Best Inkjet Printers in India
Whether you would like to print urgent reports at your school’s office or essays, an inkjet printer provides a reliable, affordable, and high-quality printing solution.
These printers are suitable for fast speed printing of black and white documents. The inkjet printers are high-performance printers that are designed for meeting your printing requirements optimally.
These printers are equipped with black and RGB cartridges to print coloured and black & white documents or images.
Inkjet printers are capable of printing documents and photos ranging from 300 to 600 dots per inch. They deliver finer and smoother printing.
This article will help you know what is a printer, how it works, what are the different types of printers, some key features you should look out for when searching for a printer, and the benefits of having a printer.
You will also get answers to some frequently asked questions and the top 10 inkjet printer in India available in the market.
Top 10 Inkjet Printers in India
| Product (Best Brands) | Best Price |
|---|---|
Our Pick |  |
Best Editing tools | |
High-quality Prints at Low Budget | |
The Multi-function Inkjet Printer | |
Convenient and sharp print quality | |
Wireless Color Printers | |
Best Single function printer | |
Best for AirPrint | |
Easy and Compatible | |
Portable and lightweight | |
What is a printer?
A printer is an output device that creates a hard copy of electronic data stored on a computer or any other device. It is common to use this device in printing texts and photos.
How does a printer work?
A printer functions through the conversion of texts and digital images into a physical copy or form in simple terms. To achieve this result, it needs specific software or a driver.
This driver or software helps convert the input file into a language that is understandable by the printer. The printer then reproduces the text or image through the use of several tiny dots on the paper.
There are different types of printers available, like 3D printers and laser printers. The significant difference between each printer is how the printer reproduces these dots on paper.
Benefits of a printer
Power saving
This can be seen in the case of an all-in-one printer. These printers offer a scan, print, and copy function to eliminate the need for a separate device for each function.
As a result, you only need to power a single device to offer these functions.
Convenient
Having access to a printer offers a lot of conveniences. It makes it easy to print homework, office documents, photos, PDFs, and more without stress.
Printers with the print, copy, and scan features offer the best convenience since users can perform all their tasks without moving away from the device.
Wireless and mobile connectivity
A significant advantage of newer printer models is the inclusion of wireless connectivity to print documents. Users can simply print documents over a network without having to go to where the printer is set-up.
Most printers on the market now offer support for Google Cloud Print, AirPrint, and other apps to support mobile printing.
Access to cloud storage also enables users to connect to the printer from different locations around the world. Remote access allows the printing of photos from vacation spots.
Reduce costs of operation
When you have three separate devices for printing, copy, and scanning, it becomes necessary to get supplies compatible with each device. Ink, cartridges, toners, papers, and more needs to be bought.
Since all-in-one printers offer these features in a single, compact, design, it reduces the cost of operating the printer.
Types of printers
Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers are frequently purchased for home use. These printers are suitable for both black-and-white, as well as colour printing of photos and documents. They offer high-quality printing at an economical price.
These printers’ standard features include a print head with nozzles connected to the ink cartridges. These nozzles spray the ink onto paper.
There is a minimum of two ink cartridges on most inkjet printers – a tri-colour and a black cartridge. The tri-colour cartridge will consist of cyan, magenta, and yellow ink. On other printers, each colour has a separate round.
Inkjet printers can print photos and documents ranging from 300 to 600 dots per inch. The high-quality printing also comes at a low price.
Some of the benefits of an inkjet printer include a low cost of purchase and fast speed printing of black-and-white documents.
Common drawbacks include a high price per page and slow speed for colour printing. To prevent the ink from smearing after publication, it is also vital that print-outs are left to dry.
Laser Printers
Laser printers feature a cartridge with a powder known as a toner in place of the liquid ink cartridges. The print system consists of a print drum, fusing rollers, laser, charged wires, and a mirror.
By generating heat and creating electrical charges, it is possible to melt the toner powder. As the toner melts, it is possible to print images and texts on paper.
These printers are common in both colour and monochrome options. People who print large quantities use laser printers. This can print thousands of prints each month.
With laser printers, you can print colour pages at 25 pages per minute and 40 pages per minute for monochrome prints.
High-speed printing is one of the main benefits of laser printers. Nonetheless, running a colour laser printer in the home can be quite expensive.
Special-Purpose printers
Printers that fall within this category include 3D printers, thermal printers, and dot-matrix printers. 3D printers offer users the option of creating physical objects using a special plastic filament and computer modelling software.
Dot-matrix printers have pins on the print head which produce characters by pressing down on an ink ribbon. It is also popularly known as an impact printer.
