Best Cheap Printers in 2024: to make copies of digital files on paper

These days, printers come in all sorts of price ranges, but it can be a little difficult to find the best portable printer if you're on a budget.

From my own experience with cheap printers, I know that you can get the job done with printing at home without spending a lot of money. One important thing to keep in mind when looking for a cheap printer is that some manufacturers sell printers for less money up front, but they make up for it by charging more for things like ink cartridges. This strategy lets them recoup their costs over time, which means that printers that seem cheap at first may end up costing a lot more in the long run.

Due to the rising cost of living and rising interest rates, a lot of people are looking for the best cheap printers right now. But you shouldn’t cut off your nose in order to save your face. Although printers are often on sale, we have selected printers that have a low MSRP and no low retail price, so they remain a very affordable choice even without a discount.

Benefits of Owning a Cheap Printer

Having a cheap printer can be helpful in more ways than one, especially for people or small businesses on a tight budget. Here are a few good things about having a cheap printer:

Cost-effective: A cheap printer’s most obvious benefit is that it doesn’t cost much. It costs less to get started, making it easier for people on a tight budget to do.

Basic printing needs: If you only need to print black-and-white documents, simple graphics, or a few color pages every now and then, a cheap printer can do all of these things well.

Convenience: Having a printer at home or in a small office can save you time and energy because you don’t have to go to a print shop to print documents or pictures.

Privacy and security: When you have your own printer, you decide what to print. This makes sure that sensitive information stays private and safe.

Flexibility: Many cheap printers can handle different paper sizes, including standard letter and legal sizes as well as smaller formats like envelopes and index cards. This makes them useful for a variety of printing needs.

Best Cheap Printers Comparison Table

The most affordable printers on the market are shown in the comparison table below. These printers have been chosen because they are easy on the wallet and have great features. Whether you’re a student, a home user, or the owner of a small business, these printers are a great deal. The table compares important things like print quality, speed, ways to connect, and types of media that can be used. It also looks at how easy it is to use, how well it works with mobile devices, and how much replacement ink or toner costs. From all-in-one printers that can do a lot to small laser printers, this comparison gives you all the information you need to choose the best cheap printer for your needs.

ModelBrother MFC-J1205WCanon Pixma iP8720Canon Pixma TR4520HP LaserJet Pro M15wEpson Expression Home XP-4100Canon Pixma TS6420Brother MFC-J885DWCanon PIXMA TS702Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820Canon TS302
Printing TechnologyInkjetInkjetInkjetLaserInkjetInkjetInkjetInkjetInkjetInkjet
Print Resolution6000 x 1200 dpi9600 x 2400 dpi4800 x 1200 dpi600 x 600 dpi5760 x 1440 dpi4800 x 1200 dpi6000 x 1200 dpi4800 x 1200 dpi4800 x 2400 dpi4800 x 600 dpi
Print Speed (Black)12 ppm14.5 ppm8.8 ppm19 ppm10.0 ppm15.0 ppm12 ppm15 ipm20 ppm7.7 ipm
Print Speed (Color)10 ppm10.4 ppm4.4 ppmNot Applicable5.0 ppm10.0 ppm10 ppm10 ipm10 ppm4 ipm
Paper SizeA4, Letter, A5A3, A4, A5, A6A4, Letter, A5A4, LetterA4, Letter, Legal, 4×6″, 5×7″A4, Letter, A5A4, Letter, A5A4, Letter, A5A4, LetterA4, Letter
Duplex PrintingManualManualAutomaticManualAutomaticAutomaticManualAutomaticAutomaticManual
Wireless ConnectivityYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
Mobile PrintingYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
Scanner TypeFlatbedNot ApplicableFlatbedNot ApplicableFlatbedFlatbedFlatbedFlatbedFlatbedFlatbed
Scanner Resolution1200 x 2400 dpiNot Applicable600 x 1200 dpiNot Applicable1200 x 2400 dpi1200 x 2400 dpi2400 x 1200 dpi1200 x 2400 dpi1200 x 2400 dpi600 x 1200 dpi
Automatic Document FeederYesNot ApplicableYesNot ApplicableYesYesYesYesYesNo

Brother MFC-J1205W

Best Cheap Printer

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelBrother MFC-J1205W
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SpeedUp to 12 ppm (black/color)
ConnectivityWi-Fi, USB 2.0
Paper Capacity100 sheets

Like all multifunction printers, the brother printer has a flatbed scanner for scanning and copying documents and photos. However, it’s the only device in our group besides the Canon TS6420 printer that doesn’t have an automatic document feeder (ADF), so you’ll have to place pages on the glass one at a time. Overall, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

If you’re likely to need to copy or scan multi-page documents and don’t want to spend time processing one page at a time, you should look for another device. For jobs that are too complex for the control panel, the Brother, like most modern printers, has a built-in web portal or interface for configuring security, monitoring supplies and generating reports. You can open the portal from your local area network (LAN) using any web browser, including your smartphone or tablet.

