Best printer for Mac in 2026: HP vs. Brother

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The best printer for most Mac users is the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125. It is a wireless color all-in-one that prints, scans, copies, and faxes. If you only print black-and-white documents, the Brother HL-L2460DW laser printer is the better choice because toner does not dry out between uses.

I have spent 20 years helping Apple users choose and set up printers. Both of my main picks work with AirPrint, so your Mac, iPhone, and iPad can print without a separate printer driver.

Summary: choose your printer based on what you print

Need color, scanning, or copying? Buy the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125. This is my pick for most homes and small offices.
Only print black-and-white documents? Buy the Brother HL-L2460DW. It is compact, inexpensive to run, and well suited to occasional printing. It is also available at Best Buy.
Print color pages frequently and care most about ink cost? Consider the Brother MFC-J4355DW. I have not personally tested this newer model, so it remains my researched alternative rather than my main pick.

Printer comparison: which one is right for you?

Both print wirelessly from a Mac, iPhone, or iPad with AirPrint.

	HP OfficeJet Pro 9125 My pick	Brother HL-L2460DW Laser option
Product image	View HP OfficeJet Pro 9125 on Amazon	View Brother HL-L2460DW on Amazon
Where to buy	Check price on AmazonBuy at Best Buy	Check price on AmazonBuy at Best Buy
Best for	Most homes and small offices that need color and scanning	Occasional black-and-white documents
Type	Color inkjet all-in-one	Black-and-white laser, print only
Print	check_circle Color and black-and-white 1200 × 1200 dpi black, up to 4800 × 1200 dpi color	check_circle Black-and-white only Up to 1200 × 1200 dpi
Scan	check_circle Flatbed and 35-sheet document feeder	cancel
Copy	check_circle	cancel
Fax	check_circle	cancel
Double-sided printing	check_circle Automatic	check_circle Automatic
Print speed	Up to 22 ppm black, 18 ppm color	Up to 36 ppm black
Paper tray	250 sheets	250 sheets
Standard cartridges	Check price on AmazonCyan · 800 pagesCheck price on AmazonMagenta · 800 pagesCheck price on AmazonYellow · 800 pagesCheck price on AmazonBlack · 1,250 pagesCheck price on AmazonCyan, magenta, yellow, black	Check price on AmazonBlack · 1,200 pages
High-yield cartridges	Check price on AmazonCyan · 1,650 pagesCheck price on AmazonMagenta · 1,650 pagesCheck price on AmazonYellow · 1,650 pagesCheck price on AmazonBlack · 2,500 pagesCheck price on AmazonHigh-yield black, standard colors	Check price on AmazonBlack · 3,000 pages
Biggest drawback	Ink can clog if left unused	No color or scanner

Specifications were checked against current HP and Brother product information on July 31, 2026. Ppm means pages per minute.

HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 printer beside a Mac display on Jimmy's desk — I own the OfficeJet Pro 9015, a predecessor with a very similar design and feature set.

The HP OfficeJet Pro 9125 on Amazon is the best fit for most people because it covers nearly every home-office need without moving into a much larger business printer. I own its predecessor, the OfficeJet Pro 9015, and I have installed and supported this HP OfficeJet Pro line including the OfficeJet Pro 9015e for clients. All of these printers are virtually identical.

It has the features that matter most:

Color printing, scanning, copying, and fax
A 35-sheet document feeder for multi-page scans and copies
Automatic double-sided printing and scanning
A touchscreen that is easier to understand than button-only controls
AirPrint, dual-band WiFi, Ethernet, and USB
Individual ink cartridges, so you replace only the color that runs out

The main drawbacks are size and ink maintenance. It is not enormous, but it needs more room than the Brother laser. Because it is an inkjet, it can also clog if it sits unused for long periods. Print a page every few weeks if you rarely use it.

Photo quality is good enough for everyday prints, but this is not a dedicated photo printer. For an occasional photo, I would use a local photo-printing service. If you print photos regularly, choose a printer designed for that job.

What to know about HP ink and Instant Ink

I recommend genuine HP ink because I have seen leaking or poorly made third-party cartridges cause trouble for clients. The 9125 uses HP 936 black ink and separate cyan, magenta, and yellow cartridges. If you print regularly, the HP 936e high-yield black cartridge holds more ink.

HP uses dynamic security in the 9125. Cartridges need a new or reused HP chip, and a future firmware update can block a cartridge with a non-HP chip. That does not mean every remanufactured cartridge is incompatible, but it does make off-brand ink less predictable.

HP Instant Ink is optional on the 9125. I recommend declining it during setup unless you have reviewed the plan and know it fits your printing habits. The subscription charges by pages printed, not by the amount of ink you use. If you cancel, HP says the subscription cartridges stop working at the end of the billing cycle and must be replaced with regular cartridges. You can read HP’s current cancellation terms before deciding. But I nearly universally advise against it.

Best black-and-white printer for Mac: Brother HL-L2460DW

If you print forms, shipping labels, recipes, or other black-and-white documents, buy the Brother HL-L2460DW on Amazon or at Best Buy. It prints only in black and white, and it does not scan or copy. That simplicity is its strength.

Laser toner is a dry powder, so it does not have the clogged-nozzle problem that can affect an inkjet left unused. The Brother prints up to 36 pages per minute, holds 250 sheets, supports automatic double-sided printing, and connects through AirPrint, dual-band WiFi, Ethernet, or USB.

A Brother TN830XL high-yield toner cartridge is rated for about 3,000 pages. For many home users, that means toner replacements are infrequent.

The tradeoffs are clear: no color, scanner, copier, or fax. If you only need to scan something now and then, the document scanner built into the Notes app on an iPhone may be enough.

Who should skip these printers?

Frequent photo printers: choose a dedicated photo printer instead.
High-volume offices: look for a business-class printer with higher monthly-duty ratings and larger paper capacity.
People who do not need color or scanning: skip the inkjets and buy the Brother laser.
People with very little space: check the measurements before ordering. All-in-one printers need room above the scanner lid and in front of the paper tray.

How to set up your printer on a Mac

Use the HP app for the HP or the Brother Mobile Connect app for either Brother to connect the printer to your WiFi network. Then make sure your Mac is on the same network.

Open a document on your Mac, choose File > Print, and select the printer from the Printer menu. If it does not appear, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, and select it there.

Before you buy

Decide whether you need color and whether you want a built-in scanner.
Measure the shelf or table, including room to open the scanner lid.
Use genuine manufacturer ink or toner unless you are comfortable troubleshooting cartridge compatibility.
If you buy an inkjet, print something every few weeks to help keep the printhead clear.
Keep a spare black cartridge or toner on hand before an important deadline, not after the printer runs out.

Key takeaways

For most Mac users, buy the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125 on Amazon for color printing, scanning, and copying.
For occasional black-and-white documents, buy the Brother HL-L2460DW on Amazon or at Best Buy.
For frequent color printing with long-life cartridges, consider the Brother MFC-J4355DW, with the caveat that I have not personally tested it yet.
Decline HP Instant Ink during setup unless you have reviewed the plan and know it fits your printing habits.

What's the best printer for Mac?