Best economy printer: The 4 Best Cheap And Budget Printers – Spring 2023: Reviews
The 4 Best Cheap And Budget Printers – Spring 2023: Reviews
- Table of Contents
- Intro
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Best Budget
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Best Cheap
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Best Budget Monochrome
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Best Cheap Monochrome
- Notable Mentions
- Recent Updates
- All Reviews
- Discussions
Updated May 05, 2023 at 01:20 pm
By Evan Jakab
These days, printers come in all different price ranges, but it can still be a little challenging to find the best printer when you’re on a budget. However, you don’t need to break the bank to find good-performing printers at a reasonable price. Although printers often go on sale, we’ve chosen printers that have a low Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) rather than a low sale price so that even when there isn’t a discount available, they remain very affordable picks. Also, our picks aren’t always the absolute cheapest options, as those tend to have extremely low page yield, meaning you’ll likely end up paying more over time for replacement ink.
We’ve tested over 120 printers, and below are our recommendations for the best value printers you can buy. You can also check out our recommendations for the best printers with cheap ink, the best wireless printers, and the best home printers.
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Best Budget Printer
Brother MFC-J1205W/MFC-J1215W
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Family
7.9
Small/Home Office
7.2
Student
8.0
Black & White
7.3
Photo
7.6
Type
All in One
Technology
Inkjet
SuperTank
No
Color
Yes
Wireless
Yes
See all our test results
The best budget printer we’ve tested is the Brother MFC-J1205W, also known as the Brother MFC-J1215W at Walmart.
It’s an all-in-one color inkjet model designed for general home use. You can connect to the printer via Wi-Fi or USB, and it supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, so you can easily print from your smartphone without needing a third-party app. Scans are sharp and detailed, making it suitable for digitizing photos, and its lid hinges can extend to accommodate thicker items like books and magazines. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have an automatic document feeder, so scanning multi-page documents can take a while.Printing-wise, this model produces high-quality documents as well as detailed and reasonably color-accurate photos. Unfortunately, a tradeoff for its budget-friendly price is its slow printing speed. It also lacks automatic duplex printing, meaning you’ll have to flip the pages manually when printing double-sided. On the bright side, you won’t have to worry too much about long-term maintenance costs, as the ink cartridges yield a large number of prints and are relatively cheap.
If you can afford to spend a little more, you may want to consider the Canon PIXMA G3260. Its feature set is similar to the Brother, but this printer has a refillable ink tank instead of ink cartridges. This high-capacity ink reservoir gives it a much higher page yield, making it even cheaper to maintain over time. However, its scanner doesn’t capture fine details as well as the Brother’s scanner.
See our review
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Best Cheap Printer
Canon PIXMA MG3620
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Family
7.6
Small/Home Office
6.2
Student
7.3
Black & White
6.
7Photo
7.7
Type
All in One
Technology
Inkjet
SuperTank
No
Color
Yes
Wireless
Yes
See all our test results
If you find our budget pick too expensive, check out the Canon PIXMA MG3620, the best cheap printer we’ve tested. It’s a simple all-in-one inkjet printer designed for people who only print occasionally. We say ‘occasionally’ because this model has a black and a tri-color cartridge. It still produces high-quality black and color prints, but it runs out of ink quickly, so you’ll have to replace the cartridges often. Also, you’ll have to replace the tri-color cartridge even if only a single color runs out. It isn’t a cost issue, as the ink cartridges are fairly cheap; it’s just a lot of maintenance, and you might end up with lots of faded or incomplete prints.
The scanner performs well and produces very detailed scans; however, it lacks features like an automatic feeder and duplex scanning. You get Wi-Fi and USB connectivity as well as support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, allowing you to print from iOS and Android devices without installing drivers or third-party apps. Overall, if you only print once in a blue moon for those one-off projects, this model can get it done. However, if you print more than that, you’ll be better off with a printer with a higher page yield, like our budget pick.
See our review
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Best Budget Monochrome Printer
Brother HL-L2350DW
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Family
5.2
Small/Home Office
7.
1Student
7.2
Black & White
7.7
Photo
1.4
Type
Printer Only
Technology
Laser
SuperTank
No
Color
No
Wireless
Yes
See all our test results
If you only print black and white documents, a monochrome laser printer might be a better option. We recommend the Brother HL-L2350DW, a variant of the Brother HL-L2325DW we’ve tested. There’s nothing wrong with the HL-L2325DW; it’s just a little hard to find right now, so the HL-L2350DW is your best bet since it performs almost identically, albeit with a slightly faster printing speed. It has the usual Wi-Fi and USB connectivity and is compatible with Brother’s mobile companion app, which you can use to print or perform maintenance tasks right from your smartphone.
It feels very well-built and produces sharp-looking documents quickly at up to 32 pages per minute. The toner cartridge yields about 1200 prints and is cheap, keeping maintenance costs low. Plus, since it’s a monochrome model, you only ever need to replace a single cartridge. You have to spend extra to replace the drum as it’s a separate unit, but the drum usually lasts about 12,000 prints, so you won’t have to do it all that often. Unfortunately, there’s no scanner, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if you digitize or copy physical documents regularly.
An alternative would be the HP LaserJet MFP M234sdwe. It’s usually more expensive, but it’s on sale at the time of writing, bringing it to roughly the same price as the Brother. It has more features, like an ADF-equipped scanner and Ethernet connectivity, and its toner cartridge lasts longer. However, it prints significantly slower at only 11 pages per minute.
See our review
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Best Cheap Monochrome Printer
Pantum P2502W
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Family
5.
2Small/Home Office
6.4
Student
7.0
Black & White
7.2
Photo
0.9
Type
Printer Only
Technology
Laser
SuperTank
No
Color
No
Wireless
Yes
See all our test results
If you want something cheaper than the Brother HL-L2325DW, get the Pantum P2502W. Like the Brother, this is also a print-only unit with no scanner. That said, its document print quality is outstanding, and its toner cartridge has a very high page yield of a little over 2000 pages. It prints pretty quickly at 23 pages per minute too.