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Pros

  • Low price
  • Good output quality, especially text
  • Borderless printing

Cons

  • No automatic document feeder
  • No flash memory support

Canon Pixma iP8720

Best Cheap Monochrome Printer

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelCanon Pixma iP8720
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SizeUp to 13″ x 19″
ConnectivityWi-Fi, USB 2.0
Ink CartridgesSix-color system

The Canon Pixma iP8720 is an excellent printer for home use that combines great features with an affordable price. The quality is good enough for photo printing, and if you need wider sizes, you can also print 13 x 19 pages. The paper tray holds 120 sheets, and our tests found print speeds of 13.3 pages per minute for black and white, while Canon claims up to 10.4 pages per minute for color prints.

Overall, the Pixma iP8720 is a remarkable printer and a good choice, especially for those who need to print flyers and other slightly larger materials. However, if you are a professional photographer or avid hobbyist, you will need a printer with high image quality. This printer supports both a USB port and Wi-Fi, plus Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print. Thus, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

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Pros

  • Print sizes up to 13×19
  • Excellent output quality
  • Great for photo and everyday printing

Cons

  • Slightly dark skin tones
  • Large, heavy

Canon Pixma TR4520

Pared-down printer offers bare essentials

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelCanon Pixma TR4520
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SpeedUp to 8.8 ppm (black/color)
ConnectivityWi-Fi, USB 2.0
Automatic Feeder20 sheets

The Canon Pixma TR4520 Wireless Printer has a print speed of 8.8 pages per minute for black and white pages and 5 pages per minute for color pages, for an average of 6.9 pages per minute. Granted, it’s not the fastest printer in the world, but it should still be sufficient for light home office use. However, if you need a faster printer because you won’t be printing much at home, consider the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015. Still, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

The Canon Pixma TR4520 printer driver is another example of how a Canon printer for home use is hard to beat when it comes to imaging. Business graphics look fantastic, photos are stunning and vibrant (especially on glossy photo paper), and text documents are easy to read down to the smallest font size. Since this is a printer designed specifically for photo printing, this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Another good example is the HP Designjet T120.

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Pros

  • Fairly compact size
  • Auto-duplexing
  • 20-sheet ADF

Cons

  • Slow document printing.
  • High running costs.

HP LaserJet Pro M15w printer

Affordable AIO for office use

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelHP LaserJet Pro M15w
Print TechnologyLaser
Print SpeedUp to 19 ppm
ConnectivityWi-Fi, USB 2.0
Paper Handling150-sheet input tray

The M15w is a very basic black and white printer with only one input tray that can only hold A4 and some smaller paper sizes. You won’t find any fancy features like duplex printing here and if you need a flatbed scanner, you should wait for the similarly designed HP printers. What the M15w does offer, however, is a fast print speed (19 ppm) with the economy and consistency of LaserJet technology in a compact device that takes up little more desk space than an A4 sheet. For now, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

And while it has few features on board (there’s not even an LCD display), it’s equipped with Wi-Fi and supported by an excellent smartphone app that simplifies installation and offers features like scanning and printing from the cloud. The toner cartridge is comparatively large and slides easily into the device. The companion app notifies you when it needs replacing and directs you to a supplier. On the back is a square port for a Lightning USB cable, which is included in the box.

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Pros

  • Fast printing at 19ppm
  • Affordable and easy to use
  • Strong app support

Cons

  • No LCD display
  • No settings to adjust

Epson Expression Home XP-4100

Low-cost laser printer that prints swiftly

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelEpson Expression Home XP-4100
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SpeedUp to 10 ppm (black/color)
ConnectivityWi-Fi, USB 2.0, SD card slot
Paper Capacity100 sheets

Epson’s Expression printers are designed specifically for households that don’t print frequently, but still need to print some documents or photos. Thanks to the particularly simple controls, anyone can use these printers. Despite its simple design, the XP-4100 offers welcome premium features like automatic two-sided printing and Wi-Fi Direct compatibility for mobile devices.

