The 10 Printers that Work with Apple iOS 4.2 AirPrint

AirPrint, one of the eagerly anticipated features of Apple's iOS 4.2, which launched earlier today, lets iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users easily print documents or photos over Wi-Fi to a printer connected to the same LAN as their device without needing to use other software or apps. The catch is that, at launch, AirPrint only supports printing to 10 select HP printers.

Here is the full list of printers supported by AirPrint: HP Photosmart eStation, HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One, HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One, and HP Photosmart e-All-in-One, HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One, HP ENVY100 e-All-in-One, HP LaserJet Pro M1536dnf, HP LaserJet Pro CM1415f, and LaserJet Pro CP1525. We've had a chance to look at some of these models.

The HP Photosmart eStation ($399; look for our review soon) has a 7-inch touch screen that detaches from the printer to function as the printer's controller as well as working as an e-reader and a basic tablet device. From the Zeen (HP's name for this Wi-Fi-enabled controller), you can order Nook e-books from Barnes & Noble and read them on screen. There's also a Web browser, a Facebook browser, HP gallery, and more. It's Android 2.1-based, but you can't run Android apps, only HP Web apps. We tried AirPrint out on the eStation, and it worked swimmingly.

Though smaller than the eStation's and non-detachable, the HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One ($199.99) has a gorgeous 4.3-inch touch screen that displays HP Web apps, carousel style. The Photosmart Premium is an all-purpose multifunction printer (MFP) geared mostly for home use.

The HP PhotoSmart e-All-in-One D110a ($100 street) was HP's first printer to incorporate ePrint, the ability to print from a file e-mailed to the printer, which has its own e-mail address assigned by HP. Although it's missing some photo-centric and office features, the D110 has a lot to recommend it as a low-priced MFP for home, home office, or both.

Second Wave
In addition, six more HP printers will become AirPrint capable after a firmware update on December 27: the HP Officejet 6500A e-All-in-One, HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One, HP Officejet 7500A Wide Format e-All-in-One, HP Officejet Pro 8500A e-All-in-One, HP Officejet Pro 8500A Plus e-All-in-One, and HP Officejet Pro 8500A Premium e-All-in-One.

The Editors' Choice HP OfficeJet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One ($199.99) is a well-rounded multifunction printer mostly geared for small or home offices, though it could double as a home printer. The HP OfficeJet 7500A Wide Format e-All-in-One ($299), also an Editors' Choice, is an MFP geared to office use that can print at super-tabloid size (up to 13 by 19 inches).

Although AirPrint will only permit printing to these select HP printers, Apple has said that compatibility will eventually extend to printers from other manufacturers. Until then, users will have to rely on apps from those manufacturers, as well as third-party apps.

For more details, see PCMag's full hands with AirPrint on and the video below.

About Our Expert

Tony Hoffman

Senior Writer, Hardware

Since 2004, I have worked on PCMag’s hardware team, covering at various times printers, scanners, projectors, storage, and monitors. I currently focus my efforts on 3D printers, pro and productivity displays, and drives and SSDs of all sorts.

Over the years, I have reviewed smart telescopes, iPad and iPhone science apps, plus the occasional camera, laptop, keyboard, and mouse. I've also written a host of articles about astronomy, space science, travel photography, and astrophotography for PCMag and its past and present sibling publications (among them, Mashable and ExtremeTech), as well as for the former PCMag Digital Edition.

The Technology I Use

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad T14 laptop that's my work daily driver, an HP Pavilion Aero 13 as my primary personal laptop, and an Asus ProArt P16 for detailed photo work. (I also have an older Dell XPS 13, which now stays at home full-time.) For storage testing, I rely on our three custom-built Windows testbeds in PC Labs, as well as a 2024 MacBook Pro.

My primary home monitor is a BenQ EX2780Q, a gaming monitor with a great sound system and excellent image quality. I use that panel for writing, watching videos, and working with photos. I also have an HP 27 Curved Display—one of the first general-purpose curved monitors—which I have paired with an Acer Aspire desktop computer. My multifunction printer is an Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 Small-in-One. I also own an Epson Perfection V39 flatbed scanner, which I use for photos and short documents, and a Canon Selphy CP1300 small-format photo printer for turning out snapshots.

My first cell phone, in 2006, was a Motorola Razr; since then, it’s been all iPhones—I currently have an iPhone 15 Pro. I use my iPhone a lot for casual photography, though I also use a Sony DSC-RX100 VII and a Canon G5 X Mark II for everyday shooting. For much of my travel photography and astrophotography, I use either a Sony A7r II or A7 III, paired with a variety of lenses ranging from a Sony 14mm f/1.8 prime to a Sony FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS zoom lens. I also pair the A7r with a RedCat 51 for deep-sky star shooting. For astrophotography, I also use the Seestar S30 and S50 and the Unistellar Odyssey smart telescopes, which are essentially astronomical cameras controlled through one’s mobile device.

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