Which printer brand to buy in 2024

Knowing which printer brands develop the most faults and which have the most satisfied customers is key to helping you choose a good model. We’ve surveyed 15,614 Which? members and members of the public, so you can find out which printer brand you should buy. 

Our unique survey data reveals when popular printer brands developed a fault in the past six years and the most likely faults from each brand. We also look at printer brand loyalty to find out whether customers would buy that brand again. 

You can use our results to help you choose a printer that won't let you down.

Just want to know which model to buy? Head to our pick of the best home printers to find out which we recommend

Printer brands rated

The tables below have the inkjet brands in alphabetical order, but our survey results are locked. Once our table is unlocked, you'll be able to see which brands have the happiest customers and which don't.

Only logged-in Which? members can see the ratings for each brand. If you're not yet a member, you'll see the brands, but not the results. 

You can get instant access to our results and all of our reviews, including our printer, battery and laptop reviews, if you join Which?.

Inkjet printers

• Results are based on a survey of 15,614 Which? Connect panel members and the general public, conducted in March 2023. 
• Customer score rates how satisfied owners are with their printer brand and how likely they would be to recommend it to a friend.
• Average test score from our lab is based on an average of all the Which? test scores of inkjet printers from the respective brands.
• Percentage who remained loyal refers to owners who replaced a printer with one of the same brand.              
• Percentage faulty within six years shows the percentage of printers that developed a fault within six years.

How long will my printer last? 

Based on previous surveys of owners and our research over the years, we know that printers last for around 13 years. So it's all the more important to pick the right model for you, as it will likely feature in your home or office for the next decade or more. 

This is also why you need to make sure your next printer has the lowest running costs possible. Paying out too much for ink is really going to add up over your printer's lifetime. 

We estimate the cost of running each model we test by calculating the cost of printing 20 black text pages and 10 pages of graphics every month, turning the printer off between uses. We've found that some inkjet models can cost more than £150 a year to run, while others will cost under £5. So choosing a model that doesn't have sky-high running costs could save you hundreds of pounds over your printer's lifetime.  

Head to our expert pick of the best cheap printers to buy and run.

Verdict: top printer brands in depth

We’ve pulled together our survey data and independent test results – with insights from our printer experts – to give you an in-depth look at each brand.

Which members can log in to view our unique lab test scores and customer satisfaction survey results.

If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access on our verdicts on the following printer brands, listed here in alphabetical order:

• Brother
• Canon
• Epson
• HP

You'll also get access to all of our online reviews – from printers, to laptops to electric cars.

Need help choosing a multi-functional printer? Go to our expert pick of the best all-in-one printers

Five most common printer faults and how to fix them

Our survey has uncovered the the most common printer problems. Read on to find out what they are and what you can do about them.

1. Deterioration in print quality

There are many reasons print quality can drop. For inkjet printers, nozzles can become blocked causing streaks, patchy prints and faded colours. If you notice a drop in quality, start by running a cleaning cycle, which uses ink to blast away any dried-on ink. 

If this doesn't help, you can clean the print head manually. Use a lint-free cloth dampened with warm distilled, filtered or bottled water. If the problem is that text doesn't line up (misalignment), you can get your printer to perform an alignment. Turning it on and off again after 30 seconds can also fix it.

Maintenance and cleaning advice varies between models, so be sure to check the manual before you open up your printer and tinker with any sensitive components.

If the problem's to do with printing white lines, take a look at how to fix white lines when printing.

2. Wi-fi connection issues

Wi-fi issues can be difficult to resolve, but there are a few go-to tricks. First, turn everything off then on again. It might be a cliché, but it can be surprisingly effective. If that doesn't work, check that your printer has the latest software updates, including any firmware. Also, removing the printer from the wi-fi network and then adding it again can sometimes do the trick. 

If your printer is giving you an error message, you might shed some light on matters by visiting the manufacturer website or product manual and searching for the error code. If all else fails, keeping a cable handy for emergencies is always a good idea, so you can connect the printer to your router directly.

We rate all printers for their ease of connectivity, as well as print quality and running costs. Find out which models top our tests in our printer reviews.

If your printer is refusing to co-operate, check in with our advice on how to fix printer connection issues

3. Ink nozzles on print heads have stopped working

A fault where the printer’s ink jets or nozzles on the print head aren't working can be due to the printer not being used for a while. If the nozzles still aren’t working after you’ve run the print-head cleaning function, try cleaning the print head. 

If this doesn't work, you might need to replace the print head. If it's removable, then you can order a new one and install it yourself. If not, you’ll need to get it replaced professionally. 

4. Problems with paper feed

Problems with paper feeds and jams have long been a thorn in the side of printer users. We rigorously test printers to reveal any models that are especially prone to faulty feeds and paper jams, and reveal them in our printer reviews.

Paper weight, thickness and even humidity are thought to play a role in these issues. Use the paper specified in your printers’ manual and only open the paper pack when you’re ready to use it.

5. Hardware problems

General hardware problems can be more difficult to fix at home, especially if certain components of your printer need to be replaced. If you're experiencing a problem such as your printer won’t turn on, then first check the cables are all still connected and that they’re not damaged. 

If there’s not a paper jam and the power is on, try printing a self-test report, either from the printer’s control panel or from your computer’s settings.

• In Windows, select the Windows logo > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners > right-click your printer. Click Printer Properties > Print Test Page > OK.
• If you have a Mac, select the Apple logo > System Preferences > Printers and scanners. Select your printer > Open Print Queue > Printer > Print test page.

Join Which? Tech Support

Which? Tech Support can hlep you stay on top of your tech. Our experts explain things clearly so you that you can resolve issues and feel more confident using your devices. 

Get unlimited 1-2-1 expert support:

• By phone – Clear guidance in choosing, setting up, using and resolving issues with your home tech devices
• By email – Outline the issue and we'll email you our answer
• By remote fix – We connect securely to your home computer, smartphone or tablet and resolve issues while you watch
• In print – Which? Tech magazine, six issues a year delivered to your door.

You can join Which? Tech Support for £4.99 a month (cancel any time) or £49 a year.

How we calculate the best and worst printer brands

Which? has a wealth of information on the UK's favourite printer brands. Every year, we ask Which? members to tell us about the domestic appliances they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand to how long a product lasted once they got it home. 

This year, more than 15,000 Which? Connect members and members of the public told us about more than 50,000 products, including more than 7,000 printers.

Now you know all about printer brands, use our expert printer reviews to help you choose the right model.