If you’re looking for the Best Printers For College Students you can buy in (Summer) 2022, which is affordable, high quality and better performance, then you’re in the right place. In this guide, I have listed down the Best Printers For College Students in 2022.
We made this list based on our own opinion, research, and customer reviews. We’ve considered their quality, features, and values when narrowing down the best choices possible.
The Best Printers For College Students you can buy today.
So, here are the Best Printers For College Students of 2022. If you want more information and updated pricing on the products mentioned, be sure to check the links in each product we mentioned.
1. Canon PIXMA G6020
The best printer for college students we’ve tested is the Canon PIXMA G6020. It’s an all-in-one inkjet model with a refillable ink tank. It feels well built and is fairly compact, making it a good choice for small spaces like dorm rooms. You can connect to the printer via USB or Wi-Fi, and it’s compatible with Canon’s mobile app, allowing you to print, scan, or copy directly from your smartphone. Its high-resolution flatbed scanner has extendable lid hinges to accommodate thick items like textbooks, but it lacks an automatic feeder, so it isn’t the best for scanning multi-page or double-sided documents.
The feature that makes this our top pick and a great option for students is its refillable ink tank. A full tank yields around 4600 black or 5300 color prints, meaning you won’t have to replenish it often. Plus, the ink bottles are cheap, so your maintenance cost remains low over time. The downside is that it doesn’t print particularly fast at around six black pages or three color pages per minute. It supports automatic double-sided printing and has a large 350-sheet capacity input tray.
Pros
- Superb cost-per-print.
- Good photo printing quality.
- Exceptional mobile app.
Cons
- Sub-par printing speed.
- Sub-par color accuracy.
- No support for external storage devices.
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2. Brother MFC-J4335DW
If you find our top pick a little too expensive, you can save some money with a modest mid-range model. We recommend the Brother MFC-J4335DW. Its page yield isn’t as good as a supertank model like the Canon PIXMA G6020, but it’s still outstanding, leading to a low cost per print.
It doesn’t take long to wake from sleep and prints quickly at 17 black or 15 color pages per minute. Its ADF-equipped scanner processes up to 20 pages per minute but doesn’t support double-sided scanning, so you’ll still have to flip the pages manually.
It connects via Wi-Fi, USB, or Ethernet and supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. You can also use the companion app to print, scan, and copy from your smartphone. Its color accuracy is adequate, and it prints okay-looking photos that are good enough for casual use. All in all, it’s a great all-in-one printer that should fit the needs of any student.
Pros
- Duplex printing
- Fast print speed for the price
- Fax function
- Prints from and scans to mobile devices
- Low price plus low cost per page
Cons
- ADF does not support duplex scanning
- Text quality is poor at small font sizes and with some stylized fonts
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3. Brother MFC-J1205W
For those shopping on a limited budget, go with the Brother MFC-J1205W. Its compact size is perfect for tight spaces, and it feels impressively well-built. It has a high-resolution flatbed scanner to digitize notes and course packs, USB and Wi-Fi connectivity, and it’s compatible with the Brother Mobile Connect app, which you can use to perform maintenance tasks and order supplies right from your mobile device.
You can print over 1000 black or 750 color pages before the ink cartridges run low, and the cartridges are cheap, so the maintenance costs remain low even if you print a lot. It prints up to nine black or six color pages per minute, which is a little on the slow side, so you may be waiting around a while if you print long research articles or papers. That said, it’s still a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a budget-friendly printer.
Pros
- Low price
- Good output quality, especially text
- Borderless printing
- Fairly low running costs, especially for color
- Thousands of pages of ink in the box
Cons
- No automatic document feeder
- No flash memory support
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4. Canon PIXMA MG3620
If you just need something cheap that can get the job done for those occasional projects, get the Canon PIXMA MG3620. It isn’t super sturdy and lacks an automatic feeder, but it prints good-quality documents and photos. The main drawback of a cheap model like this is its low page yield. It only yields about 200 black or color prints, meaning you’ll have to replace them often, and since it uses a tri-color cartridge, you’ll have to replace it even if just one color runs out.
The cartridges aren’t expensive, but your maintenance cost will still add up quickly if you print a lot. All this to say that this printer is only a good option if you print occasionally. Otherwise, you’re better off with the slightly more expensive Brother MFC-J1205W because you’ll likely save money in the long run.
