Printers have come a long way in recent years. Wireless printers may be found in nearly any home or office, simply because they are much more convenient than their wired counterparts. Wired models are still used, but wireless printers offer the freedom to put the printer anywhere and not worry about having enough cable to reach.

Top 5 Wireless Printers of 2010

Our research revealed a lot about the top 5 wireless printers of 2010. We'll share the top 5 as well as provide pros and cons of each based on customer reviews.

Canon Pixma MX860

Not only does Canon produce some of the best cameras on the market, their wireless printers have really stepped up and delivered. The Canon Pixma MX860 offers an incredible 9600 x 2400 dpi for color printing. Five individual ink cartridges guarantee perfect color every time. The MX860 is a 4-in-1 machine; copy, print, scan or fax with ease.

The SD card slot allows photographers to take their SD card directly from camera to wireless printer to print pictures without using a computer. The 2.5 inch LCD display allows you to preview or even edit photos before you print.

Customer reviews state that there is no USB functionality for printing and there is no preview from USB. Several customers mentioned margin size, saying the printer cannot produce a copy of a document that has .25 inch or smaller margins. This particular model of wireless printer generally received 3.5 to 4.5 stars of a possible 5 and sells for $180 to $210.

HP OfficeJet Pro 8500

The HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 prints color images up to 4800 x 1200 dpi and holds 500 sheets of paper for heavy duty printing. Print speed is good, at 35 pages per minute (ppm) black and 34 ppm black.

This sleek black and white wireless printer provides 4 functions; print, copy, scan and fax. The 3.4 inch LCD display allows you to preview color or black and white before printing. Easy-to-push buttons make copying, printing and faxing a breeze.

Customer reviews for these printers were mixed. We believe that has to do with the fact that there are three versions of this machine on the market. For example: The base model doesn't have wireless network capability or a large 3.4 inch LCD display. The top-end model, however, does sport those features.

Most of the negative customer reviews referred to a lengthy setup and some connectivity issues. Positive customer reviews included nothing but praise. Overall user rating is 3.8 stars of a possible 5 stars. Prices for the HP Office Jet Pro 8500 range from $200 to $380.

Brother MFC -5890 CN

This wireless printer keeps up with the HP and Canon in terms of ppm. It prints 35 ppm black and 28 ppm color. 6000 x 1200 dpi color printing provides excellent color printing and 600 x 600 dpi is pretty standard for black and white printing. The paper tray holds up to 150 sheets.

Reviews for this printer were through the roof. It was one of the top-reviewed wireless ink jet printers on the market. We consistently read customer reviews of 4.5 of 5 stars or higher than 8 stars of a possible 10.

Cons for this printer include slow black printing, expensive cartridges, and removal of the tray to add paper. Overall, customers seem very pleased with this printer. Prices run from $175 to $210.

Samsung ML-1630W Laser Printer

This is not an all-in-one unit. Nearly every user review gave this wireless laser printer the maximum number of stars for appearance. The sleek, shiny black design adds contemporary style to any home or office setting.

Customer reviews praised the print quality, stating they received extremely sharp prints. These printers may be networked wirelessly or through a cable connection. The paper tray holds up to 100 sheets and the printer itself requires a 15-second warm-up time before printing.

Cons include manual duplexing and troublesome network setup. Some requested a similar style that includes scanner and copier. Compared to many others on the market, those seem like very insignificant cons. Prices range between $150 and $210.

Lexmark Prevail Pro 705

We feel we saved the best for last. The Lexmark Prevail Pro 705 received an astounding 9.1 out of 10 stars. It's one of the best deals on wireless printers available today at around $150 to $200.

This is a 4-in-one printer, copier, scanner, and fax. Many customer reviews felt that the price was low for the quality of the machine. Printing is reportedly excellent, even in standard mode. The front-loading paper tray is easy to use and very large. Two-side printing (duplex) is a snap and setup was very easy according to most customer reviews.

The only real con for the Lexmark Prevail Pro 705 was noisy operation when printing double sided papers. Customer reviews revealed a great deal on a great printer.