Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best cheap printers for 2024

canon pixma ts6420a review s handles double sided document printing reliably
Tracey Truly / Digital Trends

In an age where digital documentation often takes center stage, the need for a reliable and cost-effective printer remains undeniable. Whether it's for last-minute homework assignments, important work documents, or cherished family photos, finding the best affordable printer can save both money and time. The best cheap printers maintain quality and reliability. Whether you're a student on a tight budget, a small-business owner looking to cut costs, or simply someone seeking an affordable printing solution, we've got you covered with our top picks for budget-friendly printers that deliver quality without breaking the bank.

Canon PIXMA TS6420a All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer [Print,Copy,Scan], Black
Canon Pixma TS6420a
Best affordable compact printer
Jump to details
HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e
HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e
Best affordable home office printer
Jump to details
Brother MFC-J1205W INKvestment
Brother INKvestment Tank MFC-J1205W
Best affordable tank printer
Jump to details
HP LaserJet M209dwe Wireless Black & White Printer with bonus 6 free months Instant Ink with HP+ (6GW62E)
HP M209dwe LaserJet
Best affordable monochrome laser printer
Jump to details
Brother MFC-J4535DW INKvestment Tank All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer with NFC, Duplex and Wireless Printing Plus Up to 1-Year of Ink in-Box
Brother MFC-J4535DW
Best affordable workgroup printer
Jump to details
Canon Pixma iP8720
Canon Pixma iP8720
Best affordable printer for budding photographers
Jump to details
KODAK Step Wireless Mobile Photo Mini Color Printer (Black) Compatible w/ iOS & Android, NFC & Bluetooth Devices, Black, 2x3
Kodak Step Instant Printer
Best affordable photo printer for mobile users
Jump to details
Recommended Videos
canon pixma ts6420a review s handles double sided document printing reliably
Tracey Truly / Digital Trends

Canon Pixma TS6420a

Best affordable compact printer

Pros
  • Great photo prints
  • Fast for a budget printer
  • Very compact and lightweight
  • Low upfront cost
  • Easy setup
Cons
  • Black ink is expensive
  • Tricolor cartridge wastes ink

Why you should buy this: Those looking to save as much money and space as possible.

Who it's for: Budget hunters, college kids, anyone who rarely uses a printer but still needs one.

Why we picked the Canon Pixma TS6420a:

If you really want to put the “budget” in budget printer, this Canon model is for you. It’s the most affordable printer we can currently find on the market and sports an incredibly compact design that can fit nearly anywhere with the paper tray down. That makes it ideal for those short on space who won’t be using a printer much but might still need one from time to time — like those living in dorms or working from home.

But although it’s super small and super cheap, this printer still includes a scanning function, as well as a measuring grid on top for more physical projects. It’s also compatible with Alexa for quick voice commands, and generally designed to work via app (although a few onboard controls are included). It’s the best choice for maximum savings if your needs are simple.

Canon PIXMA TS6420a All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer [Print,Copy,Scan], Black
Canon Pixma TS6420a
Best affordable compact printer
hp officejet pro 8135e review s has a mix of rounded and sharp corners  dark light shades
Alan Truly / Digital Trends

HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e

Best affordable home office printer

Pros
  • Fast monochrome prints
  • Good quality color prints
  • Includes fax and thumb drive support
  • Good borderless photo prints
  • Good support for iPhone and Android
Cons
  • Ink costs will add up
  • Color prints are half-speed
  • Automatic document feeder lacks duplex

Why you should buy this: The affordable HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e can print at a zippy 20 pages per minute with fast-drying ink.

Who it's for: Offices that need fast color, affordable color prints in an all-in-one with a fax.

Why we picked the HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e:

HP's OfficeJet Pro 8135e is an all-in-one multifunction printer that can scan, copy, fax, and print. Long documents won't take long with the 20 pages-per-minute black-and-white prints and 10 ppm color. Walk-up printing via a thumb drive port simplifies sharing with others. This versatile printer has plenty of nice office features. It prints full-page border photos with good quality, and it's compact enough for your home.

Setup is easy with HP's great Wi-Fi support and the OfficeJet Pro 8135e's 2.7-inch color touchscreen. While it can print double-sided, the automatic document feeder doesn't support duplex. Also, watch out for ink costs if you frequently print pictures.

HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e
HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e
Best affordable home office printer
brother mfc j1205w tiny home business printer inkvestment tank is a small  affordable office
Alan Truly / Digital Trends

Brother INKvestment Tank MFC-J1205W

Best affordable tank printer

Pros
  • Fast printing for an inkjet
  • Low price for an all-in-one
  • Relatively low cost per page
  • Up to a year of ink included
  • Fast scanning
  • Page yield estimation
Cons
  • Photos lack contrast and saturation
  • Photo scans require an extra step
  • Difficult to set up envelope prints

Why you should buy this: You need an economical printer to handle basic color printing needs

Who it's for: Home users who may need occasional printing

Why we picked the Brother INKvestment Tank MFC-J1205W:

Brother's affordable INKvestment Tank MFC-J1205W is a simple, modern printer that produces reliable quality color prints in a sleek design. Free of many of the bells and whistles of more advanced offerings, the MFC-J1205W doesn't come with features like a touchscreen control or automatic document feeder, but this helps to keep the design charming and elegant. There's still a flatbed scanner up top for color copies and scans, and built-in wireless printing support makes this a flexible printer for the smart home office.

The highlight of this printer is its large-capacity ink cartridges. While not a true tank printer, Brother's high yield ink can last for up to a year of moderate printing needs, so you're saving time and money on replacement ink. This printer is a solid choice for those who may need to occasionally print a page or two every so often, but it can scale to moderate volumes for busy homes juggling office documents, homework, and other printing needs.

Brother MFC-J1205W INKvestment
Brother INKvestment Tank MFC-J1205W
Best affordable tank printer
laser printer vs inkjet hp laserjet m209dwe
Image used with permission by copyright holder

HP M209dwe LaserJet

Best affordable monochrome laser printer

Pros
  • Crisp laser quality
  • Fast print speeds suited for documents
  • Speedy duplex printing
  • Easy to use companion smartphone app for scanning
Cons
  • No color printing support

Why you should buy this: HP's LaserJet M209dwe sacrifices color for fast, economical monochrome laser prints.

Who it's for: Budget-oriented homes and businesses primarily interested in printing black-and-white documents.

Why we picked the HP LaserJet M209dwe:

HP's monochrome LaserJet M209dwe comes in a very compact size, making it ideal for home and home office settings. Just don't let its compact design fool you — this printer is advertised with the fastest two-sided printing for its class at 30 pages per minute for black-and-white jobs. The first page is ready in as little as 6.9 seconds, ensuring you won't have to wait long for your document to start printing. Duplex printing is also supported to save on paper, and you can print on a variety of media types, including envelopes, labels, yardsticks, postcards, and even velum paper.

The printer comes with an Instant Ink subscription, giving you the first six months of free ink toner. After that, you can cancel the subscription and buy replacements a la carte, or rely on the company's worry-free subscription to ensure you'll have enough toner for your print jobs. This printer works with HP's robust HP Smart smartphone app, giving you added flexibility to securely send a fax, print documents from cloud services like Dropbox, or even scan directly to Google Drive or your email.

HP LaserJet M209dwe Wireless Black & White Printer with bonus 6 free months Instant Ink with HP+ (6GW62E)
HP M209dwe LaserJet
Best affordable monochrome laser printer
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Brother MFC-J4535DW

Best affordable workgroup printer

Pros
  • Affordable cost per page printing
  • Multifunction capabilities for an all-in-one solution
  • Large cartridges will last long
Cons
  • Text printing could be a little crisper at smaller fonts

Why you should buy this: Brother's MFC-J4535DW relies on large cartridges to make volume printing more cost-effective.

Who it's for: Home users who don't want to spend a fortune for each color print.

Why we picked the Brother MFC-J4535DW Tank Printer:

Brother's MFC-J4535DW Tank All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer may not sound like an inexpensive purchase, but keep in mind that this printer comes with up to a year of free ink included in the box. Despite the "tank" in its name, however, the Brother MFC-J4535DW uses cartridges and not ink tanks, so replacements, rather than refills, are necessary to keep running. That said, printing is kept affordable if you opt for the high-yield XL-branded INKvestment cartridges, which give you higher outputs at lower costs. Two trays that store up to 400 sheets ensure you won'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 comes with a 2.7-inch touchscreen for control, and it also supports cloud printing as well as smartphone printing with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC wireless standards. Faxing, scanning, and copying are also supported on this multifunction printer. A front-facing USB port makes it convenient to print from a flash drive.

