If you have ever used a printer, then you probably know that office supplies like ink cartridges can be very expensive, and no matter the type of ink you purchase, you need ink to make it work. As a result, finding what printer has the cheapest ink is recommended to ensure you're getting more value from the printer.

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Which is the most economical printer for home use?

There is no big secret to knowing what printer has the cheapest ink. You just need to do your research. So, to help you get the best printer with the cheapest ink, we have put together the best cheap ink printers as well as a comprehensive guide that looks at the key factors you should consider to make the best choice.

Which Printer is Most Economical for Ink Costs?

As we have mentioned, or as you already may know, ink is not cheap at all. In the long run, the ink cost may exceed the entire printer's cost after a few replacements.

Inkjet printers are cheap, but their ink won't last long. In addition, the ink tends to dry up when not used for a long time, making them even more expensive for people who don't print very often.

On the other hand, laser printers are quite expensive to buy, but they have cheaper ink costs when compared to an inkjet printer. This is because their ink toners are cheaper as they will print more and won't easily dry up.

Fortunately, you can always find printers that offer a great balance between affordability and low ink costs. We have reviewed the cheapest ink printers that provide a good value for money. Some of them are laser, while others are inkjet.

1. Canon MX922 Office and Business All-In-One Printer

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Canon Office and Business MX922 All-in-One Printer, Wireless and Mobile Printing
  • Features: Wireless LAN,AirPrint, Google Cloud...
  • Fully-Integrated, 35-sheet Duplex Auto...
  • Built-In Auto Duplex Printing: Automatically...
  • Compatible with Individual/Combo CLI-251 XL...
  • 20-Foot cord.OS Compatibility:Windows 8,...

Canon has been in the printer industry for quite some time now and is one of the best companies that produce printing equipment under budget. The Canon MX922 Office and Business All-In-One Printer are one of their best and most affordable creations.

Looking to get the best printer for home use? The Canon MX922 Office and Business All-In-One Printer is a multi-functional wireless printer, fax, and scanner that offers fast and high-quality printing for photos and documents.

It includes a variety of features such as Google Cloud Print, AirPrint, USB printing, and mobile device printing. Additionally, it includes an automatic document feeder that allows you to copy, scan, and fax documents without the need to load every paper individually.

This printer is designed to print 15 pages per minute and paper sizes of up to 8.5 X 14 inches. The automatic duplex printing allows you to print on both sides without the need to turn them manually. The compatible ink costs can range from $10 to $ 14 for this model.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Sleek and compact design
  • Great print quality
  • Efficient ink consumption level
  • High printing speed
  • Dual compatibility

Cons

  • A bit noisy

2. Canon Pixma MG3620 Wireless All-In-One

Canon Pixma MG3620 Wireless All-In-One Color Inkjet Printer with Mobile and Tablet Printing, Black
  • Wireless 3-in-1 (print | copy | scan)
  • Easily print and scan photos and documents...
  • 9.9 / 5.7 ipm print speed
  • 100 sheet capacity
  • Auto 2-sided printing

Apart from being low cost and affordable, the Canon Pixma MG3620 Wireless All-In-One printer is also very powerful. The scanner of this printer is great, with a maximum scan resolution of 1200 DPI and a 24-bit color depth. However, it lacks an automatic document feeder as well as a duplex scanning.

Despite this, the printer features a flatbed scan size of 8.5″ x 11″, and it feels compact and sleek. You also get to choose a construction color from three different colors, including white, black, and red. Even though this printer lacks a display feature, it still provides an easy-to-use operation with the physical buttons on top of the printer.

It does justice when it comes to print quality. Apart from the color accuracy being average, this printer still does a great job. Additionally, the print speeds are also decent, and the device supports automatic duplex printing. Unfortunately, the connectivity options are only limited to USB and Wi-Fi but lack an ethernet port and Wi-Fi direct.

Pros

  • Less printing costs
  • Great photo printer
  • Affordable
  • Easy to use
  • Great build quality

Cons

  • Limited connectivity options

3. Epson EcoTank ET-4760 Wireless Color All-in-One

Epson EcoTank ET-4760 Wireless Color All-in-One Cartridge-Free Supertank Printer with Scanner,...
  • Your business needs a printer that’s fast,...
  • Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ―...
  • Dramatic Savings on Replacement Ink ― Save...
  • Stress-Free Printing — Up to 2 years of ink...
  • Zero Cartridge Waste – By using an EcoTank...

Epson is another leading company in the printing industry with its outstanding all-in-one printers. The Epson EcoTank ET-4760 Wireless Color All-in-One printer boasts cartridge-free printing, a great innovation in the world of printers.

