Choosing a printer for a small home office comes down to one question first: how often will it be used? Print volume drives almost every meaningful trade-off between printer types — cost per page, ink shelf life, warm-up time, and physical size. For the full guide to a dual monitor home office setup — covering desk configuration, monitor arms, and peripheral choices — see the dual monitor home office setup guide.
Printer types compared
Printer type comparison for home office use
| Type | Best for | Per-page cost | Ink/toner shelf life | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monochrome laser | Documents, text, low-medium volume | Low | Toner lasts years unused | Compact to medium |
| Colour laser | Mixed colour and text, medium volume | Medium | Toner lasts years unused | Medium to large |
| Inkjet (cartridge) | Photos, occasional colour, very low volume | High | Ink dries out in weeks of disuse | Compact |
| Inkjet (ink tank/EcoTank) | Photos, colour, medium-high volume | Very low | Ink liquid; stable if sealed | Medium |
| All-in-one (any type) | Print + scan + copy needs | Varies by engine | Varies by engine | Medium to large |
For low-volume home offices (fewer than 50 pages/month)
A compact monochrome laser printer is the best choice. Reasons:
- Toner cartridges do not dry out when the printer sits idle — a major problem with inkjets used infrequently
- Per-page cost for text printing is low (1–3p per page for third-party toner)
- Print speed is fast for occasional jobs — no warm-up time on some models
- Footprint is compact: many monochrome laser printers are smaller than a shoebox
The main limitation: no colour printing. For the majority of home office documents (contracts, invoices, reference pages), colour is not needed.
For colour or photo printing
If colour documents or photos are a regular requirement:
- Ink tank (EcoTank-style) inkjet — large reservoirs of liquid ink, very low per-page cost, reasonable colour quality. Ink lasts if the printer is used regularly (at least once per week). Better than cartridge inkjets for consistent users.
- Colour laser — good for colour documents; not suitable for photo-quality output; larger footprint than monochrome laser.
- Standard cartridge inkjet — avoid unless printing very frequently. Cartridges are expensive and dry out if the printer sits unused.
Size and footprint
For a small home office, printer footprint matters. A printer on the desk takes surface area permanently. Options for managing the footprint:
- Put the printer on a shelf above or beside the desk — keeps desk surface clear, requires a shelf rated for the printer weight (most are 5–10 kg)
- Put the printer on a low unit or filing cabinet — keeps it accessible without desk placement
- Wireless printing — lets the printer live anywhere in the home with power, printing wirelessly from the desk
Most modern printers support Wi-Fi printing; confirm this before buying if you want the printer off the desk.
Features worth having vs. features to skip
Printer features: worth it vs. skip
| Feature | Worth it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi printing | Yes | Printer can sit away from the desk; no USB cable required |
| Automatic duplex (double-sided) | Yes for laser | Saves paper and storage; standard on most laser printers |
| Flatbed scanner / all-in-one | If you scan regularly | Useful for receipts, contracts; adds footprint and cost |
| Fax | No | Rarely needed; adds cost; email and PDF have replaced fax for home use |
| Touchscreen | No | Adds cost; basic button interface is sufficient for a home printer |
| Cloud print apps | Marginal | Useful for printing from phone; native Wi-Fi is more reliable |
| ADF (auto document feeder) | If multi-page scanning is regular | Useful for scanning multi-page documents; not needed for occasional use |
What to avoid
- Standard cartridge inkjets for low-volume use: ink dries out, cartridges are expensive, and running costs are the highest of any printer type
- Oversized multifunction printers for home use: features like fax, large paper trays, and ADF are wasted on low-volume home printing and the footprint is too large for a small desk setup
- Budget laser printers without toner yield data: always check the rated page yield of the included starter toner; some budget printers ship with very low-yield starter cartridges that cost nearly as much to replace as the printer itself
Frequently asked questions
Is a laser or inkjet printer better for a home office?
For most home offices, a monochrome laser printer is better: it has a lower per-page cost for text printing, toner does not dry out when unused, and it is reliable for the occasional print jobs typical of home use. An inkjet is better only if colour quality for photos or regular colour documents is a genuine requirement.
What size printer fits on a desk?
Compact monochrome laser printers are typically 30–36 cm wide and 20–25 cm deep — a footprint of around 0.06–0.09 sqm. This fits on a desk but takes meaningful surface area. A shelf or low cabinet beside or below the desk keeps the printer accessible without occupying desk space.
Do I need a scanner for a home office?
A flatbed scanner or all-in-one printer is useful if you regularly digitise documents, receipts, or signed contracts. For occasional scanning, a smartphone scanning app (using the camera) is sufficient and costs nothing. Only buy an all-in-one for the scanner if scanning is a regular part of your work.
How often should I print to keep the ink from drying out?
For cartridge inkjets, printing at least once per week prevents nozzle clogging from ink drying. If you print less frequently than this, a laser printer is a better choice — toner does not dry out regardless of how long the printer sits idle.