- Top Pick: Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer, Duplex Printing, Copier/Scanner, 1.42" OLED Display, Compact, White
- Best Value: Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
- Premium Choice: Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Printer, Copy, Scan, Duplex, Mobile Printing
The best AirPrint printer depends on what you print: pick a mono laser such as the Brother HL-L2460DW for documents, a refillable tank model such as the Canon MegaTank G3270 or Epson EcoTank ET-2850 for low running cost with occasional photos, and a color inkjet all-in-one such as the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e or Brother MFC-J4355DW for a busy home office. Every printer on this list is reported by reviewers or listed by its maker as supporting Apple AirPrint, so an iPhone, iPad or Mac can print to it with no driver or app.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
What AirPrint does and what to check
AirPrint is Apple’s driverless printing technology. The iPhone, iPad or Mac discovers compatible printers on the local Wi-Fi network and sends the job directly, so there is no software to install. The printer and the Apple device need to be on the same network, and the print dialog lists the printer by name. Because AirPrint relies on the same standards as Mopria and IPP, most printers that advertise it also work with Android, ChromeOS and Linux without vendor drivers.
When shopping, confirm four things on the maker’s specification list: AirPrint is named explicitly, the printer offers Wi-Fi (dual-band is preferable), there is an Ethernet port if you want a wired fallback, and duplex printing is automatic if you care about paper use. Scanning from an iPhone or Mac is a separate matter and typically uses the maker’s app or the built-in Image Capture tool, so check scan support for the exact model.
At a glance: AirPrint printers compared
| Model | Type | Best for | Stated specs | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother HL-L2460DW | Mono laser | Documents on Mac, iPhone and iPad | Duplex, dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet per review roundups | No scanner or color |
| Brother MFC-L3780CDW | Color laser all-in-one | Mac households needing color | Named best color laser all-in-one by a Mac-focused roundup that cites PCMag and Wirecutter | Larger and a bigger upfront purchase |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e | Color inkjet all-in-one | Home office | 22 ppm black, 18 ppm color, 35-sheet feeder, Ethernet, 250 sheets | HP+ chip rules for cartridges |
| Brother MFC-J4355DW | Color inkjet all-in-one | Lower ink cost than typical cartridge inkjets | Reported as a Wirecutter all-in-one pick by one Mac blog | Source is secondary |
| Canon PIXMA G3270 | Ink tank | Cheap pages, some photos | AirPrint and Mopria; reviewers cite about 6,000 black and 7,700 color pages | No duplex, no feeder |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2850 | Ink tank | Budget tank with duplex | Epson lists 7,500 black and 6,000 color pages, 10.5 ppm black, 5 ppm color | No feeder, no Ethernet |
| Canon PIXMA TR8620a | Cartridge inkjet | Small office wanting fax and a feeder | About 15 ipm black and 10 color, 20-sheet feeder, duplex, Ethernet | Cartridge running cost |
Best AirPrint printers by situation
Best air printers for documents: Brother HL-L2460DW
A Mac-focused buying guide that cites Wirecutter picks the Brother HL-L2460DW as its black-and-white choice and says all three of its picks support AirPrint. Other 2026 roundups call it a top value pick because it combines a laser engine, automatic duplex and both Wi-Fi and Ethernet. A caution reported by owners is that Brother’s Refresh toner subscription flagged genuine toner as invalid and disabled a printer, so buying toner as needed is the safer route.
Best for Mac users who want color: Brother MFC-L3780CDW
The roundup behind that recommendation says PCMag gave the MFC-L3780CDW an Editors’ Choice badge and that Wirecutter names it the best color laser all-in-one for 2026. Because those claims come from a secondary site, read the original outlets if the decision hinges on them. Color lasers cost more upfront than inkjets but keep their toner usable for long idle periods.
Best printers for iPad and iPhone: tank models
People who print from a phone tend to print occasionally: a boarding pass, a school form, a handful of photos. Ink in cartridge printers can dry out between jobs, which is why tank printers are popular with this group. The Canon G3270 and Epson ET-2850 both support AirPrint, hold large ink reserves and cost little per page. Epson says the ET-2850 includes ink equal to up to two years of printing at about 150 pages per month. Tom’s Guide also lists the Canon MegaTank G3290 as an entry-level model with low ink cost, though its AirPrint support was not stated in the material reviewed here.
Best wireless printers for iPhone in a home office: HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e
Forbes Vetted named the OfficeJet Pro 9125e its best home printer overall and notes the 9135e as the successor. HP lists a 35-sheet feeder, single-pass two-sided scanning, automatic duplex, Ethernet and Wi-Fi Direct. The HP Smart app handles scanning from an iPhone. The caveat is HP+: the printer is intended to work only with cartridges carrying an HP chip, and Instant Ink requires an HP account and a constant internet connection.
