Best Printer For Home Use With Cheap Ink

Looking for a printer for home use? It can be a challenging task, especially with all the different options available! You want something reliable, cost-effective, and most of all offers great printing quality.

  • Editor’s Choice
    Epson EcoTank ET-3760 Printer

    • Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB
    • Print speed (Monochrome): 15 ppm
    • Dimensions: 13.7 x 14.8 x 9.1 inches
  • Budget Pick
    Canon Pixma MG3620 Printer

    • Connectivity: USB
    • Print speed (Monochrome): 9.9 ppm
    • Dimensions: 12 x 17.7 x 6 inches
  • Overall Best
    Brother MFC-J805DW Printer

    • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB
    • Print speed (Monochrome): 12 ppm
    • Dimensions: 13.4 x 17.1 x 7.7 inches

And then, of course, there’s the issue of cheap ink.

We get your frustration. It’s not just you – ink and toner cartridges can be expensive, and if you’re planning on printing a lot, you don’t want to keep shelling out money for expensive ink. 

So, what’s the best printer for home use with cheap ink?

Well, we are here to provide some insight on the matter and help you make the right purchase. After all, you want a printer that not only produces quality prints but also offers affordable ink options.

Best Printer For Home Use With Cheap Ink – Our Top 5 Picks!

We have done the research and gone through several options to find an effective printer. We have taken into account various aspects, such as printing speed, ink costs, connectivity options, etc.

1. Epson EcoTank ET-3760 Wireless Printer – Editor’s Choice

Epson EcoTank ET-3760 Wireless Color All-in-One Printer

Key Features:

  • Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB
  • Print Speed (Color): 8 ppm
  • Display: Touchscreen
  • Ethernet Connection: Yes
  • Auto Duplex Printing: Yes
  • Paper Size: 12 x 12
  • Print speed (Monochrome): 15 ppm
  • Dimensions: 13.7 x 14.8 x 9.1 inches

Epson EcoTank ET-3760 is equipped with a groundbreaking EcoFit ultra-high-capacity ink system, with up to two years of ink in the box. These ink bottles store enough to print thousands of pages before needing to be refilled, allowing for fewer interruptions in your workflow.

Most customers are attracted to this purchase because it employs PrecisionCore Heat-Free technology that uses a cutting-edge printhead design and delivers prints with clarity and vibrancy like never before seen. Now forget about those pesky paper jams and smudges as this mechanism eliminates the need for a traditional heat-based printhead, allowing for a more efficient and reliable printing process. 

Moreover, it has a 2.4-inch LCD that makes navigating its menu and selecting various options a breeze. You can easily check the printer’s status, such as what paper is loaded, how many pages have been printed, and how much ink is left. Plus, you can use the display to set up a wireless connection and adjust settings like copy amount, paper size, etc.

Epson EcoTank ET-3760 paired with Claria ET pigment black ink creates the ultimate powerhouse duo for pin-sharp clarity with every print. This special ink is designed to bring out the most detailed and accurate results, so you can rest assured that your documents will look the very best. 

Pros
  • It’s auto 2-sided printing saves time and money by halving paper usage and cutting printing costs.
  • An automatic Page Feeder eliminates the need to manually feed each page into the printer.
  • Outfitted with a high-resolution flatbed scanner for detailed scans of documents, photos, artwork, and more.
  • The Epson Smart Panel App gives you easy access to printer settings from a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Cons
  • Epson EcoTank ET-3760 did not quite hit the mark when it came to color accuracy.

2. Canon G7020 All-in-One Printer

Canon-PIXMA-G7020-All-in-One-Printer

Key Features:

  • Connectivity: USB
  • Print Speed (Color): 6.8 ppm
  • Display: LCD
  • Canon App: Yes
  • Auto Duplex Printing: Yes
  • Paper Size: 4” x 6”
  • Print speed Monochrome: 13 ppm
  • Dimensions: ‎8 x 11 x 5 inches

Canon G7020 boasts a game-changing Magnetic proof mechanism, safeguarding your printouts from accidental harm. With its unique magnetic field sensors, it intelligently perceives any existing magnetic fields and consequently adjusts the print parameters for optimal protection. 

One of the best things about this item is its powerful wireless 802.11b/g/n capability operating at a lightning-fast 2.4GHz that permits you to easily print files, photos, and more directly from your computer, smartphone, or tablet without the hassle of connecting a cable.

