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Picking the right printer for your personal needs might prove a daunting task. Besides considering the different prices of the wide range available in the market, you must consider factors like the printing speed, quality of printed photos and future regular costs of maintenance, and much more.
On top of all, you will have to verify each printer’s functions and abilities and make sure they do not exceed your actual needs, for in this case, you will probably waste extra money for no reason.
Have no fear though.
We will help you come down to the right decision. Following meticulous research, we present you the 7 best home printers for every budget!
1. HP DeskJet 3630 – Basic All-in-one Home Printer
In A Few Words
HP DeskJet 3630 doesn’t offer you the best in terms of printing quality, but it gets you all the basic functions of an average all-in-one printer at a very low price. It has what it takes to break the famous rule “Cheap printers, expensive ink,” simply because it is an instant ink-eligible printer.
At A Glance
- All-in-One Printer
- Instant Ink Compatible
- Lightweight
- Straightforward Setup
- Minimal, Clean Design
- Built-in WiFi
- Monthly Ink Subscription Available
- Low Price
- Average Build Quality
- Loses connection with the PC easily
- No Double Sided Printing
- Poor quality photos
Details
As already mentioned, HP DeskJet 3630 is not designed to impress you with its built and design, neither with its specs and printing quality. Still, do not make the mistake of taking it for a lousy printer. Quite the contrary. Take a look at its specs and printing features:
- Maximum Print Speed: 20 pages/minute (Black)
- Maximum Print Speed: 6 pages/minute (Colour)
- Width: 44 cm
- Depth with open tray: 37 cm
- Height: 14 cm
- Weight: 5 kg
- Horizontal Resolution: 1,200 dpi
- Photocopying resolution: 600 x 300 dpi
- Scanning resolution: 1,200 dpi
- Warranty: Up to 12 months, depending on the seller.
Extra Features
- Quiet Mode
- HP ePrint
- Wi-Fi Direct
- Includes Ink for your first 100 pages
Now, let us see about the printing cost, which is always an issue in such a low budget printer. As mentioned above, HP DeskJet 3630 shutters to pieces the usual moto “Cheap price, Expensive printing,” and it was actually this feature that convinced us to include it in our 7 Best list.
Getting ink with a monthly subscription equates to cutting monthly ink costs significantly. To illustrate:
Cost of Monthly Instant Ink Subscription:
- £2/month for up to 50 pages or
- £4/month for up to 100 pages or
- £8/month for up to 300 pages
Cost of Individual HP Cartridge:
- £19 for up to 165 pages or
- £28 for up to 330 pages
Clearly, a monthly subscription is the best option IF you keep using the respectable pages per plan. In case you don’t print as much for a month, you can roll over up to 50 unused pages for the cheapest and 300 for the most expensive plan.
HP DeskJet 3630 is undeniably a great value-for-money printer. It is ideal for you if:
- You need a budget-friendly printer
- You print more than 50 sheets per month
- You don’t care so much for stellar quality resolution in photos
- You find the idea of printing directly from your mobile phone enticing
2. HP Envy 5540 – Budget Friendly Printer
In a Few Words
The HP Envy 5540 has a very good printing quality of graphics and sharp text, especially upon considering the budget-friendly price.
At a Glance
- All-in-One Inkjet Printer
- Instant Ink Ready
- The Instant Postcard Photo Print Maker
- Touchscreen Display
- Automatic Double-Sided Printing
- Two Paper Trays
- Built-in WiFi
- Monthly Ink Subscription Available
- USB port
- Average Build Quality
- Low printing speed in colour
- Prints with only four coloured inks
Details
Let’s begin with the Specs and extra features you need to know before buying:
- Maximum Print Speed: 10 pages/minute (Black)
- Maximum Print Speed: 4 pages/minute (Colour)
- Width: 45 cm
- Depth with open tray: 41 cm
- Height: 16 cm
- Weight: 7 kg
- Maximum Print Resolution in Colour: 1,200 x 1,200 dpi
- Scanning resolution: 1,200 dpi
- A4 Paper Tray: 125 sheets max
- Postcard (10 x 15 cm) Paper Tray: 15 sheets
- Touch-sensitive screen
- Warranty: Up to 12 months, depending on the seller.
Extra Features
- USB 2.0 port
- Supports Apple’s AirPrint
- Wi-Fi Direct
- Automatic Double-Sided Printing
The two trays allow you to print both A4 sheets and postcard papers without removing and replacing the paper. The A4 tray can hold 125 sheets and the small tray can hold up to 15 postcard-sized paper.