On the other hand, thermal printers require a particular type of ink or paper and use heat to print on the paper. Most of these printers are suitable for home use, while others are for commercial purposes.
Features to consider when buying a printer
Size
The size of a printer matters a lot. The space available determines the size of the printer you will select. To thoroughly assess the size of a printer, you must consider the trays’ in a fully extended position.
There are a lot of compact printers available on the market, which is excellent for home use. Others may have a small base while having a height which may be inconvenient.
Connectivity
There are a lot of options available when you consider the connectivity of a printer. It is common for most printers to have a USB port for easy connectivity.
To allow users to connect to a network, ethernet ports are also available on most printers. In addition to wired connectivity, most printers on the market now have wireless connectivity options.
These include Wi-Fi connectivity or Wi-Fi direct. The direct Wi-Fi feature allows the connection of Wi-Fi enabled devices to the printer.
Other connectivity features include the Near-Field Communication (NFC), which enables printers’ connection to a mobile device. This usually involves tapping the phone in a specific area on the printer.
Output Quality
The quality of the output which a printer produces is essential. This includes quality when printing graphics, photos, and texts individually.
You need to consider each type of print individually because a high-quality output for photos doesn’t imply that the graphics output will be of high quality.
Speed
Depending on the number of pages you print each time you use the printer, the speed is another crucial factor. For users who limit their printing to a page or two, the printer’s speed may not be a crucial factor.
In a case where the documents are longer, the speed of the printer is very vital. Laser printers are usually a better option for users who require speed.
These printers offer speed close to their specification when printing simple documents. Since these documents do not require excess processing time, so the speed can be much faster.
Media support
In addition to paper support, some printers also print on CDs and DVDs. The specifications from the manufacturer will provide enough information on the media support of a printer.
The type of paper formats which the printer supports has significant importance on its use. Inkjet printers usually support paper formats such as standard envelopes, letters, and legal sizes.
Most of these additional functionalities come at a higher cost as well as a larger size.
Duplexing
To minimize paper consumption, duplexing is a crucial feature. Printers that offer this feature can automatically print on both the front and backside of a paper. This feature is not available on all printers.
Print Resolution
The resolution of a print is different for each printer. This measurement is usually in dots per inch (dpi).
Some printers produce high-quality photo prints while others provide a higher print quality on text documents.
Loading
Identifying if you can load a printer from the top or the bottom is another feature that needs careful consideration. This feature depends on the space where you intend to set up the printer.
A top-loading printer is a common choice when there is a limitation in the area.
Noise
There are individual printers that offer a quiet operation while others may produce a loud rustling sound. If you do not like the sound a printer makes during operation, you must find a model that offers quiet operation.
Durability
This is a feature that determines how frequently you will need to change the printer ink. A few printers can work for years before they will require a refill and replacement of parts.
Others may require a refill and replacement of parts in a few months. You must consider the durability of a printer before making a choice.
Cost Considerations
You must consider the cost of owning a particular printer before making a purchase. It is common to find brands rating of cost per photo or cost per page.
If you know how many pages you will be printing each year, it is easy to calculate ownership cost.
Simply multiply the cost per page of output (say monochrome) by the number of monochrome pages you will print in a year. This gives you the cost per year. Do this for each output and add the results.
Multiply the total figure by the number of years you intend to use the printer. Add this to the cost of buying the printer to get the cost of ownership.
You can do this calculation on each model to determine the most economical.
10 Best Inkjet Printers
1. HP Inkjet Printer
This printer offers all the various features which make it an excellent choice for tight office spaces. These include the all-in-one printer functions and the top-loading input tray.
- It has a front panel scan with a Contact Image Sensor (CIS) for scanning and has an optical scanning resolution of 1200 dpi
- The printer has a top-loading input tray with a capacity of 60-sheets which can last up to a week for moderate users
- It supports various media types including cards, papers, brochure paper, and envelopes
- Users can connect to the printer using a USB cable connection
- There is an HP Auto-Off technology for an energy-saving feature
- It is compatible with the HP 803 tri-colour and black original ink cartridges
- The printer comes with a 1-year warranty
- The multi-function on this printer eliminates the need for extra space when purchasing a separate copier or scanner
- The printer provides a low noise operation
- This is a multi-function printer offering scan, copy, and print functions
- It only supports connectivity using a USB cable
- The printing speed is a bit slow
2. Epson Printer
Epson L3152 is an all-in-one tank printer that features a smart and compact design that fits seamlessly anywhere. The printer’s ink tank is integrated within the printer for freeing up the desk space and ensures that you remain organized.
It is an all-in-one printer that allows you to scan, copy, and print. It has a flatbed scanner and it delivers colour output.
