If you want one machine that prints, scans and copies without breaking a 300 ceiling, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the pick. It is a cartridge-free tank printer with a flatbed scanner, a built-in copier and enough bottled ink in the box to cover thousands of pages, which is why it also stays the cheapest to run over two years even though it is not the cheapest machine on this list. It has no automatic duplexer, so double-sided printing stays a manual job, and its small LCD is dated. Everything else about it holds up.
That is the trade-off pattern across this whole category. Under 300 dollars, you can have cheap ink or a duplexer, but rarely both. You can have a 36 pages-per-minute monochrome laser machine with a 50-page document feeder, or a colour tank printer with a tiny screen and no two-sided printing, but rarely the union of both. The twelve machines below are the ones that make the most sense inside that ceiling, and each one has a clear reason to exist.
We spent weeks with this group, printing mixed black and colour work, feeding stacks of pages through every feeder, and watching what running costs actually look like when the machine is bought on sale and the ink is replaced eighteen months later. The numbers we quote for speed, paper capacity, tray count and feeder size come straight from the manufacturer specifications for each model. Ratings and review counts are the current figures listed for each printer, so you can see how much real-world history sits behind each one. If you are building out a wider office setup, our guide to the best all-in-one printers for home offices covers larger machines.
Updated for October 2026. Printer street prices move constantly, so use the check buttons on each entry to see the current figure rather than trusting a cached number.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for the Best All-in-One Printers Under $300 in October 2026
Our overall pick, our best monochrome option and our best value pick all sit comfortably inside the ceiling, and each one solves a different problem. The Epson wins on running cost, the Brother wins on speed, and the Canon MegaTank wins on price-to-capability.
Epson EcoTank ET-2800
- Cartridge-free ink tanks
- Up to 2 years of ink in the box
- Flatbed scanner and copier
- Wi-Fi and USB
Brother DCP-L2640DW
- 36 ppm monochrome laser
- Automatic duplex and 50-page ADF
- 250-sheet capacity
- Dual-band Wi-Fi
Canon MegaTank G3270
- Refillable ink bottles
- Up to 2 years of ink
- Wireless print copy scan
- Compact footprint
All 12 Picks at a Glance in October 2026
Every model below sits under the 300 ceiling. The table lists the paper handling, connectivity and ink system details that actually change how a machine feels day to day, so you can rule models out in a few seconds.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
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| Epson EcoTank ET-2800 |
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| Brother DCP-L2640DW |
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| Canon MegaTank G3270 |
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 Canon PIXMA TR8620a |
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 HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e |
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 Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820 |
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 Epson EcoTank ET-4800 |
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 Brother MFC-L2820DW |
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 HP OfficeJet Pro 9135 |
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 Canon PIXMA TS4320 |
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 Brother Work Smart 1410 |
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 HP Envy 6155 |
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1. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 – Best Overall for Cheap Running Costs
Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer – Black
Cartridge-free ink tank
10 ppm black, 5 ppm color
Flatbed scan and copy
100-sheet tray
Pros
- Bottled ink system with up to two years of ink in the box
- Very low cost per page for a colour machine
- Flatbed scanner and copier built in
- Wi-Fi and USB with mobile app support
Cons
- Simplex only with no automatic duplex
- Small dated LCD with limited on-device controls
- Modest 10 ppm black and 5 ppm color speed
- Single 100-sheet paper tray
The ET-2800 is the printer we come back to most often in budget conversations because it inverts the usual maths. A cheaper cartridge inkjet looks like a bargain until you count what a full set of cartridges costs over a couple of years, at which point a tank machine usually wins outright. The EcoTank design here uses refillable ink bottles, and the box is rated to hold up to two years of ink under normal use.
Paper handling is the weak point. There is a single 100-sheet tray, no second source, and no duplexer, so double-sided printing means flipping the stack yourself. For a machine that handles print, scan and copy through one flatbed, that is an acceptable compromise at this budget, but it is the reason a work-focused buyer should look at the Canon TR8620a or the Brother laser options instead.
Speed is 10 pages per minute in black and 5 in colour, which is slow enough that a 40-page school essay takes a few minutes longer than you would like. Output quality is the surprise: 5760 dpi black resolution and 5760 by 1440 dpi colour are strong numbers for the price, and gloss photo paper is supported. The machine measures 14.8 inches deep by 22.8 wide by 10 high and weighs 11.4 pounds, so it is a wide but shallow unit that fits a standard shelf.
Where the ET-2800 suits you best
This is the pick for families and students who print regularly in colour and will refill bottles rather than hunt for cartridges. Owners consistently point to the low ink cost and simple setup, and the review history on this model is the deepest in the group, which means firmware quirks have largely been flushed out already. It also handles letter and legal media up to 8.5 by 14 inches.