However, it takes a while to warm up and doesn’t support automatic double-sided printing.Unfortunately, this printer tends to push printed sheets off the output tray, which can be inconvenient as you’ll have to rearrange your prints into the right order. This issue can also cause misaligned prints, wasting more time and paper. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it’s an inconvenience nonetheless. The Brother is a better choice if you want to save yourself the hassle. This model can get the job done; just be aware that you might occasionally run into problems.
See our review
It’s an all-in-one color inkjet model designed for general home use. You can connect to the printer via Wi-Fi or USB, and it supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, so you can easily print from your smartphone without needing a third-party app. Scans are sharp and detailed, making it suitable for digitizing photos, and its lid hinges can extend to accommodate thicker items like books and magazines. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have an automatic document feeder, so scanning multi-page documents can take a while.
7
1
2
However, it takes a while to warm up and doesn’t support automatic double-sided printing.Notable Mentions
- Brother MFC-J1010DW:
The Brother MFC-J1010DW is a cheaper alternative to the Brother MFC-J1205W. It has an ADF and faster printing speed than the MFC-J1205W; however, its ink cartridges yield significantly fewer prints, making it more expensive to maintain.
See our review
Recent Updates
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May 05, 2023:
Minor in-text adjustments. Ensured all main picks are still available and represent the best option for user needs.
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Mar 13, 2023:
Minor text changes to add the Canon PIXMA G3260 and the HP LaserJet MFP M234sdwe as alternatives. No change in recommendations. -
Jan 12, 2023:
Minor text changes to improve readability. Replaced the Brother HL-L2325DW with the Brother HL-L2350DW variant due to low availability. -
Nov 14, 2022:
Minor structure change. Replaced the Brother HL-L2370DW with the Pantum P2502W because the Pantum is cheaper. Replaced the Brother HL-L2390DW with the Brother HL-L2325DW because the HL-L2325DW is cheaper. -
Sep 15, 2022:
Restructured article to better match user expectations. Removed the Canon imageCLASS MF242dw, the Canon PIXMA TR4520, the Brother MFC-J4335DW, and the Brother MFC-L2710DW. Added the Canon PIXMA MG3620 as the ‘Best Cheap’ pick, the Brother HL-L2370DW as the ‘Best Cheap monochrome’ pick, and the Brother HL-L2390DW as the ‘Best Budget Monochrome’ pick.
Ensured all main picks are still available and represent the best option for user needs.
Removed the Canon imageCLASS MF242dw, the Canon PIXMA TR4520, the Brother MFC-J4335DW, and the Brother MFC-L2710DW. Added the Canon PIXMA MG3620 as the ‘Best Cheap’ pick, the Brother HL-L2370DW as the ‘Best Cheap monochrome’ pick, and the Brother HL-L2390DW as the ‘Best Budget Monochrome’ pick.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best affordable printers for most people. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you’d like to do the work of choosing yourself, below is a list of our cheap printer reviews, sorted by price from lowest to highest. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no printer is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.
The 6 Best Printers With Cheap Ink – Spring 2023: Reviews
- Table of Contents
- Intro
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Best Printer
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Best Mid-Range
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Best Lower Mid-Range
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Best Budget
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Best Color Laser
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Best Monochrome Laser
- Notable Mentions
- Recent Updates
- All Reviews
- Discussions
Updated May 24, 2023 at 02:51 pm
By Ryan Lim
Whether you’ve started to run low or are now completely out of ink, you can be in for a nasty surprise when it comes time to replace your cartridges or bottles.
Some ink bundles can cost up to your printer’s original price, making refills costly. Printers themselves can also have a low page yield, so you’re stuck constantly replacing your ink cartridges if you want to keep printing, which can quickly add up over time. Additionally, finding a printer with cheap ink isn’t only about the cost of new cartridges but how cost-efficient their cartridges are over time. Generally, the most cost-effective printers are a bit more expensive, but dishing out the extra money is often worth it, thanks to the much larger page yields.
We’ve tested over 125 printers, and below are our recommendations for the best printers with cheap toner or ink you can buy, depending on your needs. You can also check out our recommendations for the best home printers, the best photo printers, and the best all-in-one printers.
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Best Printer With Cheap Ink
Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850
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Family
8.
7Small/Home Office
9.0
Student
9.3
Black & White
8.9
Photo
8.3
Estimated Black Page Yield
4,921 prints
Estimated Color Page Yield
2,532 prints
Third Party Cartridge
No Cartridges
Black-Only Printing Cost
0.006 US$/print
Color Printing Cost
0.027 US$/print
Photo Printing Cost
0.072 US$/print
See all our test results
The best printer with cheap ink we’ve tested is the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850.
If you’re looking to save on ink costs, a supertank printer is the way to go; instead of expensive cartridges, printers of this type have a large ink reservoir that can be topped up with cheap bottles, with a full tank yielding thousands of prints. It produces very high-quality black and color documents and is fast, pushing out 25 black or color pages per minute. As for photos, they look detailed and colorful but a tad grainy. The scanner has an automatic document feeder, so you can quickly process long, multi-page documents and scan double-sided sheets, albeit in two passes. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB; you can also print directly off a USB flash drive.If you want something similarly-designed but oriented more towards photo printing, get the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550, one of the best all-in-one printers with cheap ink we’ve tested. It has a wider color range and produces photos with less grain. Plus, it supports wide format paper sizes up to 13″ x 19″, which is great for making posters.
However, it doesn’t have an ADF, prints slower, and its document printing quality isn’t quite as good as the ET-5850. You can get the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 variants if you don’t need wide-format printing. It performs identically but only supports up to 8.5″ x 11″ paper.See our review
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Best Mid-Range Printer With Cheap Ink
Epson EcoTank ET-3850
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Family
8.3
Small/Home Office
8.1
Student
8.6
Black & White
8.2
Photo
7.
