The hardest part of buying a cheap home printer isn’t finding one under $100 — it’s realizing later that the ink will cost you ten times the printer’s price over a year. A low upfront cost often hides expensive cartridges that run dry after a handful of pages, so the real trick is picking one where the running costs don’t ambush you. This guide cuts through the confusion, compares print speeds, paper handling, and ink efficiency, and names the models that actually make financial sense for a home.
I’m Mo Maruf — the co-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.
The cheap printer for home that quietly saves you money month after month is the one with fast print speed (16 pages per minute in black), a big paper tray (150 sheets), and automatic two-sided print. That’s the Brother Work Smart 1360. For scanning multi-page documents cheaply, grab the Canon PIXMA TR7120. And for photo prints that pop, the HP Envy 6155 has P3 color technology.
How To Choose The Best Cheap Printer For Home
All cheap home printers look similar on a shelf: a white box with a paper tray and a screen. But the specs that actually matter for your wallet and your patience are hidden below the surface. Here’s what to focus on.
Print Speed (Pages Per Minute)
Black-and-white (mono) speed tells you how fast the printer cranks out a text document. For a home printer, look for at least 8 to 10 pages per minute (ppm) in black. Color speed is always slower — expect roughly half that number. A faster printer doesn’t feel like a waste of time when you are standing there waiting for a school permission slip or a boarding pass.
Paper Handling and Tray Capacity
The input tray (where blank paper sits) is a bigger deal than most people realize. A 60-sheet tray will run empty mid-job if you print a 30-page report double-sided. A 150-sheet tray gives you breathing room so you aren’t constantly refeeding paper. Also check whether it supports automatic duplex (two-sided) printing — that feature halves your paper usage automatically.
Ink Economics (The Real Cost)
Every cheap printer ships with “starter” cartridges that hold about half the ink of a standard replacement. Check the page yield of standard cartridges: bigger numbers (300+ pages for black, 200+ for color) keep your per-page cost down. Some models lock you into high-margin ink subscriptions — read the fine print carefully.
Quick Comparison
On smaller screens, swipe sideways to see the full table.
| Model | Category | Best For | Key Spec | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-J1360DW | Mid-Range | Home office & productivity | 150-sheet tray / 16 ppm black | Amazon |
| HP DeskJet 4255e | Budget | Basic document printing | 60-sheet tray / 8.5 ppm black | Amazon |
| Canon PIXMA TR4720 | Budget | Reliable all-in-one with ADF | 100-sheet tray / 8.8 ppm black | Amazon |
| Canon PIXMA TS7720 | Mid-Range | Fast home & photo printing | Auto duplex / 15 ppm black | Amazon |
| Canon PIXMA TR7120 | Premium | Duplex printing + dual-band Wi-Fi | 14 ppm black / ADF + auto duplex | Amazon |
| HP Envy 6155 | Premium | Photos & homework prints | 2.4″ color touchscreen / 10 ppm black | Amazon |
| Brother MFC-J1410DW | Premium | Small office or heavy home use | 2.7″ touchscreen / 16 ppm black | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Brother Work Smart 1360 (MFC-J1360DW)
The 16 ppm black speed makes the Brother Work Smart 1360 the fastest cheap home printer you can reasonably buy under most budgets — and about 2 times faster in black than the HP DeskJet 4255e. That makes it the top pick for anyone who prints more than occasional pages and doesn’t want to wait. The 150-sheet input tray holds 2.5 times more paper than that HP’s 60-sheet tray, so you aren’t refeeding mid-job. The automatic duplex (two-sided printing) and the 20-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF, a slot that feeds multi-page originals for scanning or copying) save you from standing there flipping paper.
Buyers report that the Brother Mobile Connect app lets them monitor ink levels with Page Gauge, and prints stay crisp even on thicker paper. The 1.8-inch color display is simple to navigate, and cloud app connectivity for Google Drive and Dropbox makes scanning direct to stored files possible from the printer itself.