This way, it comes with ink tanks instead of traditional cartridges. Furthermore, these ink tanks are super-sized, making them a cost-effective and cheap ink printer for both business and home use.

It provides a perfect blend of functionality and productivity while still being cost-effective in the long run. The users can buy cheap ink cartridges at an average cost of one cent for every printed page. In addition, the ink bottles required for the ink tanks are around $40 in price and can last up to two years.

Apart from the impressive cheap ink cartridges, this printer is also built for both wired and wireless printing. In addition, it comes with a scanner, a copier, and voice-activated software.

When it comes to the design, this printer is sturdy and compact. Its body is built from hard plastic that is designed to last longer. As one of the cheapest ink printers, Epson EcoTank ET-4760 features visible ink levels and a wide output tray.

It features a 2.3-inch touch screen display and two physical buttons on the control panel that enables you to access help and home menus easily. It is also user-friendly as most of the things on the control panel are self-explanatory. However, Epson lacks a duplex scanning feature on this model.

Pros

  • Easy to setup
  • Easy to refill ink bottles
  • Cost-effective option
  • It can be used for both home and office use
  • Great build quality
  • Different connectivity options

Cons

  • Slower than other options

4. HP 9025 OfficeJet Pro All-in-One Wireless Printer

As a color inkjet printer, flatbed scanner, copier and fax machine, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 All-in-One Wireless Printer is another great option for business use.

This cheap printer has a fast printing speed of up to 24 papers per minute when using black cartridges and up to 20 papers per minute for coloring printing, making it an excellent choice for office use. In addition, it comes with an HP smart app that allows you to access your home printer on the go.

In addition, the printer boasts a two-sided duplex printing which means it can print and scan two-sided automatically, saving time and ensuring convenient use. Like many HP printers, there is an HP Instant ink option on this printer with a low ink cost, making it an amazing, cost-effective solution.

The HP OfficeJet Pro 9025 is not only an inkjet printer but also comes with extra features like document creation from the printer and scanning to the cloud, as well as email options. It is an upgrade of OfficeJet Pro 8720 and OfficeJet Pro 9010 series.

Pros

  • Cost-effective solution
  • Easy to use
  • Great for business use
  • Fast inkjet printer
  • Time-saving and effective features
  • High printing speed

Cons

  • Bulky

5. Brother HL-L2300D Mono Laser Printer

Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Laser Printer with Duplex Printing
  • Prints up To 27 ppm, automatic duplex...
  • 250 Sheet Capacity Paper Tray. A4 2-sided...
  • Windows 10 Compatibility: If you upgrade from...
  • 1 year limited warranty with free phone...
  • This machine uses a USB connection ensuring...

The Brother HL-L2300D Mono Laser Printer features two-sided duplex printing making it an excellent multipurpose printer that can be used for home and business use. As one of the best printers to use with cheap ink, it features an auto document feeder and automatic duplex printing that can print up to 27 pages every minute, making it a reliable choice for business.

Unlike other laser printers, the Brother HL-L2300D Mono Laser Printer is compact and desk-friendly. It also provides great connectivity options like USB connections for convenience. Moreover, it prints sharp and professional photo printing quality as well as black and white pages of up to 2400 x 600dpi resolution.

It comes with a compact and desk-friendly design with a 250-sheet tray capacity. Furthermore, this paper tray is adjustable and can handle legal or letter-size papers. The rear paper exit and manual feed slot provide a straight paper path to ensure all your prints look great.

Pros

  • Affordable cartridges
  • High-quality printing
  • Budget-friendly
  • Fast printing speeds
  • Good printer for home use
  • Two-sided duplex printing

Cons

  • Fast ink consumption

6. HP ENVY Photo 7155 All-in-One Photo Printer

HP ENVY Photo 7155 All-in-One Color Photo Printer with Wireless Printing, HP Instant Ink, Works with...
  • Stunning photos for less than 5 cents –...
  • The power of your printer in the palm of your...
  • Ink delivered to your home: get your first 2...
  • Wireless connectivity you can count on –...
  • Our most powerful printing app ever – The...

The HP ENVY Photo 7155 All-in-One Printer is one of the best printers for photography, especially for those photographers looking for crisp and high-quality prints. It is also one of the best cheap ink printers as it uses less than 5 cents per photo.

Furthermore, this wireless color photo printer includes a scanner, copier, printer, and an SD card slot that is easy to access. You get a reliable wireless printing and fast setup using the dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth smart. It allows you to easily set up this wireless color photo printer, scan documents using your camera and print from iCloud, Dropbox, or Google cloud print.