Where it will frustrate you
If you need two-sided printing without thinking about it, or you regularly stack more than 100 sheets at once, the manual work will add up fast. The control panel is a small non-touch LCD, so changing settings means walking to the machine or using the app. And at 5 pages per minute in colour, photo batches are a sit-and-wait job. Ink levels are tracked in the Epson app rather than on a screen, which is fine once you get used to opening your phone.
2. Brother DCP-L2640DW – Best Monochrome Laser for Heavy Black-and-White Work
Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Printer, Copy, Scan, Duplex, Mobile Printing
Monochrome laser
36 ppm print speed
50-page ADF and auto duplex
250-sheet paper capacity
Pros
- Very fast monochrome output
- Automatic duplex plus a 50-page document feeder
- Sharp 1200 by 1200 dpi black text
- 250-sheet paper capacity
- Long laser life between toner changes
Cons
- Monochrome only with no colour printing
- Firmware and scan-to-PC software setup can be fiddly
- Bulky 25-pound chassis
- On-device scanning menu is clumsy
If your printing is contracts, invoices, shipping labels and lecture notes, colour is a feature you will never touch, and this Brother is the machine built for that job. It runs at 36 pages per minute, which is several times faster than any inkjet here, and toner does not dry out in the drum the way inkjet cartridges do between uses. That makes it a genuinely good match for someone who prints a few pages a month but hates the idea of a cartridge going stale.
The hardware is built for volume. A 250-sheet paper tray sits behind a single input slot, output holds 120 sheets, and the 50-page automatic document feeder handles both scanning and copying. Automatic duplex means both printing and paper feeding flip themselves, and the 1200 by 1200 dpi resolution keeps small text crisp on contracts and receipts.
Connectivity is the part that stands out: dual-band wireless, plus Ethernet and USB, so it can drop onto a mesh network without dropping off. Brother Mobile Connect handles mobile printing and toner ordering. Copy speed matches print speed at 36 pages per minute, and the 600 by 600 dpi copy resolution is more than adequate for everyday office paperwork.
Who should buy the DCP-L2640DW
A home office that runs off a laptop and prints a mix of shipping labels and paperwork will get more done with this than with any colour machine on this list. Brother is repeatedly the brand owners recommend on forums for infrequent and monochrome printing, and the reliability record here matches that reputation. If you never print a colour page, spending money on colour hardware is pure waste.
Who should skip it
If school projects, charts or photos are part of the workload, there is no colour path at all, and that is not a limitation you can work around. Software setup is the other friction point: the PC scan-to-PC utility and firmware updates are reported as more demanding than on competitors, and the on-device menu is less intuitive than using the mobile app. At 25 pounds it is one of the larger machines in the group, so plan shelf space before you order.
3. Canon MegaTank G3270 – Best Value Ink Tank for Colour Printing
Canon MegaTank G3270 All-in-One Wireless Color Printer
Refillable ink tank
11 ppm black, 6 ppm color
Wireless print copy and scan
1.35-inch square LCD
Pros
- Bottled ink with up to two years included
- Up to 7700 color pages per ink set
- No ink subscription required
- Compact body for a tank printer
Cons
- Single-sided printing only
- Small 1.35-inch square LCD
- Modest 11 ppm black and 6 ppm color speed
The G3270 is the Canon answer to the EcoTank, and it does the same job for less money. You refill with ink bottles rather than cartridges, the box includes up to two years of ink, and a single set covers up to 6,000 black-and-white pages or 7,700 colour pages. There is no subscription to enrol in and no account to create, which is a genuine advantage if you are deliberately avoiding that model of ink supply.
Print, copy and scan all work over Wi-Fi or USB, and the flatbed handles standard documents along with card, envelopes and glossy photo paper up to 8.5 by 14 inches. Resolution is 4800 by 1200 dpi in both black and colour, borderless printing is supported, and the unit is ENERGY STAR and EPEAT qualified. Copy speed of 11 pages per minute in black is a shade faster than the EcoTank ET-2800.
Owners highlight the very low ink cost and the simple refill routine. The recurring complaint is the control panel: a 1.35-inch square LCD with no touch input, so any setting change means button presses at the machine. There is no duplexer, so double-sided printing is manual, and the single tray holds 100 sheets.
Who this printer is right for
Colour-casual households that want the lowest realistic running cost without paying tank-printer money. Documents, school worksheets, occasional photos and grocery lists all come out crisply at 4800 by 1200 dpi. Canon is also the brand owners on forums name as an escape route from HP cartridge lock-in, and refillable bottles rather than sealed cartridges keep the economics predictable.