The honest limits: some reviewers faced a frustrating “EasySetup” software failure — the full Brother driver package worked when the quick-install didn’t. The plastic build feels light, and the small screen isn’t as polished as the pricier Brother 1410’s 2.7-inch touchscreen. Still, for the speed (16 ppm black) and tray capacity (150 sheets), this is the most capable machine a busy home could ask for.
Why it’s great
- Fastest black and color speeds in its tier — 16 ppm black, 9 ppm color
- 150-sheet tray holds more than double the paper of competing budget models
- Automatic duplex printing saves paper without you flipping anything manually
Good to know
- Setup software can be finicky; the full driver package is more reliable than the “EasySetup” tool
- Small 1.8-inch display — less comfortable than the larger touchscreens on pricier models
- Build is functional but not premium — feels light on the desk
2. HP DeskJet 4255e
The HP DeskJet 4255e gives you a real all-in-one (print, scan, copy, fax) for a very low upfront price, but you pay in speed and paper capacity — its 8.5 ppm black and 5.5 ppm color are roughly half the pace of the Brother 1360 (which runs at 16/9 ppm), and its 60-sheet tray is 2.5 times smaller. That means a 15-page document forces you to reload paper mid-print, which is frustrating during a time crunch. Owners mention that the AI-based print web-page feature does a genuinely good job of removing ads and wasted blank sheets when printing from a browser.
The key strength is how compact and accessible it is: a small white chassis fits on a corner desk, an LED control panel shows basic status, and the HP Smart app handles scanning from your phone. The automatic document feeder (ADF) lets you scan or copy a stack of pages hands-free, and the prints come out with sharp text and decent color for everyday letters and to-do lists.
This printer fits a buyer whose budget is extremely tight and whose printing volume is low — under 20 pages a week. The constant need to refeed paper and the 2.4 GHz-only Wi-Fi (no 5 GHz band, which can cause dropouts on busy home networks) make it a tool for light duty, not a family workhorse. If you print more than that, the Brother 1360 or Canon TR7120 will save you frustration, but if you need the absolute lowest upfront cost and can live with slow, low-volume output, choose this HP over the top pick.
Where it shines
- Very low entry price for a full all-in-one with scan, copy, and fax
- Compact footprint fits small desks and shelves
- HP Smart app and AI web-print clean up online pages before printing
Worth noting
- 60-sheet tray forces frequent paper refills on any job over 15 sheets
- Only 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi — no 5 GHz support, which can cause connectivity issues on modern routers
- HP firmware blocks non-HP ink cartridges; Instant Ink trial auto-charges after 3 months unless you cancel
3. Canon PIXMA TR4720
If you need to feed a stack of multi-page documents into the scanner or copier without standing there feeding each sheet by hand, the Canon PIXMA TR4720’s automatic document feeder (ADF) is the reason to buy it over the HP DeskJet 4255e. It prints at 8.8 ppm black and 4.4 ppm color — which is exactly half the color speed of the Brother 1360 (4.4 vs 9 ppm), so waiting for color pages is noticeably slower. But the 100-sheet paper tray is a solid upgrade over the HP’s 60-sheet tray, and the auto duplex (two-sided printing) saves paper without you having to flip anything.
Customers note fast setup — under 30 minutes with Wi-Fi and an iPhone — and praise the draft mode that saves ink on everyday documents. The 1-year limited warranty and ENERGY STAR rating add some peace of mind, and the Alexa integration means you can ask your smart speaker if ink is low.
The standout spec is the 4-in-1 functionality (print, copy, scan, fax) with that ADF at a price that stays under the premium tier.
What stands out
- Includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) for hands-free scanning and copying of stacks
- 100-sheet tray is more forgiving than the 60-sheet budget alternatives
- Auto duplex (two-sided) printing comes standard without manual effort
The trade-offs
- Color speed is slow — 4.4 ppm, 2x slower than the Brother 1360’s 9 ppm
- Some units have reportedly failed shortly after the return window closed
- Paper tray sticks out past the front of the machine when loaded
4. Canon PIXMA TS7720
The single number that matters most in this category is speed: 15 ppm black and 10 ppm color put the Canon PIXMA TS7720 in a different league from the Canon TR4720 (8.8 black / 4.4 color) — a full 70% faster in black and more than double the color speed. For a home that prints a mix of text and color photos, that difference adds up fast. The 2.7-inch color LCD touchscreen is the most intuitive control panel in this price bracket, replacing tiny icons with a real tap interface.