7Estimated Black Page Yield
7,885 prints
Estimated Color Page Yield
4,681 prints
Third Party Cartridge
No Cartridges
Black-Only Printing Cost
0.003 US$/print
Color Printing Cost
0.008 US$/print
Photo Printing Cost
0.022 US$/print
See all our test results
If you don’t need a premium model like the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 above, get the Epson EcoTank ET-3850 instead, one of the best home printers with cheap ink we’ve tested. Like our top pick, it’s an all-in-one supertank model that yields thousands of prints with a full ink reservoir, keeping cost-per-print very low. It has the usual USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connectivity options and support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. As for its print quality, black documents look amazing, but color documents come out a little washed out.
Its printing speed is decent, churning out 15 black or seven color pages per minute. Unfortunately, it lacks duplex scanning and isn’t ideal for photo printing, as printed pictures look grainy with inaccurate colors.See our review
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Best Lower Mid-Range Printer With Cheap Ink
Brother MFC-J4335DW
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Family
8.2
Small/Home Office
8.2
Student
8.4
Black & White
8.5
Photo
7.
3Estimated Black Page Yield
2,280 prints
Estimated Color Page Yield
825 prints
Third Party Cartridge
No Cartridges
Black-Only Printing Cost
0.014 US$/print
Color Printing Cost
0.078 US$/print
Photo Printing Cost
0.202 US$/print
See all our test results
If you’re shopping for a printer cheaper than the Epson EcoTank ET-3850, consider the Brother MFC-J4335DW, one of the best printers for home use with cheap ink we’ve tested. Unlike the previously mentioned Epson EcoTank models, this printer uses ink cartridges. While the cartridges are pricey and result in a lower page yield than supertank models, this printer can still output roughly 2,000 black and 800 color prints, which is outstanding, and you can get XL cartridges that’ll last even longer.
It prints quickly at 17 black or 15 color pages per minute and supports automatic double-sided printing. It also has a scanner with an ADF that can process up to 20 pages per minute and produces high-quality scans; however, it doesn’t support duplex scanning.See our review
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Best Budget Printer With Cheap Ink
Brother MFC-J1205W/MFC-J1215W
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Family
7.9
Small/Home Office
7.2
Student
8.0
Black & White
7.3
Photo
7.
6Estimated Black Page Yield
1,178 prints
Estimated Color Page Yield
766 prints
Third Party Cartridge
No Cartridges
Black-Only Printing Cost
0.021 US$/print
Color Printing Cost
0.054 US$/print
Photo Printing Cost
0.142 US$/print
See all our test results
Our pick for the best budget printer with cheap ink is the Brother MFC-J1205W, also known as the Brother MFC-J1215W at Walmart. It’s very similar to our mid-range pick, the Brother MFC-J4335DW, but as it’s a more affordable model, it does come with some tradeoffs; it prints a little slower, and its scanner doesn’t feature an automatic document feeder. It also uses lower-yield, slightly cheaper cartridges than its more expensive stablemate. You can expect a maximum of roughly 1100 black and 750 color prints, which is still far more than most budget inkjet printers.
It’s a good choice if you’re only looking for a budget printer with cheap ink and don’t mind losing some features.See our review
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Best Color Laser Printer With Cheap Toner
Brother MFC-L8905CDW
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Family
8.2
Small/Home Office
9.2
Student
8.7
Black & White
9.1
Photo
4.7
Estimated Black Page Yield
2,907 prints
Estimated Color Page Yield
1,446 prints
Third Party Cartridge
Not Found At Time Of The Review
Black-Only Printing Cost
0.
028 US$/printColor Printing Cost
0.151 US$/print
Photo Printing Cost
0.401 US$/print
See all our test results
The best color laser printer with cheap toner we’ve tested is the Brother MFC-L8905CDW. This all-in-one has nearly everything you’d need for a small or home office. It produces incredibly sharp documents, prints quickly at up to 32 pages per minute (black or color), and doesn’t need much maintenance. While the toner cartridges are expensive, they last a long time, so your maintenance cost will remain low. You do need to replace the drum separately, which is an added expense, but again, it isn’t something you need to regularly replace since it’s good for 30,000 prints. The scanner produces high-quality scans and can process documents quickly through its automatic feeder. It also supports single-pass duplex scanning, so you won’t need to manually flip the pages when scanning double-sided sheets.
Like most printers, the MFC-8905CDW has many variants at different price points, so if you don’t need features like duplex scanning and NFC support, you can save some money with a cheaper variant like the Brother MFC-L8610CDW. There’s also the Brother MFC-L8900CDW, which has nearly the same features as the MFC-8905CDW except for a smaller display. You can see more details about all the variants in the full review.
See our review
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Best Monochrome Laser Printer With Cheap Toner
Brother MFC-L2750DW
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Family
6.6
Small/Home Office
8.6
Student
8.
3Black & White
9.1
Photo
1.4
Estimated Black Page Yield
1,953 prints
Estimated Color Page Yield
N/A
Third Party Cartridge
Purchased One Worked
Black-Only Printing Cost
0.022 US$/print
Color Printing Cost
N/A
Photo Printing Cost
N/A
See all our test results
If you only print black and white documents, we recommend the Brother MFC-L2750DW. This well-built all-in-one model has a scanner with an automatic feeder to process multi-page documents, extendable hinges to accommodate thick items, and single-pass duplex scanning capability. It yields around 2000 prints from a single black toner cartridge, and you can get an XL cartridge that’ll last longer.
It also accepts third-party toner. You have to replace the drum separately, but it’s usually good for about 12,000 prints, so you likely won’t need to do it too often. It warms up quickly and prints at 36 pages per minute.As with most Brother printers, there are many variants of this printer with minor differences in features and performance, so if you want to save money, you can get a cheaper model like the Brother MFC-L2710DW, which lacks duplex scanning and prints slightly slower. You can also find bundles with a longer-lasting XL toner cartridge, like Brother MFC-L2690DWXL, which might be cheaper than buying the cartridge separately. You can see all the variants and their differences in our full review.
See our review
7
If you’re looking to save on ink costs, a supertank printer is the way to go; instead of expensive cartridges, printers of this type have a large ink reservoir that can be topped up with cheap bottles, with a full tank yielding thousands of prints. It produces very high-quality black and color documents and is fast, pushing out 25 black or color pages per minute. As for photos, they look detailed and colorful but a tad grainy. The scanner has an automatic document feeder, so you can quickly process long, multi-page documents and scan double-sided sheets, albeit in two passes. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB; you can also print directly off a USB flash drive.
