Tired of blurry photos or smudged documents? Does the thought of buying a new printer make your wallet sweat? You’re not alone! Many people need a printer for school projects, home office tasks, or just printing out those funny cat pictures, but the price tag can be a big hurdle.
Finding a good printer that doesn’t cost a fortune can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. You want something that works well, doesn’t break the bank, and won’t give you headaches. It’s easy to get lost in all the different features and confusing jargon. That’s why we’re here to help!
In this post, we’ll dive into the world of printers that cost less than $100. We’ll show you what to look for, what features are important, and which printers offer the best bang for your buck. Get ready to discover your perfect, affordable printing companion!
Our Top 5 Printers Under $100 Recommendations at a Glance
Top 5 Printers Under $100 Detailed Reviews
1. Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer for Duplex Printing
Rating: 9.0/10
The Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer in white is a fantastic, budget-friendly printer that does it all. It’s a great choice for your home or if you work from home. This all-in-one machine can print, scan, and copy, making it super versatile. You’ll love how easy it is to set up and use, and its compact design means it won’t take up much space.
What We Like:
- It’s an affordable all-in-one printer, perfect for home and hybrid workers.
- It prints crisp, vibrant documents and photos thanks to its hybrid ink system.
- Setup is simple for both smartphones and computers.
- Dual-band Wi-Fi offers reliable wireless printing from anywhere.
- It easily handles scanning and copying tasks.
- Automatic 2-sided printing saves paper and time.
- It supports various media sizes, including borderless prints.
- The compact and stylish design fits well in any workspace.
- You can conveniently print from your smartphone or tablet using popular apps.
- It’s EPEAT Silver and ENERGY STAR certified, making it an eco-conscious choice.
What Could Be Improved:
- The 1-year limited warranty is standard, but a longer warranty would be a bonus.
- While it supports common mobile printing services, direct cloud printing might be limited.
This Canon PIXMA TS4320 is a smart, cost-effective printer that easily handles your daily printing, scanning, and copying needs. It’s a great value for its features and performance.
2. HP DeskJet 2827e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
Rating: 9.3/10
The HP DeskJet 2827e is a smart, wireless printer designed for your home. It handles everyday printing tasks like to-do lists, letters, and recipes with ease. Its AI features make printing web pages and emails neat and tidy, saving you paper.
What We Like:
- AI-powered printing perfectly formats web pages and emails, cutting down on wasted paper.
- It’s a true all-in-one, handling color printing, copying, and scanning.
- Reliable Wi-Fi automatically fixes connection problems.
- The HP app lets you print, scan, and copy from your phone, computer, or tablet.
- Comes with a 3-month Instant Ink trial, so you get ink delivered before you run out.
- Its compact design fits well in any home.
- Made with over 60% recycled plastic, it’s an eco-friendly choice.
What Could Be Improved:
- Print speeds are on the slower side (up to 5.5 ppm color, 7.5 ppm black).
- The printer only works with HP ink cartridges with HP chips.
- A monthly fee applies after the 3-month Instant Ink trial unless you cancel.
The HP DeskJet 2827e is a user-friendly printer that makes home printing simple and smart. It’s a good option for basic home needs and offers convenience with its app and ink delivery service.
3. HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
Rating: 9.0/10
The HP DeskJet 2855e is a fantastic all-in-one printer that’s made for your home. It handles printing to-do lists, letters, and even recipes with ease. Plus, it can scan and copy, making it a true workhorse for your everyday tasks. You even get 3 months of HP Instant Ink, which means you won’t have to worry about running out of ink for a while!
What We Like:
- It’s perfect for printing things like to-do lists, letters, and recipes.
- HP AI helps make sure your web pages and emails print perfectly, without wasted space.
- You can print, copy, and scan all from one machine.
- The Wi-Fi is super reliable and fixes connection problems on its own.
- The HP app lets you print, scan, and copy from your phone, computer, or tablet.
