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With working from home being more prevalent, finding a good printer for home use that won’t break the bank is essential. You might be printing just fine, and you get a warning that your ink cartridge is running low. Unfortunately, ink bundles can cost just as much as the printer costs.
Depending on the printer’s features, it could have a low page yield and need more ink replacements than others. Therefore, choosing a printer with the cheapest ink cartridges isn’t just about the price of ink cartridges but also how cost-efficient it is over time. Below are our recommendations for the best printers for home use with cheap ink.
The 5 Best Printers for Home Use With Cheap Ink in 2024
1. Brother MFC-J995DW – Best Printer for Home Use With Cheap Ink
Brother MFC-J995DW Inkjet wireless model one of the best all-in-one printers with cheap ink is the first on our list for good reason. It’s the best bang for your buck when it comes to printers for home use with the cheapest ink cartridges.
This model features an INKvestment Tank that promises uninterrupted printing for up to 1 year. The INKvestment Tank works by transferring ink to an internal storage tank. So, this ink system will yield an incredible number of pages before needing replacement ink.
With this product, you won’t be hit with a surprise ink expense. Instead, Brother intelligent page gauge will tell you how much ink you’ve used and how much is left before you need to replace it. This way, you won’t run out of ink during an important print job. You can also upgrade to the XL version, which includes up to 2 years of ink-in-box.
Moreover, it offers wireless mobile printing from its app, Brother iPrint&Scan. Also, it can print directly from AirPrint, GoogleCloud Print, and WiFi. The high-resolution scanner is perfect for uploading old photos to hold on to forever.
And the paper tray can hold up to 150 sheets at a time. In addition, the Brother MFC-J995DW has automatic duplex printing; it’ll print on both sides of the page at once when needed. However, there isn’t any duplex or BlueTooth printing.
Pros:
Low cost per print
INKvestment cartridge system for a high page yield
The Brother MFC-J995DW is an all-around good choice for the family’s needs on a budget, whether printing photos or documents. And it’ll be such a long time before you need an ink change.
2. Epson EcoTank ET-3760 – Runner-Up Printer With Cheap Ink
The Epson EcoTank ET-3760 uses a very different ink system than the prior model we reviewed. It’s a cartridge-free, refillable SuperTank system. But, you may wonder, if it’s cartridge-free, how do you replace the ink?
To illustrate, the box includes Epson EcoTank 502 ink bottles in Yellow, Cyan, Magenta, and Black. In theory, it sounds a bit messy, but the bottle automatically stops when the tank’s full due to its EcoFit technology. And the bottles are inexpensive.
Additionally, one set of replacement bottles is equivalent to about 80 ink cartridges. So, if you’re looking for an option that’s good for the environment, this is for you because there’s no ink cartridge waste winding up in landfills.
Moreover, the Epson EcoTank ET-3760 uses PrecisionCore printheads for heat-free quality printing that reduces energy consumption. PrecisionCore is a high-density print chip that creates around 40 million precise dots per second.
Because this technology doesn’t need to heat up like laser printers, it’ll start printing faster and yield a higher page count. On the downside, the printer doesn’t have a tax feature or touch-screen display.
Pros:
Voice-activated printing through Alexa or Google Assistant
Replacement bottles can save money and the environment
Reduces energy consumption
Very low cost-per-print
Cons:
No fax feature
No touch-screen display
Bottom Line
The Epson EcoTank ET-3760 is one of the best home printers with cheap ink is cost-effective and environmentally friendly due to its refillable SuperTank ink system. It’d be an excellent fit for your home office or the whole family’s needs.
3. Epson EcoTank ET-4760 – Best for Office With Cheap Ink
The Epson EcoTank ET-4760 is the newer variant of the previous ET-3760. One of the ways the ET-4760 is a printer for offices is that it has four high-capacity ink tanks. It includes the same four Epson EcoTank 502 ink bottles as the ET-3760.
Also, Epson advertises that you’ll save 90 percent with ink bottles compared to ink cartridges. The ink in the box is said to print 7,500 black pages or 6,000 color pages.
Compared to the ET-3760, this model has fax capabilities, a 2.4” color touch screen display, and a 250 sheet paper tray input instead of 150. The ET-4760 can also be bought in black or white color options. So you can easily match it to your home office decor.
In addition, it has the same perks as the previous version, including voice-activated printing, less waste, and PrecisionCore power. The ET-4760 has a 30-sheet Auto Doc Feeder (ADF).
In addition, both Epson versions give you peace of mind with their 2-year limited warranty with registration. Our only concern is that we wish duplex scanning were available and the color printing quality was better.
Pros:
Includes faxing capabilities
Ink bottles save 90 percent more ink than cartridges
2.4” color touchscreen display
A big tray input to fit 250 sheets of paper
Available in black and white
Voice-activated printing
Ethernet port
High page yields
Cons:
Not the best color printing
No duplex scanning
Bottom Line
The Epson EcoTank ET-4760 is an excellent printer option for students or home offices, one of the best printers for home use with cheap ink we’ve tested. So, if you’re looking for a high page yield, faxing capabilities, touch screen display, and more, this may be the printer for you.