However, it doesn’t have an ADF, prints slower, and its document printing quality isn’t quite as good as the ET-5850. You can get the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 variants if you don’t need wide-format printing. It performs identically but only supports up to 8.5″ x 11″ paper.
7
Its printing speed is decent, churning out 15 black or seven color pages per minute. Unfortunately, it lacks duplex scanning and isn’t ideal for photo printing, as printed pictures look grainy with inaccurate colors.
3
It prints quickly at 17 black or 15 color pages per minute and supports automatic double-sided printing. It also has a scanner with an ADF that can process up to 20 pages per minute and produces high-quality scans; however, it doesn’t support duplex scanning.
6
It’s a good choice if you’re only looking for a budget printer with cheap ink and don’t mind losing some features.
028 US$/print
3
It also accepts third-party toner. You have to replace the drum separately, but it’s usually good for about 12,000 prints, so you likely won’t need to do it too often. It warms up quickly and prints at 36 pages per minute.Notable Mentions
- HP Neverstop Laser MFP 1202w:
The HP Neverstop Laser MFP 1202w is a great alternative to the Brother MFC-L2750DW. It has a refillable toner tank that yields around 9500 prints; however, it’s hard to find because it’s discontinued.
See our review - Brother HL-L2325DW:
The Brother HL-L2325DW is a cheaper alternative to the Brother MFC-L2750DW if you don’t need a scanner. It’s identical to the MFC-L2750DW in print quality, but it prints slightly slower and yields fewer pages per cartridge.
See our review
Recent Updates
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May 24, 2023:
Replaced the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw with the Brother MFC-L8905CDW because the Canon is discontinued and hard to find. -
May 18, 2023:
Ensured all main picks are still available and represent the best option for user needs. Added Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw/MF751Cdw to Notable Mentions. -
Mar 21, 2023:
Minor text changes to include more information about the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw’s variants. No change in recommendations.
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Jan 20, 2023:
Minor text changes to improve clarity. Added the Brother HL-L2325DW as a Notable Mention. No change in recommendations. -
Nov 22, 2022:
Verified accuracy of picks; no change in recommendations.
No change in recommendations.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best printers with cheap toner or ink. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here’s the list of all our printer reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no printer is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.
9 Most Economical Printers – 2023 Ranking
Having a personal printer at home is convenient. You can always print the necessary files, photos, scan documents in the case of multifunctional devices. But in addition to convenience, printers have a significant drawback – this is the high price of consumables. Our ranking contains the most economical printers in stores with the best customer reviews.
Contents
Ranking of the most economical printers
Manufacturers of printers and MFPs sell their equipment almost at cost. Because of this trick, it seems to the buyer that the price of printing files at home will be lower than when contacting a printer or other places where they can print a document. But keep in mind that the cost of home printing includes paper and ink cartridge. The cost of original consumables is unreasonably high so that equipment manufacturers receive excess profits, and the volume is significantly reduced for the purpose of frequent purchases.
There are economical printers on the market that use significantly less ink. These include models with long cartridge yields that exceed 2,000 pages. With a standard value of 600-1000 sheets, the user will be forced to constantly buy additional consumables, spending significant amounts. Also, one of the ways to save money is to buy devices with the ability to self-fill the toner cartridge. This is much cheaper than buying new toner every time it runs out.
We analyzed the types of economical printers on the market, studied customer reviews and expert reviews, and then compiled our own rating. When determining which printer is more economical, the following criteria were taken into account:
- Technology;
- Print format;
- Ease of use;
- Functionality;
- Manufacturer;
- The cost of the product, consumables.
All products listed are divided into categories according to the technology used. MFPs are included in a separate group.
All of them are suitable for both home and office use.
Most Economical Laser Printers
One of the most popular types of printers are laser technology devices. The transfer of the file to paper is carried out by illuminating the photocells with a laser beam. Such devices work faster, consume toner economically. The quality of color photo printing is inferior to inkjet.
Kyocera Ecosys P2335dn
The printer has a fast print speed of 35 black and white pages per minute. The device has a modular design, so if necessary, the user can add other devices, expanding the functionality.
Consumables – toner, which can be refilled without calling the wizard. Its resource is designed to print 20,000 pages per month. To work, you need to connect via USB cable to the computer, install the necessary driver.
There is a function for automatic two-sided printing. The tray holds 250 sheets of 60 – 220 g/m2. Can read information from memory cards. Kyocera Ecosys P2335dn is compatible with all operating systems.
The kit includes a starter cartridge, a paper feed tray. The USB cable is missing.
Advantages:
- Double-sided imprint;
- High speed operation;
- Large capacity toner container;
- Convenient filling;
- Compact dimensions;
- To work, just unpack, install, download the driver.
Drawbacks:
- May freeze;
- Jams thin paper.
Ricoh P C301W
Economical laser printer for home and small offices designed for color prints up to A4 size at 25 sheets/min. Suitable for printing files on different types of paper (ordinary landscape sheets, cardboard, envelopes, glossy and matte photo paper).
Supports remote connection: With support for Wi-Fi and NFC technology, Mopria, Google Cloud Print allows you to instantly print from smartphones, tablets. For greater convenience, you can send documents through a special application from Ricoh.
There is also a wired connection to a computer via a USB cable. Supports all operating systems.
Consumables are toner cartridges that provide up to 6300 color and 6900 black and white copies. There is secure access to cloud services. Status information is displayed on the LCD display located on the device.
Advantages:
- Vibrant quality print;
- Duplex printing available;
- Powered by Wi-Fi;
- High speed operation;
- Easy to install, set up;
- Ability to print from a smartphone.
Drawbacks:
- Heavy weight.
Most Economical Inkjet Printers
The principle of operation of such devices is based on the transfer of an image or text using a matrix with liquid dyes. To reduce cost and improve performance, a continuous ink supply system (CISS) is used. It provides uninterrupted printing on sheets at high productivity.
You can fill the tank with dye yourself. The models below are equipped with this function.
