Best AirPrint Printers
What is AirPrint?
AirPrint is a technology designed by Apple Inc. which allows users to print directly to AirPrint compatible printers from their Mac, Iphone, Ipad or Ipod touch. You don’t need to install any drivers for this feature to work. Airprint will connect through Wi-Fi and thus only requires a Wi-Fi access point. As of right now, AirPrint is built-in most printers, but not all of them. Always check the machine specifications if you are unsure. Apple also provides us with a list of all models that have AirPrint, although I have to say that this list isn’t entirely complete. For example I have reviewed printers like the HP OfficeJet Pro 8710 series, that were’nt mentioned in the list, even though they all do have airprint.
New update: You can now print with AirPrint to ANY printer, even the ones that don’t support AirPrint. Make sure to check my blog too, I will be writing a post about this very soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYLiM1xoV7Y
My Personal Recommendations
To make things a little easier for you, I will list some high quality models that do have AirPrint. I will give you my personal top 5 in no particular order. At the end of this article I will conclude and give some general recommendations on what to look out for when deciding.
Recommendation # 1: Brother HL-5450dn
The Brother HL-5450DN is a monochrome toner-based type that is very easy to operate. Duplex and Networking are key features with this machine. Its large toner can yield up to 8000 pages. This is huge and makes it very cost efficient. You can print up to 40 pages per minute, which is very fast. If you add the additional paper tray, it can hold up to 800 pages. Connecting to it is super easy, with a wide variety of options like AirPrint of course, IPrint&Scan, Google Cloud Print,…. Read the full Brother HL-5450DN review.
Recommendation #2: HP OfficeJet Pro 8720
If you are looking for more color in your life, the Pro 8720 might be ideal for you. This is an all-in-one model that has a lot up his sleeve. It would come most to its right in any small or medium sized office environment thanks to its low cost per page and high work capacity. Achieving these low operating costs isn’t too hard because of the HP Instant Ink option. You can print up to 24 pages per minute in normal mode and 37 in draft mode. Read my full HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 review here.
Recommendation #3: Canon Pixma Pro-100
Looking for a little bit more expensive device with more options and features? The Pixma pro 100 is a professional photo printer that can deliver insane high quality print outs. To be honest with you, I really can’t see a difference between what comes out of this printer and what a professional print service would do for me, it is just that good. On top of that you can also create really large images. 13 by 19 inch is the largest size you can get with this one. Check my full Canon Pixma Pro-100 review here.
Recommendation #4: Brother HL-3170CDW
The Brother HL-3170CDW is not without reason an overall best seller. It can print up to 23ppm and has some really nice extra qualities like duplex printing and wireless networking. So printing from a mobile device is super easy. Print quality is just amazing. If you decide you want to print black and white you can easily adjust its settings to mono. Even if you run out of color toner (with a yield of 2200 pages) you can still print in mono. What can I say, this is one of my personal favorites!
Recommendation #5: Brother MFC-L8850CDW
The Brother MFC-L8850CDW is in a bit higher price class than the other lasers I mentioned, but for good reason. You can get ultra-crisp printouts with a dpi up to 2400. Ideal for everybody who wants to print a lot. The toner yields are better than with the Hp’s. It can reach up to 23ppm. Very flexible functions with lots of settings. Comes with an endless array of wireless connecting options. The 4.85” color touchscreen is a nice addition to this already very refined instrument. You can find my full Brother MFC-L8850 Review here.
Recommendation #6: HP Envy 4520
I couldn’t leave the nr 1 bestseller out of this list. The HP Envy 4520 is another multifunction color photo inkjet printer. I’ve also put this one in my best inkjet printer list because of its simplicity and yet very effective technology. You don’t have a billion different color settings as with the Pixma MP990 or the Pixma Pro-100, but not everybody needs those. If you like things more simple and cheap, this is your go to model. Comes with AirPrint connectivity, 2-sided printing and a scanner and copier. On top of that this printer can reach up to 20ppm, which is insanely fast given its price and other qualities.
Final Thoughts
Like I said before, it is very hard to just give 1 final recommendation. Everybody has different needs and other plans on what to do with his or her printing machine. In this article, I tried to provide you with a nice mixture of printers that all have AirPrint. Before making your final choice on what to purchase, consider what you really expect and want from your machine. Some questions you should ask yourself are: Do I want to print a lot of text or color? What’s my budget? Do I want inkjet or laser? Do I need multifunction features or not?… If you want a more in-depth printer guide, I’ve written that too.
Most people should be able to find something of interest here. However, if you still would have any questions don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. Don’t forget to share this article to others who might need some help too and I will speak to you soon.
Vince
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