paying for speed you do not need. The crowd favorite here — 4.3 stars across 400+ owners — shows consistent satisfaction with print quality and ease of use.
Look elsewhere if: you print high volumes daily and need a faster engine, or you want the lowest possible per-page ink cost over a year.
2. Epson Workforce Pro WF-3823
A speed-focused workhorse for small offices, hitting 21 black and 11 color pages a minute.
Built around Epson’s PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology, this machine is engineered for speed and reliability. That heat-free approach means the printhead does not need to warm up as much, which translates to a fast first page out and less downtime during heavy workloads. DURABrite Ultra instant-dry pigment inks deliver professional-quality prints that resist smudging the moment they leave the tray, so you can stack pages immediately.
Productivity features stack up nicely here: a 250-sheet paper tray means you reload far less often, and a 1-sided 35-page Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) chews through stacks of documents for scanning or copying without supervision. Automatic 2-sided printing streamlines multi-page jobs, and the 2.7″ color touchscreen makes navigation feel like using a phone. Wireless setup happens through a smartphone with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and you also get Wi-Fi Direct and Ethernet for flexible networking. The Epson Smart Panel app adds mobile scanning and control.
Owners mention “Works well; 100+ pages on starter ink,” and many call it ideal for homeschool and home-office use because the print quality stays crisp in both black and color. Scan-to-PC works straight from the menu, which removes a common frustration. The honest catch: reliability and wireless connectivity draw mixed feedback — some owners enjoy rock-solid performance while others hit connection bumps. A few report the starter ink runs out faster than expected, so budget for cartridges early if you print heavily. It also beats the Canon TR7120 above by a clear margin on speed — 21 versus 14 black ppm, and 11 versus 9 color ppm.
Built for Throughput
- 21 black ppm for fast document runs
- DURABrite Ultra inks resist smudging
- 250-sheet tray cuts reload frequency
- 2.7″ color touchscreen simplifies control
Where It Gets Tricky
- Wireless reliability varies by network setup
- Starter ink may not last heavy users long
- Requires Epson Genuine Cartridges for warranty safety
Best suited to: home offices and small businesses that print frequently and want speed plus a large paper tray.
Think twice if: your Wi-Fi network is finicky or you prefer the lowest possible ink prices from third-party cartridges.
3. Brother INKvestment MFC-J1365DW
The space-saving pick that ships with a 1,200-page black cartridge to soften early ink costs.
The INKvestment name points at the headline feature: the box includes one black cartridge yielding 1,200 pages and one cartridge for each color (cyan, yellow, magenta) at 500 pages each. That generous starter supply means the first several months of printing cost you almost nothing beyond the printer itself, which is a rarity in this category. Owners who track their spending note the value is excellent because of this bundling.
At 13.5″D x 15.4″W x 7.2″H, it is the most compact footprint here, and the front-loading tray keeps it easy to tuck against a wall. The 150-sheet tray and 20-page single-sided Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) handle modest workloads fine, while automatic duplex printing saves paper on both sides. A 1.8″ color display drives navigation, and the Brother Mobile Connect app puts printing, copying, and scanning control on your phone. Cloud connections reach Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and OneDrive, so you can scan straight to cloud storage.
Customers note the setup goes smoothly on Mac through the Brother Mobile Connect app, and print speed is fair on color and quick on black — up to 16 black and 9 color pages per minute. Quality gets described as sharp with clean bright colors, though some wish the color intensity were stronger. The recurring gripe is ink consumption, with a few long-term owners saying it drinks ink faster than expected, so heavy printing could raise your costs. It is lighter on speed than the Epson WF-3823’s 21 black ppm, but the bundled ink makes it the smarter buy for light-to-moderate home use.
Best for budget-minded homes: the 1,200-page starter black cartridge plus a 1.8″ color display make this the value king for students and light home offices.
Keep in mind: if you print color-heavy volumes, the ink consumption complaints mean you should calculate cartridge costs before committing.
4. HP OfficeJet Pro 8125
A smart home-office companion that uses HP AI to strip clutter from web page prints.
Setup dominates the conversation here, and for good reason — owners consistently say it is extremely easy to get running, with a large 2.7-inch touchscreen and a phone-like interface guiding the way. The dual-band Wi-Fi automatically detects and resolves connection issues, which removes the most common frustration in printer ownership. The result is a modern-feeling machine from the first power-on.
The differentiating feature is HP AI, which tune print formatting for web pages and emails. It automatically removes unwanted content so your prints come out clean and exactly as you want, with no wasted pages or awkward layouts. This saves time when printing articles, recipes, or email threads. Print speeds reach up to 20 black and 10 color pages per minute, and the 225-sheet input tray keeps reloads infrequent. A 3-month Instant Ink trial is included, shipping replacement ink before you run out, which appeals to buyers who hate emergency cartridge runs.