It is a high-performance inkjet printer that boosts up productivity and brings down costs. It supports Wi-Fi, USB, and App connectivity.
- This printer delivers a high-page yield of 4500 pages black and 7500 pages coloured copies. It provides uninterrupted printing without requiring frequent refills
- It comes with a Micro Piezo printhead that provides a high printing speed of up to 33 pages per minute of black & white copies and up to 15 pages per minute of coloured copies
- It provides borderless printing that allows you to print up to 4R photos with photo-lab quality prints and without any limitations of the undesirable white border
- This printer prints vibrant and sharp prints with an exceptional resolution of 5760 dpi
- It supports robust and seamless Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you to print up to 4 smart devices without any router.
- It has an email print driver, remote print driver, and iPrint functionality that support wireless printing without any hassles
- This printer measures 37.50 x 34.70 x 17.70 cm in dimensions, and it weighs 3.8 kgs
- It supports pages of various sizes including A4, A6, A5, C6, and DI
- It comes with a 1-year warranty or 30,000 pages from the date of purchase
- It provides economical printing with 7 paise printing cost per page for black & white pages and 18 paise printing cost per page for colour pages as per ISO standards
- It delivers high-quality printing with a print resolution of 5760 x 1440 dpi
- It comes with 4 original Epson ink bottles inside the box that includes one bottle each of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow colours
- It is ideally suitable for regular and heavy usage at your home or office.
- It easily fulfils the printing requirement of more than 300 pages per month
- It lacks duplex printing capability
3. HP DeskJet 1112 Inkjet Printer
This single-function printer is a very affordable option for users who only require printing functions. It offers colour printing and energy conservation functions.
It is small in size, making it easy to place anywhere, but the availability of only a USB connectivity limits the printer’s use.
- The fast and easy setup enables the printing of documents right out of the box
- Compact design allows you to fit this printer anywhere on your desk or shelf
- The printer has a maximum duty cycle of up to 1000 pages in a month
- It supports printing on a DL envelope, A6, A4, and B5 page sizes
- It uses a Lithium-ion battery for use without a corded connection
- The Energy star certification approves of the resource conservation quality of this printer
- Print resolution of up to 1200 x 1200 dpi for black while it offers up to 4800 x 1200 dpi for colour printing
- It offers only a print function
4. Brother Inkjet Printer
The multi-functional inkjet printer allows you to easily fax, copy, scan, and print with superior quality resolution. The high print speed increases your work efficiency.
It is designed to include a user-friendly interface that will notify you of the operations and ink level, making it easy for you to use.
Moreover, it saves a lot on the cost with its automatic two-sided printing and high yield ink bottles.
- Multi-functional use: fax, copy, scan, print
- It comes with a 2.7-inch large touch screen and a full keypad
- Can print up to A 3 capabilities
- It has a coloured print resolution of 1200 x 4800 dpi
- Print speed: 22/20 images per minute and 35/27 images per minute in fast mode
- The front access port allows direct print from a USB flash drive
- Maximum paper capacity: 250 sheets (standard paper tray), 100 sheets (multi-purpose tray), and 50 sheets (auto-document feeder)
- Supports 2 sides automatic printing, both monochromatic and coloured.
- It comes with a secure function lock to limit any unauthorized access
- 1-year warranty
- The refill tank system allows you to monitor the ink level of the printer and re-fill the tank easily
- Ensures high-quality prints with a sleek and superior colour vibrancy
- The high print speed helps you to speed up your work
- Capable of printing on various paper types and sizes
- User-friendly and intuitive interface
- Expensive
5. HP DeskJet 2621 Inkjet Printer
Another printer from HP, this printer offers wireless connectivity features and easy control features that users can utilize.
It is a great option for moderate users with the 60-sheet input tray capacity and 25-sheet output tray capacity.
Although it is not a suitable option for users searching for borderless printing, it still offers many high-quality features.
- It is compatible with a mobile app that enables printing on the go
- The output tray can hold up to 25 sheets and closes to minimize the space the printer occupies
- The control panel is in a linear arrangement and is easy to access for fast scanning, printing, and other functions
- It offers both Wi-Fi and USB connectivity for both wireless and wired connection
- The printer has an input tray with a capacity of 60 sheets for moderate printing
- It has a print, copy, and scan function for versatility
- The printer comes with a set of ink cartridges from the manufacturers
- The HP all-in-one remote app is an excellent way to control and manage your scanning and printing tasks using this printer
- Users can choose from various options to connect to the printer include a USB port and wireless connectivity
- It offers a print speed of 7.5 pages per minute for colour printing and 5.5 pages per minute for black-and-white printing
- It doesn’t support borderless printing
- There is no support for connecting devices via Bluetooth
6. HP DeskJet 5085 Printer
In the computer world today, HP has become a household name. Their products range consists of laptops, webcams, projectors, desktops, mice, keyboards, printers, and more. The company is arguably the best when it comes to computers.
