Best Printers for Mac in 2026 (and How to Avoid macOS Tahoe Printing Headaches)

Last updated: November 9, 2026.

Quick answer: any printer with AirPrint works with a Mac without installing drivers. Our picks: the Brother HL-L2405W (about $140) for black-and-white documents, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 (about $190–$240) for cheap color, the Canon PIXMA TS6420a (about $70) if you print rarely, and the Brother MFC-J4335DW (about $267) for a home office that needs scanning and a document feeder. Since macOS Tahoe 26, a printer that relies on AirPrint has been far less trouble than one that relies on the maker's own Mac software.

Why AirPrint matters more since macOS Tahoe

After macOS Tahoe 26 arrived, Apple's support forums filled up with printing complaints covering HP, Epson, Canon and Brother. The pattern in those threads is consistent:

• Printers that had been added with the maker's own driver stopped printing or showed as offline.
• Scanning through older vendor scan utilities broke, while Apple's own Image Capture app kept working.
• The fixes that worked most often were giving the printer app Local Network permission, removing old vendor software, resetting the printing system and adding the printer again, sometimes by its IP address.

So our first rule for Mac owners is: buy a printer with AirPrint, add it as an AirPrint printer, and scan with Image Capture or the Mac's Printers & Scanners settings. Install the manufacturer's full driver only if you need a feature AirPrint hides (one Tahoe user got duplex options back that way). What is AirPrint? explains how it works.

Our picks at a glance

Prices are typical street prices in November 2026 and change often. All models listed support AirPrint.

Best for documents: Brother HL-L2405W

A small mono laser with AirPrint, Mopria and dual-band Wi-Fi. It works with macOS, iOS and ChromeOS without extra software, and laser toner doesn't dry out if you go weeks between print jobs. Its TN830 toner costs a few cents per page. If you print a lot, step up to the HL-L2460DW for automatic two-sided printing, 36 pages per minute and an Ethernet port. Reviews: HL-L2405W · HL-L2460DW.

Best for cheap color: Epson EcoTank ET-2800

Refillable tanks instead of cartridges, AirPrint, and a flatbed scanner that Image Capture can drive. The bottles are inexpensive (Epson 522), so color pages cost a fraction of a cent. It has no automatic duplex and no document feeder. Full ET-2800 review. If you want duplex and a feeder, the ET-4850 (Epson 502) adds both.

Best if you rarely print: Canon PIXMA TS6420a

About $70 with AirPrint, automatic duplex and a scanner. It's a cartridge printer (PG-260 and CL-261), so cost per page is higher, but if you print a few pages a month the low purchase price wins. Note that its Wi-Fi is 2.4 GHz only. Full TS6420a review.

Best home-office all-in-one: Brother MFC-J4335DW

Auto duplex, a 20-page document feeder and Brother's INKvestment cartridges (LC401), which are much cheaper per page than most cartridge printers. It prints and scans over AirPrint. Full MFC-J4335DW review.

Also worth considering

• Canon PIXMA G3270 (GI-21 ink): a low-cost Canon ink tank. Review.
• Canon SELPHY CP1500: a small 4x6 photo printer that prints over AirPrint from a Mac or iPhone. Review.
• Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 (about $750): for serious photo printing up to 13x19 inches. Review.
• HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e (about $200): reviewers report smooth MacBook setup, but read the HP+ terms before you activate it, because HP+ locks the printer to HP ink. Review.

Setting up any of these on a Mac

1. Connect the printer to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac using its control panel or the maker's phone app.
2. On the Mac, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners and click Add Printer, Scanner or Fax.
3. Pick the printer. Under Use, choose AirPrint unless you specifically need the maker's driver.
4. If the printer doesn't appear, add it by IP address (the IP tab, protocol IPP) or see AirPrint not working.

Step-by-step with screenshots: How to add a printer to a Mac.

Mac Printer FAQs

Do I need drivers to print from a Mac?

Not for an AirPrint printer. macOS includes everything it needs to print and, for most all-in-ones, to scan. You only need the maker's driver for extra features such as some finishing or paper options.

My printer stopped working after updating to macOS Tahoe. What should I try?

Remove the printer from Printers & Scanners, uninstall any old vendor printer software, check that the printer app has Local Network permission in Privacy & Security, then add the printer again as an AirPrint printer. If it still fails, reset the printing system (right-click the printer list) and add it by IP address.

How do I scan on a Mac without the printer's software?

Open the Image Capture app, or go to Printers & Scanners, select the printer and click Open Scanner. Both work with most AirPrint all-in-ones.

Is a laser or inkjet printer better for a MacBook?

If you mainly print documents, a laser printer is cheaper per page and doesn't clog. If you need color or photos, choose an ink tank printer for low running costs.

More help: How to print on a Mac · Best ink tank printers · Find Ink by Printer

By William Elward, founder of Castle Ink (in business since 2005).

Sources

Checked on November 9, 2026.

• Apple: About AirPrint
• Apple Community: printing problems after macOS Tahoe
• Apple Community: scanning after macOS Tahoe