Head-to-head · Best All-in-One Printers Under $300

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820 vs HP Envy 6555e

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about home offices that print high document volume and want the largest paper tray and fastest text — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best All-in-One Printers Under $300

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820

4.4

$129.99as of May 26

The WF-3820 is the high-capacity workhorse pick, with a 250-sheet tray, the largest here, and the fastest measured text speed: Consumer Reports clocked 5 pages in 19 seconds at just 6.6 cents per page. It is a full four-function AIO with a big 6.8-inch touchscreen. The compromises are weak photo quality and cartridge running costs that trail the Brother MFC-J4335DW's INKvestment Tank.

Strengths

— Large 250-sheet main tray, the highest input capacity in this group
— Fast text printing: 5 pages in 19 seconds, the quickest measured here
— Very good text quality at a low 6.6 cents per page

Watch-outs

— Below-par photo quality, near the bottom among inkjets tested
— PrecisionCore cartridges cost more long-term than the Brother's INKvestment
— Bulkier footprint than the compact HP Envy 6555e

$129.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best All-in-One Printers Under $300

HP Envy 6555e

4.2

$149.99as of Jun 7

The Envy 6555e is the compact, budget pick for light home use, the smallest and cheapest printer here. TechRadar and RTINGS note crisp black text and quiet, easy operation, though it is frustratingly slow on large documents. It adds auto duplex and a 35-sheet ADF in a small body. The compromises are slow speed, a two-cartridge system that raises color costs, no fax, and HP's Instant Ink push.

Strengths

— Compact, lightweight design at 13.5 lb, the smallest footprint in this group
— Crisp, dark black text that looks precise and professional
— Affordable buy-in, typically the cheapest pick here

Watch-outs

— Frustratingly slow at large text documents
— Two-cartridge (black + tri-color) system raises color running costs
— No fax and a small 2.4-inch touchscreen

$149.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820

The high-capacity workhorse. The largest paper tray here beats the Brother MFC-J4335DW and the HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e, and its measured text speed is the fastest in this group. But its cartridge running cost trails the Brother MFC-J4335DW's INKvestment Tank, and like the Brother MFC-J4335DW its photo quality is weak compared with the Canon PIXMA TR8620a. It is bulkier than the compact HP Envy 6555e.

HP Envy 6555e

The compact budget pick. It is smaller, lighter, and cheaper than the Brother MFC-J4335DW, HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e, Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820, or Canon PIXMA TR8620a, but it is the slowest document printer and its two-cartridge system costs more for color than the Brother MFC-J4335DW's INKvestment Tank. It lacks the fax the others include and has a smaller touchscreen.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820	HP Envy 6555e
Type	Color inkjet (PrecisionCore)	Color inkjet (2-cartridge)
Functions	Print / Copy / Scan / Fax	Print / Copy / Scan
Print Speed	21 ppm black / 11 ppm color (ISO)	—
Resolution	2400 x 4800 dpi	—
Paper Capacity	250-sheet tray + 35-sheet ADF	—
Duplex	Automatic 2-sided print	—
Display	6.8" color touchscreen	2.4" color touchscreen
Connectivity	Wi-Fi + Ethernet + USB	Wi-Fi
Paper Handling	—	35-sheet ADF + auto duplex
Ink	—	1 black + 1 tri-color
Dimensions	—	6.7" x 17.1" x 14.2"
Weight	—	13.5 lb

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