Voice control lets you print shopping lists instantly, for example. While the 10mm print speed isn’t overwhelming, Epson didn’t design the Expression Home XP-4100 for large jobs. When buying replacement cartridges, you should note that a special cartridge with instant-drying Clarion ink is required. Overall, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

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Pros

  • Decent color gamut.
  • Feature-rich mobile app.
  • Reasonably low cost-per-print.

Cons

  • Terrible page yield.
  • Poor color accuracy.
  • Requires a lot of maintenance.

Canon Pixma TS6420

Affordable and feature-rich office printer

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelCanon Pixma TS6420
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SpeedUp to 15 ppm (black/color)
ConnectivityWi-Fi, USB 2.0
Paper Capacity100 sheets

The Pixma TS series is Canon’s product line optimized for photos. The TS6420 does have a scanner, but it is not meant for frequent use. Therefore, there is no automatic document scanner (ADF); you lift the lid and place the documents directly on the scanner bed. Of the devices mentioned above, only the Brother and HP models have a built-in ADF. If you’re a fan of smart devices, you may not need this screen at all. Like many newer consumer printers, the TS6420 supports voice activation via Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant. Still, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

The paper feed consists of two 100-sheet trays: a front tray and a tray that pulls out at the back. The rear tray can also hold up to 20 sheets of premium photo paper or 10-size envelopes, and the printer automatically detects the media type and source when needed. The TS6320’s capacity options are the same. Comparable printers typically hold less. The Epson XP-6100 holds 100 sheets up to “Legal” size and 20 sheets of premium photo paper in snapshot format, the Brother MFC-J995DW holds 101 sheets in letter format, and the HP Envy Photo 7855 can hold up to 100 sheets in letter format, 40 sheets of premium photo paper, or 10 envelopes in size 10.

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Pros

  • Good print quality
  • Two paper input trays
  • Relatively low purchase price

Cons

  • No memory card support
  • High running costs

Brother MFC-J885DW

Great all-in-one printer that’s cheap

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelBrother MFC-J885DW
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SpeedUp to 12 ppm (black/color)
ConnectivityWi-Fi, USB 2.0, NFC
Automatic Feeder20 sheets

At $199, the Brother MFC-J4535DW tank all-in-one color inkjet printer may not sound like a great buy, but keep in mind that up to a year of free ink is included with this printer. Despite the “tank” name, the Brother MFC-J4535DW uses cartridges, not ink tanks, so you’ll need replacement cartridges rather than refills to stay current.

However, printing remains affordable when you choose the high-yield INKvestment brand XL ink cartridges, which give you high print performance at a low cost. Two paper trays with a capacity of up to 400 sheets ensure you don’t run out of paper in the middle of a job. And to make your paper supply last even longer, automatic duplex printing is also supported.

The printer has a 2.7-inch touchscreen for control and supports cloud printing and smartphone printing with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC standards. Faxing, scanning, and copying are also supported by this multifunction printer. You can conveniently print from a flash drive via the front USB port. Overall, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

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Pros

  • Prints, scans, copies, faxes.
  • Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and NFC.
  • Duplexer.

Cons

  • Low paper capacity.
  • Text quality at the low end of the range for inkjet MFPs.

Canon PIXMA TS702

Stripped-back inkjet for low printing costs

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelCanon PIXMA TS702
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SpeedUp to 15 ppm (black/color)
ConnectivityWi-Fi, Ethernet, USB 2.0
Paper Capacity350 sheets (with optional tray)

Since scanning and copying is done from your mobile device and the TS702 does not support printing from USB sticks or other storage media, it does not require a large control panel. There is no need to display images on a graphical touch screen. Instead, there is a two-line dot matrix display that can be controlled via arrow keys and an OK button (see below). Canon doesn’t usually publish print volume figures for its consumer printers, but in this case the TS702 is quoted as having a maximum monthly print output of 15,000 pages and a recommended monthly print volume of up to 1,000 pages.

Both values are high for a consumer photo printer in this price range. The Tango X, for example, has a maximum monthly print output of 500 pages and a recommended print volume of up to 300 pages, and the DeskJet 3755 has a monthly print output of 1,000 pages and a recommended print volume of up to 200 pages. However, as you will soon see, getting the TS702 even close to its recommended volume is a costly endeavor. Thus, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

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Pros

  • Small footprint.
  • Massive paper input capacity for its size.
  • Robust mobile device support.

