When you’re choosing a printer for students, key features like affordability, ease of use, and versatility are essential. Student printers need to handle everything from essays to color projects efficiently. Important pain points include high ink costs and slow printing speeds, so it’s critical to find models that minimize these issues while offering dependable performance.
We analyzed over 30 printers and filtered out fake reviews to present the top four models in our guide. Our process involved certifying tested products and scrutinizing 149,235 reviews, identifying that 67% of experts weren’t trustworthy. Using our proprietary Trust Score, we ensure the winning models are the best printers in their class.
How Did We Rank the Best Printers for Students?
Our comprehensive printer guide for students is the product of rigorous analysis, drawing from over 200 sites. We examined testing methods, customer feedback, and expert reviews to identify 2 essential test results, 2 additional desirable results, and 1 critical specifications. This process ensures that we highlight the most relevant features and performance metrics, providing students with a trusted resource for choosing the perfect printer.
Our commitment to unbiased reviews is powered by our ‘True Score’ system, targeting low quality and fake reviews. When you shop through our links, you’re backing our mission. Dive deeper to see how.
?️ Minimum Specifications
- Low price, low printing cost.
? Test Criteria
- Print Speed: Black & White Printing Speed exceeds 20 pages per minute (ppm).
- Printing Costs: Printing costs are less than 7 cents per page.
? “Nice To Haves”
- Color Accuracy: Color accuracy is maintained with a deviation (dE) of less than 6.
- Print Speed: Color Printing Speed surpasses 12 pages per minute (ppm).
Latest Updates
- 06/11/2024: Republished the list to include the best printers for students based on our True Score system.
Top Printers for Students For 2024
Prices accurate at the time of publishing
Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Canon imageCLASS MF455DW
Best For Canon
Ideal for students, the Canon imageCLASS MF455DW excels in efficiency and versatility, offering speedy, cost-effective monochrome printing with comprehensive connectivity and all-in-one functionality.
True Score
89902Experts
88999Customers
Absolutely Fresh
SAVE $150$369.99$219.99Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- Print Quality
- Business-grade scanner
- High page yield
- Fast printing speeds
Reasons to Avoid
- Lacks color printing
Specifications
Automatic Document Feeder Yes Automatic Two-Sided Printing Yes Copier Resolution (B&W) – Copier Resolution (Color) – Depth 18.3″ Duplex Scan Function Yes Energy Star Certified Yes Height 15.4″ Integrated Fax Yes Max Number of Copies 999 Max Paper Width 8.5″ Mobile Printing Yes Number of Ink Cartridges Required 1 Paper Feeder – Print Speed (B&W) 40 ppm Print Speed (Color) – Printer Resolution (B&W) Up to 600 x 600 Printer Resolution (Color) – Printer Type All In One, Fax Scanner Resolution Up to 600 x 600 Scanner Type Flatbed, Sheetfed Tray Capacity 250 Width 17.8″ Wireless Yes All Specs
Test Results
B&W Print Speed (ppm) 25 Color Print Speed (ppm) 0 B&W Printing Costs (¢ per page) 4 Color Printing Costs (¢ per page) 7 Color Accuracy (dE) 0 All Retailers
- $219.99$370Save $150
Availability
In StockFree Shipping
Yes - $346.71
Availability
In StockFree Shipping
No - $412.95$845Save $432
Availability
In StockFree Shipping
No
Our Verdict
If you’re shopping for a reliable mid-range monochrome printer for your academic needs, the Canon imageCLASS MF455DW stands out for its efficiency. Notably efficient with a print speed of 24.95 pages per minute, this model stands out for its quick document handling, crucial for students under tight deadlines. Its low printing cost of just 3.6 cents per page makes it an economical choice for the voluminous printing demands of student life.
The Canon imageCLASS MF455DW is well-designed for student use. It supports essential features like duplex printing, an automatic document feeder, and a robust connectivity suite that includes wired and wireless options, ensuring compatibility with various devices and study setups. Moreover, unlike the printer-only Brother HL-L2325DW, this has all-in-one capabilities that enable students to scan, copy, and fax alongside printing, making it a versatile tool for all academic tasks. Its Energy Star certification also assures users of its energy efficiency, contributing to cost savings and environmental sustainability.
Moreover, the printer’s monochrome output and connectivity features make it well-suited for various other applications beyond academic work. Whether printing detailed documents for internship applications or assembling comprehensive study guides, the Canon imageCLASS MF455DW delivers. And for those occasionally venturing into creative projects or needing to manage a high volume of documents, this printer’s performance remains reliable, making it a versatile tool in any student’s arsenal.
Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Brother HL-L2325DW
Best For Chromebook
The budget-friendly Brother HL-L2325DW excels in fast, monochrome printing, offering simplicity, cost efficiency, and robust connectivity, ideal for students and text-heavy tasks.
True Score
79772Experts
872kCustomers
Mixed Reviews
$189.99Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- Great printing quality
- Low running costs
- Fast printing
Reasons to Avoid
- Limited functions
- Doesn’t print in color
Specifications
Automatic Document Feeder – Automatic Two-Sided Printing Yes Copier Resolution (B&W) – Copier Resolution (Color) – Depth 14.2″ Duplex Scan Function Yes Energy Star Certified Yes Height 7.2″ Integrated Fax – Max Number of Copies – Max Paper Width – Mobile Printing Yes Number of Ink Cartridges Required – Paper Feeder Cassette tray, Manual Feed Print Speed (B&W) 26 ppm Print Speed (Color) na Printer Resolution (B&W) 2400 x 600 dpi Printer Resolution (Color) – Printer Type Printer Scanner Resolution na Scanner Type na Tray Capacity 250 Width 14″ Wireless Yes All Specs
Test Results
B&W Print Speed (ppm) 25 Color Print Speed (ppm) 0 B&W Printing Costs (¢ per page) 4 Color Printing Costs (¢ per page) 0 Color Accuracy (dE) 0 All Retailers
- $189.99
Availability
In StockFree Shipping
No - $215.00
Availability
In StockFree Shipping
No
Our Verdict
If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly and straightforward printing solution, the Brother HL-L2325DW is a monochrome printer that stands out for its simplicity and efficiency, particularly for students. As a monochrome laser printer, it focuses on delivering clear, crisp text documents without the complexities and costs associated with color printing. Its leading print speed of 25.3 pages per minute ensures that students can quickly print their assignments and study materials without waiting long periods, making it an ideal choice for students who primarily need to print essays, articles, and other text-heavy documents.
With its flexible connectivity, including both wired and wireless options, this printer seamlessly integrates into a student’s tech ecosystem, allowing for easy printing from laptops, smartphones, or tablets. While its operational cost of 3.8 cents per page doesn’t quite match the efficiency of the pricier HP Officejet Pro 9025E at 2.4 cents per page, it remains a cost-effective choice for budget-conscious students. The printer’s compact size and duplex printing capability further enhance its appeal, offering a space-saving solution that’s also mindful of paper use, perfect for cramped dorm spaces or compact study areas.
While the Brother HL-L2325DW may not be the best choice for those needing color prints for projects or photo printing, its performance in printing text documents, ease of use, and low running costs make it an excellent option for students focused on their studies. Its robust connectivity and fast print speeds also make it suitable for other scenarios, like printing handouts for group studies or quick copies of lecture notes.
Category Snapshot
Printers
- Total Brands/Products Tested
5 Brands, 26 Products
- Top 2 Brands
Epson, Canon
- Price Range (Budget-Premium)
$30-$1,000
- Average True Score
80.95
- Important Test Criteria
Mono & Color Print Speed (in/s, cm/s)
Color Accuracy (dE)
- Most Trusted Testers
- Top Printer Experts
- Typical Warranty
1 year
- Covered by Insurance
Yes – AKKO
Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840
Best For Epson
The Epson WF-7840 is a versatile printer that excels with fast, accurate color printing for academic and creative needs despite its mid-range price.
True Score
78772Experts
823kCustomers
Mixed Reviews
SAVE $120$349.99$229.99Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- Outstanding print quality
- High-quality scanner
- Fast printing speeds
Reasons to Avoid
- High printing costs
Specifications
Automatic Document Feeder Yes Automatic Two-Sided Printing Yes Copier Resolution (B&W) – Copier Resolution (Color) – Depth 38.4″ Duplex Scan Function Yes Energy Star Certified Yes Height 20.5 Integrated Fax Yes Max Paper Width 19″ Mobile Printing Yes Number of Ink Cartridges Required – Paper Feeder Multipurpose tray Print Speed (B&W) 25 ppm Print Speed (Color) 12 ppm Printer Resolution (B&W) Up to 4800 x 2400 Printer Resolution (Color) Up to 4800 x 2400 Printer Type All In One Scanner Resolution Up to 1200 x 2400 Scanner Type Flatbed Tray Capacity 250 Width 20.3″ Wireless Yes All Specs
Test Results
B&W Print Speed (ppm) 23 Color Print Speed (ppm) 10 B&W Printing Costs (¢ per page) 4 Color Printing Costs (¢ per page) 12 Color Accuracy (dE) 6 All Retailers
- $229.99$350Save $120
Availability
In StockFree Shipping
- $229.99$350Save $120
Availability
In StockFree Shipping
Yes - $343.93
Availability
In StockFree Shipping
No
Our Verdict
If you’re seeking a printer that fulfills academic requirements and embraces creative projects, the Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840 is an impressive choice. It is an all-in-one printer with good color accuracy, rated at 6.33 dE, and ensures reliable color reproduction for student projects and presentations. However, its mid-range price point may be a consideration for budget-conscious buyers.
