Printers are an office staple, but they can also end up being costly the more they are used. In addition, office supplies such as ink can be incredibly expensive, which is why it’s better to go for a printer with cheap printer ink so that you can get more value out of this essential office time.
T0 help you find the printer with the cheapest ink; we’ve put together a definitive guide on business use printers that looks at key features, pros, and cons to help you make the best decision possible.
Best Printers for Business Use with Inexpensive Ink
For printers being used in business settings, it’s incredibly important to choose inexpensive ink options. It helps keep the costs down while ensuring that everyone gets the access (and printed documents!) they need. With so many printer options on the market, it can often be difficult to choose the best printer for your business while ensuring it uses inexpensive ink.
That’s why we’ve looked at some of the best printers available that you can use with cheap ink and the pros and cons of each one.
1. Canon Office and Business MX922 All-In-One Printer
Canon Wireless Office All In One Printer is a multifunctional wireless printer, scanner, and fax best for home use. It offers fast, high-quality printing for documents and photos.
It also comes with a variety of features such as AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, mobile device printing, and USB printing. The auto document feeder is another great feature so that you can copy, scan, and fax documents quickly without having to load each paper individually. It prints 15 pages per minute, with paper sizes going up to 8.5 x 14 inches. Compatible ink costs can range from $10-14 for this printer model.
Pros
- Good print quality
- Sleek design
- Optimal ink consumption level
- Easy to use
Cons
- Slower to print compared to other models
- Noisy
2. Epson Expression Home XP-340 Wireless Color Photo Printer
The Epson Expression is a compact all in one wireless printer with scanning and copying capabilities. Easily print from mobile and computer devices hassle-free with this model, as it’s fast and convenient.
Because of its smaller size, the Epson Expression is best for home use as it won’t take too much space. In addition, it has a 100-sheet paper capacity, with print speeds ranging from Black: 10.0 ISO ppm and Color: 4.5 ISO ppm.
However, Epson printers are not designed to be compatible with third-party ink cartridges, but ink cartridges can be sold separately starting from $16 with multiple colors ranging from $30-60, so ink cost may vary.
Pros
- Compact size
- Fast printing
- Less paper reload needed
- Great for home use with cheap ink cartridges available individually
Cons
- No third party ink cartridges can be used
- Challenging to set up
3. Canon Pixma TS5051
Another multi-functional printer perfect for home use, the Canon Pixma TS5051, is a wireless printer, copier, and scanner all in one. It offers a fast printing speed, coming in at 12 pages per minute. Its wi-fi functionality ensures convenience when printing, and it’s compact and sleek enough to fit in a home office easily. It also has low operating noise, and it’s light and easy to use.
Cloud printing is also available with the Canon Pixma TS5051. It’s one of the best cheap ink printers as Canon, and third-party cartridges can be used, ranging anywhere from $10-60 depending on the brand used.
Pros
- High-quality printing
- Easy to use
- Pairing with other devices and the cloud is simple
- Easy installation
Cons
- Slower speed than other printers
- Ink gets used up quickly compared to other models.
4. Epson EcoTank ET-4760
The EcoTank® ET-4760 offers Cartridge-Free Printing is an innovation in the world of printers since it contains ‘ink tanks’ rather than traditional cartridges. The super-sized ink tanks included are a cost-effective addition for both businesses and home offices since customers can purchase ink bottles at a cheaper rate compared to cartridges – with an average cost of one cent per page printed!
Asides from valuable cheap ink features, the Epson EcoTank ET-4760 is built for wired and wireless printing, includes voice-activated software, and includes a scanner and copier as well. Ink bottles needed for the ink tanks cost around $40 and last up to two years.
Pros
- Incredibly cost-effective with one of the cheapest ink options available
- Easy setup
- It can be used for both office and home
- Ink bottles are easy to refill
Cons
- Prints slower compared to other options
- Less space available for loading paper, leading to more refills needed
5. HP ENVY Photo 7155 All-in-One Printer
HP ENVY Photo 7155 All in One Photo Printer is one of the best printers for photographers seeking crisp, high-quality prints of their shots.
This is one of the best cheap ink printers for printing photos, equating to less than 5 cents per photo. Additionally, this color photo printer also includes a printer, scanner, copier, and an SD card slot for easy access.