- It comes with 3 months of HP Instant Ink, which saves you money and hassle.
What Could Be Improved:
- The print speed is a bit slower, with 5.5 pages per minute for color and 7.5 for black and white.
- It only has single-band Wi-Fi connectivity.
This printer is a great choice for anyone needing a simple and reliable way to print at home. It makes everyday printing tasks much easier.
4. Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer
Rating: 8.5/10
The Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer is a versatile and convenient choice for home use. It handles printing, copying, scanning, and faxing. This printer makes tasks easier with its auto document feeder and auto 2-sided printing. You can print documents, photos, and even borderless prints up to 8.5″ x 11″. It also has a 100-sheet paper capacity, so you won’t have to refill it too often. Plus, it’s ENERGY STAR certified, which means it’s good for the environment and saves energy.
What We Like:
- It’s a 4-in-1 printer: print, copy, scan, and fax all in one device.
- The auto document feeder and auto 2-sided printing save you time and effort.
- You can print wirelessly from your phone or tablet.
- It can print borderless photos and documents.
- The built-in fax is handy for sending and receiving faxes.
- It connects with Alexa to help you manage ink levels and even reorder ink automatically, so you never run out.
- Easy ink cartridge installation makes replacing ink simple.
- It’s ENERGY STAR certified for energy efficiency.
What Could Be Improved:
- Print speeds of 8.8 / 4.4 ipm (images per minute) are moderate, not the fastest available.
- The 1-year limited warranty might be shorter than some users prefer.
This printer offers a lot of features for a home user. Its smart ink management with Alexa is a standout feature for convenience.
5. Brother Work Smart 1360 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with Automatic Duplex Printing and 1.8” Color Display
Rating: 8.6/10
The Brother Work Smart 1360 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer is a fantastic choice for anyone needing a reliable printer for their home or home office. It handles printing, copying, and scanning all in one compact device. This printer is designed to make your work easier and produce great-looking results.
What We Like:
- It’s an all-in-one printer, perfect for home and home offices.
- You can print, copy, and scan from one machine.
- It connects easily to cloud apps like Google Drive and Dropbox.
- The color display makes it simple to use.
- Automatic duplex (2-sided) printing saves paper.
- It has a 20-sheet Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) for scanning multiple pages.
- The printer is fast, printing up to 16 pages per minute in black.
- You can connect it wirelessly or with a USB cable.
- The Brother Mobile Connect app lets you manage the printer from your phone.
- Page Gauge helps you keep track of your ink levels.
What Could Be Improved:
- The color display is small at 1.8 inches.
- It uses the LC501 series inks, which might not be as widely available as other types.
This Brother printer offers a lot of helpful features for everyday tasks. It’s a smart solution for printing, scanning, and copying at home or in your home office.
The Smart Shopper’s Guide: Finding the Best Printer Under $100
Finding a good printer without breaking the bank is totally possible! We’re here to help you choose the perfect printer that fits your needs and your budget. Printers under $100 can be great for everyday tasks like printing homework, recipes, or important documents. Let’s dive in and find your ideal machine.
1. Key Features to Look For
When you’re shopping for a budget printer, keep these important features in mind:
- Print Technology: Most printers in this price range use either inkjet or laser technology. Inkjet printers are good for color photos and graphics. Laser printers are usually faster and better for black and white text documents.
- Connectivity: How will you connect to the printer? USB is the most basic. Wi-Fi is super convenient because you can print from your phone or laptop wirelessly.
- Print Speed: This is how fast the printer prints pages per minute (ppm). For occasional printing, a slower speed is fine. If you print a lot, look for something faster.
- Print Quality: This refers to how sharp and clear your prints look. For text, you want crisp letters. For photos, you want good color and detail.
- All-in-One Capabilities: Some printers can also scan and copy. This is a handy feature if you need more than just printing.