Canon Pixma G1411
Canon’s office printer runs at a maximum speed of 8.8 pages per minute. It is made in a classic black case of small size, which allows you to install it on a table or cabinet. An important feature is the presence of CISS, which significantly reduces the cost of printing.
Supports sheet sizes up to A4. There is a feed tray, an output tray for 100 sheets. There is a 50 page manual feed tray. Prints on paper, glossy surface, envelopes with a density of 64 – 275 g/m2. Designed for 12,000 pages per month. Color cartridge yield 7,000 pages. Connected via USB type B interface. Compatible with Windows. There is an auto-on feature.
Advantages:
- High print quality;
- Ease of pouring paint;
- High speed;
- Low noise level;
- CISS;
- Low cost.
Drawbacks:
- Difficulty setting;
- Does not support memory cards;
- No USB cable.
HP Ink Tank 115
HP
Economical color printer with thermal inkjet technology and CISS support. Suitable for people who print up to 1000 pages per month. Connects to computer via USB cable. Can be installed at home, office or school.
A4 printing with a resolution of 4800×1200 dpi without borders is available. Equipped with duplex function. Glossy, matte photo paper, envelopes are suitable as paper. Convenient filling of paint – thanks to transparent windows, the user sees when the device needs to be filled.
The resource is 8 and 6 thousand prints in black and white or color format, respectively. Maximum speed 19 ppm The tray holds up to 60 sheets. Support for any OS. Status information is displayed on the LCD screen.
Advantages:
- High economic efficiency;
- Good print quality;
- Convenient ink fill;
- Easy setting;
- CISS;
- Compact.
Drawbacks:
- Prints photos for a long time;
- No USB cable included.
Includes a CISS with ink, so the device is ready to print immediately after purchase.
Most Economical LED Printers
The printing principle of such printers is similar to laser printers, only LEDs are used as light sources. From them, light enters the photosensitive element, after which an imprint occurs on the sheet. To fix the pattern, the sheet lends itself to the action of high temperature.
OKI C612n
A Japanese manufacturer has invented a device that can print bright, saturated images on thick paper up to 250gsm. Uses LED technology. It is applied to formats from A6 to A4. Speed up to 36 ppm Supports Windows, Linux, Mac OS.
Uses high yield toners with a high yield of 8000 and 6000 pages for monochrome and color. The kit includes three convenient programs Print Control, Color Access Policy Manager, PrintSuperVision to control printing costs.
This model delivers significant energy savings, consuming only 1.
2W in Save mode and less than 600W when printing. Connects to PC via USB cable. Equipped with LCD information panel.
Advantages:
- Quality printing;
- Prints on various types of paper;
- Low noise level;
- Quick setup;
- Many handy programs that control printing costs;
- Energy saving.
Drawbacks:
- No automatic duplex printing on this model;
- Large body dimensions.
Xerox VersaLink C9000DT
LED office desktop printer delivers professional-quality monochrome or color prints with the highest resolution of 1200×2400 dpi. Printing up to 270 thousand sheets per month is available.
Used by design studios, printing houses, advertising agencies, where printing of bright, rich, high-quality photographs is required. Thanks to the presence of Adobe PostScript 3 ™ provides maximum detail in images and the ability to control color settings.
A wide range of formats allows you to create different promotional products, banners, business cards, panoramic photos. The package comes with two trays, in which one supports the SRA3 sheet format.
Using the Xerox ConnectKey platform, the device becomes a real business assistant that analyzes workflows, provides support for mobile technologies. There is a wireless connection.
Allowable speed up to 55 ppm. Paper feed tray capacity 11400 l. Powered by a processor with a frequency of 1600 MHz. Memory size 4096 MB. Android, Windows, iOS systems are supported. There is a color screen.
Advantages:
- Excellent print clarity and brightness;
- Supports heavy media up to 300gsm;
- Adobe PostScript 3 included as standard;
- Presence of built-in color correction tools;
- Automatic duplex printing capability;
- Can print from a smartphone with NFC;
- Supports various sizes up to A3.
Drawbacks:
- High cost.
Most economical MFPs
All-In-Ones, in addition to the printer, also include a scanner and copier. Usually installed in offices where frequent scanning and copying of documents is required.
Ricoh M C250FW
Printer, scanner and copier using laser technology. Designed for installation in medium-sized offices with a print volume of up to 65,000 sheets per month. Supports duplex printing, which saves a lot of time.
You can find out information about the status of printing using the touch screen located on the body. Suitable for photo printing at a resolution of 2400×600 dpi up to A4 inclusive. The speed limit is 25 ppm. Equipped with a tray for feeding up to 251 sheets with an increase of up to 751. Manually feed up to 1 sheet.
The processor uses an Intel Celeron M clocked at 400 MHz. There is memory up to 256 MB. Wi-Fi, USB2.0, NFC, and AirPrint interfaces are supported.
Compatible with all operating systems for computers, smartphones, tablets.
Advantages:
- Duplex scanning without turning the paper;
- Good print color reproduction;
- Ability to connect smartphones or tablets;
- High speed operation;
- Easy access to cartridges;
- Works over Wi-Fi.
Drawbacks:
- Chews thin sheets;
- Bypass tray small.
HP Smart Tank 519 Wireless
The
Inkjet MFP from the well-known HP brand is suitable for people who print about 1000 pages per month. This is a personal photo printing device. The maximum allowable format is A4 with 4800×1200 dpi, speed up to 22 ppm.
Leaves an impression on any sheets with a density of 60-300 g/m2. Supported by CISS. There is a built-in memory of 256 MB. USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth ports are used for wired and wireless printing directly from the device.
Direct print function available. The information is displayed on the LCD panel. Takes up little space, weighs about 5 kg.
Advantages:
- Wired and wireless connection;
- Good print;
- Convenient ink refill;
- Stylish case;
- Availability of CISS;
- Easy to operate.
Drawbacks:
- Noisy;
- Not compatible with memory cards.
Canon Pixma G3415
Canon printer uses thermal inkjet technology. It is capable of printing documents up to A4 in color or monochrome at 4800 × 1200 dpi and a speed of up to 8.8 ppm. It has a low power consumption, so it is perfect for home use. It weighs a little, so it can be easily transported and installed in new places.
