Popular Mechanics; Courtesy HP
It’s really nice to have a printer at your home office or at your work desk, but these bulky pieces of technology can get pretty expensive. If you’re just printing documents for personal use, there’s no reason you need to break the bank on your printer. And even if you print frequently, there are plenty of affordable options out there. Also, just because your printer didn’t cost you a ton of money, that doesn’t mean it has to be low quality; there are plenty of options that strike a good balance. To help you with your search, we've rounded up the best cheap printers on the market to enhance your home office setup.
Best Cheap Printers
1
Best Overall
DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One Wireless Printer HP
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2
Best Inkjet
Expression Home XP-4105 Wireless Printer Epson
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3
Best Premium Inkjet Printer
PIXMA TR4520 Wireless All in One Photo Printer Canon
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4
Best for College Students
PIXMA MG3620 All-in-One Printer Canon
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5
Best for Photos
ENVY Photo 7855 All-in-One Wireless Photo Printer HP
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What to Consider
When you’re shopping for a cheap printer, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider before making a purchase. The most important will likely be the size, connectivity options, print speed, and the type of printer.
Size
If you were working in an office with a ton of people, a big printer would likely be necessary, but if your printer is solely being used in your home office, you don’t want something that takes up a ton of space. We've included dimensions for all the models we cover below.
Connectivity
For simple installation and printing, you're going to want a printer that connects via Wi-Fi. This reduces cord clutter and makes the printing process more user-friendly.
Print Speed
If you need to print a lot of documents, you don’t want your printer holding you up. The PPM, or pages per minute, will give you a good idea of how quickly a particular model will print documents. Keep in mind that if you’re not printing a ton, this is less important.
Inkjet Versus Laser
Inkjets use ink and laser printers melt toner powder. The difference between the two is that laser cartridges are more expensive but more efficient. If you rarely print documents, an inkjet printer might be a better option.
How We Selected
We used a thorough selection process to find you the best cheap printer options on the market in 2022. First, we sought out respected resources to offer their takes. Trusted reference points like PCMag and TechRadar helped us narrow down our selections. Next, we divided our picks into categories to make it easier to choose a printer that will meet your specific needs. Finally, we combed through each category and only selected printers that had average user ratings of four stars or more from customers who purchased these models from Amazon and Walmart. We also made sure to exclude any printers that cost more than $275.
For more great additions to your home office setup, check out our picks for the best desk fans, office chairs, and best standing desks!
1
Best Overall
HP
DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One Wireless Printer
2
Best Inkjet
Epson
Expression Home XP-4105 Wireless Printer
3
Best Premium Inkjet Printer
Canon
PIXMA TR4520 Wireless All in One Photo Printer
4
Best for College Students
Canon
PIXMA MG3620 All-in-One Printer
5
Best for Photos
HP
ENVY Photo 7855 All-in-One Wireless Photo Printer
6
Best Performance
HP
OfficeJet Pro 8025e Wireless Color All-in-One Printer
7
Best Smart Printer
Canon
PIXMA TS Series Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
8
Best Budget Printer
Pantum
P2502W Compact Monochrome Wireless Laser Printer
9
Best Black and White
Canon
LBP113w imageCLASS
10
Best Thermal Printer
HPRT
Wireless Bluetooth Portable Printer
11
Best for Small Businesses
Pantum
M7102DW Laser Printer Scanner Copier 3 in 1
12
Best for Mobile Offices
Canon
TR150 Portable Printer
Douglas Helm Douglas Helm is a freelance writer who specializes in the technology space.