Over the years, printers have been a recognisable fixture of offices all around the world: but today, they have become more compact and accessible - introducing them to the home.
Technically - a printer isn’t an absolute necessity for any household. But for home businesses, and particularly people who work in fields that require conceptualising ideas such as design work - having a printer on hand can be extremely handy.
This fact especially rings true due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has swept the world. As everyone tries to social distance and find more convenient ways to complete tasks without having to venture into public areas. From printing a shipping label, or even fun tasks for family activities - the usage of printers is endless for any household.
In this article, we’ll be going through some of our top picks for affordable and quality home printers in Malaysia.
Top 9 Printers in Malaysia
Table of Contents
Why It's Our Top Pick
For students, the world of learning has rapidly developed to be sufficient online, from classes to worksheets and tests. This also means a printer at home can be useful for printing submittable reports, and conceptualising ideas and class concepts, amongst other uses.
The Brother DCP-T420 printer is simple to set up - and has a crisp, clear printed result to boot.
Overview
The DCP-T420 printer comes complete with a scanner and wireless as well as cloud printing functionalities for efficient queue checking and remote printing from anywhere near the device. Its paper holder is adjustable to the type and size of the paper fed into the machine, with a maximum feed capacity of around 150 pages.
Who is this for?
This printer's appearance and features were designed around the home and small office usage. According to user reviews: even if vibrantly coloured images are printed on the highest printer setting, the pictures come out perfectly dry without a trace of wet ink. Moreover, its printing yield is in the higher range as well- with about 7500 pages in black and white and 5,000 pages in colour.
Overview
Want a no-fuss option for your home? Especially for those who just needs a basic printer at home, something like the Canon Pixma MG3070S is ideal for most printing and scanning needs.
For a basic and budget-friendly all-in-one printer, the Canon Pixma MG3070S sports a sleek, simple matte black look that weighs a light 3.5KG. It contains the standard print, scan and copy functions as well as a flatbed scanner, and wireless printing capabilities.
Who is This For?
With the SELPHY / Canon Print Inkjet application downloaded on your mobile device - the printer can be monitored for printing and ink level statuses on the go, alongside remote printing. Besides this, the printer has an Auto Power On/Off feature that enables the printer to turn on automatically when a printing request comes through: and turns off after some time to save electricity.
Its standard printing speed is rated average with relatively low electricity usage, which makes it ideal for simple, light, everyday use. For its price too, the wireless capability, alongside its simple, yet efficient build is of great value, with everything working like a charm according to user reviews.
Overview
Thankfully, we are in the era where printing is made easier and affordable for most people, and it’s also now a reality that wireless printers are becoming the norm as well.
Scanning, Printing, Copying - the HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 2777 has it covered. It has a relatively standard size and shape - with a matte white finish, and a small display to configure the printer. Implemented with HP’s Thermal Inkjet technology, this printer is affordable and well worth its price.
Who is this for?
The printer comes equipped with printing capabilities via wireless connectivity (WiFi and mobile) as well as extra Bluetooth printing functionalities - those make this printer quite a good value. Because of its vast connectivity in wireless mode, it is ideal in small environments: such as home offices, or personal usage. Despite not having an automatic double-page printing function, it’s a strong contender in budget-friendly and efficient printers for light usage.
Overview
When choosing a printer for your office, it’s important that the printer can handle heavy-duty tasks. Here’s one that we think fits the bill.
The Epson Ecotank is a tank of a printer, to say the least. It’s stably multi-functional, with scanning, printing and copying capabilities: even wireless printing from anywhere in its vicinity. With an anti-spill set of ink tanks and a compact, space-saving design, this printer is a great choice for the home office.
Who is this for?
What’s nice is its printing speed, being quite fast with a rate of roughly 33 pages per minute for mono printing and 15 pages per minute for colour. Because of the speed, it’s ideal in an environment where quickly producing copies is imperative to efficient workflow. However, a small downside would be its inability to do double printing- and a lack of a sensor for automatic paper feeding.
Overview
The HP Neverstop is the world’s first cartridge-free printer; yes, it’s an environmentally savvy printer. Firstly, it’s made out of 25% recycled content, and a continuous toner recycling system that reduces its carbon footprint throughout usage. Not to mention, cartridge-free means being able to print thousands of documents before ink top-up is needed.