The HP DeskJet 5085 is one of the best all-in-one printers which the company offers. It is an all-in-one printer that provides an automatic duplexing feature.
- This is an all-in-one printer with fast scan, copy, and print features for versatility
- There is an auto-duplex feature for printing on both sides of a paper
- It offers various connectivity options including the HP smart app, USB, and Wi-Fi direct
- There is a mono touchscreen that measures 5.58cm for easy selection of functions and settings
- It provides a print resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi for colour while black and white prints have a resolution of up to 1200 x 1200
- It has a duty cycle of 1250 pages per month at maximum use while regular usage ranges from 100-300 pages per month
- The printer operates at high speed producing ten black and white pages per minute and seven colour pages per minute
- It is easy to carry out multipage printing using the automatic duplex printing feature
- The printer has a high page yield for each ink cartridge
- It has a large input tray capacity of 100-sheets
- The ink runs out very quickly
- It is a bit heavier than a few other printers
7. Canon Pixma TS207 Inkjet Printer
This printer offers some good features like the borderless photo printing option which is convenient. The body of this printer is resistant to both scratches and fingerprints due to the grid-textured design.
- This printer supports borderless photo printing
- It has a grid-textured surface that offers a scratch and fingerprint resistant quality
- The printer provides high-quality printing with low-cost inks offering a 180-page yield
- It offers USB connectivity for printing from compatible devices
- The printer is compatible with the CL-746 S/XL colour ink cartridge and PG-745 S/XL Black ink cartridge
- It takes 65 seconds to print a borderless 4” x 6” photo
- It has a durable exterior that is resistant to both fingerprints and scratches due to the grid-texture
- Excellent print quality
- Lightweight
- There is no automatic duplex printing function
8. HP DeskJet 5275 Printer
This printer is a complete all-in-one option with functions like copy, scan, and faxing in addition to the print function. It is the best inkjet printer for home use.
This is an excellent choice for users who intend to print on various media types, including matte brochures, glossy papers, plain paper, and more.
The AirPrint feature also makes it an excellent choice for users with iOS devices.
- There is a 5.5cm touch display for easy control of the printer functions
- It supports the HP All-in-one Printer Remote mobile app for on the go functionality
- The printer has a 35-page automatic document feeder for faster job operations
- There is a quiet mode for a low noise operation of the printer
- The duplex feature provides fast two-sided printing outputs
- It provides reasonable print speeds with 20 ppm draft printing
- The printer is very easy to set up
- It offers both Wi-Fi and USB connectivity
- It allows direct connection of tablets and smartphones without the need for a router or Wi-Fi
- The printer also includes a fax function
- It has a simple design, and the touchscreen minimizes the buttons on the printer to just a power button
- It has a small output tray with only a 25-sheet capacity
9. Canon Pixma E3177 Inkjet Printer
This colour printer offers the Pixma IXMA Cloud link for users to access great photos on their storage sites, social media pages, and photo-sharing sites. It is the best inkjet printer for a small business.
It provides a reasonably high printing speed of 8 pages per minute for black printing.
- This printer is compatible with the latest operating systems for ease of use
- It prints 8 black-and-white pages per minute while colour printing is at a rate of 4 pages per minute
- The printer is compatible with the PG-47(black) and CL-57(colour) ink cartridges with a page yield of 180 colour pages and 400 black pages
- It offers a print resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi
- The PIXMA Cloud Link allows users to connect social networks, storage, and photo sharing sites to print photos easily
- It has a flatbed scanner
- Low-cost inkjet printer
- It helps in saving space and costs of operation since it is an all-in-one printer
- The direct Wi-Fi feature of this printer provides convenience
- The printer supports Wi-Fi, USB, and the Canon Selphy App connection for document printing
- Although it has great features, the design is not very appealing
10. Epson PM-520 Printer
Epson is one of the big names when it comes to the production of computer peripherals. They are quite popular for their high-quality printers, projectors, and scanners.
The Epson Picturemate is a true gem when it comes to photo printing. The printer is very portable and offers excellent connectivity options.
