As a Mac user, you already realize that some peripherals are simply not suited for use with an Apple computer. Most printers are capable of interfacing with both Mac and Windows machines, but there are some printers that are just better when used with Mac hardware. Here are the ten best printers to consider if you are a Mac user, looking for convenient printing options with excellent quality. The list is broken down into inkjet, laser and all-in-one printing solutions for your convenience.
All-in-One Printers
Epson Artisan 855: ($300) This moderately priced color inkjet printer also provides the ability for users to copy, scan or fax documents if they should require this technology. The printer has wireless printing capabilities and can also be networked with a wired ethernet connection or connected directly to your computer. The printer comes with printing software that will be an excellent addition to your Mac software.
Epson Stylus NX420: ($79) This inexpensive all-in-one printing solution is perfect for your home and family use. It prints excellent quality documents at a relatively fast speed compared to other printers in its price range. The simple to set up wireless connection makes getting started quick and easy.
Canon MP560: ($115) Mac users want high quality printing and all-in-one convenience with their home printers. The MP560 is an excellent choice, as it can be set up in just a few minutes and it provides high resolution prints. This printer works well with Airport Extreme and can work well with Macs and Windows machines simultaneously.
Kodak ESP7250: ($117) Even in color, this printer puts out about 30 pages per minute. The very low purchase price makes this an attractive all-in-one home printing solution for Mac users. It is simple to set up and comes with a suite of printing software that can be installed in just a few minutes.
Laser Printers
Brother HL5370W Black & White Laser: ($200) An affordable monochrome laser printer with wireless connectivity is perfect for small businesses where Macs are used. The wireless networking is simple to set up with the intuitive interface and this printer provides high quality prints with a very short start up cycle. The toner cartridges are affordable with a cost per page of roughly 1.1 cents if using the high capacity cartridge.
Brother HL2170W Laser: ($191) Less robust than the 5370W, this printer prints at about 23ppm and requires very little time to set up. There is a short start up delay as the printer warms up prior to printing. For most home users, this is an excellent choice.
Samsung ML2525 Laser: ($99) This is one of the quietest personal laser printers you will ever own. As a Mac user, you need robust printing and this small printer will provide you with high resolution prints. This printer takes a bit longer to set up with networking than other options, but it is simple to use.
HP LaserJet CP1515n Color Laser: ($200) This full color laser printer is an excellent solution for small businesses and home offices. It has a low per page printing cost and produces sharp and high quality prints. This is a decent photo printer for it’s low start-up pricetag.
Inkjet Printers
Canon PIXMA MP620 Inkjet: ($100) This full-color inkjet is a very affordable inkjet printing solution for those who will print infrequently. There are very few options for printing with this machine and there is no option for draft quality. For home users, it is an excellent choice.
Canon PIXMA iP100: ($200) This printer is a specific photo inkjet printer that works excellent for Mac users. The output rate is only about 10-15ppm depending on whether it is black and white or color printing. This is the highest quality available in a mobile wireless photo inkjet printer and although it is relatively expensive to operate it is an excellent printing solution for its price.
Mac users have come to expect high quality workmanship from their printers. Many Mac users are looking for high end personal printers to produce high end photographic quality printing. These ten printers are rated as among the best for Mac users and each has qualities that sets it apart from the competitors. Every year, new printing technology comes along that appeals to Mac users. These printers will be models that can be used for several years without a need for replacement. An important thing to make a note of is the maintenance costs and how much you will use the printer.
Guest post written by: James Adams reviews a range of Canon supplies and supplies from other top manufacturers at CartridgeSave.co.uk.
I print to a HP Laser and a Canon S9000 from my MAC, but I go through a Windows 7 server for both.
Funky setup but there HP is a multi function and it was not possible to get the scanner working with the MAC, so I hooked it to the W7 machine and shared it to the MAC.
Strange but true.
I’ve been using Epson Stylus for a couple of yearw now. It’s very quick and easy copying/printing at home. The document printing and copies are excellent! I am very satisfied using it.