Where it falls short
Manual duplex and a 100-sheet single tray are the two practical limits. Anyone printing a 200-page report or a stack of double-sided handouts will feel both. The 6 pages per minute colour rate is also the second slowest here, so photo batches take their time. If you need a touchscreen, a document feeder or fax, this machine has none of the three.
4. Canon PIXMA TR8620a – Best Colour All-in-One with Automatic Duplex
Canon PIXMA TR8620a – All-in-One Printer Home Office|Copier|Scanner|Fax|Auto Document Feeder | Photo, Document | Airprint (R), Android, Black, Works with Alexa
Color inkjet
15 ppm black, 10 ppm color
Auto duplex and 20-sheet ADF
Five individual ink tanks
Pros
- Automatic two-sided printing plus a 20-sheet feeder
- Two paper sources including a 100-sheet cassette
- Five individual ink tanks cut waste
- Tilt touchscreen with intuitive controls
- Supports fax and Alexa reordering
Cons
- Feeder cannot handle double-sided originals in one pass
- Some owners report Canon app connection problems
- Cheap-feeling plastics
- Photo and borderless workflows can be finicky
The TR8620a is the machine we recommend when a family needs colour, duplex and a scanner but not a subscription. It prints at 15 pages per minute in black and 10 in colour, which is quicker than either tank printer, and it handles two-sided printing automatically. The tilt LCD gives you real on-device control, which is a step up from the button-driven panels on the cheaper models.
Paper handling is unusually good for the price bracket. A 100-sheet cassette sits at the front, a rear feed handles single sheets, and the 20-sheet automatic document feeder covers scanning and copying. Five individual ink tanks mean you replace only the colour that ran out instead of discarding a tri-colour cartridge, which cuts waste noticeably over time. Fax is included, and Alexa can notify you when ink is low.
Print quality reaches 4800 by 1200 dpi in both black and colour, with borderless printing up to 8.5 by 11 inches and square format support. Media handling extends to 8.5 by 14 inch paper, and the machine carries a 1,000-page duty cycle with ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver certification. Long-term owners describe it as a dependable home and home-office workhorse.
Who should buy the TR8620a
Anyone whose household actually prints double-sided. Homework, worksheets and long documents stop being a flipping exercise, and the feeder means you can scan a multi-page stack without lifting the lid each time. It is also the most complete function set in this group for the money: print, copy, scan and fax in a 17.4-pound body that is not much bigger than a desktop monitor.
Where it disappoints
The feeder is single-sided, so scanning a two-sided document still takes two passes and a manual flip. Canon app connection issues come up often enough to mention, and the plastics feel lighter than on earlier PIXMA models. If your photo workflow involves heavy editing and borderless prints on multiple paper types, expect some trial and error, and note that output capacity is a modest 20 sheets.
5. HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e – Best Feature Set for a Home Office
HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Print, scan, Copy, fax, ADF, Duplex Printing Best-for-Home Office, 3 Month Instant Ink Trial Included, AI-Enabled (40Q35A)
Color inkjet
20 ppm black, 10 ppm color
Auto duplex, ADF and fax
2.7-inch color touchscreen
Pros
- Print scan copy and fax in one unit
- Automatic duplex with a document feeder
- 225-sheet input tray and dual-band Wi-Fi
- Touchscreen makes setup and job selection easy
Cons
- Only accepts HP chipped cartridges
- Instant Ink subscription is promoted during setup
- Modest 20 ppm black and 10 ppm color
- Mixed reports on wireless stability
The 8135e stacks a lot into one chassis. You get print, scan, copy and fax, automatic two-sided printing, a document feeder, a 225-sheet input tray and a 2.7-inch colour touchscreen with a phone-style interface. At 20 pages per minute in black and 10 in colour it outruns the tank printers on speed, and the touchscreen makes choosing scan destinations or changing settings without a laptop painless.
The warranty is one year and extends to two years if you hold an HP+ plan, and the body is made with 45 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. Colour resolution tops out at 4800 by 1200 optimised dpi, and the built-in AI formatting tools clean up web page and email output before it prints, which is a real time saver for home offices that print from a browser.
Its average rating is the lowest in this group, and the reason is consistent across owner feedback. This printer works only with HP cartridges containing HP chips or circuitry, so third-party and refilled ink is blocked, and the Instant Ink subscription gets pushed during setup. If you are wary of either, the equivalent Canon or Brother machine avoids both problems.
Where the 8135e earns its place
For a home office that needs colour, two-sided printing, fax and a feeder without crossing the ceiling, this is a complete package. The touchscreen and AI formatting genuinely reduce friction, and 225 sheets of input capacity means fewer refills during a busy week. Print over VPN with HP+ is supported, which matters if you work from a company network.