2. Important Materials and What They Mean
Printers are made of plastic and electronic parts. The quality of these materials affects how long your printer lasts and how well it works.
- Plastic Casing: Most budget printers use sturdy plastic. A thicker, well-built plastic case suggests it can handle more use.
- Ink Cartridges vs. Toner: Inkjet printers use liquid ink in cartridges. Laser printers use dry powder called toner. Ink can be cheaper initially, but toner often lasts longer for text printing.
- Paper Tray Capacity: This is how many sheets of paper the printer can hold at once. A larger capacity means you won’t have to refill it as often.
3. Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
Several things can make your printer perform better or worse.
- Ink/Toner Quality: Using official brand ink or toner usually gives you the best results. Cheaper, off-brand options might save money but can lead to faded colors or smudged prints.
- Paper Type: The type of paper you use matters. Plain paper is fine for documents. For photos, use photo paper for vibrant, sharp images.
- Driver Software: The software (drivers) that come with your printer helps your computer talk to it. Keeping these updated can improve performance and fix issues.
- Maintenance: Regularly cleaning your printer’s print heads (for inkjet) or ensuring it’s not clogged helps maintain good print quality.
4. User Experience and Use Cases
How you plan to use your printer will guide your choice.
- Home Office/Student Use: For printing homework, essays, and occasional documents, a basic inkjet or a compact laser printer is perfect. Wi-Fi connectivity is a big plus here.
- Occasional Photo Printing: If you want to print a few photos now and then, an inkjet printer with good color accuracy is your best bet.
- Small Business Needs: For printing invoices or reports, a fast laser printer might be more efficient, even if it’s just black and white.
- Ease of Setup: Look for printers that are easy to set up. Many modern printers have simple, step-by-step instructions.
- User Interface: A clear display screen and easy-to-understand buttons make using the printer much simpler.
Frequently Asked Questions: Your Printer Questions Answered
Q: What is the main difference between inkjet and laser printers under $100?
A: Inkjet printers use liquid ink and are better for color photos. Laser printers use dry toner powder and are usually faster and better for crisp black and white text.
Q: Can I print wirelessly with a printer under $100?
A: Yes, many printers in this price range offer Wi-Fi connectivity, letting you print from your phone or computer without cables.
Q: How much does it cost to replace ink or toner for these printers?
A: Ink cartridges for inkjet printers can be bought relatively cheaply, but toner for laser printers, while more expensive upfront, often lasts much longer for text printing.
Q: Are printers under $100 good for printing photos?
A: Some inkjet printers under $100 can print decent photos. For the best photo quality, you might need to spend a little more or use special photo paper.
Q: Do I need to buy special paper for these printers?
A: For everyday documents, regular printer paper works fine. For better photo results, using photo paper is recommended.
Q: What does “all-in-one” mean for a printer?
A: An “all-in-one” printer can do more than just print. It can also scan documents and make copies.
Q: How long do printers under $100 usually last?
A: With proper care and maintenance, a good printer under $100 can last for several years of typical home use.
Q: Is it hard to set up a printer under $100?
A: Most printers today come with easy-to-follow setup guides or apps that make the process quite simple.
Q: Can I print from my smartphone or tablet?
A: Yes, if the printer has Wi-Fi, you can usually print from smartphones and tablets using special apps or built-in printing features.
Q: What’s the best use case for a printer under $100?
A: These printers are excellent for students, home offices, or anyone who needs to print documents, homework, or basic color pages occasionally.
In conclusion, every product has unique features and benefits. We hope this review helps you decide if it meets your needs. An informed choice ensures the best experience.
If you have any questions or feedback, please share them in the comments. Your input helps everyone. Thank you for reading.
My name is Gary Flores, the creator of deepskyblue-owl-132507.hostingersite.com.. With a passion for creating cozy, functional, and beautiful spaces, I share my personal experiences and expertise about everything related to home improvement. From practical tips to design inspiration, my goal is to help you make your home the best it can be.