Prints on 64-275 g/m2 sheets, envelopes. The resource of a monochrome and color cartridge is 6,000 and 7,000 pages, respectively. CISS is present. Supports Wi-Fi for printing from phones, computers, tablets.
Works on Windows, iOS, Android. An LCD screen is used to display information. The tray holds up to 100 pages.
Advantages:
- Wi-Fi operation;
- Quality photo printing;
- Energy efficient;
- Light weight;
- There is a CISS;
- Work from tablets, phones is available.
Drawbacks:
- Lower tray missing.
How to choose the most economical printer
The choice of equipment begins with determining the installation location – home or office. Depending on the purpose, the requirements for equipment will vary. Using the advice of our experts, you can easily choose an economical printer.
Print Technology
Modern printers can work with laser, inkjet or LED technology. Inkjet devices are distinguished by their low cost, high-quality photo printing, and the possibility of CISS. They make an impression using liquid ink, which is supplied by special heads.
The ink can be pigmented or water soluble.
Each color has its own individual capacity. Not suitable for large volumes of work due to the high cost of consumables, so it is better to use at home. It is also important to ensure that the ink does not dry out due to long periods of inactivity. It should be noted that when in contact with water, the ink will spread. Exposure to ultraviolet rays is negative. They make noise while working.
Laser printers are much more expensive, but they are more economical in terms of toner refills. One capacity is designed for more than 2000 text sheets. Refills with dye independently. The principle of operation is to imprint an image using a laser beam under the influence of high temperature. Powder paint is used – toner. LEDs work on a similar principle, only LEDs are used instead of a laser. They provide an important advantage – energy savings. Both are office options.
Print speed
Fast printout criterion is not as important for home devices due to less work.
For long continuous printing in the office, it is better to choose models with a speed of 20 ppm.
Print size
Standard size – up to A4, which is enough for the home. Professional devices used in printing houses, design studios, advertising agencies require a larger, often non-standard format (for example, for printing on banners, advertising posters, business cards, leaflets).
User friendly
Paint pouring should be as simple as possible. It is good if the device has transparent windows through which the user can observe the amount of toner inside the container. An important criterion is the volume of the paper feed tray. On some photo printers, this can be increased by installing a larger capacity tray. The more sheets fit, the less the user will need to add it.
Additional criteria
Equipment is selected, among other things, by the company that produces it. Many brands are engaged in the production of printers, offering office equipment, laptops.
The most famous are:
- A Japanese company specializing in MFPs. Devices differ in functionality, compactness, reliability, long service life. There are models from any price segment.
- Offers laser, inkjet, MFP. Provides quality prints at an affordable price.
- Well-known American brand producing copiers. Launches printers with large tray, high speed, stylish unique design
- A lesser known Japanese company offering quality products at low prices. Has a long service life.
- One of the most economical brands of computer equipment due to its improved design and constant modernization. Differs in durability.
When choosing the most economical printer for supplies, consider the following:
- The type of paper to print on. You also need to look at the criteria for sheet density. Glossy, matte types of sheets, special photo paper, film, envelopes are used.
- Noise. Home should take devices that almost do not make noise.
- Color or monochrome. If you want to print only text documents, it is better to choose a device for bw. Also, a monochrome printer uses less ink.
- Dimensions. You need to choose in advance the place where the photo printer will be installed.
- Duplex or 2-sided printing available. The device automatically prints on both sides of the paper without any additional settings on the part of the user.
- Availability of scanner and copier. These are MFPs that allow you to copy documents, create scans of files. Buying an MFP is then more profitable in terms of space occupied.
- The presence of a wireless connection to a smartphone, tablet, laptop.
- Supported types of operating systems.
What is the best economical printer
The selection of the most economical color or b/w printer includes several important criteria, which include the speed of work, the volume of cartridges, the maximum allowable format, and the type of printing.
Depending on the technology by which the device prints, the following models can be distinguished:
- For laser printing, the best option is Kyocera Ecosys P2335dn with better ink consumption, easy connection, high speed;
- From the segment of inkjet products, the best choice is the Canon Pixma G1411 with CISS, high-quality printing, quiet operation;
- One of the best LED printer is OKI C612n with excellent functionality, low power consumption;
- For advertising agencies, design studios, large printing houses, the LED Xerox VersaLink C9000DT with the best detail is suitable;
- It is better to choose Ricoh M C250FW from MFP with high print speed, work via phones, tablets
The products presented in the rating were evaluated not only by our experts, but also by real buyers.
Best home printers, top 10 rating of good printers
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There are more than a dozen home printer companies around the world today, and even more models on the market.
Deciding on the choice of the best printer for the home in this variety is not so simple.
Rating summary: (hide/show)
How to choose a printer for your home in 2023?
When choosing a printer, the main characteristics of the equipment are taken into account:
- Print format – home devices usually work with A4 paper at a density of 80gsm. m;
- Print speed – about 18-20 pages per minute;
- First sheet out time, it is usually spent warming up the main elements of the printer. On average, this figure is 8-9seconds;
- The maximum print resolution is usually less than 600 dpi. For home prints, this is quite enough;
- Input and output tray capacity;
- Cartridge yield.
When compiling the top 10 + rating, we chose the best models that meet all the above characteristics. We took into account the value for money, user reviews, the cost of consumables – the cartridge itself, printer cleaning services, refills.
We hope that our rating will be useful to you in the matter of buying a laser device.
10+ of the best printers in 2023
10+. Xerox Phaser 3020BI
A very handy and not too bulky machine used for low volume monochrome printing for home or small office use. The noise of the device is not very loud – it will not disturb other people or distract from work. Products are characterized by a high level of reliability and functionality. You can use black or blue ink for printing – two cartridges with these inks are supplied with the product. The output will be a print produced using one of the most common printing technologies – laser, and the print density is up to 1200 dpi. This means that the material can be easily read, and the information will be stored on paper for a long time. With this printer, you can print up to 500 pages daily, and it takes no more than 3 seconds to print one page.