Brother MFC-J4535DW INKvestment Tank All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer with NFC, Duplex and Wireless Printing Plus Up to 1-Year of Ink in-Box
Brother MFC-J4535DW
Best affordable workgroup printer
canon pixma ip8720 review p8720 front full closed 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Canon Pixma iP8720

Best affordable printer for budding photographers

Pros
  • Print sizes up to 13x19
  • Excellent output quality
  • Great for photo and everyday printing
Cons
  • Slightly dark skin tones
  • Large, heavy

Why you should buy this: Canon's Pixma iP8720 can print standard photos to wide formats for larger prints.

Who it's for: The budding photographer and home crafter.

Why we picked the Canon PIXMA iP8720:

The Pixma iP8720 is an excellent, home-friendly printer that combines great features at an affordable price. The quality is good enough for photo printing, and it can accommodate 13x19 prints if you need wider formats. The paper tray holds 120 sheets, and our tests showed that printing speeds were around 13.3 pages per minute (ppm) for black and white, while Canon claims up to 10.4 ppm for color.

Overall, the Pixma iP8720 is a remarkable printer and a great pick, especially for those who need to print flyers and other slightly larger materials. If you're a professional photographer or earnest amateur, however, you may want a printer with higher image quality.

This printer also supports both USB connections and Wi-Fi, with added support for Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print.

Canon Pixma iP8720
Canon Pixma iP8720
Best affordable printer for budding photographers
Product image of the Kodak Step Instant Mobile photo printer in white.
Kodak

Kodak Step Instant Printer

Best affordable photo printer for mobile users

Pros
  • Competitive running cost
  • Wireless connectivity
  • Quality photo prints
  • Affordable
Cons
  • Micro-USB charging

Why you should buy this: Cheap and simple pocket-sized photo printer

Who it's for: Smartphone photography lovers

Why we picked the Kodak Step Instant Printer:

The Kodak Step Instant Printer offers an economical solution for photo printing. It easily connects to your smartphone, allowing you to print your favorite images onto compact 2 by 3-inches Zink prints with adhesive backing. It is small enough to fit inside your pocket or handbag and is fairly simple to operate. The printer can be paired to your smartphone via Bluetooth and the entire printing process is done via the dedicated app which is available for both Android and iOS.

Apart from allowing users to print their favorite photos, the app also lets you edit images. There are a variety of filters, frames and stickers along with adjustment options like brightness, hue, colour temperature and more.

The printer doesn't need any cartridge replacements and Kodak's Zink prints are affordable and fast to process, making it an excellent choice if you want keep your running costs to a minimum. It also features a built-in battery that allows you to print a little over 25 photos before it needs to be juiced. Speaking of which, it comes with micro-USB charging which is probably one of the only drawbacks of this photo printer.

KODAK Step Wireless Mobile Photo Mini Color Printer (Black) Compatible w/ iOS & Android, NFC & Bluetooth Devices, Black, 2x3
Kodak Step Instant Printer
Best affordable photo printer for mobile users

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I choose an inkjet or a laser printer?

That really depends on your personal printing needs, preferences, and budget. Traditionally, inkjet printers come with a lower upfront cost for the printer compared to a comparable laser printer, but replacement ink cartridges on the inkjet can be more expensive over time than toner for laser printing systems. That said, inkjets generally perform better with color printing processes, photographs, and artwork, while laser printers excel at handling documents, spreadsheets, and black-and-white print jobs. These days, however, the price and performance gaps are narrowing — inkjets that use tank cartridges deliver a more affordable cost per page, and laser printers are getting better at printing documents with color graphics.

What if I need a scanner?

If you need scanning and copying functionality, you'll want to choose a printer with a scanner. Some printers come with a flatbed scanner, so you can scan papers of varying sizes. Others will come with an automatic document feeder, or ADF, that will automatically feed through what you need scanned or copied. More expensive multifunction printers will come with duplex scanning capabilities, meaning the built-in scanner will be able to perform double-sided scans.

What factors go into the cost of a printer?

If you're on a tight budget, you'll want to look at two things. First, you'll want to choose a printer with a lower upfront cost. These are usually inkjet printers. Second, you'll want to know the cost per page, and this will be particularly important for larger print needs.

Cost per page (cpp) is equal to the total cost of the toner or ink cartridge divided by the manufacturer's yield. For example, if an ink cartridge costs $10 and provides 100 prints, your cpp is 10 cents. When shopping for color printers, you'll generally see two or three cpp calculations: monochrome and color document costs are most common.

Sometimes, manufacturers share the cost to print a photo as well. Pictures cost the most since a photo requires ink or toner for every part of the image that isn't pure white.

What's the best printer for saving on ink costs?

