Printers are available in a variety of price ranges these days, but finding the finest printer on a tight budget can be difficult. However, finding good-performing printers at a reasonable price does not have to be difficult. Although printers frequently go on sale, we picked printers with a low Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) rather than a low sale price so that they stay very reasonable even when there isn’t a discount available.
List of Top 5 Best Cheap Printers in 2023
1. Brother MFC-J1205W is the best low-cost inkjet printer.
The Brother MFC-J1205W is the finest affordable printer we’ve tested if you’re looking for a regular inkjet printer but don’t want to spend a bunch. It makes use of Brother’s INKvestment Tank, a hybrid tank–cartridge technology that can print over 1,000 black-only pages and 700 color pages before needing to be replaced. Its cost-per-print is incredibly cheap, because to its high page yields, saving you money in the long term.
It appears to be well-constructed, with simple access to any paper jams and ink cartridges. If you’re short on room, you may also push the output tray all the way in to make the printer smaller. The images appear good and have acceptable color fidelity, so they’ll be excellent for printing casual photos to put on the fridge or to brighten up a workstation. It also features enough connectivity choices, such as Apple AirPrint, Mopria Print, or Brother’s mobile app, which allows you to print, scan, copy, and do maintenance duties directly from your phone.
Unfortunately, papers print slowly, and it does not enable automated duplex printing, so long print jobs will have to wait. Due to the lack of an automated document feeder, scanning papers may become tiresome. However, its low cost-per-print makes it an ideal alternative for those on a tight budget.
2. Brother HL-L2370DW is the best low-cost laser printer.
Consider the Brother HL-L2370DW if you prefer a laser printer. This monochrome printer only prints black and white pages, yet it offers one of the quickest black text document print rates we’ve seen, at 36 pages per minute (PPM). However, if you need high-volume monochrome copies done fast or need your essay produced on the spot, it’s a terrific option.
Its toner cartridge produces a high number of pages at a low cost-per-print. The printer also works with high-yield and third-party cartridges, giving you additional options when it comes to ink that fits your budget. An Ethernet connector and direct-to-computer USB input are available, as well as Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service compatibility.
It does not, however, include a scanner, which might be a deal breaker if you need to scan forms or digitize notes. It only has a single-line dot matrix display, which makes it difficult to discern the state of the printer at a glance. It’s also not a suitable choice for creating picture prints, as are most monochrome laser printers. However, if you require a low-cost black-and-white printing alternative, it’s a good choice.
3. Canon imageCLASS MF242dw is the best cheap laser printer with scanner.
Do you require a laser printer with a scanner? The Canon imageCLASS MF242dw comes highly recommended. It’s an economical monochrome laser printer, just like our cheap laser option; however, it features a flatbed scanner on top, and it’s only available at Walmart because it’s a retailer-exclusive model. It’s well-made and durable, and it includes a variety of connecting choices, including wired Ethernet and USB connections as well as wireless Wi-Fi. There’s no need to install drivers because it supports Apple AirPrint and Morpia Print Service.
This model can print at speeds of up to 28 pages per minute and can wake up from a standby mode and print a single page in less than nine seconds. A single toner cartridge delivers over 4000 pages, so you won’t have to replace it very often unless you print in bulk frequently. It also takes third-party toner, which might save you money. The cost-per-print is quite low, and the drum unit is contained within the cartridge, so you don’t have to worry about changing it.
The scanner itself is functional, but not particularly feature-rich. It can only scan at 600 DPI and doesn’t have an automated document feeder, so you’ll have to manually scan each page. The program does, however, provide an optical character recognition tool that allows you to scan documents into text files for easy editing. Overall, this is a wonderful choice to consider if you need an inexpensive laser printer with a scanner.
4. Canon PIXMA TR4520 is the best budget photo printer.
The Canon PIXMA TR4520 is the finest bargain printer we’ve tested for photographs. It’s designed for home office usage, but its excellent photo printing quality makes it ideal for everyday photo prints. Monochrome gradients have some banding, but the colors are vivid, and little details may be seen well.
It also has a lot of scanning capabilities. Its high-resolution flatbed scanner is ideal for scanning precious family images, while its automatic document feeder (ADF) speeds up the conversion of multi-page documents to digital format. If you need it, there’s even a built-in fax machine. An Ethernet connector, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria Print Service are among the networking choices available.
Unfortunately, it only has one tri-color cartridge, so even if one color goes out, you’ll have to replace the whole thing. The printer also features low page yields, an unacceptably high cost-per-print, and slow printing speeds. You don’t have to manually turn papers over because it offers automated duplex printing. Overall, it’s a wonderful pick if you’re on a budget yet still want great-looking images.
5. Brother MFC-J4335DW is the best budget printer.
If none of these other alternatives meet your budget and you’re searching for something more economical, the Brother MFC-J4335DW is the greatest budget printer we’ve tested. It’s more expensive than the other alternatives available, but its INKvestment Tank ink technology provides excellent page yields. Its cost-per-print is excellent, so you may print a lot for a small investment.
It prints swiftly, quickly printing multi-page black text documents as well as color documents. It also has a high-resolution flatbed scanner, as well as a fast-scanning automated document feeder and built-in OCR to convert your notes or documents into searchable digital files. There is an Ethernet connector, wireless network access through Wi-Fi, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria Print Service, among other networking possibilities.
Unfortunately, it prints images that have a lot of grain and washed-out blacks, and because its color accuracy is just average, photos will seem substantially different from their originals. It also takes a long time to print images. However, its general printing ability and ink cartridge longevity make it a superb printer for the money.