Designed for good tray capacity, holding approximately 150 sheets.
The body of the printer is made of matte slightly rough plastic, which can withstand high temperatures and various physical influences well, and does not accumulate dust. The printer connects to a computer using a standard USB 2.0 cable, but it has a Wi-Fi module installed, through which the device can be synchronized with several computers, laptops, tablets and even smartphones at once. For the latter, a special Apple AirPrint technology has been developed. The printer has 128 MB of built-in memory, enough to print even heavy images quickly. The device is capable of handling paper weights from 80 to 240 gsm. m.
Benefits:
- Affordable;
- Simplicity of design – there is simply nothing to break in it;
- Excellent print quality;
- Small dimensions;
- Easy to connect and set up.
Disadvantages:
- Not all smartphones can be quickly synchronized.
Xerox Phaser 3020BI
10. HP LaserJet Pro M15w
Compact enough to take up almost no desktop space.
It is useful for both individuals and small businesses. With overall dimensions 16x35x19The product weighs only 3.8 kg, so some people even take it with them on business trips when they need to create a mobile office. The printer is used exclusively for monochrome printing of documents or images. The print speed is pretty decent – 18 sheets per minute. The device works only with A4 paper, but the manufacturer claims that you can print on envelopes, make postcards, and so on. Indeed, the printer is able to work with paper, the density of which is in the range from 65 to 120 gsm. m. There is a folding tray, designed for a maximum of one hundred sheets, but the designers did not provide for a unit for piece paper feed.
There is no cable for a wired connection to the computer – you will either have to purchase it separately or use a wireless Wi-Fi communication module. The resource of the cartridge is significant – at one refill you can print up to 700 pages. Manufacturers also decided not to take out the photoconductor in a separate unit, thanks to which they managed to make the printer so compact.
The device differs in high rates of profitability thanks to the original HP Auto-On/Auto-Off technology. With its help, the device independently monitors its workload. Depending on this setting, it will automatically stop or resume work.
Advantages:
- One of the most compact printers on the Russian market;
- Cartridge refilling is inexpensive;
- You can print directly via a cable connection or transfer data via Wi-Fi.
Disadvantages:
- If the machine is operated for a long time without interruption, it may become very hot;
- No page feed capability.
HP LaserJet Pro M15w
9. Epson L120
The maximum capacity of this printer is 1250 pages per month, which makes this model ideal for home use, especially if it will be frequently used by schoolchildren or students. In principle, for an office with 4-5 employees, such a printer will also fit. The device works on the basis of inkjet technology, it is additionally equipped with a continuous ink supply system.
Containers with paint are not located under the body of the device, but are taken out of it. This affects the increase in dimensions, but it greatly simplifies the maintenance of the device, besides, you can print a decent amount of documents at a time. The paper tray holds 100 sheets at once.
For an inkjet printer, the print speed is very fast – a standard A4 sheet with black and white text or an image is printed within 27 seconds. Color pictures come out a little slower – the print speed is 15 pages per minute. The device is also capable of working with photo paper, but one 10×15 image will be ready within 70-80 seconds. The design of the ink tanks has been improved, so there are no blots or streaks on the paper.
Benefits:
- Continuous ink supply available;
- Paint is quite economical;
- Relatively compact;
- The paint containers are moved outside the body – it is much easier to control their consumption.
Disadvantages:
- Connection cable not included;
- If the sheet is jammed, it can be difficult to remove it.
Epson L120
8. Canon PIXMA TS304
One of the few printers in this review that supports wireless printing from a mobile device. This became possible thanks to the presence of a Bluetooth module in this technique and a special Canon Print application. The function of almost instantaneous scanning and copying via smartphone allows you to easily and efficiently use this machine, it can be paired with iOS, Android, Windows 10 Mobile operating systems.
The printer uses XL cartridges, so it won’t need to be charged too often. You can print not only the usual documents, but also photographs, as well as other materials. The equipment supports Photo Paper Plus Glossy II and GP-501 photo paper. The equipment itself is an inkjet type, the print speed is not too high – it produces 7.7 pages per minute. The highest image resolution for photo printing is 4800×1200 dpi. He prints one full-color photo of size 10×15 cm within 65 seconds.
Advantages:
- Inexpensive, but quite effective device;
- Great for users who don’t use office equipment very often;
- Stylish appearance and quality assembly;
- Long service life;
- You can enable Bluetooth wireless printing.
Disadvantages:
- The ink is consumed very quickly, especially if you print photos in high resolution.
Canon PIXMA TS304 printer
20 sheets per minute. This makes this technique quite suitable for a small office environment. The printer is compact, looks quite stylish and strict, so it will fit perfectly into any interior. The paper feed tray is designed for 150 sheets, an automatic feed mechanism is provided. Prints are crisp, bright and durable. The cartridge can be refilled or replaced if necessary. It is enough for about 1000 – 1500 pages.
Connects to a computer via USB only, capable of working with the Windows operating system. The laser head wears out very slowly. Built-in memory is 64 MB. The cartridge can be installed not original – there is not much difference. The body of the printer is plastic, with a matte coating, dust is practically invisible on it, and other impurities are also not visible. The parts are fitted tightly, there are no backlashes and extraneous squeaks.
Advantages:
- Easy to use;
- High print speed;
- Long life laser head;
- Possibility to use a non-genuine cartridge;
- Solid build.
Disadvantages:
- Often, a USB cable is not included in the kit.
HP Laser 107a printer
6. Brother HL-L2340DWR
The machine is compatible with all non-genuine supplies. The print speed is high even for a laser printer – about 28-30 pages per minute, a capacious paper tray: it fits up to 250 sheets, the output tray is designed for 100 sheets. This device has a duplex printing function, which is not found in every relatively cheap printer. The amount of internal memory is insignificant – it is 32 MB. This option will be enough for printing text documents, but it may not be enough for images or .pdf files. It consumes about 455 watts of power during operation and 58 watts in standby mode, which makes the printer very economical.
It works quite quietly: even with heavy workload, the noise level does not exceed 49db.
