10 Best Budget Printers 2026 in the United States

The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is a solid choice for anyone looking for a budget-friendly all-in-one printer, particularly in a home setting. One of its standout features is the innovative cartridge-free printing system. Its high-capacity ink tanks provide a significant cost-saving advantage, allowing you to print up to 4,500 black and 7,500 color pages with just the ink included in the box. This equates to an estimated 90 traditional ink cartridges, making it a great option for users who print frequently without the hassle of constant cartridge changes. The print quality is impressive, thanks to Epson's Micro Piezo technology, delivering sharp text and vibrant images on various paper types, which is essential for those who value quality prints, such as students or home office workers.

The ET-2800 also features a built-in scanner and copier, making it a multifunctional device that can meet various needs, from document handling to photo printing. With a maximum print speed of 10 pages per minute for monochrome and 5 for color, it may not be the fastest option available, but it’s adequate for personal and family use. Its connectivity options include both wired and wireless capabilities, allowing for flexible printing from laptops or mobile devices.

There are a few drawbacks to consider. While the initial ink savings are substantial, the manual duplex feature means you'll need to flip pages yourself for double-sided printing, which can be inconvenient. The print speed might feel slow if you're used to high-volume printing, and the 100-sheet input capacity may not suffice for more extensive needs without frequent reloading. In light of these aspects, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is particularly well-suited for budget-conscious users seeking reliability and lower long-term costs in ink and maintenance. It seamlessly combines essential printing, scanning, and copying functionality, standing out as a practical choice for home use.

The Epson EcoTank ET-2803 is a budget-friendly all-in-one printer designed for users who want decent print quality with low ongoing ink costs. It uses refillable ink tanks rather than cartridges, which can save money over time and reduce waste. The print resolution is high at 5760 x 1440 DPI, so it delivers sharp color and black-and-white prints suitable for everyday documents and photos. However, its print speed is on the slower side, with about 10 pages per minute (ppm) in black and 5 ppm in color, so it may not be ideal if you need fast output frequently.

Connectivity options include USB and Wi-Fi, allowing easy wireless printing from phones or computers, including AirPrint support for Apple devices. The printer handles standard paper sizes like Letter and A4 well, with a 100-sheet input tray, but it does not support automatic double-sided printing, which could be a drawback for users looking to save paper.

As a multifunction device, it offers scanning and copying with decent scan resolution and a flatbed scanner design, making it versatile for home or small office tasks. While the initial cost for ink bottles is low compared to cartridge-based printers, the upfront price of EcoTank models tends to be higher, but the savings become clear over time if you print regularly. This printer is well suited for budget-conscious users who prioritize print quality and ink cost efficiency over speed and duplex printing, making it a solid choice for home use or light office work where wireless convenience and multifunction features are important.

The Brother DCP-L2640DW is a compact monochrome laser printer designed especially for small businesses or home offices needing efficient black-and-white printing, scanning, and copying in one device. It offers sharp print quality at 1200 x 1200 DPI, which is good enough for clear text and professional documents. Print speed is a strong point here, reaching up to 36 pages per minute, so it can handle busy workloads without long waits.

Connectivity is flexible, with built-in dual-band Wi-Fi supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, Ethernet, and USB connections, making it easy to connect multiple devices or print directly from your computer or mobile phone via the Brother Mobile Connect app. This app adds convenience by allowing you to print and scan remotely. Paper handling is solid for its size, with a 250-sheet input tray and a 50-page automatic document feeder for scanning or copying multi-page documents. It also supports automatic duplex (double-sided) printing, which saves paper and is a useful feature for budget-conscious users.

On the cost side, this printer uses Brother Genuine TN830 or TN830XL toner cartridges. The Refresh EZ Print Subscription can help reduce toner expenses by up to 50%, which is a helpful feature to keep running costs manageable. However, being a monochrome printer, it only prints in black and white, so it's not suitable if you need color printing. One minor drawback is the relatively basic copy resolution (300 x 300 DPI), which is typical for budget models but means copies might not be very detailed. The printer is somewhat bulky and weighs 25 pounds, so it requires a dedicated space. This printer delivers fast, reliable black-and-white printing with good connectivity and multifunction features at a budget-friendly price, making it a great choice for small offices or anyone needing straightforward, efficient mono printing without extras like color output.