Budget Printers for Home Use
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
The best budget printer should be inexpensive to own, not merely inexpensive to buy. My picks cover frequent color printing, black-and-white documents, and occasional home use.
Top picks
Canon PIXMA TR4720 — Best for scanning and faxing
This compact color all-in-one includes an automatic document feeder, mobile printing, faxing, and automatic duplexing.
Why it wins: Few entry-level printers include both an ADF and fax.
- Wireless 4-in-1 (print | copy | scan | fax)..Power Consumption: 7W (0.8W Standby / 0.3W Off)
- Print speed up to: 4" x 6" Borderless Photo (PP-201): Approx. 65.0 Seconds / Black Document (Letter/Simplex): Approx. 8.8 ipm / Color Document (Letter/Simplex): Approx. 4.4 ipm
- Designed for easy ink cartridge installation and replacement.
Pros
- Automatic document feeder
- Automatic duplex printing
- Built-in fax
Cons
- Small ink cartridges
- Better for light use
Social proof: See reviews on Amazon.
Who should skip: Frequent printers seeking the lowest long-term ink cost.
Brother HL-L2460DW — Best for black-and-white documents
This monochrome laser printer offers automatic duplexing, mobile printing, and a 250-sheet tray.
Why it wins: It is fast, simple, and well suited to essays, forms, and shipping labels.
- BEST FOR HOME OFFICES & SMALL TEAMS – Engineered for consistent, premium print quality, the Brother HL-L2460DW Monochrome (Black & White) Laser Printer produces documents that are clear, crisp, and easy to review and share, all at an affordable price
- COMPACT, CONNECTED, EXCEPTIONALLY EFFICIENT– Connect with built-in dual-band wireless (2.4GHz/5GHz), Ethernet, or to a single computer via USB interface. Prints at speeds up to 36ppm(2), plus automatic duplex printing saves time and reduces paper waste
- BROTHER MOBILE CONNECT APP – Manage your wireless printer remotely and print from your mobile device anytime, from almost anywhere. Order Brother Genuine Supplies, track toner usage, and complete more work on-the-go(3)
Pros
- Fast text printing
- Automatic duplexing
- Large paper tray
Cons
- No color printing
- No scanner or copier
Social proof: See reviews on Amazon.
Who should skip: Anyone who needs color assignments or scanning.
Scores: Performance 4.7/5 | Toner efficiency 4.4/5 | Ease 4.5/5 | Value 4.7/5
Epson EcoTank ET-2800 — Best for frequent color printing
The ET-2800 is a cartridge-free color printer with scanning, copying, and refillable ink tanks.
Why it wins: Its refill bottles make more sense than small cartridges for regular printing.
- INNOVATIVE CARTRIDGE-FREE PRINTING — High-capacity ink tanks mean no more dealing with lots of tiny ink cartridges; Epson’s exclusive EcoFit ink bottles make filling easy
- LESS FREQUENT INK REPLACEMENT — Replacement ink bottles don't have to be changed nearly as often as ink cartridges¹; Printer, scanner and copier lets you print up to 4,500 pages black/7,500 color², equivalent to about 90 individual cartridges³
- COLOR PRINTING — Up to 2 years of ink in the box⁴ (and with every replacement ink set) for fewer out-of-ink frustrations with this all-in-one printer
Pros
- High-capacity ink tanks
- Print, scan, and copy
- Good fit for schoolwork
Cons
- No automatic duplexing
- Slow for large jobs
Social proof: See reviews on Amazon.
Who should skip: Occasional users who may leave an inkjet unused for months.
Scores: Performance 4.0/5 | Ink efficiency 4.8/5 | Ease 2>
Canon MegaTank PIXMA G3290 — Best overall
A refillable color all-in-one with scanning, copying, automatic two-sided printing, a touchscreen, and a 100-sheet rear tray.
Why it wins: It offers the best balance of low ink costs and everyday features.
- High-Volume, Cost-Efficient Printing: Print more and save more with the Canon PIXMA G3290’s MegaTank ink reservoir system — delivering up to 6,000 crisp black pages or 7,000 vibrant color pages from one set of ink bottles. That’s the equivalent of 30 standard ink cartridges, giving you outstanding value for high-volume printing.
- Exceptional Print Quality & Speed: Enjoy sharp text and vivid images with a 4800 x 1200 dpi print resolution and hybrid ink technology for deeper blacks and brilliant colors. Boost productivity with fast print speeds of 11 ipm (black) and 6 ipm (color), perfect for documents, graphics, and borderless photos up to 8.5" x 11".
- Easy, Mess-Free Refilling & Monitoring: The integrated front-mounted ink tanks make it simple to check ink levels at a glance. Refilling is clean and effortless—just twist, squeeze, and fill with Canon’s spill-resistant ink bottles for seamless maintenance and uninterrupted printing performance.
Pros
- Refillable ink tanks
- Automatic duplex printing
- Color touchscreen
Cons
- No automatic document feeder
- Modest paper capacity
Social proof: See reviews on Amazon.
Who should skip: Anyone regularly scanning multipage documents.
Scores: Performance 4.4/5 | Ink efficiency 4.8/5 | Ease 4.5/5 | Value 4.7/5
Scores: Performance 3.8/5 | Ink efficiency 3.2/5 | Ease 4.1/5 | Value 4.1/5
HP DeskJet 2855e — Best for occasional printing
The 2855e provides color printing, scanning, copying, wireless connectivity, a 60-sheet input tray, and a flatbed scanner.
Why it wins: It covers basic homework and household printing without unnecessary features.
- The DeskJet 2855e is perfect for homes printing to-do lists, letters, financial documents and recipes. Print speeds up to 5.5 ppm color, 7.5 ppm black
- PERFECTLY FORMATTED PRINTS WITH HP AI – Print web pages and emails with precision—no wasted pages or awkward layouts; HP AI easily removes unwanted content, so your prints are just the way you want
- KEY FEATURES – Color printing, copy, scan, and a 60-sheet input tray
Pros
- Compact all-in-one
- Simple wireless printing
- Flatbed scanner
Cons
- Manual two-sided printing
- Cartridge costs suit light use
Social proof: See reviews on Amazon.
Who should skip: Anyone printing frequently or in large batches.
Scores: Performance 3.5/5 | Ink efficiency 2.9/5 | Ease 4.0/5 | Value 3.8/5
Quick compare
- Canon G3290: Best overall
- Brother HL-L2460DW: Best for black text
- Epson ET-2800: Best for frequent color
- Canon TR4720: Best for scanning and faxing
- HP DeskJet 2855e: Best for occasional use
Buying guide
Choose a refillable ink-tank printer for frequent color output, a monochrome laser for mostly black text, or a basic cartridge printer for occasional household jobs.
Automatic duplexing matters for essays and reports. An automatic document feeder matters more when scanning or copying several pages at once.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.