Like with any HP printer, customers of this printer can subscribe to HP's ink cartridge subscription with a 2-month free trial. Once the trial period is done, you will be required to pay subscription costs of $0.99 per month, with recycling and shipping included.

Pros

  • Affordable printer
  • Cheap ink with HP subscription
  • Powerful printer for printing photos
  • Fast printing speed

Cons

  • Installation and setup is a challenging process

7. Canon G7020 All-In-One Printer For Home Office

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Canon G7020 All-in-One Printer Home Office | Wireless Supertank (Megatank) Printer | Copier | Scan,...
  • Never run out of ink. Connect your printer to...
  • Enrolling in Smart Reorders with Alexa...
  • Wireless 4-in-1 (Print | Copy | Scan | Fax)
  • Integrated Ink Tanks - Up to 6,000 pages BW /...
  • 2 Bonus Black ink included!

Canon is widely known for producing printer options with the cheapest ink cartridges without sacrificing the quality of the printers. The Canon G7020 All-In-One Printer is one of their best options as it features high-quality printing, fast printing speeds, and mega tank ink storage, making it an amazing cost-effective choice for both home and office use.

It is also a multi-function printer and comes with a copier, scanner, and fax to be used for multiple functionalities. Other features of this cheap ink printer are AirPrint and wireless printing. This Canon Pixma G7020 Printer also includes a low cost per page with a page yield of up to 6000 on black and 7,700 on color per ink bottle.

It is built from hard plastic, ensuring the printer can last longer. Furthermore, its clever design makes it easier to maintain. This is because you can fix the paper jams from the back without the need to lift the top part.

You also get a slider on the front and back paper trays to make it easy to adjust the different page sizes. Furthermore, the control panel can be tilted down and up. It has a monochrome two-line full dot matrix display and physical buttons to make it easy to maneuver through the different options available in the printer.

The printer comes with a built-in scanner with an 8.5″ x 11″ flatbed size and scanning resolution of 1200 DPI. In addition, it has a 24-bit color depth and supports an automatic document feeder. However, this printer doesn't have duplex scanning. Despite this, it does a pretty great job for black, color, or photo printing.

Pros

  • Faster printing speed
  • Canon app to help print documents on the go
  • Low ink cost
  • Decent build quality
  • Great at printing photos and documents

Cons

  • A bit challenging to setup
  • Small LCD screen that may make it hard to view.

8. Brother MFC-J995DW INKvestmentTank Color Inkjet

Brother MFC-J995DW INKvestmentTank Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with Mobile Device and Duplex...
  • Up to 1 year of ink in box: Using the...
  • Inkvestment tank system: Reengineered ink...
  • Eliminate ink replacement guesswork: Brother...
  • Mobile device printing: Desktop and mobile...
  • For use with brother genuine inks: LC3033:...

The Brother MFC-J995DW is another great all-in-one inkjet printer and a suitable option for both home and office use. It features an ink tank instead of cartridges which means you get more value from the printer since the ink can last up to one year.

Looking to print documents for office or home use? The Brother MFC-J995DW INKvestmentTank Color Inkjet printer is one of the best printers for printing documents. It allows for mobile printing and has other duplex printing features for convenience and ease of use.

The printing speeds are up to 12 pages per minute for black and white printing and 10 pages per minute for color printing. Brother did an incredible job keeping the printer compact without compromising the quality. Its body is made from toughened plastic to ensure it lasts long.

Moreover, the ink cartridges are somewhere where they can easily be accessed from the front side of the printer. The front side also has a 2.6-inch touchscreen LCD console that has decent viewing angles and is very responsive. Although it lacks duplex scanning, it still supports duplex print with exceptional costs.

Pros

  • Great print quality
  • Affordable prices
  • Cost-effective option
  • Easy to use and set up
  • Intuitive mobile application

Cons

  • Slower printing speeds
  • A bit loud

9. HP Neverstop All-in-One Wireless 1202w Mono Laser Printer

HP Neverstop Laser MFP 1202w Wireless Monochrome All-in-One Printer with cartridge-free toner tank,...
  • Lowest cost per page on laser printing...
  • Less than 1 cent per page: This wireless...
  • Reload with more toner, for a lot less: With...
  • The best-in-class mobile print app, HP Smart:...
  • Print with or without a network: The...

If you're looking for a printer with long-lasting ink cartridges, then look no further. The HP Neverstop 1202w All-in-One Wireless Printer provides a great value and is quite affordable, making it a great choice for home use. It was the first printer to use a refillable tank for the tones.