Connection interfaces are standard, the printer uses a Wi-Fi module or receives data via a USB 2.0 socket, an Ethernet connector is not provided here. There is a direct print function, so documents can be output via a smartphone or tablet if you first download the appropriate Brother iPrint & Scan application there. The resource of the drum is decent – it is designed for about 120 thousand pages. Despite the compact dimensions of the product 356x360x183 mm, the device is characterized by a decent weight – almost 7 kg.
Benefits:
- Includes wireless connectivity, even printing from smartphones;
- Compact dimensions;
- Paper tray fully slides into printer body;
- Duplex printing available.
Flaws:
- You won’t know how much paper is left without pulling out the paper tray;
- Loses connection to Wi-Fi when idle for a long time.
Brother HL-L2340DWR
5. Canon i-SENSYS LBP621Cw
Here is one of the few color laser printers that can only be found on sale today. This is an excellent and quite convenient choice for an office that does not have too much paperwork. The print speed is average – it reaches no more than 18 pages per minute in A4 format, the highest print resolution is 1200×1200 pixels per inch. As a result, it will be possible to obtain perfectly clear and well-read text, there will be no banding or smearing on the images. Even when there is little toner left in the cartridge, the print quality continues to be very good.
The design is equipped with a built-in liquid crystal display with LED backlight. Everything on the screen is clearly visible even in low light conditions. Too often, there is no need to be distracted by the replenishment of consumables, because the tray is installed capacious – it is designed for 250 sheets. The model has a Wi-Fi module, data can be transferred to the printer without using wires, but if necessary, to a computer via a USB 2.
0 cable.
Benefits:
- Bright and informative backlit display;
- Wi-Fi module available;
- High capacity paper tray;
- Excellent print quality;
- Low paint consumption.
Disadvantages:
- Quite expensive.
Canon i-SENSYS LBP621Cw printer
4. Epson M1100
For an inkjet printer, it has a very high print speed of 15 sheets per minute. It is monochrome, well suited for home or small office. The quality of the prints is clear, the pictures will be well detailed. Materials printed on this printer will not fade over time, will not bleed if highlighted with a marker or if water gets on the sheet. The ink tank is large, so you don’t have to refill the printer too often.
The machine is based on Epson Micro Piezo piezoelectric printing technology. The printer is fully compatible with personal computers that run on Windows and MacOS operating systems. Overall dimensions are compact – it occupies a minimum of free space.
Perfect for professionals working with customer documentation. One bottle of ink is enough for 5,000 pages.
Benefits:
- Larger ink tank capacity – rarely needs to be refilled;
- Decent print quality;
- Compatible with major operating systems;
- Small overall dimensions.
Drawbacks:
- Prints in black and white only;
- It is not uncommon for the paper feeder to pick up two or three sheets of paper.
Epson M1100 printer
3. HP Ink Tank 115
. It can be easily placed even on a small office desk. The model is equipped with a fairly efficient paint supply system, which is equipped with protection against possible leaks. The paint containers are outside the case, so the user will always see how much consumables are left. They open easily, which allows you to carefully add the running out of paint into the appropriate tank and continue working – it is not necessary to contact the masters.
The print speed is slow – only 7-9 pages of black and white text per minute, if you want to get a color image, then it drops to 4 pages per minute. You can even print photos on this printer, but you need to be prepared for the fact that it will take quite a long time – about 70-90 seconds for one 10×15 cm photo card. The main feature of the printer is high print resolution (largely because of this, it works so slowly). When working with color images, this figure is 4800 dpi, with black and white format – 1200 dpi. The printer can even be used for serial production.
Benefits:
- The quality of photo printing is far superior to printers that are equipped with photo shops;
- Acceptable cost;
- You can refill cartridges yourself if necessary;
- Works with all operating systems.
Disadvantages:
- Increased dimensions due to the removal of cartridges to the outside;
- Sometimes ignores settings when printing photos.
HP Ink Tank 115
2. Pantum P2207
Despite the fact that this product is produced by a not very well-known brand, it has an excellent price-quality ratio – largely due to these characteristics it ended up in second place in our review best printers for home use. First of all, the device has a significant operational resource – up to 15,000 pages can be printed per month. Not every model from well-known companies can boast of such a volume. The print quality is also very high – 1200 dpi, and the device produces it at a speed of 22 pages per minute. The paper feed is quite standard, the volume of the tray is 150 sheets. The cartridge is durable and economical – one refill of ink is enough to get a high-quality image on 1600 pages. The printer processor is fast thanks to a clock frequency of 600 MHz, the amount of built-in memory here is 64 MB.
Provides a slot for reading SD memory cards, you can print directly from them, connects to a computer via a USB 2.
0 connector. The products are quiet, small in size, maximum A4 paper size, can work with envelopes, printing paper of various designs, film and so on. The print format is black and white only. The design of the printer is standard, no frills can be found here.
Advantages:
- Very powerful and fast machine, consuming a minimum of electricity;
- Decent print quality;
- Installs drivers on its own – no user intervention required;
- Can work with non-original cartridges;
- Compact overall dimensions.
Drawbacks:
- Black and white only.
Pantum P2207
1. HIPER P-1120
The laser printer is perfect for use at home or in a small office. The device allows you to print text and images with a resolution of up to 600×600 dpi. The first page comes out in about 8.5 seconds, and the maximum print speed is 24 pages per minute. The printer is rated at 8,000 pages per month.
Setting up the unit is quite simple – you just need to connect it to a personal computer and plug it into the network, the printer will install the driver on its own, without user intervention. The product is capable of working with operating systems such as Windows and Linux.
Another important feature of the device is the ability to work with most Q2612 format cartridges, thanks to this feature, the user does not have to give preference to only certain cartridges. The printer is based on laser technology, which ensures high efficiency and low cost of printing – this is very convenient when there is a need to print quite serious volumes of documentation. Users also note that the device is compatible with absolutely any consumables, including inexpensive ones – such a solution also increases the efficiency of the printer.
Advantages:
- Great for the home or small office;
- Compatible with all consumables;
- Nice design, small size;
- Long service life;
- Suitable for high volume printing;
- High print resolution.