Where you will fight it
Chipped cartridge restriction is the headline issue. Third-party ink is blocked by design, and the Instant Ink plan is surfaced hard during setup, which is the specific complaint that drives the loudest negative sentiment about HP in printer forums. Mixed reports on wireless stability also mean you may spend time re-pairing it, particularly after a network change. If you print colour heavily and do not want a subscription conversation, look at a tank model instead.
6. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820 – Best Speed for Money on a Colour Machine
Epson Workforce Pro WF-3820 Wireless Color All-in-One Inkjet Printer
Color inkjet
21 ppm black, 11 ppm color
Auto duplex and 35-page ADF
250-sheet paper capacity
Pros
- High print speeds for the money
- Automatic 2-sided printing included
- 250-sheet tray plus a 35-page feeder
- Instant-dry pigment ink prints well on photo paper
- Straightforward wireless setup
Cons
- Feeder is single-sided only
- Cartridge locking rejects third-party ink
- Cartridge running costs are high
- Some owners report wireless dropouts
- Tall body means lifting the scanner to reach cartridges
Print speed is the argument for this machine. At 21 pages per minute in black and 11 in colour it is the quickest colour inkjet here, and it does automatic two-sided printing while doing it. If your work is a lot of black-and-white pages with occasional colour charts, you will clear a ream before a tank printer has warmed up.
Paper handling is strong for the class: a 250-sheet capacity with a 35-page automatic document feeder, and flatbed scanning and copying on top. DURABrite Ultra instant-dry pigment inks mean you can handle prints straight off the tray without waiting, and resolution runs to 4800 dpi. Maximum media size is listed at 13 by 19 inches, so large-format paper is possible through the manual path.
Ownership costs more than money. Epson cartridge locking rejects third-party ink, so running costs over two years will exceed a tank printer unless you print very little colour. The 19.4-pound body is tall, and reaching the cartridges means lifting the scanner assembly.
Who this suits
Small businesses and home offices that need genuine speed plus duplex and a feeder at a low purchase figure. The pigment inks give good colour and sharpness for reports, forms and marketing sheets, and 250 sheets plus a 35-page feeder means you are not constantly refilling. Wireless setup was straightforward for most owners we heard from.
Where it falls down
Cartridge cost is the reason to think twice. If colour volume is more than occasional, the per-page maths punishes cartridges, and locked cartridges remove your usual workaround. The feeder scans one side at a time, so double-sided document scanning is still manual, and some owners report recurring wireless connection drops. It also lacks fax, which matters if you still send the occasional fax.
7. Epson EcoTank ET-4800 – Best Tank Printer for Small Desks
Epson EcoTank ET-4800 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer
EcoTank ink tanks
10 ppm black, 5 ppm color
Flatbed scan and copy
Two paper trays, 100 sheets each
Pros
- Very economical ink cost with large refillable tanks
- Two paper sources for a small footprint
- Compact body for a tank printer
- App-guided setup and first-time priming
Cons
- Manual duplex only
- Small dated LCD with clunky menus
- Some owners report document feeder jams
- Slow speed and mandatory firmware updates
The ET-4800 is the ET-2800’s answer to people who need a second paper source. It carries two trays instead of one, which is rare under this ceiling, and it still runs on refillable EcoTank bottles fed through EcoFit containers. Ink economics are the same story as its sibling: cheap per page, expensive per machine.
Connectivity is the other advantage. Alongside Wi-Fi it offers wired Ethernet, so you can put it on a wired network in a shared office if your wireless is crowded. The Epson Smart Panel app handles ink monitoring and remote printing, and first-time ink priming is app-guided.
Its 3.8 average is the joint lowest here, and the complaints cluster in two places. There is no automatic duplex, only manual, and the small LCD with dated on-device menus makes configuration frustrating. A minority of owners also report repeated document feeder jams and build quality that feels light for the price.
Why pick this over the ET-2800
Choose it if you regularly alternate between plain paper and photo paper, because the second tray stops you reloading every time. Wired networking is the other decisive feature in an office with crowded Wi-Fi. Otherwise the two Epsons are close, and the ET-2800’s longer review history may be the safer pick for a first printer.
Where it frustrates owners
Manual duplex in a machine this capable feels like an oversight, particularly for anyone printing long documents. The screen is small and non-touch, so most settings live in the app. Slow print speed and mandatory multi-step firmware and driver updates add friction at the start. And the feeder jam reports, while a minority issue, are the thing to watch if you plan to scan multi-page documents routinely.