Could well be an article about best printers for PCs…. elitism is what will kep the mac platform anchored at no more than 20% of the market
If you consider a higher education, common sense, having the best, and owning a truly reliable machine for many many years elitism ….well then your right. Funny that 20% represents 68% of the US economy’s growth in GDP. Someone has to support the rest of the wanna “B’s”. Cheers
This printer such a useful for Mac user as well as Apple and windows machines. In short it’s compatible with almost all “Personal Computer”. Really it’s look quite handy and worth buying, b’coz small printer & best options.
Hi James,
Thanks for the helpful post, in this post you have given a short list of best printers for mac. But I am a linux user so I would like to request you to post something about the best printers for Linux (Ubuntu)
Thanks for this info, i have been looking into getting one these. This should help when i make my decision.
i’m using Epson Stylus for several years. and the condition is still okay. It’s a durable printer.
The best printer for Mac – or any computer – is NO printer!
I haven’t owned or had access to a printer in over a year and don’t miss it. Save paper, save trees, save ink, and SAVE MONEY! Stick to digital copies of everything.
Agreed. I don’t have a use for a printer, however I do have a scanner. Any idea what the best scanner for mac is?
I have been looking for reviews of good printers for my MacBook Pro. This article has helped me immensely. Thank you.
I’m currently looking for a new printer and I’m open to suggestions. I would like one with a scanner and copier unit that can copy irregardless of the mac being on. What are some of the best mac compatible printers out there?
Unfortunately, I had an Epson CX5400 that just crapped out on me. The horrible bit is I only ever used the first set of ink cartridges that came with it – as soon as I installed new cartridges, the printer started printing poorly, and now only prints out blank pages. I’ve checked the nozzles and cleaned the heads dozens of times. Subsequently I found out that there is a common defect where the wasted ink tubes get clogged, and that owners of this particular model have had to take apart the printer entirely to get at the hoses, use syringes full of cleaning fluid to unblock ink, etc., which I don’t have the time to do. It is appalling that Epson knows about this and never recalled the printer. Apparently because I’m an infrequent printer user and I’ve had this for over a year they refuse to fix it or replace it. What kind of company sells a printer that breaks after one change of an ink cartridge? I took very good care of this printer – their hardware standards and company ethics are embarrassing to say the least.
I have an Epson CX7300 and the VERY SAME happened to me. Spent more sending it to customer service to get it unclogged than on the machine itself. I will NEVER buy an Epson again in my life.
My experience with the Kodak ESP 7 is horrible. Which makes me doubt the recommendations offered here. Just my opinion and that of countless others ripped off by KODAK.
over the weekend i discovered an app on my iphone for printing.
It is called Print to PDF. It’s a great app for the iphone. Now anytime there is something that i want to save, i just print it to a pdf and i can access it whenever i need it. I can email that page or just open it. Great app, well worth a shot.
Great list ! Keep up the good work ! 😉
Thank you for sharing this information. I was thinking of buying a new printer and the product that i had in my mind was exactly the same you mentioned…Canon Pixma iP100…thank you for the review..now i am more interested in buying this..
I love all-in-one printer, it save my work space
All-in-one printers are really great, I have a Canon Pixma hooked up to my Mac and it’s really convinient
@Marty- Are you using outlook for mac or the mac mail for your mails? Does the scanning option work with the outlook, i.e if you are using outlook.
I have been thinking of buying a printer but I am not sure what brand fits or what is best to use. This are great selections you have in here and is worth reading. For someone who is just a bit lost in looking for the right one sure will be very glad to stop by here. Thanks.
Right now I have an HP InkJet printer and it works perfectly with my mac. I have never had a problem with printing, scanning, or anything. One thing that I don’t like is that it prints so slow, but that is true with a lot of inkjet printers. After reading this article, I will probably upgrade to the HP LaserJet CP1515n Color Laser. Thanks for the tips.