Furthermore, it has a maximum print speed of 6.8 pages per minute in color, which gives you the ability to quickly print vibrant pages, photos, and graphics. In addition, this pace is a huge benefit for projects with large print volumes, saving you time and energy while waiting for the job to be finished.

Canon G7020 is a productivity powerhouse, boasting incredible ink capacity that allows you to print up to 6,000 black and 7,700 color pages per ink bottle set. These high-capacity tanks hold enough ink to meet your printing needs for longer, so you don’t have to constantly refill or replace them.

Pros
  • A large paper holding capacity of 350 sheets of plain paper eliminates the need to reload pages frequently.
  • It can effortlessly print borderless pictures from 3 5” x 3 5” square to 8 5” x 11” Letter 2.
  • The AirPrint app allows iPhone, iPad, and Mac 4 users to give commands to this device wirelessly.
  • Possess a fast monochrome print speed of 13 ppm allowing you to quickly produce a large number of prints in no time.
Cons
  • Canon PIXMA G7020’s double-sided printing requires a bit longer pause between prints, allowing it to prepare and print the second side.

3. Canon Pixma MG3620 Wireless Inkjet Printer – Best in the Low Budget

Canon Pixma MG3620 Wireless Inkjet Printer

Key Features:

  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi
  • Print Speed (Color): 16 ppm
  • Display: Touchscreen
  • Canon App: Yes
  • Auto Duplex Printing: Yes
  • Paper Size: 12 x 12
  • Print speed (Monochrome): 9.9
  • Dimensions: 12 x 17.7 x 6 inches

Canon Pixma MG3620’s compatibility with Alexa permits you to print documents, photos, and more with just the power of your voice. Now, you don’t have to worry about fiddling with buttons or connecting to a computer as just grab your Amazon Echo device and let the magic of Alexa do the work.

You will like the fact that the Canon PRINT app and Mopria make it easy to get the most out of your printer wirelessly from printing pages to store them in the cloud, to scanning them directly to your mobile device, all with your smartphone or a tablet.

Besides that, this unit has a lightning-fast printing speed of 16 pages per minute (ppm) in color, so you can get high-quality output with beautiful images and vibrant colors in no time. You’ll be able to finish large projects quickly and efficiently, with no need to wait for each page to be printed one at a time at a long time interval.

Canon Pixma MG3620 makes the setup process a breeze with its handy NFC technology. With a simple tap of your NFC-enabled mobile device, you can enjoy fast and easy connections with no more manual entry of tedious settings such as IP addresses and passwords. 

Pros
  • Have the ability to print both sides of a sheet of paper at the same time.
  • The package includes a CD-ROM that contains all of the necessary software and drivers to install and use this machine.
  • Weighing just 11.9 pounds, it is both lightweight and portable.
Cons
  • It does not come with a USB connectivity option.

4. Brother MFC-J995DW Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer

Brother MFC-J995DW Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer

Key Features:

  • Connectivity: USB
  • Print Speed (Color): 10 ppm
  • Display: Touchscreen
  • Paper Tray: 150 Sheets
  • Auto Duplex Printing: Yes
  • Paper Size: 12 x 12
  • Print speed (Monochrome): 12 ppm
  • Dimensions: 7.7 x 13.4 x 17.1 inches

Brother MFC-J995DW has a maximum print resolution of up to 1200 × 6000 dpi. Compared to low-resolution printers, it can produce prints with higher levels of detail and clarity. This higher resolution allows for sharper lines, smoother gradients, and more precise colors. It can also produce higher-quality photographs and graphics, as well as crisp text documents.

We love the fact that it can generously support a wide range of Network Protocols (IPv6) such as TFTP Server, FTP Client, HTTP Server, etc.

In addition to that, this electronic gadget has up to one year of ink included, so you don’t have to worry about buying replacement cartridges. It is also equipped with specially designed compartments that house the ink cartridges, eliminating the need to purchase separately, and are replaced at regular intervals. 

Brother MFC-J995DW puts the power of control at your fingertips with its intuitive 2.7 inches color touchscreen. With just a few taps, you can quickly adjust settings such as paper size, type, and quality, and explore advanced printing options. You can also use the touchscreen to access Wi-Fi settings, check printer status, view print job history, and access the troubleshooting guide.