The WF-7840’s capabilities are especially beneficial for students, supporting both black-and-white and color printing, ensuring a wide range of document types can be handled efficiently. The printer boasts a commendable print speed of 22.75 pages per minute for black-and-white and 9.50 for color, which is quite efficient for handling large documents or last-minute assignments. And, although its costs per page of 4.4 cents are slightly higher than the budget-oriented Brother HL-L2325DW’s 3.8, it’s still a cost-effective choice.
Additionally, the WF-7840’s capability for duplex printing, its automatic document feeder, and versatile connectivity options, including wireless printing, align perfectly with the fluctuating demands of student life, catering to everything from academic reports to creative projects like photo printing and scrapbooking. Its adaptability to various paper sizes and types further enhances its utility.
The Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840 offers well-rounded capabilities, quick print speeds, and good color accuracy, making it a strong contender for students. Beyond academia, its features mean it could also serve well in crafting hobbies or any environment where varied document types are frequently printed.
Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best Printers for Students?
By focusing on these criteria (1 required, 1 nice to have), anyone can quickly and easily compare these printers and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase a printer for a student.
CRITERIA | RANGE | REQUIRED | DEFINITION |
---|---|---|---|
B&W Print Speed | > 20 ppm | Yes | How fast a printer can produce purely black and white pages while printing. |
B&W Printing Costs | < 7 cents | Yes | How much a black and white page costs to print. |
Color Print Speed | > 12 ppm | No (Nice to have) | How fast a printer can produce color pages and photos while printing. |
Color Accuracy | < 6 dE | No (Nice to have) | How much the color printed by a printer deviates, on average, from the reference color. |
Our Trusted Data Sources
We looked at 80+ printers reviewers and found that 23 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Rating). The three we have listed below are our most trusted for printers.
- Ryan Lim – Rtings, LinkedIn
- Lesley Robinson – TechGearLab, LinkedIn
- Ben Keough – Wirecutter, MuckRack, LinkedIn
Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every printer review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Ratings from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.
Printers Test Data & Results
1. Print Speed, Black & White (PPM)
The primary job of a printer is to print out pages, and black & white print speed tests are just measurements of how long it takes a printer to produce pages that are purely black and white. The better a printer is at printing in black and white, the more pages it’s able to produce in a minute.
Print speed is largely a matter of convenience, so while we have a minimum speed we suggest (generally around 20 pages per minute) there’s no real downside to a printer being slower if you’re using it at home – you’ll just end up having to wait longer to finish printing out a document. However, printers in professional settings need to be snappy because they’re going to be used constantly, and the faster a printer is able to produce documents, the better.
Print Speed, B & W
> 20 ppm
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How fast a printer is able to produce black and white pages.
Units of Measurement: ppm (pages per minute)
Tools to Measure: A timer
Why It’s Important:
The point of a printer is to print – the less time you’re waiting for it to finish, the sooner you can get back to whatever you were doing.
Print Speed, Black & White (PPM; higher is better)
2. B&W Printing Costs (Cents per page)
Using your printer uses up ink, which means it costs money. Printing costs are usually measured as cost per print (or page) and are gauged by calculating how much each print costs by comparing the cost of an ink or toner cartridge to the total number of pages printed by the cartridge.
Print costs should ideally be as low as possible, with the greatest number of pages per cartridge being the obvious “goal” to aim for. Black ink, being the cheaper ink, means that black and white printing costs are usually lower on a per page basis. If you’re printing constantly, getting the cost as low as you can means you’ll be spending less on cartridges in the long run.
B&W Printing Costs
< 7 cents per page
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How much its costs to print a single page in black and white.