I just saw your blog from last year. I have an old Epson C86 which was amazingly reliable and economical on the ink- only used genuine Epson…and suddenly yesterday experienced the same aggravation as you did with yours. The tech guy at Epson was clueless and even had the nerve to suggest that I sell the (probably defective) unused cartridges remaining in the combo pack that I just bought for $70 on eBay! But guess what- I went back to Staples where I bought the cartridges, told them what happened and got a full refund on the cartridges fr Staples (Epson wasn’t offering)!! It was a cheap printer so I didn’t cry but the moral is: buy your cartridges from a store like I did… Epson inks still are the best all around.
Just took back my KodakESP2150. It set up just fine but after a few prints later it would not/could not find my Mac. Restarting the printer, restarting the computer every time is just not an option. I will steer clear of Kodak and check out purchasing a Canon.
…been loyal to hp ever since no plan of changing unless chance ask too haha
Nice list of best printers for mac. Though I use All in One for my mac.
Glad to see the Epson all in one in that list. It is all I have ever used and have no complaints.
Have been using an Epson Stylus happily with my old PC but quality of printing has dropped dramatically since getting an Imac. Have updated drivers , have tried assorted printer settings, no effect. Any suggestions?
i like kodak printers they are easy to use and not so much expensive
James,
Good list. I have been using canon pixma for years and happy with it.
It can be used with Windows PC and Mac os, very easy to set up.
Have ownded Epson too but never Kodak.
John
I haven’t a had a printer in years but have been planning on getting one solely to print documents and photos. I do agree that their use have been rather limited mostly to offices but since they are so affordable nowadays, there’s literally no excuse to grab one. Plus they can be connected wirelessly which is a big plus!
I had a printer of cannon …..I don’t remember the module. I used it for 3 years …I had a great experience cannon. So, I like cannon. I also love cannon camera’s
I used Pixma, and it was advertised to be compatible with my tablet, but unfortunately it didn’t work.
Switch to HP now, and it works great.
Chris
Colored laser printers are great. Especially the all in one type. I usually recommend HP laser colored printers, although I’m not updated with the printers nowadays. Do you have any specific recommendations?
That is very nice collection. Definitely it will add to Mac users experience.
Kodak ESP7250 really is the best for price. I’ve been using one for awhile and would recommend.
I have only ever had problems with HP printers. I have always had the best time with Canon and Epsom printers. HP printers have been nothing but a nightmare for us. Them and Dell are the worst
thanks for the info I wasn’t sure just which one O should get or options to consider.
All in One printers are the best! I guess the one with fax are outdated these days
really helpful article as of now i like Canon MP560 for my mac book. thanks for sharing informative post.
Surely the best printer for a Mac is the one which looks the best, as Apple Macs are sold (many of them are anyway) purely on design alone?
I’ve been looking at printers and this information is very useful. I’m looking for a decent quality colour printer. there’s a big difference in costs .
I don’t think there’s anything like ‘the best printer for mac’. It doesn’t print any different regardless of the platform. Unless they released some printers in aluminium casing.
I’m satisfied with my HP laser jet and it works like a charm 😉
HP Laser Jet is the best one from all. The result is so great even if the ink is down.
I have an Epson Stylus NX420. After about a year & a half & replacing the ink cartridges….it stopped working. In contacting Epson, it was suggested to purchase another printer as my warranty expired after a year of purchasing. Gosh, I haven’t had the printer for 2 years yet & I have to buy another printer for my Mac…bummer!
I can tell you all for sure that HP Printers can get you the best quality prints when compared to any other printer in the world. That’s just my opinion though!!
Great list ! Keep up the good work !
Mhh I have a Samsung CLP 325 laser printer and am really happy. What makes a “better” laser printer? Speed, quality and price I guess.
I don’t know if it’s the same in the US, but here in the UK some of the ink refills for some printer manufacturers are crazy prices. For that reason alone I tend to stick to Epson printers.