You trade off paper capacity for that speed — the rear tray must be pulled out manually and extended, and the machine defaults to auto power-off after 4 hours unless you dig into the settings. Reviewers point out that the wireless setup can be tricky (it requires a manual connection to your router), but one reviewer had it fully running in under 25 minutes using a USB cable. Print quality on photos is rated as good but less vivid than Canon’s higher-end 5-ink tank models.
This is the best option if you print color pages quickly and want a touchscreen interface. The ink runs out faster than expected in heavy use — one reviewer noted the starter cartridges depleted in 3 days of garden-photo printing — so plan for standard cartridge replacements from the start. If you rarely print color, save money and go for the Brother 1360, which gives a better price-to-value read for monochrome-only households.
The upsides
- Fastest color speed in this roundup — 10 ppm color, double the TR4720’s speed
- Intuitive 2.7-inch touchscreen makes navigation simple
- Good print quality for mixed document and photo home use
Keep in mind
- Starter ink runs out fast in heavy use — budget for standard cartridges immediately
- Wireless setup can require manual router connection; not plug-and-play for everyone
- Rear paper tray must be extended manually and the printer defaults to auto power-off after 4 hours
5. Canon PIXMA TR7120
The Canon PIXMA TR7120 packs both an automatic document feeder (ADF) and automatic duplex (two-sided) printing into a compact white shell that costs less than many machines missing either feature. It prints at 14 ppm black and 9 ppm color — close to the TS7720’s pace but with the added ADF for scanning stacks of papers. The dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) is a welcome upgrade over the 2.4 GHz-only connection on the HP DeskJet 4255e, meaning fewer dropouts on crowded home networks.
One of the best real-world details: a buyer reported printing 500 pages without a single jam, which is a strong durability signal at this price. The 1.42-inch monochrome OLED screen is small and simple but shows ink levels clearly at a glance. Ink costs are the typical Canon pattern — the starter cartridges don’t last long, and color ink comes in a single tri-color cartridge rather than separate tanks, so when yellow runs out you replace the whole color block.
The combination of ADF, auto duplex, and dual-band Wi-Fi at a price that does not punish you for wanting those three features together makes this the pick for a home that scans multi-page tax documents or school packets one week and prints double-sided homework the next — without paying for a business-class machine. skip it if you rarely scan stacks and just need a faster printer; the TS7720 is cheaper and faster.
Why we’d pick it
- Combines auto duplex printing and ADF scanning at a price that usually omits one or both
- Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz) for stable connections on any router
- 500-page jam-free run reported by a buyer — strong reliability for light-to-medium use
A few caveats
- Color ink is a single tri-color cartridge — more wasteful and expensive when one color runs out
- Starter cartridges deplete quickly; factor standard cartridge costs into your budget
- Small monochrome OLED screen is functional but not as easy to read as a color LCD
6. HP Envy 6155
The HP Envy 6155 is the best pick for a home that cares more about photo quality and smartphone convenience than raw print speed — its 10 ppm black and 7 ppm color are slower than the Canon TS7720’s 15/10 pace, but the P3 color technology (a wider color range that reproduces more of what you see on modern screens) makes borderless 4×6 prints pop in a way most sub-$100 printers cannot. The 2.4-inch color touchscreen is HP’s most intuitive interface in this range, and the dual-band Wi-Fi automatically detects and resolves connection issues.
Shoppers say that the setup can be done in 15 minutes via the HP Smart app, and the slim design fits into tight spaces. The 100-sheet input tray is adequate for light home use, and the auto duplex (two-sided) printing is standard. The HP AI feature cleans up web pages before printing, removing ads and awkward page breaks automatically.
The catch is the ink ecosystem: this printer blocks non-HP cartridges via firmware updates, and the 3-month Instant Ink trial converts to a paid subscription ($3-$10/month depending on plan) unless you cancel.
