Investing in an affordable printer doesn’t mean that you’re opting for subpar quality. There are many low-budget printers suitable for voluminous office printing. And they give you clear results on paper. If you’re working from home, you’d need a reliable model even if you might not have a large number of print tasks. Here’s a trick – while many manufacturers reduce the price of printers so it’s enticing to purchase, other important parts like ink cartridges are high so it still ends up being expensive to maintain. 

Luckily, we’ve considered this while compiling our list. In this article, you’ll be able to choose from the best affordable printers available in the market today. Asides from the overall pricing, we’ve also looked into quality, ease of use, printing speed, and set up amongst other features. Keep reading to find the right fit for you. 

1. HP Deskjet 2130 All-in-One Printer

Key Specifications

  • 60 sheets of paper capacity3.52kgA4 paper size20 ppm printing speedInkjet technologyPrint, scan, and copy functions supported

Price: $71

Being one of the most affordable printers you can find in the market, the Deskjet 2130 is an all-in-one printer that gives you high-quality prints – even when compared to other HP printers. It’s super lightweight so it’s easy to move around. Since it’s also compact, you can keep it on your work desk, without it taking up much space. It offers smartphone support so you can be sure to enjoy its multiple features. Plus, it’s easy to set up and use over time.

This printer is a perfect option if you only need to print occasionally and you want additional use cases like scanning documents and making photocopies. However, if you make a lot of copies, we recommend opting for another option since it can get slow when you try to maximize the printing speed. If you also plan to print regularly, Hp’s instant ink subscription might be a cheaper option in the long run. 

2. HP Laserjet Pro M15W Printer

  • Color laser printer19 ppm printing speedUp to A4 paper3.8kg100 sheets of paper capacity210 watts

Price: $178.00

Popularly referred to as the world’s smallest printer, Hp’s smallest LaserJet Pro is 35% smaller than other HP printers. And yet, it still offers the same high-quality results you’d expect. Asides from being compact, it prints up to 19 pages per minute which give you room to print hundreds of documents from a single toner cartridge. 

Compatible with the HP Smart App, you can scan documents from your devices, print directly from cloud-based software like Google Drive, and even place orders for toners. If you don’t have internet access, you can simply use the WiFi direct. We also love that it has an auto-on and off technology that allows you to save energy when you don’t need to use it. The only downside is that there’s no display and you don’t have access to a duplex mode so you can’t print on both sides of your paper.

3. Canon Pixma TS302

  • Portable inkjet printer7ppm printing speed60 sheets capacity2.9kgUp to A4 paper sizeCompanion appCompatible with Alexa

Price: $69.99

This portable-sized Canon printer is an excellent option if you want to scan documents from your smartphone. You can choose to print on plain A4 paper or glossy photo papers and the tray can accommodate up to 60 sheets. It comes with two inkjet cartridges – colored and black. What we love the most about this affordable printer is the quiet mode that allows you to print at very low noise. So it’s suitable for late-night tasks when you work from home or when you don’t want to disrupt your colleagues at the office.

Although there’s no touch screen, it has wireless connectivity options that gives you an alternative option. You can choose to connect via Bluetooth or Airprint. This printer also doesn’t have an Ethernet port or Scanner bet, however, you can scan your documents from your device or the Canon companion app. Another setback is that it doesn’t have an auto-duplex mode. But it shouldn’t be a problem if you don’t have a lot of printing needs. 

4. Brother MFC – J1205W

  • Inkjet printing technology12.3 poundsCompatible with AlexaAll-in-one printerA4-A6 paper size6PPM printing speed

Price: $111.00

This inkjet all-in-one color inkjet printer is ideal for home use. Unlike most cheap printers, you can save by using the four cartridges provided. You can generate about 1100 black prints and 750 colored prints with these cartridges. This means you don’t have to replace ink cartridges for up to a year – bringing your maintenance costs down to the barest minimum. There’s also a gauge to help you track when you’re running out of ink. The scanner can accommodate thick items like books and magazines. 

Connect to this printer via WiFi, USB, Apple Airprint, or Mopria print service. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have an automatic feeder so, you might spend extra time scanning long documents. And although printing on this device is a bit slow, it jumpstarts almost immediately. However, it’s an excellent choice if you just have simple printing needs. 

5. Canon Pixma MG3620

  • 12 pounds5 printing options16 print speed colorInkjet printers100 pages tray capacityAutomatic duplex printing3 to 9 ppm

Price: $73.71

This simple all-in-one printer is excellent for scanning detailed photos like handwritten notes or fragile pictures. You have the option to either print, make copies or scan a document. It also has a very detailed color accuracy. Having a quick and wireless setup, one feature we love the most is the automatic duplex printing which helps you save paper. Of course, you can turn this off whenever you’d want to print on a single side. 

And although it’s not the fastest printer, you can make up for it by purchasing extra cartridges at a low price. Another downside is that it also doesn’t support printing via Bluetooth or WiFi direct. However, you have other powerful options like Airprint, Google Cloud Print, NFC, Mopria, and Canon Print. It’s a compact printer you should consider getting. 

6. Pantum P2520W

  • Laser printer22ppm700-page starter cartridgeMobile device printing10.4 pounds250 paper capacityA4 paper size

Price: $99.00

If you’re looking for a very efficient monochrome printer, this Pantum model is your best bet. Printing more than 22 pages per minute, it comes with an additional starter cartridge for about 700 pages. Since it costs less than most inkjet printers, this is an excellent investment. The design is lightweight and compact so you can place it on your work desk. And although the design is compact, it’s still big enough to hold about 250 sheets in both its input and output tray. 

You can also connect either USB or with its inbuilt WiFi direct for a wireless connection. There’s mobile device printing available on iOS and Android through the Pantum app. Unfortunately, it isn’t compatible with Chrome systems. Another downside is that it doesn’t have an auto duplex feature. 

7. Brother HL – 112 Printer

  • Mono laser printer20 ppm printing speedA4 paper150 sheets capacity4.5 kg

Price: $79.99

While this printer doesn’t have the auto-duplex feature, WiFi module, and a covered paper tray, it is compact and highly efficient. You can store up to 150 pages of A4 paper in the open tray and print much faster at a speed of 20 pages per minute. Since it’s lightweight, you can easily carry it around or change its position.  It comes with a toner enough for 700 pages and when you get a new cartridge, you can use it for another 1000 pages. So if you want to print in monochromatic schemes at a faster rate, this is the ideal option for you. 

8. Epson Workforce WF 2860

  • 8ppm printing speedLCD 12 wattsInkjet printing technology150 sheet paper capacity30-page auto document feeder14.1 poundsCompatible with Alexa

Price: $115.00

This Epson model is an all-in-one printer designed to enhance your productivity. With a 150-sheet paper capacity and a 30-page auto document feeder, you can print or scan copies automatically. It comes with a four-color individual ink set which makes it a more efficient option when compared to combined color cartridges. 

This printer comes with inbuilt WiFi so you can link it with your smartphone. We also love that it has a touchscreen so you can easily carry out your tasks with one push. You can print out high-resolution images or photocopy documents on envelopes, glossy and regular A4 papers. The only downside is that this printer doesn’t come with an auto duplex feature. 

We hope you’ve found this article insightful and that you’ve been able to easily identify affordable printers perfect for your needs. Do let us know which of these printers you’d be opting for in the comments below. Also, share this post with your friends and family so they can make an informed decision too. 

Disclaimer: We might get a commission for some of the products we recommend here, but this doesn’t affect our editorial policy