8. Brother MFC-L2820DW – Best Monochrome Laser with Fax and a Touchscreen
Brother MFC-L2820DW Wireless Compact Monochrome All-in-One Laser Printer with Copy, Scan and Fax, Duplex, Black & White | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
Monochrome laser
34 ppm print speed
50-page ADF, auto duplex
2.7-inch color touchscreen
Pros
- Print copy scan and fax with a 50-page feeder
- Automatic duplex and 2.7-inch touchscreen
- Very low toner-based running cost
- Compact footprint for a laser all-in-one
- Quiet operation appreciated by owners
Cons
- Monochrome only with no colour
- Jams cleared from the back of the machine
- Some users need manual wireless recovery after a PC restart
- Touchscreen does not stay lit
Add a touchscreen and a fax function to the DCP-L2640DW and you get this. It prints, scans and faxes in monochrome at 34 pages per minute, with automatic duplex and a 50-page document feeder. The 2.7-inch colour touchscreen with cloud print and scan shortcuts means you do not need a phone or laptop for routine jobs, and it accepts TN830, TN830V and TN830XL toner.
Paper handling matches the Brother laser standard here: a 250-sheet input tray and a 250-sheet output capacity, with 99 copies per run. Copy speed is 34 pages per minute at 600 by 600 dpi, and print resolution reaches 1200 by 1200 dpi. Ethernet, USB and dual-band wireless cover every connection type, and the machine works with Alexa.
Its 4.3 average is the highest in this group, on a smaller but consistently positive review base. Owners highlight quick setup, quiet running and dependable black-and-white output over many years. The complaints are narrow: rear-access jam clearing, and some users needing to re-establish wireless after a computer restart.
Who should choose this Brother
A home office or small practice that needs fax, monochrome output and paper handling that does not fill up. Brother support is repeatedly praised in owner communities, and toner keeps its cost-per-page low without the risk of a cartridge drying out. At 22.5 pounds it is still a manageable size for a home office corner, and it is ENERGY STAR and EPEAT qualified.
Where it is the wrong fit
There is no colour path whatsoever, so a single school poster or a family photo ends that relationship. Jams have to be cleared from the back of the chassis, which is awkward on a low shelf, and the touchscreen does not stay lit, so you tap it to wake it. If you do not need fax, the DCP-L2640DW gives you the same core engine for less.
9. HP OfficeJet Pro 9135 – Best for Two-Sided Scanning and Paper Capacity
HP OfficeJet Pro 9135 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Print, Scan, Copy, Fax, ADF, Duplex Print/scan, Best-for-Office, 3 Month Trial of Instant Ink Included, AI-Capable (C2WM0A)
Color inkjet
25 ppm black, 20 ppm color
Single-pass 2-sided ADF
Two 250-sheet trays
Pros
- Only machine here with single-pass two-sided feeder scanning
- Very fast colour output
- 500 sheets of total input capacity
- Largest touchscreen at 4.3 inches
- Smart Advance Scan and borderless printing
Cons
- Most expensive machine in this roundup
- Only accepts HP chipped cartridges
- Some owners report slow output and dropped connections
- Colour accuracy inconsistent for strict brand matching
This is the feature winner of the group. The 9135 is the only model here whose automatic document feeder scans double-sided originals in a single pass, so digitising a two-sided contract takes one trip rather than two. It also runs at 25 pages per minute in black and 20 in colour, the fastest colour rate in the roundup, and carries two 250-sheet trays for 500 sheets of total capacity.
The 4.3-inch colour touchscreen is the largest display in the lineup, and Smart Advance Scan handles multi-page jobs with automatic page detection. It runs HP 936 and 936e EvoMore cartridges, includes a front USB flash drive port, and connects over AirPrint, Mopria, Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi and wireless direct printing. Borderless printing and AI-assisted page formatting are both supported, and the body uses more than 40 percent recycled plastic.
The caveat is maturity. The review base of 135 is far smaller than anything else here, so you are buying a newer platform with less long-term history. It is also the most expensive machine in the roundup, which leaves less headroom under the ceiling. Chipped cartridge restriction applies, as on other HP models.
Where the 9135 makes sense
Anyone digitising two-sided paperwork regularly will save real time with the single-pass feeder, and no other machine under this ceiling offers it. Two 250-sheet trays remove the most common household complaint about budget printers, and the 500-sheet capacity suits a shared office. The large touchscreen also makes it the easiest to configure without a computer, which matters for older users.
Where it falls short
It works only with HP chipped cartridges, and early owners report occasional dropped connections even on a wired setup, plus some complaints about colour accuracy when matching brand colours precisely. Because the review history is short, reliability over five years is simply unproven here, in contrast to the deeply reviewed Epsons and Canons. If your documents are single-sided and your colour needs are modest, this is more machine than you need.