The main body of the printer is made of plastic (not of the finest quality) and the design is on the bulky side. Nevertheless, the numerous features of the device compensate for this drawback.
As for running costs, the printer is compatible with both standard and XL size cartridges, whereas you have also the aforementioned Instant Ink Subscription option.
Cost of Monthly Instant Ink Subscription
- £2/month for up to 50 pages or
- £4/month for up to 100 pages or
- £8/month for up to 300 pages
Cost of Individual HP Cartridge
- £29 for up to 600 pages (black)
- £30 for up to 415 pages (colour)
- £10 for up to 200 pages (black)
- £15 for up to 165 pages (colour)
HP Envy 5540 is a decent printer with good printing resolution in colour and at a very reasonable price. It is ideal for you if:
- You need to print a lot of coloured pages with graphics
- You like to make your own personalized cards
- You are not expecting the highest quality in photos
3. Ricoh SP 150SUw Mono Laser Printer – Sleek & Lightweight
In a Few Words
Ricoh SP 150SUw is a small but very productive printer.
At a Glance
- The Budget-Friendly Laser Printer
- Compact and Elegant Design
- Excellent Printing Speed
- Lightweight
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- USB port
- No Output Tray
- Doesn’t Support Apple’s AirPrint
- No LCD Display Panel
- No Ethernet Port
Details
The truly remarkable feature of this model is its size. It is smaller not only than the bulkier laser printers but also the majority of the inkjets. The design is pretty sleek, too.
Another great feature is the laser typing speed you get at such a low price. This little dynamite produces 22 pages/minute! Yet, the bad news is the running costs – aka the pricey toner cartridges.
Cost of Compatible Toner Cartridges
- Standard Size: £65 (prints around 700 pages)/ about £35 found on offer
- High-Yield: £91 (prints around 1500 pages)/ about £50 found on offer
Specs you Need to Know Before Buying
- Maximum Print Speed: 22 pages/minute
- Width: 35 cm
- Depth: 28 cm
- Height: 13 cm
- Weight: 6.5 kg
- Maximum Print Resolution: 600 dpi
- Scanning resolution: 1,200 dpi (can also scan in colour)
- Input Paper Tray: 50 sheets max
- 1 USB 2.0 port
- Warranty: 2 years
Ricoh SP 150SUw Mono Laser is a straightforward printer that excels in printing high-quality black ‘n’ white sheets. It is compact, lightweight, user-friendly. But there are no fancy extras here. This smart and polished printer is ideal for you if:
- You print a lot of plain text pages in your everyday life
- Time is valuable for your schedule and you often print in a hurry
- You want a simple and nice-looking laser printer at an affordable price
4. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7710DWF A3 Wi-Fi Printer, Scan and Copy with Fax
In a Few Words
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7710DWF is a real workhorse, offering decent typing speed in both colour and black n white settings.
At a Glance
- The Affordable A3 Printer
- Printing both A4 & A3 sheets
- Easy Setup
- Multiple Wireless Solutions
- Automatic Double-Sided Printing
- Borderless Printing
- 11 cm touchscreen
- Runs on the hefty side
- Only one paper tray
- Boxy Design
Details
Its mastery is in printing A3 sheets, and, as a matter of fact, can print automatically 35 A3 sheets in a row, double-sided! In detail:
Specs you Need to Know Before Buying
- Maximum Print Speed: 18 pages/minute (black)
- Maximum Print Speed: 15 pages/minute (colour)
- Width: 57 cm
- Depth: 45 cm
- Height: 34 cm
- Weight: 19 kg
- Maximum Printing Resolution: 4800 x2400 dpi
- Scanning resolution: 1,200 x 2,400 dpi
- Input Paper Tray: 250 sheets max
- Output Paper Tray: 125 sheets max
- 1 USB 2.0 port
- Warranty: 1 year, depending on the seller
Not bad, wouldn’t you say?
The appearance, though, is a bit of a disappointment. In essence, it is a black boxy printer, which is also quite heavy.
Another disadvantage is the lack of a second tray, so you need to switch the A3 with A4 papers every time you need to print in a different size.
However, these are not deal-breakers for people who need to print on regular basis A3 papers for their home-based business. What is more, the compatible ink cartridges are really affordable when purchased in packs, in comparison with the other inkjets of the same level.