4. Epson EcoTank ET-2760 – Best Budget Printer With Cheap Ink
The Epson EcoTank ET-2760 is a terrific printer for the family. The ET-2760 yields relatively more pages, therefore giving you a lower cost per print. In addition, it does well with duplex printing and includes a high-resolution flatbed scanner. You can remove its power cord for easy replacement if something goes wrong.
If you regularly use digital cameras for all your family’s events, this aspect will impress you. Unlike other Epson printers, this model can print directly from a camera’s SD card. So, there’s no need to upload them to a computer first; get your vacation photos printed right away using the ET-2760.
Moreover, Epson recommends you use their Epson ink bottles only to stay under warranty. The downside to this printer is the slow printing speed. It operates at half the printing speed as the ET-3760 and ET-4760 at 8ppm. It also doesn’t have faxing included in its features if that’s important for you.
Pros:
Memory card slot
Low cost per print
Good duplex printing
High-resolution flatbed scanner
Removable power cord
Duplex printing
Yields more pages
Cons:
Slow printing speed
No fax
No ethernet port
No automatic document feeder
Bottom Line
The Epson EcoTank ET-2760 is a fine choice for home use and is the best budget printer with cheap ink. It’s similar to the ET-4760, but it features an SD card slot for easy photo printing, making saving physical memories that much more convenient.
The Canon PIXMA G7020 is yet another superb supertank printer. It has the highest input tray capacity on the list, 350 sheets, ready for any print job. The printing speed in (ipm) image per minute is 13 for black and 6.8 for color. In addition, it can print borderless photos in a variety of sizes.
It has a sheetfed and flatbed scanner, providing convenience to print, fax, or scan documents at any time. In addition, you can print from your mobile device using Apple AirPrint or Mopria print services for Android devices. Also, the ink tanks are easily accessible upfront. And the paper tray has a window to see how much paper is left.
With the Canon G7020, you receive more ink; they send you three bottles of black ink instead of the usual one. With this MegaTank series, you get richer colors due to their dye-based color inks. In addition, canon’s ink bottles have a unique ink tank inlet to match the nozzle, ensuring you’re putting the correct ink into the correct tank.
The Canon G7020 has a pretty small display without a touch screen. This restricts the visible information since it can only display a certain amount of data. However, it comes with an installation CD in the box, which can help you set the printer up. Also, you receive a sample of 3 sheets of 4”x6” Photo Paper Plus Glossy II pack to test out your photos.
As for the drawbacks, this printer doesn’t feature duplex scanning or a touchscreen display. It also isn’t the fastest in printing.
Pros:
350 input capacity
Low cost-per-print for photos
Good photo quality
Fax
Canon PRINT app
Cons:
No duplex scanning
No touchscreen display
Slow printing speed
Bottom Line
The Canon PIXMA G7020 has a higher color page yield, lower cost per print for photos, and better photo quality. Not to mention, it has a huge tank.
6. Epson EcoTank ET-5850: Best Printer With Cheap Ink
The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is a powerful all-in-one supertank printer that manages to stand out with its high volume capabilities and convenient features and is the best printer with cheap ink. It offers duplex scanning and copying, which can save you time by scanning both sides of a document at once. The printer has a high paper capacity, allowing it to hold over 500 pages at a time, making it ready for any print job.
The ET-5850 shines when it comes to connectivity options. It supports Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct printing, AirPrint, Mopria, and even Bluetooth, offering numerous ways to print from your devices. It also has an Ethernet port for wired connections and comes with a free app library for additional features and improvements.
This printer’s ink tanks are designed to be easy to fill and mess-free, with the ink bottles designed not to drip, even when held upside down. The ink included with the printer is expected to last for about 5000 pages.
The printer comes with a large 4.3″ touchscreen display, which enhances the user experience and allows for easy operation of the device. The ET-5850 also features borderless printing, which is especially useful for photos or graphics where you don’t want to have any margins.
In terms of print quality, users report excellent text print quality. The printer’s performance with photos is also commendable, with some users even preferring photos printed from the ET-5880 to those from dedicated photo printers. However, there are reports of the ET-5850 having issues with banding and lines when printing on thicker papers like card stock or envelopes at standard quality. These issues seem to go away when using a high-quality setting.
One aspect that some users may find inconvenient is the size and weight of the printer. It’s much larger and heavier than most home printers, as it’s rated as a small business printer. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that some users have reported receiving a refurbished unit when requesting a replacement for a faulty printer.
