10 Best Printers For Home Use Cheap Inks 2025 in the United States

The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is a versatile and economical choice for home users seeking a printer with low-cost ink options. Its standout feature is the cartridge-free printing system that uses high-capacity ink tanks, significantly reducing ink costs and frequent cartridge replacements. The printer comes with enough ink to last up to two years, making it a cost-effective solution for families who print frequently. Each ink bottle set is equivalent to about 80 individual cartridges, which means fewer trips to buy replacements and less waste ending up in landfills. This eco-friendly aspect is a significant plus for environmentally conscious users.

The print quality is impressive, thanks to Epson’s Micro Piezo Heat Free technology, which ensures sharp text and vibrant color prints. It supports a variety of paper types, including glossy photo paper, making it suitable for printing everything from documents to high-quality photos. Additionally, the built-in scanner and copier add to its functionality, although the copy resolution is somewhat lower than the print resolution. On the connectivity front, the ET-2800 offers wireless printing and even supports voice-activated printing via smart devices. This makes it convenient to print from smartphones and tablets using AirPrint or the Epson Smart Panel app.

However, the printer’s speed is on the slower side, with a maximum of 10 pages per minute for monochrome and 5 pages per minute for color prints. It also lacks duplex (double-sided) printing, which could be a drawback for users who frequently need to print on both sides of the paper. Despite these minor limitations, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 remains a robust and cost-effective printer that excels in reducing ink costs and minimizing environmental impact, making it an excellent choice for home use.

The Brother MFC-J1010DW is a compact and versatile inkjet printer designed for home or small office use, especially suitable for those looking for affordable printing with decent ink efficiency. It uses traditional ink cartridges rather than refillable ink tanks, which may be less cost-effective over time compared to tank printers but keeps upfront costs lower. The printer offers good print quality with sharp color and monochrome output, reaching up to 6000 x 1200 dpi on Windows, which is more than enough for everyday documents and photos.

This model supports automatic duplex (double-sided) printing, helping save paper—a feature that’s not always common in budget home printers. It has a 150-sheet paper tray and a 20-page automatic document feeder, making it convenient for scanning and copying multi-page documents quickly. Connectivity is flexible with Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet, allowing printing from smartphones, laptops, or desktops with ease. The Brother Mobile Connect app adds user-friendly controls directly from your phone.

Print speeds are moderate, with about 17 pages per minute for black and white and 9.5 ppm for color, which suits typical home use but might feel slow if you have large print jobs. The starter ink cartridges included are standard, and while the printer supports ink subscription and auto-replenishment services, frequent heavy printing could increase ink costs compared to refillable tank printers. This printer is well-suited for users who want a reliable, space-saving machine that handles everyday printing, copying, and scanning with good print quality and wireless convenience. For those printing occasionally or moderately and preferring straightforward setup without investing in refillable tanks, the Brother MFC-J1010DW is a solid choice. However, if you print large volumes often, you might want to consider printers with refillable ink tanks to save on running costs.

The HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e is a versatile all-in-one printer designed for home offices that need professional-quality color printing without breaking the bank on ink. It uses pigment-based ink cartridges that offer sharp text and vibrant colors, making it ideal for business documents and presentations. While it doesn’t have refillable ink tanks, it includes a 3-month trial of HP’s Instant Ink subscription, allowing ink to be delivered to your home before you run out, which can help save on ink costs if you print regularly.

This printer offers respectable speeds of up to 20 pages per minute for black-and-white and 10 for color, suitable for typical home office workloads. It supports wireless, USB, and Ethernet connections, enabling easy printing from smartphones, laptops, or desktop computers. The 2.7-inch touchscreen makes operation straightforward, and features like automatic duplex (double-sided) printing and a 225-sheet tray add convenience and reduce paper waste.

The model requires original HP ink cartridges with built-in chips, which can be pricier compared to refillable tank printers that use bulk ink bottles. Some users have noted occasional firmware updates that block third-party cartridges, potentially limiting cheaper ink alternatives. Print quality is good, especially for text and standard graphics, though photo printing may not match specialized photo printers. This makes the HP OfficeJet Pro 8135e a strong choice for those seeking a reliable, user-friendly home printer with decent print quality and the convenience of ink delivery, while acknowledging it may not be the most cost-effective option if relying heavily on non-HP ink refills.