Cons

  • Lacks flash memory drive support.
  • High cost per page.

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820

Affordable and speedy mono laser printing

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelEpson WorkForce Pro WF-3820
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SpeedUp to 21 ppm (black/color)
ConnectivityWi-Fi, Ethernet, USB 2.0
Automatic Feeder35 sheets

Like the WorkForce Pro WF-3720, Epson’s new WF-3820 is an all-in-one multifunction printer that can scan, copy and print. New features include faster monochrome printing at 21 pages per minute and color printing at 11 pages per minute. Epson uses its new vibrant DURABrite Ultra instant-dry pigment-based ink for this printer, which gives you smudge-proof results. This makes the Epson Workforce Pro WF-3820 ideal for offices that need a reliable and fast inkjet printer for their documents.

Like its predecessors, the printer has a 2.7-inch color touchscreen that lets you control settings and controls, and uses Wi-Fi for wireless printing. There’s an automatic document feeder for two-sided scanning, and the printer can also print on both sides. The only thing missing here is a fax, which most homes and businesses probably don’t need anymore. For now, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

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Pros

  • Very low cost-per-print.
  • Good color page yield.
  • Lots of connectivity options.

Cons

  • No duplex scanning.
  • Disappointing black page yield.

Canon TS302

Excellent photo printer for large and vivid images

Best Cheap Printers
FeatureDetails
ModelCanon TS302
Print TechnologyInkjet
Print SpeedUp to 7.7 ppm (black), 4 ppm (color)
ConnectivityUSB 2.0
Paper Capacity60 sheets

The Pixma TS302 is equipped with a number of technical features that ensure ease of use and keep the device compact at just 17 inches long. Chief among these are wireless features such as printing via WLAN when the device is connected to the same network, Bluetooth connectivity, and AirPrint support for compatible iOS devices, to name a few. Overall, this is one of the best cheap printers you can buy right now.

Another interesting feature is the smartphone copy, which creates a printable copy of your document with the downloadable one. Simply place the original on the special grid at the top of the printer, take a photo of it, correct the perspective and brightness with the app, and send it to print. FINE technology and the hybrid ink system ensure vivid and detailed images, while small text and lines remain sharp.

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Pros

  • Offers borderless printing up to 4″ x 6″
  • Multiple connectivity options to suit your needs
  • Hybrid ink system for crisp text and vivid colors

Cons

  • Setup takes some extra time and effort

How to Choose the Best Cheap Printer for Your Needs?

To choose the best cheap printer for your needs, you need to think carefully about a number of factors. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make an informed choice:

Figure out what you want to print. Know what you’ll be using the printer for. Do you mostly print papers, pictures, or both? How many people do you expect? Figuring out what you need will help you choose the type of printer that will work best for you.

Inkjet or Laser: Inkjet printers are flexible and can print both text and photos, while laser printers are better for printing large amounts of text documents. If you only print photos once in a while and need a flexible printer, an inkjet might be the way to go. Consider getting a laser printer if you print a lot of text and want to pay less per page.

Speed of Printing: Think about how important speed of printing is for your workflow. Most of the time, laser printers are faster than inkjet printers. Faster print speeds are helpful if you print a lot of large documents or work in a busy office.

Resolution and Print Quality: Pay attention to the printer’s resolution if you want to print photos or graphics. The image quality will be better if there are more dots per inch (dpi). But for simple text documents, a lower dpi might be enough to save money.

Connectivity Options: Make sure the printer has the options you need for connecting. Most printers have USB connections, but if you need Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, make sure the printer has those capabilities.

FAQs

What is the most common type of printer for home use today?

Inkjet printers. Inkjet printers are the default choice for home and consumer use. They are cheap and use liquid ink that is easy to replace and doesn’t cost much. They can print in colour or black and white (also called B&W) and do both well.

Which lasts longer laser or inkjet?

Even though laser printer toner drums are more expensive to replace than inkjet cartridges, they last longer and need to be replaced less often. This means that the cost per page is usually lower.

Amy Hinckley
Amy Hinckley
The Dell Inspiron 15 that her father purchased from QVC sparked the beginning of her interest in technology. At Bollyinside, Amy Hinckley is in charge of content editing and reviewing products. Amy's interests outside of working include going for bike rides, playing video games, and watching football when she's not at her laptop.

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