(Stacey Zhu)
As the managing editor in charge of PCMag's printer reviews and coverage, I'm intimately familiar with this vast and sometimes confusing market, which spans from little snapshot-printers that cost tens of dollars to multi-thousand-dollar professional graphics printers. At PC Labs, we independently test and evaluate dozens of models each year. I'm proud of our long tradition of providing detailed and accurate information to help you zero in on the right technology, even if it's something as mundane as replacing an end-of-life inkjet or laser.
If you're like most people, you're probably only interested in a new printer if your existing one is circling the drain. If that happens to describe your current situation, your misfortune is, at least, well timed. Another Black Friday is upon us, and retailers are offering a wide range of top-rated printers at discounted prices. It's prime printer buying time.
If you need a basic printer right away, or even if you're looking for something more advanced, I've already done the research for you. The three picks featured here represent just a tiny slice of the deals on offer this Black Friday. They're my hand-picked favorites among the staggering array of printers out there, and each is vetted by a PCMag expert.
This is a slightly upgraded model of the Editors' Choice-winning M209d, which addresses our only complaint about this excellent monochrome laser printer: the lack of Wi-Fi and Ethernet for wireless printing. Getting the M209dw with these features for under $100, less than the non-Wi-Fi-equipped M209d usually sells for, is an absolute no-brainer.
Paper handling is easily a match for light-to-moderate-duty use for anything up to a micro office. The 150-sheet tray can handle up to legal-size paper, and the printer supports automatic duplexing (two-sided printing). You'll also enjoy better output quality than most mono lasers in its price range.
Overall, the M209dw is a stellar mono laser for light-duty printing, whether at home, as a personal printer in any size office, or as an inkjet alternative for those who don't need color printing.
The Canon Maxify GX2020 inkjet offers the feature set most small offices need in an all-in-one printer, including duplexing support. It offers the trifecta of a low running cost, an automatic document feeder, and faxing. The first helps make it a good choice for moderate- or heavy-duty printing by personal, small-office, or home-office standards. The second makes it far more capable for scanning than printers that are limited to a simple flatbed. And the fax function can be essential if your work (say, medical applications) requires you to send faxes regularly, or it can simply be handy for occasional use.
The GX2020's MSRP is $379.99, but it usually retails for $300. For Black Friday, you can do even better at $279.99.
Looking for something more fun than a printer? Check out all of the Best Black Friday Deals Available Now.