Best for fax and a feeder: Canon PIXMA TR8620a
Listings describe a five-ink cartridge printer with a 20-sheet feeder, fax, automatic duplex, a 200-sheet paper capacity and a stated duty cycle of up to 1,000 pages a month. It supports AirPrint, Mopria and the Canon PRINT app. Cartridge costs run higher than a tank printer, so it fits light-to-moderate volume.
Cost to run: what to expect
Running cost matters more than the purchase tier over several years. Tank printers have the lowest cost per page: Tank and Toner lists roughly 0.3 cents per black page and 1.2 cents per color page for the ET-2850 (a third-party estimate), and Tom’s Guide cites roughly 0.9 cents per color page for the Canon G3290. Mono lasers are also cheap per black page and tolerate long idle gaps. Cartridge inkjets are the most expensive per page, though subscription plans such as HP Instant Ink can lower the bill if your monthly volume is predictable. Remember that these plans carry conditions about which supplies you may use.
Setup tips for iPhone, iPad and Mac
- Join the printer to your home Wi-Fi using its control panel or the maker’s app, then confirm the Apple device is on the same network.
- On an iPhone, open Share, choose Print, then Select Printer. On a Mac, choose File, Print and pick the printer from the list.
- If the printer is missing, restart it and the router, and make sure the router is not isolating wireless clients or placing guests on a separate network.
- Use Ethernet where possible for a printer shared by several people, as it avoids sleep-mode Wi-Fi drops that some owners report.
- Keep firmware current through the maker’s app, since updates sometimes change which cartridges are accepted, so read release notes first.
Security and privacy basics
Because AirPrint works over the local network, anyone on that network can in principle see the printer. Keep the router password strong, put guests on a separate network, and consider turning off remote or cloud printing features you do not use. Many makers let you set an administrator password on the printer’s web page, which controls settings and firmware changes. If a printer holds scanned documents in memory, check the maker’s manual for how to clear stored jobs before selling or recycling it.
Pick X if you…
| If you… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Print mostly text from a Mac or iPhone | Brother HL-L2460DW | Mono laser, duplex, Ethernet |
| Want color and document scanning | HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e or Brother MFC-L3780CDW | Feeder and duplex scanning, or color laser output |
| Print rarely and hate dried ink | Canon G3270 or Epson ET-2850 | Tank design with large yields |
| Need fax | Canon TR8620a or Brother MFC-L2820DW | Fax with a document feeder |
Paper handling and size notes
iPhone and iPad owners often print photos, boarding passes and school forms, so paper handling matters as much as the print engine. A rear or front tray that holds a few hundred sheets avoids constant refills, and a dedicated photo tray (HP lists one on the Envy Inspire 7255e) makes switching between plain and photo paper easier. Duplex printing halves paper use for long documents. If you need Legal-size sheets, check that the model accepts them; HP lists Legal support for the LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw.
Alternatives
- Epson EcoTank ET-4850: TechRadar’s reviewer calls it a favorite home printer, with duplex, a 30-sheet feeder and fax. It costs more upfront than the ET-2850.
- Canon imageCLASS MF455dw: a mono laser that the same roundup says PCMag rated highly, suited to offices.
- Brother INKvestment MFC-T780DW: ranked first by Tom’s Guide, which flags its 20-sheet feeder as a limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all wireless printers support AirPrint?
No. Wireless only means the printer connects to Wi-Fi. AirPrint must be listed in the maker’s specifications. Many current models from Brother, Canon, Epson and HP include it, but older or very cheap units may rely on an app instead.
Do I need an app to print from an iPhone?
Not for basic printing. The iPhone finds an AirPrint printer on the same network and prints from the Share menu. The maker’s app is useful for scanning, ink monitoring and firmware updates.
Can I print to an AirPrint printer when I am away from home?
AirPrint works on the local network, so it does not print from outside it. Some makers offer cloud printing in their own apps, but that is a separate feature and often tied to an account.
Why does my Mac not see my printer?
The most common causes are a different Wi-Fi network or band, a router that isolates devices, or a printer asleep in a low-power state. Restarting the printer and router, then adding it again under Printers and Scanners, resolves most cases.
Is a laser or an inkjet better for AirPrint?
Both work the same way over AirPrint. A laser suits documents and infrequent use, while an inkjet or tank model suits color and photos. Pick on print quality and running cost, not on the connection method.
Will an AirPrint printer also work with Android and Windows?
Generally yes, because the same standards sit behind Mopria and IPP printing. Android uses the Mopria service, Windows can add many network printers itself, and the maker offers full drivers for extra features.