Feature and function-wise, this is a monochrome printer: only able to print in black and white. It comes with a no-fuss no-muss style toner kit - able to hold up to 5,000 pages worth of replacement toner, a nod to its “Neverstop” name. Besides, this printer is Wi-Fi compatible and can be used to wirelessly print documents around its vicinity.
Who is this for?
A drawback to its benefits would be its slightly slower printing speed: 20 pages per minute, as well as a minor drawback when printing heavy graphics in grayscale (gradients and shades), according to user reviews.
Despite all of it, this printer is a wonderful entry-level machine to the world of monochromatic printing, and with savings, for ink and toner to boot, it's cost-effective too.
Overview
Creality’s Ender-3 V2 is an upgrade of the previous iteration of the Creality Ender: with some upgrades in the development department. This 3d printer is quite DIY-Esque, with an IKEA-style form of building that could take a few hours to assemble.
It uses Fused Deposition Modeling to print physical models within its 220x220x250mm space, with filaments using 1.75mm in size. In terms of OS support to access printing settings, you can use your Macbook or WindowsXP/7/8/10 to do so.
Who is this for?
According to user testing and reviews, the quality of the 3D prints produced are above average. Many have recommended it being great for newbies to the 3D printing field to invest in an inexpensive and quality 3D printer.
However, despite many of today’s latest 3D printers having an automatic levelling system for the base, manual printers may stick to the more cost-effective manual levelling feature that requires the user to adjust the platform (with guides, of course). It may be a little more of a challenge - but it’s doable and, as a hidden benefit, educational too.
Overview
In general, laser printers are meant to be speedy over inkjet printers. While still more expensive than Inkjets initially, they will become a good investment and have acceptable, affordable cost-per-print in the long run.
With a symmetrical, box-like structure running on LED technology, the Brother HL-L3230CDN barely has any protruding parts. A tiny one-line LCD screen on the cover is next to the buttons, and a little flap for prints, maxing out at 150 sheets.
Who is this for?
For a simple, print-only type of laser printer, the L3230 does a wonderful job at printing quietly and quickly, with its solid build and quality prints.
Despite this, according to user feedback, coloured pictures with a mixture of black and coloured pigments tend to lean towards a poor mix of colour tones, where the blacks have a few shading issues, and the colours are too bright and subsequently unrealistic. However, it's noted that this is a common issue amongst laser printers: just something to watch out for if you’re considering purchasing a laser printer.
Overview
When you think about photography, chances are that you think of Canon cameras. Well, it isn't surprising to know that Canon also produces some of the best photo printers around, and one such professional variant is the imagePROGRAF PRO-300.
Designed to meet the needs of professional photography standards, this printer has a 10-colour ink system which utilises the LUCIA PRO ink to print with unprecedented quality. It's capable of printing with both Matte and Photo Black inks so that images can achieve deep blacks on matte, fine art and photo papers.
There's also a Unique Chroma Optimizer to let your photographs achieve a uniform glossiness all the while preventing bronzing effect for a professional touch as well as extending longevity, and all of this magic can happen with prints as large as 13" x 19".
Who is this for?
Be it printing images through the Wireless Pictbridge, Mopria, AirPrint or Direct Wireless features; the printer would do well in both professional and casual settings. Of course, this printer does not come cheap but the colour accuracy, beautiful finish results and value-for-money monochrome printing sure does make things all the more appealing to get this printer.
Tried & Tested - ProductNation Reviews
Overview
Offering remarkable productivity for small work teams, the Canon Maxify GF4070 Wireless 4-in-1 inkjet printer is designed to only feed on ultra-affordable colour printing essentials while offering a wide range of connectivity options — great for teams with international offices and professional relationships.
This printer is capable of providing you with printing, scanning, copying and faxing services. With a printing speed of up to 18 pages (mono) per minute, you can comfortably print a bulk of papers in a short amount of time. There's no need to worry about durability or printing quality, as Canon assures the prints are water-resistant, and with the recommended printing jobs done per month being up to 2,500 pages — plenty of quota for everyone in the office.
Plus, everyone can easily connect to the printers for their work; just access the printer via Direct Wireless, Wi-Fi, LAN, AirPrint and Mopria.
