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The real cost of a cheap printer is the ink you’ll buy over the next few years, not the machine itself. This guide covers seven budget and mid-range all-in-one inkjet printers, breaking down which ones deliver sharp prints without draining your wallet.
I’m Mo Maruf — the founder and writer behind The Tools Trunk. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
You want a cheap computer printer that handles homework, home office tasks, or the odd photo without draining your wallet. Here’s how to choose one that fits your daily routine.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Cheap Computer Printer
The sticker price lures you in, but ink cartridges are where manufacturers make their money. Before you buy, consider your print volume, document types, and tolerance for software setup.
Look Past the Purchase Price
A printer that costs less upfront often uses smaller, pricier cartridges that run out fast. Check the page yield (how many pages a cartridge prints) and the cost of replacement ink before you commit. If you print a lot, a model with a higher starting cost but cheaper ink will save you money in the long run.
Match Print Speed to Your Workload
Pages per minute (ppm) tells you how fast a printer churns out documents. If you only print a few pages a week, a slower model is fine. If you’re running a home office or printing school projects daily, a faster printer like one rated at 21 ppm black will save you serious time.
Don’t Overlook Paper Handling
Paper capacity and an automatic document feeder (ADF) matter more than you’d think. A 100-sheet tray means you’ll refill it often, while a 250-sheet tray lets you forget about paper for days. An ADF lets you scan or copy a stack of pages without feeding them one by one.
Decide What “All-in-One” Means to You
Most budget printers are multifunction devices that print, scan, and copy. Some add fax, which is useless to most people but a must-have for certain home offices. Figure out which functions you’ll actually use, and don’t pay extra for features that will sit idle.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Print Speed (Black) | Print Speed (Color) | Paper Capacity | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TR4720★ Best Overall | Occasional home use | 8.8 ipm | 4.4 ipm | 100-sheet | Amazon |
| Brother Work Smart 1360Top Performer | Home and home office | 16 ppm | 9 ppm | 150-sheet | Amazon |
| Epson Workforce Pro WF-3823 | Heavy workloads | 21 ppm | 11 ppm | 250-sheet | Amazon |
| Canon PIXMA TR7120 | Hybrid workers | 14 ppm | 9 ppm | — | Amazon |
| HP Envy 6155 | Everyday family printing | 10 ppm | 7 ppm | 100-sheet | Amazon |
| Brother Work Smart 1410 | Home and small office | 16 ppm | 9 ppm | 150-sheet | Amazon |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 8139 | Home office pros | 20 ppm | 10 ppm | 225-sheet | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Canon PIXMA TR4720
The entry-level all-rounder that handles print, copy, scan, and fax while staying affordable.
If you only print occasionally — a few school pages or a recipe here and there — the Canon PIXMA TR4720 is a solid, budget-friendly starting point. It’s a wireless 4-in-1 (print, copy, scan, fax) with an auto document feeder and automatic 2-sided printing, so you won’t have to manually flip pages for double-sided documents. Setup is straightforward through the Canon PIXMA app, and it works with both iPhone and Android.
What wins people over is the value: it includes starter ink, and replacement cartridges are affordable at around for black and color. Just know the trade-offs. At 8.8 ipm (images per minute) for black and 4.4 ipm for color, it’s noticeably slower than a Brother or Epson — roughly 2.4x slower on black and 2.5x slower on color than the Epson Workforce Pro WF-3823. The 100-sheet paper capacity means you’ll refill it more often, and some buyers report the connection can be finicky from a phone, requiring a switch between the Canon app and the phone’s default printing app.
Owners mention it “broke after ~50 pages, one day past 30-day return,” so if you’re a heavy printer, this isn’t the one for you. But for light, occasional use, it’s a dependable, wallet-friendly choice.
compact all-in-one
- Affordable ink (~ black+color)
- Includes fax, scan, copy, print
- Auto duplex and document feeder
slow print speed
- Slow print speeds (8.8 ipm black)
- 100-sheet tray needs frequent refills
- Some phone connectivity quirks
small offices: occasional home users who want a full-featured all-in-one at a low entry price.
heavy printing: anyone printing more than a few pages a week — the speed and reliability aren’t there.
2. Brother Work Smart 1360
A fast, reliable workhorse for home offices, with cloud app connectivity and crisp output.