Pros
- Great cost-per-print.
- Good photo printing quality and color accuracy.
Cons
- Few connectivity options.
- Slow printing speed.
5. Brother MFC-L2710DW
If you only need to print black text documents, it might be better to get a laser printer like the Brother MFC-L2710DW. It prints much faster than most inkjet models at 32 pages per minute, which is great for printing long essays. Laser models also require less maintenance as you don’t have to deal with clogged printheads or dried ink.
The toner cartridge yields around 2000 pages, there are high-yield cartridges available if you need more, and it also works with third-party toner, which might be cheaper. The only downside is that the drum is a separate unit that you’ll have to spend extra to replace. The scanner can process up to 50 pages per minute through its feeder and supports optical character recognition, allowing you to scan documents into text files for quick keyword searches or edits.
Pros
- Exceptional text quality.
- Prints fast.
- Compact and lightweight.
- Ethernet support.
- Relatively low purchase price.
Cons
- Lacks support for USB thumb drives and memory cards.
- ADF not auto-duplexing.
- So-so business graphics and photos.
6. HP LaserJet Pro M15w
If you don’t need a scanner and want to save some money, get the HP LaserJet Pro M15w. It’s a compact print-only unit that doesn’t take up much space. Its black toner cartridge yields almost 2000 pages before you need to replace it, and it has the drum unit built-in, so you don’t have to worry about spending more money on maintenance.
There aren’t any high-yield cartridges available, but it accepts third-party toner, which might help you save cash. Needless to say, the cost-per-print is remarkably low. It can get a single page out in around eight seconds, and it prints at an acceptable speed of about 12 pages per minute.
Pros
- Tiny footprint.
- Low purchase price.
- Robust smartphone integration.
- Good overall print quality.
Cons
- High running costs.
- No Ethernet port.
How to choose the best student printer
When it comes to buying a printer for back to school season, there are a lot of things to consider. Whether you have a preteen student, or you’re In the classroom yourself, there are several things to consider when buying a new printer.
Price: The biggest factor for most back to school shoppers will be fitting it into the budget. Whether you’re a student buying a printer for yourself or a parent helping get your kid outfitted for the school year, you want something that performs, but won’t be too expensive.
The cheapest inkjet printers can come in at tantalizingly low prices – our best printer deals page includes several models for under $100 – but we’ve found the sweet spot for affordability to sit between $200 and $300. Anything less, and you risk getting shoddy print quality, or you’ll likely lose the savings through expensive ink refills the first time you have to buy cartridges. And laser printers tend to be more expensive to buy, starting at around $250 for the cheapest models.
Laser vs. Inkjet: As a rule, inkjet printers are cheaper to buy than laser printer models, even among the best all-in-one printers, but laser printers offer a lower cost-per-page for printing. Laser printers also deliver higher quality text printing, with sharper letterforms and virtually no print errors. If you anticipate printing at a high volume or wanting a cleaner look for your printed work, one of the best laser printers may be worth the investment. On the other hand, inkjet printers are far better at printing in color, offering better printing for graphics and photos. (Learn more about print technologies in our article Inkjet vs. Laser: Which printer is right for you?)
Dimensions: Size is a big issue, especially for college students who may be adapting to dorm life, or who might be moving with each semester change. Printers can be large or small, but laser printers tend to be significantly larger than inkjet printers, even those with built-in scanning and copying functions. If you really want something small, you can select one of the best portable printers, which include several tiny inkjet models, but you’ll be giving up functions and print quality to get that smaller size.
Cost per page: The cost of a printer starts with the initial purchase price, but it doesn’t end there. Using a printer entails buying paper, ink or toner, and refilling both as you go. As a result, some printers will cost more to print a single page than others. Generally speaking, laser printers offer the cheapest cost per page (often for just pennies per page), but newer tank-based inkjet printers frequently drop printing costs down to a fraction of a cent.
Use case: Finally, look at your own specific use case, and find a printer that fits your needs. If your course load requires lots of printed reports and essays, then a laser printer might be the best option, offering fast printing for a low cost per page. If you are studying art or photography, then you should consider one of the best photo printers, which support more advanced printing options, such as a wider selection of inks, broader symbol support for different types of paper, and high quality image printing.