The many features available, coupled with the cost factor, make the HP ENVY Photo 7155 All in One Photo Printer an attractive option. It also offers mobile and wireless printing. Additionally, customers can subscribe to HP’s ink cartridge subscription, with 2 months free as part of the trial. After the trial, the subscription costs $0.99 per month and includes shipping and recycling.
Pros
- One of the most powerful home printers for photographs and other color documents
- Fast printing
- Cheap ink with HP subscription
- Affordable price
Cons
- Difficult setup process and installation
- WiFi functionality may not always work
6. HP OfficeJet Pro 9025e All-in-One Wireless Printer
The HP ENVY Photo 7155 is a color inkjet printer, copier, flatbed scanner, and fax machine that’s another excellent option for business use. It prints fasting, up to 24 papers per minute for black ink and up to 20 papers per minute for color documents, making it an effective solution for offices. The printer can also print and scan two-sided automatically, which can be incredibly convenient and saves time.
The HP Instant Ink option is also available for this model with low ink cost, making it a cost-effective solution since HP ink subscriptions cost $0.99 per month, with recycling and shipping included. The HP OfficeJet Pro 9025e is an inkjet printer that comes with additional features such as scanning to the cloud, email options, as well as document creation from the printer itself.
Pros
- Includes many time-saving functionalities
- Fast inkjet printer
- Cost-effective
- Perfect for business use
Cons
- A bulkier option than others
- Paper jams seem to be more common with this model compared to other HP printers.
7. Brother MFC-J460DW, All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
Inkjet printers tend to be the most popular printers for business use and as a home printer because they are easy to set up and print fast while also including a flatbed scanner and copier. The HP ENVY Photo 7155 is a great example of easy-to-use inkjet printers with cheap ink. It offers multiple connectivity options, including PCs, Macs, USBs, as well as mobile printing using phone or Wifi Direct. Cloud scanning and printing are also available, making this a great budget printer for business and home office use.
The Brother MFC-J460DW also comes with an automatic document feeder with fast printing and an easy ink cartridge refill option. In addition, the printer is enabled with Amazon Dash replenishment. If activated, it can measure ink levels and automatically order from Amazon when running low, making it an incredibly convenient and easy printer to use without incurring high ink cost.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Fast printing speed
- Affordable price
- Good connectivity to cloud, mobile, and desktop
Cons
- Does not use ink as efficiently as other printers
- Requires more maintenace
8. Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Laser Printer
The HP ENVY Photo 7155 is a laser printer with duplex printing features (i.e., 2-sided printing), making it a great multipurpose printer that can be used for both businesses and home offices. One of the best laser printers available features a duplex auto document feeder, printing up to 27 pages per minute and a reliable option for businesses.
The Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Laser Printer is a desk-friendly and compact printer with cheap ink options available. It offers great connectivity options, including USB and wifi connections for added convenience.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Fast printing
- Affordable ink cartridges
- High-quality output
Cons
- Some customers have experienced problems with connectivity occasionally
- Consumes ink quickly
9. Brother MFC-J995DW
Another all in one inkjet printer, the Brother MFC-J995DW, is a suitable option for offices and as a family printer in a home office since it also utilizes an ink tank. The presence of the ink tank rather than ink cartridges ensures that you can get a lot of value from the printer as the ink can last up to a year.
The Brother MFC-J995DW is one of the best options for printing text documents and also has mobile device printing and duplex printing features. It has a max printing speed of 12 pages per minute for black and white and 10 pages per minute for color.
Pros
- Ink tank is a cost-effective solution
- Good print quality
- Very easy to set up and use
- Affordable price point for home offices and business use
Cons
- Slower print speed compared to others
- Can be loud
10.Canon PIXMA G7020
Canon office printers have been setting the standard for the industry, as they consistently produce printer models with the cheapest ink without sacrificing quality. For example, the Canon PIXMA G7020 is known for its fast printing speed, high-quality output, and of course, its ‘megatank’ ink storage, making it a cost-effective option for home and office use.
This is also a multi-function printer and includes a scanner, copier, and fax, making it multipurpose. Featuring wireless print, AirPrint, and other quick and easy features, the Canon PIXMA G7020 has a low cost per page, as this kind of tank printer has a page yield print of up to 6,000 Black and 7,700 color pages per ink bottle.
