Technologies
The Best Printers, According to the CNET Staff Who Use Them
Even in the modern age, we still need physical copies sometimes.
While 2023 feels like the distant future, filled with apps and digital files, we still sometimes need hard copies. Pictures need scanning, tickets need printing and lost cat posters must go on streetlights.
While we have a tested-to-destruction list for the best printers, we’ve also put together a list of printers the CNET staff use at home and the office, and the reasons why they chose that particular model.
A printer is one of those things that I don’t use often, and when I do need to use it, I hope that it works. I’ve gone through several printers in recent years, because every time I want to use it the ink is dried out or something else needs to be fixed. I was looking for a low-maintenance option that had affordable ink replacements, and that’s where I came across this Epson model.
It’s an all-in-one unit, so I can still scan documents to my PC when needed, but the best part is that I’ve yet to find the ink dried up when I wanted to use it. It also prints reliably for small and medium jobs. The ink isn’t expensive, and you can buy an XL version of the cartridge which offers 2.5x the capacity for a little extra money. Overall, it’s a great printer if you don’t need to print tons of pages in a short period of time (because it’s a little slow) but still want something that won’t make you go broke when you need new color or black ink.
— Jared DiPane
Epson
The big selling point of the EcoTank line is that it does away with cartridges. Even if you only print a couple of times a week, it’s worth the extra cost. My family prints more than that and we’re still on the original ink refills that came with the printer after years of use. The 3750 model was replaced by the 3850 in September 2021 but they’re essentially the same printer.
Because it’s a lower-end model in the line, the printer isn’t a speed demon with color prints and its tray holds only 250 sheets. It doesn’t have a touchscreen, just a small display and navigation buttons that aren’t backlit. But it has all the other features I’d expect from a compact all-in-one for a small office or home office: You get wired and wireless connections with mobile printing, an auto-document feeder and automatic two-sided printing. Print quality is respectable, too. It excels on black-and-white documents but it’s OK for photos as well.
— Josh Goldman
James Bricknell/CNET
Sublimation is the process of transferring ink from paper to another material like t-shirts, mugs and canvases. There are plenty of options if you are looking to convert a standard printer to use sublimation ink but if possible you should buy a dedicated printer for the job.
The Sawgrass SG500 is purpose-built to print using sublimation ink and paper. It works great too: You can print up a storm of artwork to put on t-shirts for the whole family. If you’re interested in starting your own business using your own art, then this printer is well worth the price.
— James Bricknell
Brother
I’ve had the nearly identical older, now-discontinued version of this printer (the HL-L2340DW) for at least five years and it’s been solid. Unlike some other printers I’ve had, it rarely gets disconnected from the Wi-Fi network so my whole family can easily print stuff from their various computers and phones without me having to troubleshoot the connection. Printing is fast and since its laser ink isn’t expensive per sheet. I’m fine with black and white and the few times I need color I’ll print at the local drugstore.
The one downside is that double-sided printing always jams the feed so I have to take it apart, pull out the paper and restart the job. Sometimes the software seems to select double-sided on its own and I discover the hard way, but once I change back to single-sided (which is what we use most of the time) it’s all good. (Editors’ note: Avoid the HL-L2300DW version, which lacks Wi-Fi.)
— David Katzmaier
HP
My wife loves to make stickers using our HP Envy and the Cricut Explore 3. The Envy has excellent color saturation, especially on the glossy sticker paper she uses. It also has the added bonus of being a scanner, which is especially helpful to scan all our mortgage documents while we move house.
The biggest selling point though is the two-year supply of new inks. Running out of ink is the worst part of using a printer at home, but HP’s replacement service takes away that hassle. It’s worth the money just for that.
— James Bricknell
Brother
I have to make an absurd amount of labels for our son’s Tupperware, school items, folders, cooking products and so on. This makes it so easy. There are different fonts, sizes and styles to choose from.
The keyboard is dreamy and a far cry from the old-school turnstile. I also love the built-in cutting function. Gone are the days of needing scissors when you’re done.
— Danielle Ramirez
HP
Full disclosure: I was the guy who proudly kept his home printer-free while using the office printer for those once- or twice-a-month necessities. Then came the pandemic, and I found myself in need of shipping labels and other documents at home. This tiny HP LaserJet fit perfectly on the bookshelf in my equally tiny Brooklyn apartment, and it reliably prints from PCs, Macs, Chromebooks and smartphones, all over Wi-Fi.
The 2022 model (M110w) is nearly identical to my 2020-era unit (M15w), but take note: The «cheaper» M110we seems to require a subscription to HP’s cloud-ink solution, so go with the pricier model if you want to avoid an always-on connection. Also, this laser printer is black-and-white only, but that’s a feature for me, not a bug.
— John P. Falcone
Originally published June 2022, and updated periodically. Most recent update swaps the Brother HL-L2305DW for the older, discontinued HL-L2340DW.