Printer ink costs can add up in a hurry. Some printers handle ink better than others, so you do have a few options. The Brother INKvestment printer on this list is a great place to start, as it comes with high-capacity ink cartridges designed to last as long as possible. True inkjet tank printers cost more upfront but you save in the long run since you can refill with bottles instead of cartridges.

How long will my toner or ink last?

That will depend on how often you're printing, the volume you're printing, and what types of things you're printing. Toner on a laser printer is generally more expensive, but it will last longer than an ink cartridge on an inkjet. Even with moderate use, inkjet cartridges will last home users a few months or even a year if you're infrequently using your printer. Investing in a printer that supports high-yield cartridges — often designated with an XL branding — or a tank will give you better yields and lower your cost in the long run.

Can I print from my smartphone or tablet?

While older printers required a wired USB connection between your printer and a Mac or PC, most modern printers support a variety of wireless protocols. If you need to print using your smartphone or tablet, be sure to select a printer with support for Bluetooth printing, Wi-Fi Direct, or NFC. Most of these printers will also come with a smartphone app that can be used to initiate printing, and iPhone versions of these apps will support Apple's AirPrint standard.

How long do cheap printers last?

Many of these budget picks work best when used sparingly (the Workforce and Laserjet picks are notable exceptions), and using them all the time may wear them out more quickly. But with proper usage and general upkeep, you can expect any printer to last around three to five years before it starts encountering more than the usual number of problems.

Do I really need a printer these days?

A printer is still important for some activities. You may have documents to print out and physically sign, flyers to print from an email, photos to make a collage or other art, and so on. While it's not common to use a printer every day, they still have a role, which is why a cheap printer is a good choice for many people.

Want to expand your options even more? Take a look at our list of the best printers for a variety of different jobs.

If you know you need to scan and copy, as well as print, we have a guide to the best all-in-one printers available.

Jon Martindale

Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and explainers to help everyone understand the hottest new hardware and software in desktops, laptops, and on the web. He's also written articles on how to make your PC more efficient for the summer, and how he fixed his backpain with an annoying pop-up app.

Although Jon covers a wide range of topics at DigitalTrends, his particular focus is on PC components and peripherals, keeping our lists of best power supplies and best ergonomic mice up to date, as well as breaking down how to install the latest graphics cards to boost your gaming performance. He's also written gaming performance guides, and made sure that the crypto traders out there are using the best wallets for their digital tokens.

Alongside DigitalTrends, Jon also writers for Forbes, Lifewire, and Microcenter, has authored two novels, and provided back story and dialogue for a handful of games. He's an amateur game developer, and has made a few game prototypes in his spare time -- with a little help from ChatGPT. Jon's also an avid board gamer, getting in regular games of epic tabletop fare like Twilight Imperium and War of the Ring where he can. He's a father to two kids who recently discovered the joys of Pokémon, and keeps his aging French Bulldog cross busy on regular walks.

 

The best computer desks for 2024
best computer desks version 1439475032 artifox desk 02

As important as it is to have a great desktop or laptop for work and play, you also need to consider the surface you work or play on. A great gaming desk can make a real difference if you're a gamer, but if you're an office worker or someone in between, just having an excellent desk is a significant upgrade for your day-to-day life.

Whether you're looking for a sit/stand desk to improve your posture, something affordable to tuck into a corner, or a big gaming desk with all the bells and whistles, here are some of the best computer desks you can buy.

Read more
The best ergonomic mice of 2024: comfortable, accessible, and affordable
logitech mx vertical 4

Even if you're using one of the best wireless mice, heavy PC and laptop use can lead to wrist fatigue, wrist pain, and even conditions like carpal tunnel and repetitive strain injury. Although it's hard to eliminate that problem entirely, you can massively improve your wrist health with a capable ergonomic mouse.

From vertical mice to trackballs, adaptive customizable designs, and more, here are the best ergonomic mice in 2024.

Read more
Best refurbished laptop deals: How to find cheap used computers
microsoft surface laptop go 2020 on desk

 

There is so much stuff that needs access to a computer these days that it's almost necessary to have one to be able to do anything. Of course, not everybody wants to spend a ton of money on the newest and best laptops, which is why refurbished laptops are a great alternative. Not only are they generally cheaper, but most of the time, the worst thing about them is cosmetic damage, so it's something that's easy to overlook, especially if you aren't going to be using it 24/7. Also, most refurbished laptops come with some form of guarantee, so even if there is some kind of issue, you can send it back and get a refund.

Read more