To be more specific:
Epson High Capacity 27XXL/27XL pack
- 4 ink cartridges: black, magenta, yellow and cyan
- Black lasts for 2,000 pages while each of the colours for 1,100 pages
- Costs £29 or £0.5 per page
- 1-year guarantee and free returns
Epson Regular pack
- 4 ink cartridges: black, magenta, yellow and cyan
- Black lasts for 350 pages while each of the colours for 300 pages
- Costs £12 or £1 per page
- 1-year guarantee and free returns
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7710DWF is a really powerful machine. It gives very good quality results in terms of printing text and graphics, nor to mention its excellent speed for this price range. It is ideal for you if:Our Verdict
- You own a small home-based business
- You print frequently A3 sheets
- You seek for more than average printing quality
- You are not expecting stellar results in photo printing
Is Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7710DWF your perfect match?
5. Samsung Xpress M2835DW – Plain Laser Printer
In a Few Words
Don’t expect a ton of features with this machine. Samsung Xpress M2835D is just a plain black laser printer. Yet, the lack of all the other extra operations lets the printer focus on the printing process, and it surely excels in terms of quality, speed and energy efficiency.
At a Glance
- The Energy Efficient Laser Printer
- Tap n Print Feature (NFC
- Eco Mode Button/Toner Save Mode
- Multiple Wireless Solutions
- Automatic Double-Sided Printing
- Multipurpose Paper tray
- Excellent Speed
- No screen
- Only Black Ink
- Doesn’t scan or copy
Details
Let us start with the essential specifications:
Specs you Need to Know Before Buying
- Maximum Print Speed: 22 pages/minute
- Width: 37 cm
- Depth: 34 cm
- Height: 20 cm
- Weight: 7.4 kg
- Printing Resolution: 4800 x600 dpi
- Input Paper Tray: 250 sheets max
- 1 USB 2.0 port
- Warranty: 1 year, depending on the seller
- Supports Google Cloud
- Multipurpose tray, suitable for labels, cards, OHP transparencies and envelopes
The design is simple and minimal, and Samsung tried to soften the bulkiness of the usual laser printer appearance by rounding the edges.
There is no screen, and the buttons next to the power button control the WPS setup and the Eco Mode. The latter is a unique system that allows you to calculate the long-term costs of your printing habits and suggests minor adjustments to make practical savings and protect the environment. In other words, you kill two birds with one stone.
As for the running costs, you can find easily high capacity toners at a very affordable price. As of now, the prices are:
Genuine Samsung High Capacity 116L Toner
- Designed to reduce spillage
- Lasts for 3,000 pages
- Costs £50 or £1.6 per page
- 1-year guarantee and free returns
Compatible High Capacity 116L Toner
- Lasts for 3,000 pages
- Costs around £22 or £0.7 per page
- 1-year guarantee and free returns
- Recycled Toner
Nice design, excellent speed and terrific quality in black n white printing. Runs a little bit on the pricey side but it does what it promises in an exceptional way. It is ideal for you if:Our Verdict
- You trust in Samsung’s products
- You need a very good printer but nothing more
- You want to have control on your running costs
- You don’t need it for photo printing
- You are keen on the Tap and Print Feature
6. Brother MFC-L3770CDW Colour Laser Printer
In a Few Words
The Brother MFC-L3770CDW is a highly efficient colour laser-class all-in-one office printer, designed tough for small businesses with relatively small printing workload. Boasting an impressive paper input capacity and printing speed, it allows the users to effortlessly connect all sorts of mobile devices, making their life and work much, much easier.
At a Glance
- Very fast for its price range
- Amazing efficiency in all three operations (printing, copying, and scanning)
- 50-page single-pass ADF
- A myriad of mobile device connection options, including NFC
- High running costs
Details
The MFC-L3770CDW marks Brother’s effort to combine the pros of several previous models while remaining on a low-budget price range.
First of all, it is a laser printer using LED technology during paper positioning, which actually helps the manufacturer drop the overall price of the machine while packing it with other user-friendly features.
Design-wise, MFC-L3770CDW allows for a much bigger paper input capacity, namely 280 sheets – almost twice more than several of its competitors.
Next, you get an automatic document feeder (ADF), designed to feed automatically multipage documents to the scanner, capable of holding up to 50 pages, as well as scanning simultaneously both sides of two-sided pages.
Maximum duty cycle is estimated at 30,000 pages, with a recommended print volume of up to 1,500 pages, which is more than alright. Printer configurations and walk-up commands can be executed from the control panel’s touch screen and buttons.