Strong points
- P3 color technology produces richer, more screen-accurate photo prints than typical inkjets
- Intuitive 2.4-inch color touchscreen makes navigation easy
- Dual-band Wi-Fi with auto-connection repair reduces setup headaches
Before you buy
- Firmware blocks non-HP cartridges — you are locked into HP’s ink pricing
- Starter ink cartridges are small (~75 pages color); plan for immediate replacements
- Instant Ink trial auto-converts to paid; you must cancel manually before 3 months end
7. Brother Work Smart 1410 (MFC-J1410DW)
The Brother MFC-J1410DW takes the same core engine as the top-ranked MFC-J1360DW (16 ppm black, 9 ppm color, 150-sheet tray, 20-sheet ADF) and adds a larger, clearer 2.7-inch color touchscreen to replace the 1360’s smaller 1.8-inch display. For the extra upfront money, you also get fax capability and the same automatic duplex printing, making this the most complete all-in-one in the roundup — it does everything a small home office might need without stepping up to a bulky business-class machine.
Buyers consistently praise the Brother brand for reliability, with one reviewer noting that they’ve had fewer problems with Brother printers compared to Epson units. The cartridges last 6+ months under moderate use, and the Brother Mobile Connect app lets you print, scan, and monitor ink from your phone. Setup took some time for a few users, and the printer is described as “a bit loud” when running, but the overall feedback is strongly positive for the value.
The main reason to pick the 1410 over the 1360 is that larger 2.7-inch touchscreen — if you want to navigate cloud apps like Google Drive or Dropbox directly from the printer’s panel, the extra screen real estate makes a real difference. Otherwise, the 1360 gives you the same core speed (16/9 ppm) and paper handling (150-sheet tray) for less money. This is the value winner if touchscreen convenience is a priority.
What we like
- 2.7-inch color touchscreen makes cloud app navigation (Google Drive, Dropbox) genuinely usable
- Same fast 16 ppm black / 9 ppm color engine as the top-ranked Brother 1360
- Includes fax, ADF, and auto duplex — the most complete all-in-one feature set in this guide
The downsides
- Costs more than the nearly identical Brother 1360 for the touchscreen upgrade
- Some units have been reported with paper jams and reliability issues (though pattern is mixed)
- Audible noise during printing — not ideal for a silent home office
Understanding the Specs
Pages Per Minute (PPM)
PPM is the number of standard pages a printer can spit out in one minute. Black (mono) PPM is always faster than color PPM because color printing lays down four ink layers per page. For a cheap printer for home, 8-10 ppm black is acceptable; 15+ ppm black is genuinely quick and will save you standing at the machine waiting for a multi-page document to finish.
Duplex (Two-Sided Printing)
Automatic duplex means the printer flips the paper itself to print on both sides — you don’t have to stand there, flip the stack, and hope you guessed the orientation right. Manual duplex means you physically flip the paper after the first side is done. Automatic duplex is a huge time-saver for homework assignments, recipes, or any multi-page document.
Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)
An ADF is a slot on top of the scanner that pulls in a stack of pages one by one — so you can scan or copy a 10-page contract by pressing one button instead of lifting the lid for each page. Not every cheap home printer has one; models that do are much better for scanning tax forms, school packets, or multi-page paperwork.
Input Tray Capacity
This is how many blank sheets the printer holds at once. A 60-sheet tray will run out mid-job if you are printing a 15-page document double-sided. A 150-sheet tray gives you comfortable breathing room for several days of light home printing before you need to reload paper.
FAQ
Should I buy a cheap printer if the ink costs more than the printer?
What is the difference between automatic duplex and manual duplex?
Does a cheap printer for home need an automatic document feeder (ADF)?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
When it comes down to it, the cheap printer for home winner is the Brother Work Smart 1360 because it combines the fastest print speed (16 ppm black) with a 150-sheet paper tray, automatic duplex, and a reliable brand reputation at a mid-range price. If you want the best value with an automatic document feeder for scanning stacks, grab the Canon PIXMA TR7120. And for a home that prints more photos than documents and values smartphone convenience, the HP Envy 6155 delivers P3 color quality that stands out in this price bracket.