This means that you won't have to spend a lot on getting expensive toner cartridges. In addition, it has lower per-page print costs, making this device stand out from other printers. According to HP, this printer has print costs of up to 60% less than other all-in-one printers for use with cheap ink.

It has everything you would be looking for in an affordable all-in-one printer, from a flatbed scanner to photocopy A4 pages to WI-FI connectivity with a WI-FI direct functionality. All these useful features come at an affordable price, making it the best printer for the money you have.

However, it is only a perfect option if you won't mind printing in monochrome only as this device lacks color functionality. Also, this device is a bit compromised when it comes to a few characteristics that are not so important for a home printer. Such features include a large LCD, auto-duplexing, and professional scan or print quality.

Pros

  • Good print quality
  • Lower print costs
  • Compact design and smaller footprints
  • Easy to refuel

Cons

  • Lacks an automatic duplex printing
  • Small LCD display

10. Brother MFC-J460DW, All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer

Brother MFC-J460DW, All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Compact & Easy to Connect, Wireless, Automatic...
  • Upon activation, the Amazon Dash...
  • Mobile Device Printing via AirPrint, Google...
  • Automatic Duplex (2-sided) Printing
  • 100 Sheet Paper Capacity up to 8.5"x14"
  • Auto Document Feeder Accepts up to 20 Sheets...

The Brother All-in-One MFC-J460DW Color Inkjet Printer is one of the best inkjet printers with cheap ink. Inkjet printers are one of the common printers for a home printer and business use since they not only print fast but are also easy to set up and come with a flatbed scanner and copier.

This printer provides multiple connectivity options like Macs, USBs, PCs, and mobile printing instant ink using a phone or Wi-Fi direct. Cloud printing and scanning are also available, making it an amazing budget printer with cheap ink cartridges for home and business use.

It also includes an automatic document feeder, an easy ink cartridge refill, and fast printing. Moreover, the printer is enabled with an Amazon Dash replenishment, and when activated, it can measure the ink levels and automatically order when running low. This makes it an easy and convenient printer to use with cheap ink.

Pros

  • Fast printing
  • Great connectivity for desktop, cloud, and mobile printing
  • Easy and convenient to use
  • Affordable printer

Cons

  • More maintenance is required
  • Not as efficient when using cheap ink

11. Epson Expression Home XP-340 Wireless Color Photo Printer

Epson Expression Home XP-340 Wireless Color Photo Printer with Scanner and Copier, Amazon Dash...
  • This printer is designed for use with Epson...
  • Easy navigation — 1.44" color LCD.
  • Complete wireless solution — easy iPad,...
  • Affordable individual ink cartridges —...
  • Reload paper less often — 100-sheet paper...

The Epson Expression XP-340 is a compact wireless printer with great copying and scanning capabilities. This photo printer allows for computer and mobile device printing which makes it hassle-free, fast, and convenient to use.

It comes in a compact size and won't take up too much cabinet space, making it the best printer for home use. Furthermore, it features a 100 sheet paper capacity and print speeds of 10 ISO ppm for black and 4.5 ISO ppm for color.

This printer features a 1.44-inch color LCD for easy navigation. It works with Alexa, which means you can ask Alexa to print documents, and fortunately, Alexa can also detect when the toner or ink is running out.

It also has an Amazon Dash Replenishment that keeps track of the ink usage and orders more whenever you're running low. However, this Epson expression printer is not designed to work with third-party ink cartridges, but the ink cartridges can be sold separately with a price starting from $16, but the costs may vary.

Pros

  • Fast printing
  • Compact size
  • Great wireless printing
  • Quality printer
  • Easy navigation

Cons

  • It can't be used with third-party cartridges
  • Setting up is quite challenging

What Do You Look For Before Purchasing The Best Cheap Ink Printers?

1. Printing Speed

While most of the best cheap printers have great features to make printing easy, one of the critical things to consider is how fast the printer can print documents.

You don't want to be standing for long periods waiting for the documents or photos to print. Fortunately, some of the cheapest ink printers offer fast printing speeds for efficient use.

2. Printing Quality

Another crucial factor to have in mind is print quality, whether you're buying a printer for personal or professional use. Having the chance to print out high-quality photos and documents is a big achievement. As a result, it is crucial to find a printer that not only provides high-quality photo printing but also prints out colored documents with no bleeding or any other issues.

When checking the print quality, look at the color reproduction and color accuracy that the printer provides. Some have better color accuracy, which means that they are better at giving printed photos than others.