Pros
- Tank printer with low ink cost
- Can do photo prints and text documents
- Can use the Canon app to print documents on the go
- Fast printing speed
Cons
- Difficult to set up
- The LCD screen is small and hard to view, making it difficult to confirm what documents are being printed.
11.HP OfficeJet Pro 6968
The HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 is a multifunctional, all in one color inkjet feature with a host of great features and a low ink cost.
Key features of this printer include a copier, scanner, fax, wireless printing, two-sided duplex printing, and an automatic document feeder, among others. It can serve as a home office printer, family printer, or business printer easily.
It also features an Instant Ink capability to ensure that you can order cheap ink cartridges if running low easily with a subscription, including a 1-2 month free trial depending on the printer model. In terms of printing speed, the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 is one of the faster printers with cheap ink on the market, printing at about 30 pages per minute.
Pros
- Easy and convenient cheap ink replenishing options
- Fast printing
- Great for photo paper printing or text documents
- Simple to set up and use
Cons
- Uses ink fast
- Customer support can be challenging if technical difficulties occur.
What to Look for in a Printer with Inexpensive Ink Cartridges
When it comes to printer recommendations, cheap ink is just one factor when it comes to evaluating which one to buy. Whether it’s for home or business use, there are plenty of considerations that need to be taken into consideration when choosing which printer to buy.
Some of the key features that make for a great printer include fast speeds, automated capabilities to help you save time where possible, as well as high-quality printing and scanning.
Fast Printing Speed
While many printers can offer cheap ink and other features, one of the significant things to look at is how fast the printer actually prints.
Whether at home or the office, documents or photos, no one wants to be standing around for ages waiting for something to print. Most printers offer fast printing speeds, but some of the best ones include the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 and the Epson Expression Home XP-340 Wireless Color Photo Printer.
An Automatic Document Feeder
An auto document feeder is a really great time-saving feature that most good printers should have. This essentially means that the printer should be able to handle multiple sheets of paper and feed it to the printer one at a time rather than having to put in sheets of paper manually.
Almost any printer with cheap ink should have this feature, including the Canon Office and Business MX922 All-In-One Printer and the Brother MFC-J460DW, All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer.
Excellent Photo Printing Quality
Whether it’s for professional or personal use, having the ability to print out perfect photos is a big plus point. That’s why it’s important to look at whether a printer offers high photo quality when printing and can print out color documents without bleeding or other issues.
It’s also important to look at color accuracy and color reproduction that printers offer, as some are better than others at producing printed photos with color accuracy. Some printer recommendations for photo printers include the Canon Pixma TS5051 and HP ENVY Photo 7155 All-in-One Printer.
Duplex Printing and Duplex Scanning
Duplex printing and scanning refers to two-sided printing and scanning, which is a great feature to save paper and ink without compromising print quality.
Printers with duplex printing can be done automatically or manually, but most printers offer this feature whether it’s for home or business use. Printers that have this feature include Brother MFC-J995DW and the Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Laser Printer.
High-Quality Text Documents
At its core, a printer is used for text documents for home or office. This tends to be the most important feature that printers need to be able to deliver on, from both the quality itself to the speed of printing. The text should be printed clearly and crisply, without smudging or bleeding.
That’s why cheap ink cartridges are so necessary in this context, as printers should be able to print as many text documents as possible without using too much ink. The best printer for high-quality text documents includes the Epson EcoTank ET-4760, as well as HP OfficeJet Pro 6968
What is the best printer that uses less ink?
The best printer that uses less ink is the Epson® ET-2750 EcoTank Ink Tank. It has many features, including increased ink capacity to ensure that customers can use this all in one printer for high-volume printing without driving up the ink cost.
Which printer is the cheapest to run?
HP OfficeJet Pro 9025e All-in-One Wireless Printer is the cheapest printer to run, as they have cost-effective options available, including a subscription service with a free trial for refilling ink cartridges. Additionally, other factors such as an auto document feeder and high print speeds can make a printer cheaper to run in the long term.
Is Epson ink cheaper than HP?
Epson ink is cheaper than HP, as an ink bottle can cost up to $12, while HP ink cartridges can cost anywhere between $18-20 and upwards. Depending on the model used, Epson ink comes out to a lower cost per page than HP as Epson ink comes in a higher quantity than the HP ink cartridges.
Image: Depositphotos
This article, “Which Printer has the Cheapest Ink” was first published on Small Business Trends