Other articles from the CNET team
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, Sept. 6
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Sept. 6.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s Mini Crossword is extra-long, as usual on Saturdays. And a couple of the clues were stumpers! Need answers? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: U.S. prez who served four terms
Answer: FDR
4A clue: Hurry, in Shakespearean English
Answer: HIE
7A clue: Only country to have a musical instrument (the harp) as its national emblem
Answer: IRELAND
9A clue: Big name in rum
Answer: BACARDI
10A clue: She holds the record for most #1 Billboard hits by a female rapper (5)
Answer: CARDIB
11A clue: Ancient time-tracking device
Answer: SUNDIAL
12A clue: Ctrl-___-Del
Answer: ALT
13A clue: Opposite of SSW
Answer: NNE
14A clue: Used to be
Answer: WAS
15A clue: Jupiter or Saturn, primarily
Answer: GAS
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Small lie
Answer: FIB
2D clue: Whom Count von Count of «Sesame Street» is a parody of
Answer: DRACULA
3D clue: Takes back, as testimony
Answer: RECANTS
4D clue: 1920s U.S. president
Answer: HARDING
5D clue: Home to the W.N.B.A.’s Fever
Answer: INDIANA
6D clue: Weed gummies
Answer: EDIBLES
8D clue: Cooking grease
Answer: LARD
11D clue: Observed
Answer: SAW
Technologies
Researchers Discover 18 Popular VPNs Are Connected: Why This Matters
All are owned by 3 separate groups but CNET’s recommended VPNs are not on the list
Virtual private networks are popular ways to keep your online activity private and hide your physical location from your internet service provider and apps. But it’s obviously important to choose a safe and secure VPN.
Three university researchers have discovered that 18 of the most widely used VPNs have shared infrastructures with serious security flaws that could expose customers’ browsing activity and leave their systems vulnerable to corrupted data. These VPNs are among the top 100 most popular on the Google Play Store, comprising more than 700 million downloads.
Read more: Best VPN Service for 2025: Our Top Picks in a Tight Race
The peer-reviewed study by the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium found that these VPNs, despite calling themselves independent businesses, are actually grouped into three separate families of companies.
None of CNET’s recommended VPNs — ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN and Mullvad — are on the list. (If you currently don’t have a VPN, here’s why you might want to start using one.)
According to the findings, these are the three groups that contain the 18 VPNs:
- Family A: Turbo VPN, Turbo VPN Lite, VPN Monster, VPN Proxy Master, VPN Proxy Master Lite, Robot VPN, Snap VPN and SuperNet VPN
- Family B: Global VPN, Inf VPN, Melon VPN, Super Z VPN, Touch VPN, VPN ProMaster, XY VPN and 3X VPN
- Family C: X-VPN and Fast Potato VPN
Researchers determined that the VPNs in Family A are shared between three providers linked to Qihoo 360, a firm identified by the US Department of Defense as a Chinese military company. The VPNs in Family B use the same IP addresses from the same hosting company.
Know your VPN’s parent company
It’s a cautionary tale about why it’s important to know who’s behind the VPN you’re using, says CNET senior writer Attila Tomaschek.
«It’s also crucial to know what kinds of data the VPN provider is sharing with its parent company and affiliated entities,» Tomaschek said. «Some of these companies may even be compelled to log customer activity and share it with authorities, depending on the jurisdiction in which they operate.»
Despite the warnings, Tomaschek says it’s not so easy to figure out who controls your VPN. But he says there are measures that customers can take.
«Users can do a few things to help ensure the VPN they’re using is reputable,» Tomaschek says. «Check the privacy policy — specifically for terms like ‘logging,’ ‘data sharing’ or ‘data collection.’ A Google search of the provider can help determine whether the VPN has been involved in questionable activity. Read detailed, unbiased reviews from reputable sources. Be especially wary of signing on with a free VPN, even if it’s listed as a top choice in your app store.»
The PETS researchers examined the most downloaded VPNs on Android, looking for overlaps among business paperwork, web presence and codebase. After identifying code similarities, they were able to group the 18 VPNs into three groups. The study was initially spurred by VPN Pro’s own findings, «Who owns your VPN? 105 VPNs run by just 24 companies.»
CNET’s Tomaschek has advice for anyone who has been using one of these 18 VPNs.
«I’d recommend deleting it from your device immediately,» he said. «If you suspect that any sensitive personal data may have been compromised, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your credit report and look into services like dark web monitoring or identity theft protection.»
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Sept. 6, #348
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Sept. 6, No. 348.
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition was a stumper. But if you play cards, the green group is a fun one for sure. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Racket time.
Green group hint: Ante up!
Blue group hint: NY signal-callers.
Purple group hint: Coach’s CV.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Tennis statistics.
Green group: Poker variants, familiarly.
Blue group: Giants QBs, past and present.
Purple group: Teams coached by Lane Kiffin.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is tennis statistics. The four answers are aces, double faults, unforced errors and winners.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is poker variants, familiarly. The four answers are hold ’em, horse, Omaha and stud.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is Giants QBs, past and present. The four answers are Manning, Simms, Tittle and Wilson.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is teams coached by Lane Kiffin. The four answers are Mississippi, Raiders, Tennessee and USC.
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