The Brother Work Smart 1360 is for the home or home office that prints daily and values speed without a premium price tag. It hits 16 ppm (pages per minute) in black and 9 ppm in color, and its 150-sheet paper tray plus a 20-sheet automatic document feeder keep multi-page jobs moving. The 1.8-inch color display makes it easy to print from and scan to cloud apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive directly from the printer.
Setup is where this printer shines — buyers consistently call it the easiest setup they’ve ever had, with guided steps and an intuitive companion app for phone printing. It even handles Avery sticky labels, which is a nice bonus for home business owners. The printer is also compact at 13.5″D x 15.4″W x 7.2″H, so it won’t dominate your desk.
The honest caveat is ink life, which some owners describe as poor, getting roughly 100 pages in eco mode. And while paper jams happen occasionally, they’re easy to clear. As customers note, it’s about “90% reliable” — good, but not perfect. If you want a fast, easy-to-use printer and can live with more frequent ink changes, this is a strong pick.
budget buyers: speed, easy setup, and cloud connectivity at a reasonable price.
power users: starter ink runs out fast, so budget for replacements sooner than you’d like.
3. Epson Workforce Pro WF-3823
The speed demon for heavy workloads, with a 250-sheet tray and pro-grade pigment inks.
For a busy home office or small business, the Epson Workforce Pro WF-3823 keeps up with heavy printing. It prints 21 ppm in black and 11 ppm in color. — so you finish big jobs sooner. Its 250-sheet paper capacity lets you print long documents without reloading, and the 35-sheet automatic document feeder (which feeds multiple pages for scanning or copying) plus auto 2-sided printing (which prints on both sides automatically) speed up your workflow.
What sets this Epson apart is its PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology with DURABrite Ultra instant-dry pigment inks. In plain English, that means sharper text and colors that don’t smudge, even on plain paper. The 2.7-inch color touchscreen makes navigation easy, and setup is convenient via your smartphone with Bluetooth Low Energy, plus built-in wireless, Wi-Fi Direct, and Ethernet for flexibility.
Reviewers point out it “works well, 100+ pages on starter ink,” which is proof of its efficiency. However, there’s a catch: Epson’s system is designed to use only genuine cartridges, and non-genuine ink could cause damage not covered by the warranty. One owner was frustrated after two ink sets were rejected. If you’re committed to authentic ink, this is a reliable, high-speed workhorse.
busy workgroups: home offices and small businesses that print daily and need speed and capacity.
tight budgets: you’re looking to save on third-party ink — Epson locks you into genuine cartridges.
4. Canon PIXMA TR7120
A compact, stylish white printer with dual-band Wi-Fi and an OLED display for light home office duty.
The Canon PIXMA TR7120 is designed for hybrid workers who want a small footprint without sacrificing print quality. It uses a 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors, and buyers single out print quality as the top reason they’re happy. Setup is a breeze with prompts, and it connects quickly to Wi-Fi, with a 14 ppm black and 9 ppm color speed that suits most home tasks.
What makes this model stand out is its connectivity options. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz) for stable connections, plus Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service for easy mobile printing. The 1.42-inch monochrome OLED display lets you check ink levels and adjust settings at a glance. Its compact size at 14.8″D x 14″W x 8.2″H means it fits neatly on a small desk.
The trade-offs are worth noting. The small paper tray is a recurring gripe, and some owners find it jams occasionally when printing single sheets. It also uses ink quickly, which is a consideration for your long-term budget. For a light-use home office where quality matters more than volume, this is a refined choice.
home offices: you value print quality and a compact, modern design in a small workspace.
small desks: you print high volumes — the small tray and ink consumption will frustrate you.
5. HP Envy 6155
An easy-to-use family printer with a 3-month Instant Ink trial and AI-powered formatting.
The HP Envy 6155 is built for families printing everyday color documents — homework, flyers, and borderless photos. It hits 10 ppm in black and 7 ppm in color, and its auto 2-sided printing plus 100-sheet input tray cover the basics well. The 2.4-inch touchscreen is one of HP’s most intuitive, making navigation smooth for everyone in the household.
The standout feature here is the included 3-month trial of Instant Ink, HP’s subscription service that delivers ink to your door before you run out. That takes the guesswork out of ink management, especially for busy parents. The printer also uses HP’s P3 technology for true-to-screen color, and its AI-capable software tune web page and email formatting to avoid wasted pages.