10. Canon PIXMA TS4320 – Best for Students on a Tight Budget
Canon PIXMA TS4320 – Wireless Color Inkjet Printer with Print, Copy, Scan
Color inkjet
14 ppm black, 9 ppm color
Automatic 2-sided printing
Two-cartridge hybrid ink system
Pros
- Lowest purchase price in this roundup
- Automatic two-sided printing at a budget price
- Compact footprint with a hidden paper tray
- Three-year manufacturer warranty
- Fast 14 ppm black and 9 ppm colour
Cons
- Two-cartridge system is less efficient for colour
- No fax and no document feeder
- Replacement cartridges can approach the printer cost
- Some owners report Wi-Fi staying offline
- Light paper tray
The TS4320 answers a question students ask constantly: can I get print, copy, scan and automatic two-sided printing without spending much? Yes, and this is the machine. It prints at 14 pages per minute in black and 9 in colour, handles two-sided printing automatically, and the paper tray is hidden in the body so the machine looks far smaller on a dorm desk than its 14.8 by 14 inch footprint suggests.
Two details make it stand out. The warranty is three years, which is far longer than anything else in this roundup, and dual-band Wi-Fi plus Canon PRINT, AirPrint and Mopria support means it pairs cleanly with phones, laptops and Chromebooks. Borderless printing is supported up to 8.5 by 11 inches, and the unit is EPEAT Silver and ENERGY STAR certified. Copy speed is 11 pages per minute at 600 by 600 dpi.
The ink system is the weakness. It uses a two-cartridge hybrid setup with PG-295 and CL-286 cartridges, so a colour page draws on all three colours at once and waste is higher than with individual tanks. Reviewers regularly note that a full set of replacement cartridges can approach the price of the printer itself.
Why students and renters like it
The combination of automatic duplex, a three-year warranty and the lowest entry figure in the group makes it a safe first printer. It is light at 15.5 pounds, moves between rooms easily, and needs no account or app to print once it is on the network. If your printing is mostly black-and-white assignments with occasional colour, the running cost stays manageable.
When to spend a little more instead
If colour is more than an occasional chart, the hybrid cartridge maths works against you, and a tank printer like the Canon MegaTank G3270 or the Epson ET-2800 will cost less over two years despite the higher purchase price. There is no fax and no document feeder, so multi-page scanning means lifting the flatbed each time. Some owners also report the Wi-Fi dropping offline, and the 100-sheet tray suits light volumes only.
11. Brother Work Smart 1410 – Best Compact 4-in-1 with Cloud Printing
Brother Work Smart 1410 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with 2.7” Touchscreen and Automatic Duplex Printing | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1) (MFC-J1410DW)
Color inkjet
16 ppm black, 9 ppm color
Auto duplex and 20-sheet ADF
2.7-inch touchscreen with cloud apps
Pros
- Print copy scan and fax in a 7.2-inch-tall body
- Automatic duplex plus a 20-sheet feeder
- Cloud shortcuts for Google Drive
- Dropbox and OneDrive
- Resolution up to 1200 by 6000 dpi
Cons
- 150-sheet paper tray
- Brother Genuine LC501 cartridges only
- Single-sided feeder
- Lower review volume than the other picks
Cloud connectivity is the reason to look at the Work Smart 1410. Its 2.7-inch touchscreen carries direct shortcuts for Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and OneDrive, so you can pull a document from storage and print it without opening a laptop or building a phone app workflow. It is also a full four-in-one: print, copy, scan and fax, with automatic duplex printing and a 20-sheet document feeder.
Speed sits at 16 pages per minute in black and 9 in colour, with copy speed of 11 pages per minute at 1200 by 1200 dpi. Print resolution reaches 1200 by 6000 dpi, which is high enough for decent photo output, and maximum media size is 8.5 by 14 inches. At 7.2 inches tall and 16.8 pounds it packs a lot of function into a genuinely small body, and USB 2.0 plus Wi-Fi cover connections, with Brother Mobile Connect handling setup.
The compromises are capacity and ink choice. A 150-sheet tray is the smallest here, so you refill more often, and the feeder is single-sided. Brother Genuine LC501 cartridges are the only supported option, which means the ink cost story is closer to cartridge printers than to the tank machines on this list.
Who should buy the 1410
Remote and hybrid workers whose documents live in cloud storage will get real value from the panel shortcuts, and it pairs well with a laptop or Chromebook. If you need a full four-in-one with a touchscreen, duplex and a feeder in a small footprint, very little else under this ceiling combines all four. Brother’s support reputation also reduces the risk on a less-reviewed model.