Owners find it easy to hook up to Wi-Fi and praise its fast, smooth printing, with duplex working reliably. The catch is connectivity — while setup is easy, some report the Wi-Fi drops when idle, often solved by switching to Ethernet or keeping the printer near the router. Print quality and speed also draw mixed notes, with more demanding users wanting faster output. It is a step up in intelligence from the Canon TR7120 but shares the same ink-cartridge model, so long-term costs depend on your subscription choice. Also note the sustainability angle: it is made with more than 45% recycled plastic content.
The Smart Stuff
- HP AI cleans up web page and email prints
- 2.7″ touchscreen with phone-like interface
- Dual-band Wi-Fi auto-fixes connection issues
- 3-month Instant Ink trial included
The Setup Realities
- Wi-Fi can drop during idle periods
- Print speed mixed for heavier demands
- Blocks non-HP cartridges via firmware
Choose it for: a lightweight office that prints web content and wants a genuinely easy first-time setup with a clear touchscreen.
skip it if: your office space puts the printer far from the router, since wireless stability benefits from proximity.
5. HP OfficeJet Pro 9125
The color-speed champion of the HP duo, doubling the 8125’s color output at 18 pages per minute.
Print speed is the headline: up to 22 black and 18 color pages per minute, making this the fastest color inkjet on this list. For offices that push out presentations, brochures, and flyers, that color throughput of 18 ppm versus the 8125’s 10 ppm is a tangible difference — you will wait noticeably less for multi-page color decks. The color output itself earns praise for being vibrant and accurate, with smudge-resistant inks that survive immediate handling.
The feature set reads like the 8125’s bigger sibling: a 2.7-inch touchscreen, dual-band Wi-Fi that auto-resolves issues, a 250-sheet input tray, and a 3-month Instant Ink trial. It adds fax capability and auto 2-sided printing and scanning, so the scanner flips pages for duplex scans without manual intervention. The 11-second first page out means you are not staring at a blank screen waiting for the first sheet. HP AI formatting also carries over, cleaning up web prints automatically.
Owners switching from other brands praise the easy Windows driver install and call it a reliable printer with excellent print quality. A 30-year HP veteran replaced a 12-year-old Officejet Pro 8600 with this and reported no issues after two weeks of light printing. The trade-off is cost: replacement cartridges run expensive, with a black cartridge noted at substantial cost, and the machine enforces HP’s Dynamic Security, blocking third-party ink. Some owners also find the mandatory registration and app ecosystem annoying. It is significantly faster than the Canon TR7120 and ideal for color-heavy small offices.
Why it leads on color: 18 color ppm is the fastest color speed in this lineup, ideal for flyers and presentations where waiting is not an option.
The honest cost: cartridge prices are steep and third-party ink is blocked, so factor the HP ecosystem into your long-term budget.
6. Brother MFC-L3720CDW
The color laser that matches inkjet speed but adds toner longevity and a 50-sheet ADF.
Quality is the most-praised aspect of this color laser, with owners highlighting sharp, vibrant color prints and a superb scanner that handles multi-page stacks easily. The 50-sheet Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) is the largest in this lineup alongside the Canon MF753Cdw, so it devours piles of documents without supervision. At 19 pages per minute in both black and color, it matches the speed of the Epson inkjet above while delivering toner-based output that resists smudging and fading for years.
The 3.5″ color touchscreen is a genuine productivity tool, offering 48 customizable shortcuts so repetitive jobs become one-touch operations. Direct cloud access to Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneNote means you can scan straight to your storage without touching a computer. Dual-band wireless (2.4GHz/5GHz) plus Wi-Fi Direct and USB 2.0 give flexible connection options, and the companion app adds remote access and toner-level monitoring from your phone. The 250-sheet adjustable paper tray keeps heavy workloads moving.
Owners describe it as a big bang for the buck, with several buying multiple units for home and office use. Reliability earns mixed feedback though — some report flawless operation while a few hit firmware or connectivity snags that updates eventually resolved. The recurring strength is that toner lasts far longer than ink, so the long-run cost per page beats every inkjet here. It trails the Canon MF753Cdw on raw speed (19 versus 35 ppm) but arrives at a friendlier price point, making it the smart laser choice for offices that want quality without the flagship price tag.
Why It Works
- Laser toner lasts far longer than inkjet cartridges
- 50-sheet ADF handles big scan jobs
- 3.5″ touchscreen with 48 shortcuts
- 19 ppm in both black and color
What to Expect
- Mixed reliability reports, some firmware fixes needed
- One-pass scanning only on the pricier Canon model
- Higher upfront cost than inkjet alternatives
Best for: offices that print daily and want toner economics with genuine speed — the 50-sheet ADF makes batch scanning painless.
Not for: buyers on a tight upfront budget who print only occasionally; an inkjet would cost less to start.
7. Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw
The speed king at 35 pages per minute, pairing duplex printing with one-pass duplex scanning.
Nothing else here touches the MF753Cdw’s speed: 35 pages per minute in both black and color, which is nearly double the Brother laser’s 19 ppm and roughly two and a half times the Canon TR7120 inkjet’s 14 black ppm. For offices that hit high daily volumes, that difference saves real hours across a work week. The color output earns praise for being vibrant and fast, and the duplex capability means two-sided printing and scanning both run automatically. One-pass 2-sided scanning reads both sides of a page in a single pass, so a 20-page duplex document scans in 20 passes instead of 40.
Paper handling is the most generous in this group: a 250-sheet standard cassette plus a 50-sheet multipurpose tray and a 50-sheet Automatic Document Feeder (ADF). Expandable capacity reaches up to 850 sheets with the optional PF-K1 cassette, so high-volume offices can load once and run all day. It uses Toner 069 and 069 High Capacity cartridges, with a black standard cartridge yielding 2,100 pages, designed to cut replacement interruptions. Mobile printing works through Canon PRINT Business, and it is Chromebook compatible.
Print quality leads the positive feedback, with owners calling it sharp and ultra-clean in both color and black-and-white. A notable number switched from HP specifically to escape software frustration, praising the MF753Cdw as “Finally a Printer That Doesn’t Frustrate Me.” The 3-year limited warranty adds genuine confidence that cheaper machines lack. The recurring friction is setup — some find it easy, others call the configuration pages confusing and non-intuitive, with the “Application Library” drawing particular criticism. Wireless connectivity also splits owners, with some hitting network drops. A few received gray-market units not eligible for US registration, worth verifying on delivery.
The Flagship Wins
- 35 ppm black and color, fastest here by far
- One-pass duplex scanning saves minutes on big jobs
- 850-sheet expandable capacity
- 3-year limited warranty included
The Flagship Costs
- Setup can frustrate less technical users
- Wireless connectivity draws mixed feedback
- Premium price suits only serious workloads
Worth every dollar for: busy offices where 35 ppm duplex speed and 850-sheet capacity translate directly into productivity and the 3-year warranty protects the investment.
Overkill if: you print a few pages a week at home — the speed and price only make sense when the volume justifies them.
Understanding the Specs
Pages Per Minute (ppm)
A page-per-minute rating tells you how many single-sided pages the engine can produce in one minute. It is a ceiling, not a guarantee — real-world speed drops with complex graphics and color. When you see “21 black / 11 color ppm,” expect faster text documents and slower photo work. The gap between inkjets and lasers is bigger on color, where laser engines like the Canon MF753Cdw hold 35 ppm in both modes, while most inkjets drop to 9-18 color ppm.
Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)
An ADF is a tray that feeds a stack of pages into the scanner automatically. Without one, you scan each page by hand — fine for the occasional receipt, miserable for a 30-page contract. Sheet counts matter: 20 sheets on the Brother 1365 suits light use, while 50 sheets on the Brother laser and Canon MF753Cdw handle serious document workflows. “One-pass 2-sided scanning” on the Canon reads both sides in a single pass, halving the scan time for duplex documents.
Auto Duplex Printing
Auto duplex means the printer flips pages internally to print on both sides without you turning them over. Every product here includes it, so paper savings come standard. The practical difference is speed: some engines slow down noticeably on duplex jobs, while higher-end lasers like the Canon MF753Cdw maintain near full speed. If you print multi-page reports regularly, duplex is not a luxury — it halves your paper usage.
Ink vs. Toner
Inkjets use liquid cartridges, ideal for glossy photos and low upfront costs, but they run dry faster and can clog if idle. Laser printers use toner powder fused onto the page, which resists smudging and lasts far longer per cartridge. The Brother MFC-L3720CDW and Canon MF753Cdw are lasers, so their per-page costs drop significantly at high volume. If you print mostly text documents, a laser’s toner economics usually beat any inkjet’s ink over a year of heavy use.
FAQ
Will a color laser printer handle photo printing as well as an inkjet?
How does the Canon MF753Cdw’s duplex scanning work differently from standard ADFs?
Which printer has the lowest running cost for high-volume text printing?
Do these printers work with phones and tablets, or do they need a computer?
Why does the Epson WF-3823 require genuine Epson cartridges?
Is the Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw worth the premium over the Brother laser?
What does an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) actually do for me?
How much paper can each printer hold before reloading?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For the majority of shoppers, the color printer and scanner winner is the Canon PIXMA TR7120 because it balances sharp print quality, easy setup, and a compact design at a price that suits homes and hybrid workers. If you want Epson WF-3823 speed with a 250-sheet tray and 21 black ppm, that is the office pick. And for heavy workloads where speed and toner economics rule, the Canon MF753Cdw at 35 ppm is the machine to reach for.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of August 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, Gardening Beyond earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.