Cable-Free Printing
Wireless printers and all-in-ones (AIOs) have become commonplace in both homes and small offices, and many larger businesses are adopting them as well. Wi-Fi connectivity provides more flexibility in where you put your printer, lets you easily print from mobile devices, and gives you one fewer unsightly cable to worry about or trip over.
Although wireless printers have been available for more than a decade, it's only in the past five years or so that they've come into their own. Most home printers have Wi-Fi capability, many of them eschewing wired networking for it, though some have both Wi-Fi and Ethernet. Many business inkjets also come with Wi-Fi enabled, and we're seeing more lasers with either standard or optional Wi-Fi as well.
Connecting to Your Mobile Device
Newer Wi-Fi printers offer mobile printing support. You can print from an iPhone or an iPad via Apple's AirPrint to compatible printers. Mopria-certified printers can print directly from Android devices, and many printer manufacturers and third parties offer apps for printing from iOS, Android, and other devices. Many directly support printing from cloud-based services.
What's Wi-Fi Direct?
A small, but quickly growing, number of printers employ Wi-Fi Direct (or its equivalent), a technology that has the potential to greatly simplify wireless connectivity. Wi-Fi Direct-enabled computers and printers can easily connect with each other over a direct, peer-to-peer connection without requiring a wireless access point. A newer and even more direct wireless printing method is Near Field Communication (NFC), in which one has only to touch a compatible mobile device to an NFC-enabled printer for printing to commence.
No Sacrifice On Speed
One thing that's held people back from buying Wi-Fi printers is the perception that they may take a hit in speed. That's occasionally true—a lot depends on the specifics of your Wi-Fi versus wired networks—but any time lost in data transfer is usually minimal compared with the total print time, particularly if the printer is proximate to your router. If speed is a concern, pick a Wi-Fi printer that also connects via Ethernet, just in case. (All printers offer at least USB 2.0 connectivity.)
But which model is best for your home or your business? We review hundreds of printers each year and these 10 are among the best we've tested. Once you've made your choice, find out how to connect your PC and devices to your wireless printer. For more tips on choosing the right printer, check out our overall top printer picks, as well as our highest-rated portable printers and our favorite Mac-friendly printers.
Featured Wireless Printer Reviews:
Brother HL-L8360CDW Review
MSRP: $399.99
Bottom Line: The very well rounded HL-L8360CDW is a fast color laser printer with good output quality, low running costs, and flexible expandability for its class.
Read ReviewBrother MFC-J6935DW Review
MSRP: $349.99
Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-J6935DW can print, copy, scan, and fax at up to tabloid (11-by-17) size, and has very low running costs compared with most of its peers.
Read ReviewCanon Maxify iB4120 Wireless Small Office Inkjet Printer Review
MSRP: $149.99
Bottom Line: The Canon Maxify iB4120 Wireless Small Office Inkjet Printer is inexpensive, but provides generous paper capacity, competitive running costs, solid speed, and excellent output quality.
Read ReviewCanon Pixma TR8520 Wireless Home Office All-In-One Printer Review
MSRP: $199.99
Bottom Line: It may be a little pricey, but the Canon Pixma TR8520 all-in-one printer produces terrific text, graphics and photos, and it has a strong feature set.
Read ReviewCanon Pixma TS9120 Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Review
MSRP: $199.99
Bottom Line: Though it lacks an automatic document feeder, the six-ink Canon Pixma TS9120 Wireless Inkjet All-in-One printer produces exceptional text, graphics, and photos.
Read ReviewCanon Selphy CP1200 Wireless Compact Photo Printer Review
MSRP: $109.99
Bottom Line: Canon's Selphy CP1200 photo printer offers a winning mix of low price and running costs, portability, multiple connection choices, and good print quality.
Read ReviewEpson WorkForce Pro WF-4740 Review
MSRP: $299.99
Bottom Line: The WF-4740 prints well and fast, and it supports just about every midrange business-centric inkjet feature available, including Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, and two-sided scanning.
Read ReviewHP OfficeJet Pro 6978 All-in-One Printer Review
MSRP: $179.99
Bottom Line: Terrific print quality and competitive print speeds and running costs make HP's OfficeJet Pro 6978 good for low-volume printing in small offices and workgroups, especially when used with HP'...
Read ReviewHP OfficeJet 250 Mobile All-in-One Printer Review
MSRP: $349.99
Bottom Line: The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile All-in-One Printer is an inkjet that's light enough to travel with, but can copy and scan as well as print.
Read ReviewHP PageWide Pro 750dw Printer Review
MSRP: $2199.00
Bottom Line: The HP PageWide Pro 750dw Printer is a speedy, heavy-duty use color inkjet printer with great text and graphics quality, very low running costs, and the ability to print at up to tabloid siz...
Read Review