When it comes to printing text documents, the texts should be clearly printed with no smudging.

3. Functionality

If you're planning to purchase a printer for home use or business use, it is always a great idea to get one with a multi-functionality. Generally, a multi-function printer will have a copier, printer, and scanner, all incorporated on one device.

4. Connectivity

Connectivity is another factor to look out for when finding what printer has the cheapest ink. Most printers will provide a good amount of connectivity options like wireless printing, mobile printing, etc., but most people will only use Wi-Fi. So, choose a printer that works well with the connectivity depending on what you prefer to use.

5. Other Features

a). Automatic Document Feeder

An automatic document feeder, also known as an auto document feeder, means that the printer can handle multiple sheets of paper and feed them to the printer one at a time. This saves you the hassle of having to put in the sheets manually. Luckily, almost every printer with cheap ink has this feature for reliable use.

b). Duplex Scanning and Duplex Printing

Duplex scanning and printing involve a two-sided operation which comes in handy to save paper with no compromise on the print quality. Printers that offer duplex printing can either be manually or automatically.

What Are The Different Types of Ink Used In Printers?

Ink cartridge of a printer

When it comes to ink types, you certainly have options on the best printer ink you can choose. Unfortunately, genuine cartridges are not cheap as well as the standard yield options.

So, if you're looking for a more affordable way to use a genuine or original ink cartridge from a manufacturer, you can consider using third-party cartridges. These are compatible and remanufactured ink cartridges that are designed similar to the original ones but sold at a lower price. They should be your go-to option if you're looking for cheaper alternatives.

How Can You Get the Best Value Printer Ink?

For you to be able to get the best value printer ink, you need to calculate the cost per page. This way, you can know if you will get ink for less. To calculate the cost of ink per page, you need to simply divide the cost of a cartridge with the page yield.

Cost per page= Cost of the cartridge ÷ Page yield

You need to calculate the cost per page for each color like black, magnets, cyan, and yellow ink. Then add them up to get more accurate results.

Qualities of A Cost-Effective Printer

If you're looking for an all-around economical printer, there are some features you should always consider aside from ink efficiency. An ink-efficient printer is an economical printer, but there are other factors you should consider when you want a fully economical printer. These factors include;

1. Ability to Handle Your Monthly Printer

Every printer features a rating that indicates how many pages it can print for a month. This estimate is particularly beneficial for businesses looking for a workload printer, but it is also important for home use.

Printing more than the recommended amount will only overwork your printer and can cause it to break down faster, resulting in higher costs of repairs and replacement. When buying a printer, ensure the monthly load is also great and quite sufficient for the amount of work you have.

2. Cartridge Sizes

Ink cartridges come in high yield( XL) and standard sizes. The difference between the two sizes is that the high yield cartridges are able to print two times the number of pages a standard cartridge can, but they are also more expensive.

A high yield cartridge can print more pages providing you with more time between the replacements and also help save you lots of money, even if the initial cost is higher. Ideally, cartridges that are able to print more pages result in a low cost per page in the long run.

Some printers will even have extra high-yield (XXL) cartridges that can print more pages. So, if you need a business or home printer that is economical but still accommodates high print volumes, go for a printer with larger cartridge sizes.

3. Aftermarket Ink Compatibility

There are lower-cost compatible ink replacements available in the market today. However, you want to double-check if the printer you're getting is compatible with their party cartridges.

Printer ink replacements

Most original brand cartridges are expensive. Fortunately, there are options available from other retailers. These cartridges are remanufactured and compatible with a specific printer, but they offer customers a great way to cut printing costs by 50% or sometimes more.

Remanufactured cartridges will mostly use recycled component pieces, but each of them is individually inspected and refilled following the same quality controls as the original manufacturers. Compatible cartridges are always built from scratch with similar but cost a whole lot less.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Cheap Ink Printers

1. Which printer has the cheapest running costs?

Although there are a number of cost-effective options available in the market today, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9025E All-in-one printer is the cheapest printer to run. In addition, it has several cost-effective features available, for example, a subscription service with a free trial for refilling ink cartridges.

Other additional features include high print speeds and an auto document feeder that makes the printer cheaper to run in the long run.

2. Is HP ink cheaper than Epson ink?

HP ink is slightly more expensive than Epson ink. An HP ink cartridge can cost anything from $18 to $20 and sometimes even more. On the other hand, Epson ink will cost approximately $12. Epson ink tends to have a lower cost per page, depending on the model. This is because Epson ink comes with a higher quantity as compared to the HP cartridges.


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