Still, one of the most impressive traits of this model is its connectivity. Though the AIO’s Web Connect section you can all sorts of cloud and social media sites, as well as an array of devices – and, most importantly, in an effortless, easy way. This means you will be able to print or scan documents through your smartphone or tablet. Aside from the Wi-Fi and Ethernet potions, you get other connection options from Brother’s iPrint&Scan and several apps, including AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, and Mopria.
Another great trait of the MFC-L3770CDW is its printing speed, rate by the manufacturer at 25 pages per minute (ppm) – quite fast for this price range. Speed drops a bit with colour printing, which is reasonable and is also true for all its competitors. Quality of printing is great too, particularly for documents.
The only drawback we could find with this model has to do with running costs. While its black cost per page (CPP) is relatively low, but, compared to more advanced office printers is still high. On the other hand, if the printer is indeed used by small businesses and their corresponding workload as intended in the first place, the printing cost will seem reasonable for the users.
Nevertheless, if you plan to print thousands of pages each year, this model is not for you.
Specs you Need to Know Before Buying
- Printer Category: Laser
- Type: All-In-One, 1-pass colour
- LED Laser Technology
- Connection Type: Ethernet
- Number of ink cartridges/tanks: 4
- Direct printing from USB Thumb Drives
- Rated Speed (Monochrome): 25 ppm
- Rated Speed (Colour): 25 ppm
- Recommended Monthly duty cycle: 1500
- Printer input capacity: 280
- Scanner Type: Flatbed with ADF (Standard or Optional)
- Scanner Optical Resolution: 2400×600 pixels per inch
- Print Duplexing: Automatic
- Standalone Copier and Fax
- Cost Per Page (Monochrome): 2.6 cents
- Cost Per Page (Colour): 15.5 cents
Brother’s MFC-L3770CDW is a great entry-level colour laser all-in-one printer, ideal for small offices and users that seek fast and high-quality printing. Still, its printing cost will prove high for businesses for really big workloads. Otherwise, it is just perfect.
7. HP OfficeJet 250 – The On-the-go Printer
In a Few Words
HP OfficeJet 250 is a truly innovative device because it enables you to print outdoors! Furthermore, it is lightweight, with a slim n sleek design, literally made to make an impression!
At a Glance
- The On-the-Go Printer
- Extra Lightweight
- Portable
- Lithium Battery 10-watt hours
- Touchscreen colour display 6.7 cm
- Supports Wireless and Bluetooth connections
- Excellent Speed
- Simple Setup
- Very Expensive
- No Double-sided scanning
- Small fonts appear a little cloudy
Details
Check the specs:
Specs you Need to Know Before Buying
- Maximum Print Speed: 18 pages/minute (black)//10 pages on battery power
- Maximum Print Speed: 10 pages/minute (colour)//4 pages on battery power
- Width: 38 cm
- Depth: 20 cm
- Height: 9 cm
- Weight: 3 kg
- Printing Resolution: 4800 x1200 dpi
- Scanning Resolution: 600 x 600 dpi
- Input Paper Tray: 50 sheets max
- 1 USB 2.0 port
- Warranty: 1 year
- Supports Google Cloud & Apple’s AirPrint
Let’s see the details now.
The lithium battery gives you a full ten hours of usage while it recharges within 90 minutes if the printer is off.
The touchscreen colour display and the wireless connectivity options make handling this device a piece of cake. The printing speed and the quality are average to good, but still, this performance is quite impressive for a portable device that weighs only 3 kg!
On the other hand, running costs are relatively high, but -to be honest-we saw that coming. The printer is innovative, compact and not very popular yet, so the ink cartridges’ prices should reflect that situation. And they do.
Genuine High Capacity HP 3 Pack
- Includes 2 black, 1 tri-Colour HP 62XL Ink
- The 2 blacks last for 600 pages each, and the multicolor for 415 pages.
- Costs £69 or £4.2 per page
- 1-year guarantee and free returns
Compatible High Capacity 3 Colour Pack
- Includes 2 black, 1 tri-Colour HP 62XL Ink
- The 2 blacks last for 600 pages each, and the multicolour for 415 pages.
- Costs around £42 or £2.7 per page
- 1-year guarantee and free returns
HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile Printer is a life saver for those who are constantly on the move. Admittedly, the running costs are a little high yet you save from the unnecessary commuting from clients to office and vice versa when you need to print.Our Verdict
To recap, it is ideal for you if:
- You are constantly on the move
- You need a lightweight and durable printer
- You don’t care about the high cost
Hope you find all this helpful!