Details
- Ink: GI-76 (All Pigment Inks / Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow)
- Maximum Printing Solution: 600 (horizontal) x 1,200 (vertical) dpi
- Estimated Page Yield (Colour): Up to 21,000 pages
- Supports paper thicknesses up to 0.7 mm
In Our Experience - Live ProductNation Review
Based on our office size of not more than 50 pax (actual: 30), this printer would do well in a setting where the need for printing jobs is minimal to moderate. In truth, as most offices have less paper footprint due to opting for digital approaches in businesses, printers are hardly needed daily so this one would last well in an office even with over 50 people that does not require constant printing.
In terms of size, we were pleased with its compact dimensions (399 x 719 x 304 mm with trays extended) that do not require a lot of space. In fact, it even sits well and safely on our casual tiny coffee table that's made with PVC board (with metal legs).
Its modern design does not sacrifice ease of use either. Out of the box, the printer has labelled settings for each button to easily guide us on how to set it up (also thanks to the display setting screen).
When it comes to print quality, both mono and colour printing jobs were equally satisfactory, with mono prints looking almost identical in our photocopy tests. For coloured photocopy tests, however, copies had faint, if not minimal, differences in the hue/tone of the colours. Nevertheless, very minimal differences. Where the printer deserves gold is for its print sharpness.
Who is this for?
If you're looking for a mid-size, heavy-duty printer to meet the needs of a modern office with no more than 50 people, a great wireless, all-in-one printer like the Canon Maxify GF4070 Wireless Printer would do well. In our tests, the wireless and printing features as well as quality were satisfactory, with its print sharpness being identical to the original photocopy. The only minimal concern would be that the colour photocopies may differ slightly from the original.
- Rating: 8/10
FAQ
- How to choose a suitable printer?
Now we’ve come to the end of our top picks for printers. But with lists upon lists of products and reviews online - what are the key points that you need to know to choose the printer most suitable for you? Here’s a list of things to note before choosing your device.
How much are you going to print?
This question comes down to: how much, and what do you plan to print?
- Inkjet printers utilise jets of wet ink sprayed onto the paper and dry quickly - whereas laser printers fire bolts of ink dust (toner) which sticks to the paper for a faster and more cost-effective printed result.
- For home usage, the versatile Inkjet printer would be a good choice. It can print colourful images- from glossy photos to coloured graphs and text, amongst others.
- But for an office, a laser printer is a worthwhile investment due to its easily accessible and purchasable toners and excellent page yields.
What are the costs to watch out for?
Especially for home businesses or users who have to print dozens of document copies all the time; the costs of the ink and refills are important points to consider, especially on a budget.
- As mentioned; Inkjet printers print in wet ink, hence the higher ink cartridge cost. On the other hand, Laser recharge cartridges cost less printing using an ink powder called toner.
- Additionally, printers have a different cost depending on if they’re printing black and white or coloured pages.
- In terms of efficiency, higher-cost printers may also have a decreased cost in printing compared to lower-efficiency printers, mainly due to the product designs and technology used.
- However, these costs are unlikely to make a huge, noticeable difference unless you’re printing thousands of pages every month.
- What special features should you watch out for?
Duplex printing and scanning:
Most printers these days may have the duplex printing feature, in which the printer automatically flips pages for you to print double-sided documents. This is great if you often print on both sides of the paper: such as paper for documentation.
Wireless connectivity:
Connectivity is a huge point to note here for printers. Various printers these days have wireless capabilities that allow you to print straight from your devices, be it mobile or desktops, without having to wrestle with cables.
- USB connections are one of the most common, as they can connect to virtually any desktop or laptop. USB-A is the standard for printers with the USB function, with USB-C slowly taking flight.
- WiFi and WiFi-direct are similar yet different in varying ways. The former allows the user and printer to connect directly to your WiFi network, exchanging the file between the two. Meanwhile, the latter connect the device directly to the printer via a secure signal. This makes it a safer connection for on-the-spot printing.
- Unlike the previous two, cloud printers are a new dawn of wireless printing. Many printers these days with connections to the internet can receive files directly from online platforms such as Google Drive, Dropbox, amongst others, eliminating the need to download the file to your device before starting to print.