Printers · Students

Best Printer for Students

Updated 2026-07-291 min read

The short answer

The Epson EcoTank ET-2803 is the answer for most students — the cheapest of the three, with roughly two years of included ink. If you almost never need color and value surviving months switched off between semesters, the Brother HL-L2465DW is the more neglect-proof alternative.

The same catalog as our main comparison, reordered around a student's actual usage pattern: a tight budget, mostly text, and weeks or months without being turned on between semesters. That changes which machine wins compared to the main ranking.

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Top pick

Epson EcoTank ET-2803

PS8.4/10$179

Best value

Brother HL-L2465DW

PS8.2/10$169.99

Premium pick

Epson EcoTank ET-4800

PS8.7/10$219.99

Top pick

Epson

Number 1: Epson EcoTank ET-2803

PS8.4/10

Best for most homes

The default recommendation for a house rather than an office. It does the three things households actually need — print, scan, copy — and it does them with the ink economics that make tank printers worth the higher sticker. You give up the document feeder, which matters only if you regularly scan stacks of paper. If you do, spend the extra $40; if you do not, this is the one.

Pros

Around two years of ink in the box, so the first refill is a long way off
The cheapest genuine tank printer here, and the running-cost advantage is identical to the pricier model
Simple enough that it is the sensible default for a household

Cons

No document feeder — scanning multiple pages means feeding them one at a time
No fax or Ethernet
Colour output is adequate rather than good

From $179Approximate — prices change

See current price

Sources: RTINGS printer testing (2026) · TechRadar (standardised test across 200+ printers) (2026-07)Last checked by Picksights 2026-07-29

Brother

Number 2: Brother HL-L2465DW

PS8.2/10

Best if you never print in colour

The honest answer for a large number of people who buy colour printers and never print in colour. Consumer Reports' position is blunt: if you do not need colour, buy a mono laser, because they are far more reliable. And the reason matters — toner does not dry out, so this survives being ignored for three months, which is exactly what kills an inkjet. Print one photo a year at a shop and you will still be ahead.

Pros

Consumer Reports' testing finds lasers markedly more reliable than inkjets, which is the complaint most printer owners actually have
Toner does not dry out, so it survives months of not being used — the failure mode that kills inkjets
Crisp text at speed, with automatic two-sided printing

Cons

No colour whatsoever, which rules it out for anyone printing photos or school projects
Per-page cost is higher than bottled tank ink, though far below cartridges
No fax or document feeder

From $169.99Approximate — prices change

Sources: Consumer Reports (laboratory testing and cost-of-ownership modelling) (2026-06-24) · TechRadar (standardised test across 200+ printers) (2026-07)Last checked by Picksights 2026-07-29

Epson

Number 3: Epson EcoTank ET-4800

PS8.7/10

Best for a home office

The one to buy if the printer has a job rather than a corner. The document feeder alone changes what you can do with it — scanning a stack instead of a page at a time — and it is the only machine here with Ethernet. It also costs the most up front, which is exactly the number you should be ignoring: on Consumer Reports' own modelling, a $128 cartridge printer overtakes this on total cost inside the first year and keeps going.

Pros

Bottled ink costs a fraction of cartridge ink per page — the whole argument for buying a tank printer
Automatic document feeder and Ethernet, which the cheaper tanks here leave out
Fax and copy included, so it replaces an office multifunction outright

Cons

The highest purchase price of the three, which is the number most shoppers compare
Photo output is competent rather than a reason to buy it
Tank printers need occasional use or the print head can clog

From $219.99Approximate — prices change

See current price

Sources: Consumer Reports (laboratory testing and cost-of-ownership modelling) (2026-06-24) · TechRadar (standardised test across 200+ printers) (2026-07)Last checked by Picksights 2026-07-29

Frequently asked questions

Why does the ET-2803 lead this list when the ET-4800 scores higher in the main ranking?

The ET-2803 costs $40 less, ships with roughly two years of ink from the factory per the manufacturer, and doesn't charge for a document feeder, fax or Ethernet that most students won't use. For a student's usage pattern, that price gap matters more than those three office features.

Why does a mono laser make sense for a student who sometimes needs color?

Because the real failure mode of an inkjet in a student's hands isn't lack of color — it's the print head drying out over summer or winter break. The Brother HL-L2465DW's toner doesn't degrade over time, so it still works perfectly after months switched off. If you need color with some regularity for assignments or posters, the ET-2803 remains the more balanced choice.

Is the ET-4800 worth the extra money in a dorm?

Only if you're splitting the printer between several roommates and regularly scanning stacks of notes — that's where the automatic document feeder actually earns its keep. For individual use, it's office capacity most students won't use.

Need home-office features instead of a student-specific criterion? See the best printer for home office → or the full printer ranking →

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