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How we rank products

The formula is the same on every comparison: official maker specification figures, published weights, and no paid placement.

1. Specs come from official maker specification pages

We enter only figures published on official Brother, Epson, Lexmark and Xerox product pages (and official Epson specification sheets when the official product page links one), and we link that official page under every product. If a figure isn't published we show "Not listed" instead of guessing. Official print speed, when the maker footnotes ISO/IEC 24734, is that official ISO figure, not a speed we measured. Official recommended monthly page volume is a different official figure from official maximum monthly duty cycle and is not scored. Official print resolution and official ADF capacity on laser pages are shown as facts when published; official ADF is not scored in the laser tables, because many official printer-only pages omit an ADF.

2. Scores use a fixed reference range

Each criterion has a fixed reference range, from a "weakest reasonable" value to a "best in class" value (for example official black print speed from 20 to 55 ppm in the monochrome laser table). A product's figure is placed on that range and clamped between 0 and 1, so scores stay meaningful as products are added. Official figures outside a category's reference range are clamped at those reference ends for scoring only. The official figures still appear on the product page. The ranges are listed below.

Monochrome laser printers

  • Official black print speed · weight 35 · range 20–55 ppm — The official black print speed published on the official product page or official specification sheet, in pages per minute. When the official page footnotes ISO/IEC 24734, that is the official ISO figure, not a speed we measured. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official monthly duty cycle · weight 30 · range 10000–175000 pages — The official maximum monthly duty cycle published on the official product page, in pages (or official images per month when that is the official unit). Official recommended monthly page volume is a different official figure and is not scored. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official standard paper input · weight 25 · range 250–1040 sheets — The official standard paper input capacity published on the official product page, in sheets. When the official page lists both a standard-capacity total and a smaller main-tray figure, we use the official standard input-capacity total. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official automatic duplex · weight 10 · range 0–1 — Whether the official product page lists automatic (standard / integrated) two-sided printing. Official manual duplex is scored as No. Not listed scores at the category minimum.

Color laser printers

  • Official black print speed · weight 20 · range 18–42 ppm — The official black print speed published on the official product page or official specification sheet, in pages per minute. When the official page footnotes ISO/IEC 24734, that is the official ISO figure, not a speed we measured. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official color print speed · weight 20 · range 8–42 ppm — The official color print speed published on the official product page or official specification sheet, in pages per minute. Missing official color speed is shown as Not listed and scores at the category minimum. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official monthly duty cycle · weight 25 · range 25000–150000 pages — The official maximum monthly duty cycle published on the official product page, in pages (or official images per month when that is the official unit). Official recommended monthly page volume is a different official figure and is not scored. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official standard paper input · weight 25 · range 250–780 sheets — The official standard paper input capacity published on the official product page, in sheets. When the official page lists both a standard-capacity total and a smaller main-tray figure, we use the official standard input-capacity total. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official automatic duplex · weight 10 · range 0–1 — Whether the official product page lists automatic (standard / integrated) two-sided printing. Official manual duplex is scored as No. Not listed scores at the category minimum.

Inkjet all-in-ones and printers

  • Official black print speed · weight 25 · range 6–28 ppm — The official black print speed published on the official product page or official specification sheet, in pages per minute. When the official page footnotes ISO/IEC 24734, that is the official ISO figure, not a speed we measured. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official color print speed · weight 20 · range 4–25 ppm — The official color print speed published on the official product page or official specification sheet, in pages per minute. Missing official color speed is shown as Not listed and scores at the category minimum. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official monthly duty cycle · weight 20 · range 1500–50000 pages — The official maximum monthly duty cycle published on the official product page, in pages (or official images per month when that is the official unit). Official recommended monthly page volume is a different official figure and is not scored. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official standard paper input · weight 15 · range 100–550 sheets — The official standard paper input capacity published on the official product page, in sheets. When the official page lists both a standard-capacity total and a smaller main-tray figure, we use the official standard input-capacity total. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official ADF capacity · weight 15 · range 15–50 sheets — The official automatic document feeder capacity published on the official product page, in sheets. Many home inkjets have no official ADF; that is Not listed and scores at the category minimum. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown.
  • Official automatic duplex · weight 5 · range 0–1 — Whether the official product page lists automatic (standard / integrated) two-sided printing. Official manual duplex is scored as No. Not listed scores at the category minimum.

3. Missing official figures never beat published ones

When a scored field is Not listed, it receives the category minimum for that criterion. An unpublished number cannot outrank a published one. We do not use prices or customer ratings, even if a retailer later lists them.

4. What the score cannot tell you

The score cannot tell you how a page will look, how official ink or toner will cost over time, or whether the official paper sizes and official ADF are right for the work. Official print speed is a published figure, not a test we ran. Official duty cycle is the published official peak volume, not a recommended monthly target. Use the score to shortlist, then read the pros, cons, safety notes and sources, and confirm the current official specification with the maker and the retailer. When we add hands-on testing notes, we label them clearly.