What wins people over is the setup — shoppers say it’s easy to assemble, connects to Wi-Fi instantly, and stays connected, which is a relief if you’ve struggled with wireless printers before. It’s made with at least 60% recycled plastic, too. The mixed feedback centers on software, with some owners finding the HP app mandatory and occasionally losing connection. If you’re replacing an older HP, this feels like a familiar, upgraded experience.
casual users: families and home users who want a straightforward, connected printer with an ink safety net.
high volume: anyone who hates mandatory apps — the HP app is part of the experience here.
6. Brother Work Smart 1410
A versatile 4-in-1 with a large touchscreen and fax, punchy speed, and Brother reliability.
The Brother Work Smart 1410 is the step-up version of the 1360, adding a larger 2.7-inch color touchscreen and fax capability for small offices that need a bit more. It matches the 1360’s speed at 16 ppm black and 9 ppm color, with a 150-sheet paper tray and 20-sheet automatic document feeder. Its compact footprint at 13.5″D x 15.4″W x 7.2″H fits neatly next to a larger printer.
Print quality is the thing everyone raves about — buyers describe it as excellent, with clear, smudge-free pages and vivid colors. Setup is straightforward, with easy cartridge installation and quick connection to devices like an iPhone 15. The Brother Mobile Connect app adds convenient onscreen navigation for printing, scanning, and ink monitoring. It’s also a champ with 8-1/2 x 14″ legal paper, which is a boon for certain documents.
The catch is ink: only two starter cartridges are included, and the printer requires Brother Genuine LC501 ink, which some owners found hard to source. One frustrated owner had to wait indefinitely for a replacement cartridge. If you can reliably get the ink, this is a capable, quiet, and compact office workhorse.
cost savers: a big touchscreen, fax, and excellent print quality in a compact body.
tech lovers: proprietary ink that can be hard to find in stock — plan ahead.
7. HP OfficeJet Pro 8139
A professional-grade home office printer with a 1-year Instant Ink trial and business-class speed.
The HP OfficeJet Pro 8139 is for home offices that need professional-quality color documents — business documents, reports, presentations, and flyers. It delivers 20 ppm in black and 10 ppm in color, with a 225-sheet input tray that keeps big jobs running. The auto document feeder and auto 2-sided printing handle multi-page tasks without constant attention.
The headline feature is the 1-year trial of Instant Ink included. That’s a full year of ink delivered to your door before you run out, cutting ink costs by up to 50% — a significant value for a busy home office. The 2.7-inch touchscreen offers a phone-like interface, and HP’s AI tune web page and email formatting to eliminate wasted pages. HP Wolf Essential Security also helps protect your network from cyber threats, a feature not found on most budget models.
Setup earns consistent praise, with buyers noting how easy it is even for non-tech-savvy users, and pages dispense quickly with great quality. The mixed feedback is on connectivity, with occasional Bluetooth pairing hiccups. The 18-second first-page-out time might test your patience occasionally, but for a pro-grade office printer, this delivers on performance and value.
print shops: this is the best value if you run a serious home office that prints daily and want ink confidence for a year.
limited space: complex first-time setup if you run into Bluetooth issues — be prepared for that.
Understanding the Specs
Pages Per Minute (ppm) and ipm
This tells you how fast a printer produces pages. “ppm” stands for pages per minute, and “ipm” means images per minute For occasional printing, speed doesn’t matter much; for a home office, it saves you real time every day.
Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) and Duplex
An ADF scans or copies a stack of pages automatically, without you feeding each sheet by hand. A 20-sheet or 35-sheet ADF handles a typical multi-page document in one go. Duplex printing means the printer automatically flips the page to print on both sides, cutting paper use in half. Both features save you time and paper, but you only need them if you regularly handle multi-page jobs.
FAQ
Is a cheap printer worth buying or will it break quickly?
How much does ink cost for budget printers?
Do I need an automatic document feeder on a cheap printer?
Can I use third-party ink in these printers?
Which is better for a home office, a Brother or an Epson printer?
How many pages per minute do I need for school or home use?
What does “all-in-one” mean on a cheap printer?
Is a printer with a touchscreen easier to use?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
If you want one dependable pick, the cheap computer printer winner is the Brother Work Smart 1360 because it balances fast 16 ppm speeds, easy setup, and cloud connectivity at a price that stays budget-friendly. If you want the highest print volume and don’t mind genuine ink only, the Epson Workforce Pro WF-3823 is the one to reach for. And for a full year of ink delivered to your door, the HP OfficeJet Pro 8139 takes the stress out of running out.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of August 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, The Tools Trunk earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.