- It offers Wi-Fi connectivity which allows printing over a network while the iPrint app supports the printing of PDFs and web pages
- There is an adjustable 6.9cm screen that allows users to view and print images from a USB device or SD card without using a PC
- It offers rapid printing with just 36 seconds for borderless 4R photos
- There is a rechargeable battery pack available which makes this printer suitable for on the go use
- It has a capacity of 20 sheets of glossy paper and 50 sheets of A5 paper
- It is a very portable printer with excellent photo printing features
- Prints pictures with resolutions as high as 5,760 dpi and also offers passport-size and stamp-size photos
- Supports various formats such as borderless 4R, 5R, and A4 paper
- It is designed for photo printing and is not great for printing texts
- Replacing the ink cartridges is expensive
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are some of the uses of an inkjet printer?
The uses of inkjet printers are to scan, fax, print, and copy.
It can easily print images and documents on different sizes and types of paper in colour or monochrome.
2. Which is a better laser or inkjet printer?
The decision a user will make when shopping for printers will usually depend on the printer’s intended use. For users who require a printer for printing large volumes, a laser printer is a better option.
For printing lower volumes, inkjets offer much better functionalities.
Nonetheless, there are still certain benefits that each printer has over the other. Inkjets produce a high-resolution on photo prints while laser printers produce sharper images.
Laser printers can also produce stable colourfast prints since they use toner, which is fade-resistant and waterproof.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of an inkjet printer?
The advantages of inkjet printers are:
- They are cheaper when compared to laser printers.
- The high-end models ensure high-quality print at a fast printing speed.
- They are lightweight and compact, taking up less space.
The disadvantages of inkjet printers are:
- They are not suitable for high volume printing.
- The prints obtained may be wet because of the ink and will need time to dry.
- The cost of the ink is high, and hence the running cost will be high.
4. What is CMYK?
In printers, the acronym CMYK refers to the different colours that make up the ink. To break it down:
- C – Cyan
- M – Magenta
- Y – Yellow
- K – Black or Key
5. What is responsible for the difference in the printer output colours and the colours on a monitor?
It is common to notice differences in colours when comparing the output colour to the colour appearing on a monitor. This is due to the difference in the method of colour production of a printer and monitor.
The colour model in use by monitors is the RGB (red, green, blue) model. This model provides support for colours over a wider spectrum. On the other hand, printers use the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) model.
Although this model can reproduce colours largely, it cannot reproduce all the colours present in the RGB model. In most cases, there is an 85–90% match between the RGB model’s colours, which the CMYK model is capable of reproducing.
The application you use in printing is responsible for selecting a suitable alternative for any colour in the RGB model, not within the range of the CMYK model.
While many other programs do not allow users to select the colour replacements, Adobe Photoshop gives users that option.
For this reason, there is a need for test prints to make adjustments in situations where the colour match is vital.
6. What is the best resolution for saving graphics and photos?
In general, the resolution of a picture in the final stages should be at 300dpi. Saving pictures in a resolution that is lower than 300dpi will result in a blocky and pixelated output after printing.
This is especially important with images that you download on the internet. These images usually have a very low resolution with some around 72 dpi.
Saving the image in CMYK mode is also important. This is in a case where you have this option available. By saving in CMYK mode, you can avoid many issues that come up when printing images in RGB mode.
7. What factors determine the total cost of ownership for a printer?
The total cost of ownership is the projected expenses on a printer until the owner decides to dispose of it. Various factors determine the total cost of ownership of a printer.
It is also important to note that a printer that has a very high initial price may not have the highest total cost of ownership.
Factors that determine the total cost of ownership include repairs and replacements such as toner replacements, ink replacements, replacements of parts, and many more.
As a result, most printers with a low initial cost of purchase can often have a very high total cost of ownership due to replacements and maintenance costs. As a result, cheaper isn’t always better.
8. What is GSM or g/m2?
This is the unit for stating the weight of the paper. Manufacturers use the GSM or g/m2 to indicate the grams per square meter.
A printer will usually have a maximum paperweight that it will accept as input according to the manufacturer’s specification.
9. What are the super-tank printers?
Supertank printers are printers that use refillable tanks in place of the more common cartridges in printing documents. These printers are a more eco-friendly option for users to purchase.
There are three areas where this type of printer is beneficial to its users.
These include the positive environmental impact, improvements in workflow efficiency, and reduction in operation costs by eliminating the need for replacement toners or inks.
The large quantity of print in which users can get out of a super tank before refills make them a more cost-effective option.
Conclusion
The inkjet printers are reasonably fast printers that provide low initial cost printing for meeting your daily printing requirements. These printers don’t require warm-up time, and these provide quieter performance than dot-matrix printers.
Our top three picks are the Epson L3152 printer, Brother inkjet printerandHP Deskjet 2621.
These are highly popular and commonly used printers. You should invest in an inkjet printer primarily because of its image quality. These printers are suitable for families, photographers, and businesses alike.