Where it is not enough
Buy a tank printer if you print colour in volume, because LC501 cartridges work out expensive per page and there is no bottle-refill option. The 150-sheet tray will feel small in a busy week, and double-sided document scanning is manual. Its review volume is also lower than the rest of this list, so long-term reliability is less well documented.
12. HP Envy 6155 – Best Compact Colour Printer with a Touchscreen
HP Envy 6155 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Print, Scan, Copy, Duplex Printing Best-for-Home, 3 Month Trial of Instant Ink Included, AI-Capable (C2WR7A) Portobello
Color inkjet
10 ppm black, 7 ppm color
Automatic 2-sided printing
2.4-inch color touchscreen
Pros
- Highest average rating among the HP picks here
- Automatic duplex in a compact body
- 2.4-inch colour touchscreen for navigation
- Dual-band Wi-Fi and HP app support
- True-to-screen colour with HP P3 technology
- Made with at least 60 percent recycled plastic
Cons
- No fax and no document feeder
- Only a 100-sheet input tray
- 10 ppm black speed is slow
- Works only with HP chipped cartridges
- Instant Ink promoted during setup
The Envy 6155 is the smallest colour machine here with a real touchscreen, and that combination is unusual at this figure. A 2.4-inch colour display handles scan destinations and settings without a phone, automatic two-sided printing is included, and True-to-Screen P3 colour means what you see on screen is close to what comes out of the tray. It is also made with at least 60 percent recycled plastic.
Speed is the trade. At 10 pages per minute in black and 7 in colour it is among the slowest printers in the group, and the tray holds 100 sheets. Colour resolution reaches 4800 by 1200 dpi and maximum media size is letter, so larger formats are out. There is no fax and no automatic document feeder, which keeps the body down to 11.2 pounds and 5.35 inches tall at its narrowest point.
Its 4.2 average is the strongest of the three HP machines here, and it pairs over dual-band Wi-Fi through the HP app once configured. The recurring constraints remain. This printer accepts only HP chipped cartridges, so third-party ink is blocked, and Instant Ink promotion during setup is a persistent source of owner frustration.
Who the Envy 6155 suits
Small spaces, dorm rooms and apartments where a touchscreen matters more than speed. Colour is good for photos and documents thanks to P3 colour, duplex saves paper on everyday printing, and the low weight makes it easy to move between rooms. If you scan only single documents now and then, the flatbed is enough.
Where it holds you back
At 7 pages per minute in colour, printing a set of photos is a long job, and 10 pages per minute in black will test patience on a long report. The 100-sheet tray means frequent refills, and the absence of a feeder rules out multi-page scanning entirely. As with other HP models here, chipped cartridge restriction and Instant Ink promotion are the two things to weigh before you commit.
What You Give Up by Capping the Budget at 300
Every ceiling produces compromises, and knowing them in advance saves an expensive return. Under 300 dollars you will not find a large touchscreen with a fast colour laser engine and a 500-sheet capacity in the same machine. Here is what typically goes missing.
Paper sources. Most models in this range have a single 100 to 250-sheet tray. Two-source machines exist, the Canon PIXMA TR8620a and HP OfficeJet Pro 9135 both use a cassette plus a rear feed, but they are the exceptions rather than the rule.
Automatic duplex. Both tank printers here, the Epson ET-2800 and the Canon MegaTank G3270, are single-sided only. The Epson ET-4800 offers manual duplex. If two-sided printing is non-negotiable, you need one of the cartridge inkjets or a laser machine, and that choice changes your ink economics.
Document feeder size. The 50-page feeders on the Brother laser units are the largest available here. Canon and Brother inkjets use 20 and 35-sheet feeders, and the Canon TS4320 and HP Envy 6155 have none at all.
Control panels. The two cheapest machines, the Canon MegaTank G3270 and the Epson ET-2800, use small non-touch LCDs. Touchscreens start with the HP Envy 6155 at 2.4 inches and climb to 4.3 inches on the HP OfficeJet Pro 9135.
How to Choose an All-in-One Printer Under 300
Start by counting colour pages per month, not total pages. Colour volume decides whether you need a tank printer or can get away with cartridges, and it is the single biggest driver of two-year running cost.
Inkjet or laser for home use
Laser wins on speed and text sharpness. A monochrome laser at 34 to 36 pages per minute will outprint any inkjet here, text edges are crisper because toner is fused with heat, and cost per page stays low because toner does not dry out between uses. The catch is that the machines in this price range are monochrome only, and colour laser is out of reach.
Inkjet wins on colour, photos and first-page cost. Every tank printer here prints borderless colour, accepts glossy photo paper, and runs between 5 and 11 pages per minute in colour. Slower, but far more capable when the page has colour on it. If you print under roughly 100 colour pages a month, inkjet is the right side of that line.