Pros
  • Print large quantities of documents more quickly with a top print speed (color) of 10 pages per minute.
  • Can easily work with Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Windows Server 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, and 2016 Mac- OS X v10.11.6, 10.12.x, 10.13.x Operating System.
  • With the ability to print on both sides of a sheet of paper without the user having to flip it manually.
  • Its auto document feeder has a paper holding capacity of 20 sheets.
Cons
  • Brother MFC-J995DW does not have a Bluetooth connectivity option.

5. Brother MFC-J805DW INKvestmentTank Printer

Brother MFC-J805DW INKvestmentTank Printer

Key Features:

  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB
  • Print Speed (Color): 10 ppm
  • Display: Touchscreen
  • Supported Type: Direct Thermal
  • Auto Duplex Printing: Yes
  • Paper Size: 4cm (1.57″) – 10.4cm (4.1″)
  • Print speed Monochrome: 12 ppm
  • Dimensions: 13.4 x 17.1 x 7.7 inches

Brother MFC-J805DW’s 1.8 inches Color LCD is an invaluable tool, making it straightforward to adjust and modify settings. It is not only capable of displaying detailed menus, but also images and graphics to aid users in understanding the printer’s capabilities. 

Another great thing about this device is that it functions best at the optimal temperature and humidity range of 50-95°F and 20-80% (without condensation) respectively. 

Keeping the working environment controlled within these parameters helps it to protect the internal components from extreme temperatures, as well as reduce the risk of static electricity buildup which can cause irreparable damage.

Moreover, it comes pre-filled with ink boxes that can last up to one year, so you don’t have to worry about buying new ones every few months. This cost-saving feature not only helps keep your pocketbook happy but also eliminates the hassle of constantly having to re-up on cartridges.

Brother MFC-J805DW is the ideal solution for those needing to print in a hurry. Boasting a blazing-fast print speed of up to 12 black and white pages per minute, this speedy solution can help you get your files printed quickly and efficiently. It is ideal for when you need to print out large printouts quickly, or if you need multiple copies of the same printout.

Pros
  • Can easily work with Alexa, Amazon’s voice-controlled virtual assistant, to control your printer remotely using voice commands.
  • It has a maximum input Paper Tray capacity of 150 sheets.
  • Equipped with AirPrint and Google Cloud Print wireless technologies to make it easy to use for both Apple and Android users.
  • Enables you to print large quantities of pages at lightning pace with a color Print Speed of 6 ppm.
Cons
  • Brother MFC-J805DW’s color accuracy could have been enhanced.

Over To You

In a nutshell, price and performance are key considerations when choosing a printer for home use. Inkjet printers are the most budget-friendly, but may not be suitable for high-volume printing. 

If you need a printer for photos, then you’ll want to opt for an inkjet that uses dye-based ink. Pigment-based inks are best for documents, but they tend to be pricier. And don’t forget to factor in the cost of replacement inks. All of this will help you find the perfect printer for you.

For those seeking the optimal printing experience, the Epson EcoTank ET-3760 is a clear choice. With up to two years of ink in the box, voice-activated printing, and features like PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology and Claria ET pigment black ink, you can be sure of exceptionally sharp text. 

However, if you’re on a tight budget, the Canon Pixma MG3620 is your best option. This powerhouse offers a range of powerful printing options, including AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, NFC, Mopria, and Canon Print. Plus, its effortless Wifi Setup and Auto Duplex Printing options make it a great budget buy.

FAQs

Does the quality of ink matter in a printer?

Yes, the quality of ink does matter. Highly efficient ink will often produce cleaner, sharper lines and more vibrant colors on paper than lower-quality ink. Additionally, the quality of the ink can affect how long it will last on the paper, and how well it will resist fading and smudging. Poor-quality ink can also be more prone to clogging the tip of the pen or printer head, which can cause damage or require more frequent maintenance.

What are the qualities of good ink?

Good ink should be high-quality and fade-resistant, particularly for use on papers that will be stored for long periods. It should be waterproof, smudge-proof, and provide even coverage for a clean, clear look. The ink should also dry quickly and be compatible with the paper and printer being used. The document should also be fade-resistant so that the colors won’t fade or run over time.