Units of Measurement: cents per page
Tools to Measure: Calculator
Why It’s Important:
Lower costs per page means less money spent on ink in the long run.
B&W Printing Costs (in cents per page; lower is better)
3. Print Speed, Color (PPM)
Print Speed, Color
> 12 ppm
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How fast a printer is able to produce color pages and photos.
Units of Measurement: ppm (pages per minute)
Tools to Measure: A timer
Why It’s Important:
If you’re printing photos or color pages constantly, higher print speeds will reduce the time spent waiting.
Much like black and white print speeds, color printing speed is simply a measure of how long it takes a printer to print out color documents and photos. If you’re purely printing photos, you’ll see an ever further reduced speed (given the size of photographs and the detail they demand.)
Color print speed is less important (generally) than black and white speeds, simply because it’s usually done less. However, if you’re constantly printing photos at home or in the office, higher print speeds are good to keep you from waiting around for a print job to finish.
Print Speed, Color (PPM; higher is better)
4. Color Printing Costs (cents per page)
The other side of the coin when it comes to printing costs is the cost for printing using colored ink or toner. While it’s measured the same was as you’d measure black and white printing costs, the acceptable cost is much, much different. Colored ink is more expensive than black and white ink, and if you’re constantly printing photos, the cost of printing in color will ramp up very fast.
We therefore recommend that your printer print color pages at a cost of 40 cents per page or less. Less is always better – getting the cost as low as possible without compromising print quality is the ideal, after all.
Color Printing Costs
< 40 cents per page
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How much it costs to print a page in color.
Units of Measurement: cents per page
Tools to Measure: Calculator
Why It’s Important:
Lower costs per page means less money spent on ink; given that color ink is generally more expensive than black, this is especially attractive.
Color Printing Costs (in cents per page; lower is better)
5. Color Accuracy (dE)
Color accuracy with printers uses a mix of standardized references (like the Adobe ColorChecker) and a color control sensor to check the accuracy of the colors printed by a printer and then grades the accuracy on a 10-point+ scale. Unlike most scales, where 10 is good, color accuracy scores are reversed, with 0 and 1 being the most desirable score, as it indicates little to no deviation from the reference color.
Generally speaking, color accuracy should be at least a 5 or lower to be considered “good.” At 6 or higher, the colors are noticeably different, which is an issue if you’re printing photos and hoping for accurate colors.
Color Accuracy
< 6
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How much deviation exists between the colors printed by the printer itself and the colors shown in the photograph you’re printing on your monitor or phone.
Units of Measurement: N/A
Tools to Measure: Color Control Sensor, Color Reference Document
Why It’s Important:
If you print photos constantly, or need accurate colors for logos, color accuracy matters a great deal.
Color Accuracy (lower is better)
Best Printers for Students: Mistakes To Avoid
- Overlooking Budget Considerations: While affordability is important for students, it’s essential to balance upfront costs with long-term expenses. Consider not only the initial price of the printer but also ongoing costs such as ink or toner cartridges. For those prioritizing cost-effectiveness, the best printer with cheap ink can substantially lower the overall cost of ownership, making it an ideal choice for students who require frequent printing without the financial strain.
- Ignoring Printing Needs: Assess your specific printing needs as a student. Do you primarily print text documents, essays, or research papers? Or do you also require color printing for presentations or graphics? If your coursework requires printing large-format materials like posters or architectural plans, consider investing in the best large-format printer. Similarly, if you need to print on both sides of the paper frequently, look for a great duplex printer to save on paper and enhance efficiency. Choose a printer that meets your printing requirements without unnecessary features that inflate the price.
- Disregarding Space Constraints: Consider the available space in your dorm room or apartment. Opt for a compact printer that fits comfortably on a desk or shelf without taking up too much space. All-in-one printers (with scanning and copying capabilities) can save space by combining multiple functions into one device.
- Underestimating Printing Speed: As a student, you may have tight deadlines and need to print documents quickly. Look for a printer with fast printing speeds to minimize waiting times and maximize productivity, especially during busy periods like midterm or final exams.
The Best Printers for Students Tests Compared
Product | True Score
|
B&W Print Speed
|
Color Print Speed
|
B&W Printing Cost (per page)
|
Color Printing Cost (per page)
|
Color Accuracy
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 |
|
|
|
|
| $219.99 $370 $150 |
| 79 |
|
|
|
|
| $189.99 |
| 78 |
|
|
|
|
| $229.99 $350 $120 |