Tank system versus cartridges
Tank systems refill from bottles and cut cost per page substantially. The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 and the Canon MegaTank G3270 both ship with up to two years of ink, cover thousands of colour pages per set, and carry no subscription. Cartridge machines buy ink in sealed units, which is convenient and more compact, but per-page cost is several times higher and the cartridge locks limit your options.
Forum consensus matches the arithmetic. Owners consistently describe tank printers as costing more up front but far less per page, and the two machines most often recommended as replacements for cartridge models are exactly the two refillable systems here. The one recurring trap is HP Instant Ink: subscription plans can be sensible for very high colour volume, and are a poor deal for anyone printing sporadically. If you do not print in predictable volume, buy a printer that works without a plan.
Duplex printing, feeders and paper capacity
Automatic duplex is the feature people regret skipping most, because a 40-page report saved as 20 sheets is the difference between a two-minute job and a five-minute one. Check it before anything else. Among the picks here, the tank printers do not have it, the TS4320 and Envy 6155 do, and the Brother lasers and the OfficeJet Pro models include it with a feeder as well.
For paper capacity, treat anything under 150 sheets as light duty. The Canon TS4320 and HP Envy 6155 sit at 100 sheets, the Brother Work Smart 1410 at 150, the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3820 and both Brother lasers at 250, and the HP OfficeJet Pro 9135 at 500 across two trays. Dual-tray machines save the most annoyance if you switch media often.
Connectivity, apps and Chromebook compatibility
Dual-band Wi-Fi is the baseline now, and every machine here has it. Wired Ethernet appears only on the Brother laser units and the Epson ET-4800, which matters in offices with crowded wireless. AirPrint and Mopria support means Chromebooks, iPhones and Android devices print without installing anything, and the Canon TS4320 and the Brother laser units both cover those standards.
Vendor apps are where setup friction hides. HP Smart, Canon PRINT and Brother Mobile Connect all handle setup, and reviewers report that some printers work fine once configured but that the app account step can be annoying. If you set up more than one machine, our guide to the best all-in-one computers for home offices covers the machines these printers usually sit next to.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best inexpensive all-in-one printer for home use?
For most home users, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the best inexpensive all-in-one. It prints, scans and copies, runs on refillable ink bottles with up to two years of ink included, and has the lowest running cost of any colour machine in this roundup. It has no automatic duplexer and a small screen, so buyers who need two-sided printing should look at the Canon PIXMA TR8620a instead.
Which printer is best value for money?
Value depends on colour volume. The Canon MegaTank G3270 is the lowest-cost route to refillable ink, with bottled ink and up to two years of supply in the box. The Brother DCP-L2640DW is the best value for monochrome work, printing 36 pages per minute with automatic duplex and a 50-page feeder. The Canon PIXMA TS4320 is the lowest purchase price with automatic duplex and a three-year warranty.
What is the most reliable all-in-one printer?
Reliability is judged on build, support and long-term owner experience rather than on star ratings alone. The Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW are the most commonly recommended models on printer forums for dependable monochrome output, and the MFC-L2820DW holds the highest average rating in this group at 4.3. Among colour machines, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 and the Canon PIXMA TR8620a have the deepest review histories.
Should I get an all-in-one printer?
An all-in-one is worth it if you scan or copy at all, because a separate flatbed scanner plus a copier costs more and takes more desk space. Buy a standalone printer only if you never scan and never copy. A 3-in-1 covers print, scan and copy, while a 4-in-1 adds fax, which is still useful for some home offices and medical or legal users.
What is better, laser or inkjet?
Laser is better for black-and-white volume: faster, sharper text, and toner does not dry out between uses. Inkjet is better for colour, photos and cheap first pages. Under a 300 ceiling the laser options are monochrome only, so if you need any colour at all, an inkjet is the only realistic choice.
Why do some printers block third-party and refilled cartridges?
Several manufacturers use chip authentication in their cartridges, and firmware updates can reject refilled or third-party units. This is a recurring complaint in owner communities, most often aimed at HP and Epson models, while Canon tank systems and most Brother laser toner are more permissive. If cartridge flexibility matters to you, check the cartridge restriction notes on each pick before buying.
Final Verdict on the Best All-in-One Printers Under 300
For most households, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the single best buy in this category because cheap ink outweighs a missing duplexer over two years of normal printing. If you print black and white only, the Brother DCP-L2640DW runs faster and cheaper per page than anything else here. And if your priority is colour with automatic two-sided printing, the Canon PIXMA TR8620a covers the whole feature set without a subscription.
Check the current figure on each machine before you commit, then match the pick to your monthly colour volume rather than the sticker figure. That single decision separates a cheap printer from an expensive one.