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Which printer brand to buy in 2025
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 18,067 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 seven 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
| Brand | Customer score | Average test score from our lab | Percentage who stayed loyal to the brand | Percentage faulty within seven years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother | M | M | M | M |
| Canon | M | M | M | M |
| Epson | M | M | M | M |
| HP | M | M | M | M |
The customer score, proportion faulty and proportion repaired or replaced are based on an online survey of 18,067 people who own products, of which 9,345 were inkjet printers, conducted in March 2024. Sample sizes are in brackets after the brand. Brands are ranked by customer score. Customer score rates how happy the respondent is with their printer brand and how likely they would be to recommend it to a friend. The proportion faulty and proportion repaired or replaced is based on products bought in the past seven years. Percentage who remained loyal refers to owners who replaced a printer with one of the same brand. Average test score from our lab is based on an average of all he Which? test scores of inkjet printers from the respective brands, correct at June 2024.
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 running costs for each model we test by testing the cost of printing 20 black text pages and 10 pages of graphics every month, turning the printer off between uses (if you use your inkjet a reasonable amount, we'd actually recommend leaving it on, as most printers run extra cleaning cycles that waste ink on startup). 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 how each brand performs.
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 below 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. Ink nozzles on print heads not delivering ink correctly
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. You can try cleaning the print head manually, at your own risk. Use a lint-free cloth dampened with warm distilled, filtered or bottled water. Check you printer's manual for specific advice for your model before you begin
If this doesn't work, you might need to replace the print head. With cartridge inkjet printers, installing a new cartridge will usually do the trick. With tank inkjet printers, the print heads aren't usually user-removable, so you’ll need to get it replaced professionally.
To avoid your print head drying up, you should leave your printer turned on so the printer can run automatic regular cleaning cycles. This is particularly important if you have a tank printer (an inkjet you refill using bottles of ink rather than cartridges), as they have fixed print heads. If you only use your printer once a month or less, we would recommend a cartridge inkjet printer to minimise this issue.
2. Deterioration in print quality
There are many reasons print quality can drop. First check it's not simply an ink nozzles problem as we listed above: print 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, or changing the cartridge if you have a cartridge inkjet model.
If the problem is that text doesn't line up (misalignment), you can get your printer to perform an alignment (calibration). 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 is to do with printing white lines, take a look at how to fix white lines when printing.
3. 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. Check that the printer driver you're using is the one recommended by the manufacturer, rather than any automatically installed by your PC. 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, if your printer has an Ethernet socket.
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
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, glossiness 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, if you find you run into problems. A typical 80gsm paper from a brand that makes printers is a safe option – do try a different paper brand to see if you can rule out if the paper you use is causing the problem.
5. Problems with connecting to another device (such as your laptop or smartphone)
Follow your printer brand's advice to ensure you have the correct driver installed on your PC, or the correct app on your smartphone. Some computers automatically install drivers or won't direct you to the best driver for your printer, so download the correct driver directly from your manufacturer's website for the best chance of solving any issues.
Also make sure the firmware on your printer is up-to-date, and that you have the latest version of the driver on your PC or app on your smartphone, if you run into issues. If your printer offers a wire connection to your computer, you can also try that over the typical connection that's often via wi-fi.
To verify if your printer is connecting correctly, try printing a self-test report (print test page), 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 help 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 18,000 Which? Connect members and members of the public told us about more than 60,000 products, including more than 9,000 inkjet printers.
Now you know all about printer brands, use our expert printer reviews to help you choose the right model.