Pros:
High paper capacity
Duplex scanning and copying
Versatile connectivity options
Easy-to-fill, mess-free ink tanks
Large touchscreen display
Borderless printing
Cons:
Larger and heavier than most home printers
Issues with banding and lines on thicker paper at standard quality
Possible issues with receiving refurbished units as replacements
7. Brother MFC-J4335DW: Best Lower Mid-Range Printer With Cheap Ink
The Brother MFC-J4335DW is an all-in-one printer that offers great value for the price. It is a wireless printer that can be used with mobile devices, and it has several features that make it a good choice for home use.
One of the best things about the MFC-J4335DW is its ink system. It uses an INKvestment Tank, which means that it comes with a large ink tank that can be refilled with cheap ink bottles. This can save you a lot of money on ink costs over time.
The MFC-J4335DW also produces high-quality prints. It has a print resolution of up to 6000 x 1200 dpi, and it can print documents, photos, and other materials with sharp details and vibrant colors.
In addition to its high-quality prints, the MFC-J4335DW also has several other features that make it a good choice for home use. It has a fast print speed, it can print on both sides of the page, and it has a large paper capacity.
Overall, the Brother MFC-J4335DW is the best lower mid-range printer with cheap ink and is a great all-in-one printer that offers great value for the price. It is a wireless printer that can be used with mobile devices, it has several features that make it a good choice for home use, and it produces high-quality prints.
Here are some of the pros and cons of the Brother MFC-J4335DW:
Pros:
Low ink costs
High-quality prints
Fast printing speed
Wireless printing
Mobile printing
Large paper capacity
Automatic document feeder
Cons:
Can be noisy when printing
Not as portable as some other printers
Overall, the Brother MFC-J4335DW is a great printer for anyone who wants to save money on ink costs and produce high-quality prints. It is a wireless printer that can be used with mobile devices, and it has several features that make it a good choice for home use.
How to Pick a Printer for Home Use With Cheap Ink Cartridges
Now that we’ve gone through our five picks for the best printers for home use with the cheapest ink cartridges, here are a few factors to keep in mind when picking your printer.
Scan Feature
The scanning feature on a printer is very significant. You mostly think of a printer’s printing features, but you may scan more than you might think. For example, you may need to fax essential documents, copy pages from your child’s textbook, or even scan an old photograph.
There are two types of scanners, flatbed and sheetfed. With a flatbed scanner, you want to find out the full-size format it can scan. Flatbed scanners usually provide better quality scans but take more time for multiple sheets. Also, they can accommodate thicker items like magazines.
Alternatively, with sheetfed scanners, you should know if it has an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) or duplex (double-sided) scanning. ADF scanning is much quicker for large projects. However, they are more prone to paper jams, so they aren’t recommended for fragile photographs. You’d also need to learn if the printer has fax or copy capabilities.
Cost per Print
Cost per print is essential because we’re looking for printers with cheap ink. Cartridges are the recurring costs of the printing process. And ink bottles last longer than cartridges and are less wasteful. So, a printer with an ink tank could be better for your family’s budget.
Furthermore, you can look at the black and color cartridge prices to see the cost over time since this is a recurring expense. You can predict the overall cost by considering your printing habits and what you will use the printer for. Then, you can divide the cartridge price by the estimated page yield.
Printing Speed
The printer speed is the number of pages the printer can print in a minute. There are different types of pages tested: black-only text document, color document, photos, and first pages out. Also, you may want automatic duplex printing that’ll print on both sides at once.
If multiple people will use this printer at once, printing speed matters. If one book report takes too long, your critical sales report will have to wait. It’s also necessary to consider the input tray capacity. So, if you don’t want to be refilling the paper often, aim high.
Finally, printer speed can be expressed in ppm or ipm. Ppm is prints per minute, and ipm is images per minute. Which one you look at will depend on whether prints, photos, or both are important to you.
Sizing
If your home is on the small side, you want to consider the weight and dimensions of the printer you wish to buy. If you already have a cramped desk, purchasing a MegaTank printer will only stress your space even more. In addition, keep in mind where the paper is fed because you will need to allow distance from the wall for that.
Build Quality
Some printers feel sturdy and reliable. Others may appear flimsy and cheap. Also, it could be vital for you to see the ink levels so that there are no surprises when it runs out. This way, you can easily access the ink cartridge or tank to replace it with ease. Finally, make sure reaching the paper jam is convenient without taking the whole machine apart.
Final Words
To conclude, let’s recap our picks so that you can decide on the best printer for home use with cheap ink. Firstly, the Brother MFC-J995DW has an INKvestment tank that lasts up to a year, saving on cost per print. This model sports a high-resolution scanner, good photo quality, and a great mobile app.
Secondly, the Epson EcoTank ET-3760 has a refillable SuperTank system rather than cartridges. It’s powered by PrecisionCore and voice activation. The ET-4760 is similar, with key differences that make it suitable for office use. It includes the fax function, a touch-screen display, and a 250-sheet tray capacity. So, you certainly have a great collection to pick out for your printer!
