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The best printers under 50 dollars can teach us a serious lesson – price isn’t everything! Slapping a high price on something doesn’t mean anything these days – especially online.
It’s difficult to know what to trust and you won’t be sure of the quality until you open up the package and test it for yourself.
This trend has led to the printer market being filled with false advertising and trickery to try and make the most of peoples’ lack of attention to detail.
It’s a lot of hard work to find printers that fall into this category while still offering massive value.
It’s not as simple as searching for anything under 50 dollars and praying that it works out well. There is a lot of thought that goes into finding the perfect ones.
The good news is that I’ve taken the onus onto myself to do all this work for you. You can sit back and take it all in (a healthy dose of skepticism is still recommended though).
I’ve taken the time to go through countless options that are available and have pulled them together to make this list.
I’ve weaved out all the false claims and poor-quality printers to the best of my ability. What I was left with were these 10 exceptional printers.
They are by no means powerhouses, or commercial and big-business printers (you’ll never get those for anywhere near this price). What they do offer is exquisite value based on the balance they strike between price, quality, and real-world performance.
Even if you’re willing to pay thousands of dollars for a “state-of-the-art” printer, you still won’t find the perfect one.
That’s because it doesn’t exist, just the same way as there is no perfect husband or wife – objectively speaking.
What you can find though, is the perfect printer for YOU!
That’s what I’m here to do.
So before getting into the guide, I want you to take a couple of minutes to write down exactly what you need from your printer. Try to be as specific as possible.
List a couple of things that you think are priority needs. After that, list a couple of secondary needs. Finish off by listing three or four features that you don’t care about.
I’m only asking you to do this because I want you to find the perfect printer for you. There’s no point in getting a printer that’s stuffed to the limit with useless and antiquated features nobody uses.
I’ve done this listing process before and I can tell you that you’ll be able to find a better value in a $50 printer than you could in a $500 printer if you do it right.
It’s all about focusing on what you need. So go ahead and make that list now.
I’ll wait…
Great, now with your list is ready, let’s get into it!
Here Are Some Things to Think about First
This sub $50 price range is extremely competitive in the printer market. What this means is that in terms of functionality and features offered – there won’t be many variations.
This means that the choice can be tough.
I want you to keep your little list with you that we went through in the last section. This will help you decide what’s more important, and what’s more likely to help you reach your goals.
Don’t worry if you feel like you’re reading about the same printers ten times.
I’ve done my best to bring out what’s unique with each one. Remember that with all budget options in any market, there is a give-and-take in terms of performance and features.
As you get better performance and quality in one area, it will mean a slight reduction in another. This is done to compensate and keep the costs on the same level.
This specialization will help you decide, and I’ll make sure to point it out to you when we look at each printer.
Now, let’s get into the guide!
Comparison of 10 Best Printers Under 50 Dollars in 2023
Feel free to use this table to directly compare the main features of each of the printers. You can jump ahead to the review of the one you’re interested in.
I’d still suggest that you go through all of the reviews to build up a better idea of what you should expect in terms of features and performance.
This will help you make a better choice.
| Image | Product Name | Features | Price |
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Canon Pixma MG 3620 Wireless Printer |
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HP OfficeJet 5255 All-in-One Printer |
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HP Envy 5055 All-in-One Printer |
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Canon MG Series PIXMA MG2525 Printer |
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HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Wireless Printer |
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Our 10 Best Printers under $50
This section is where we’ll go into each of the printers one by one. You’ll learn about what’s unique in each of them, and what we like and dislike.
1 Canon Pixma MG 3620 Wireless Printer
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: Yes
- Inkjet/Laser: Inkjet
- Print from Phone: Yes
- Color Printing: Yes
You can print from anywhere around the house quite easily. The wireless range is decent and will work across rooms.
This combined with the relatively fast print speeds in both color and black makes it an excellent home printer.
You’ll be able to get through some higher-load printing projects, even though this printer isn’t designed to be a productivity printer.
You can print images directly from your phone. This is a cool feature that I’ve used a couple of times when I print from my tablet (I sometimes do minor design work there).
The quality of the color printing is good – not the best I’ve seen – but it’s passable, especially for a printer this cheap.
I was surprised that the auto-duplex printing was so good. I expected tons of jamming and faults along the way, but there wasn’t anything notable. Once in a while, the printer would take more than one sheet of paper at a time.
Overall, this is an excellent and reliable wireless printer under $50 that begs your attention.
- Good wireless printing range
- Print photos directly from your phone or tablet
- Auto duplex printing is quite reliable
- Fast printing speed for images with and without color
- The durability of the printer is questionable – I don’t think it’s designed to last long-term
- Very difficult for deep cleaning
2 HP OfficeJet 5255 All-in-One Printer
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Copy and Scan: Yes (in duplex too)
- Automatic Printing: Yes
- Inkjet/Laser: Inkjet
- Print from Phone: Yes
- Color Printing: Yes
You’ll be able to tackle everyday tasks easily with this printer. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac, and phones (via the smart app), letting you print with just a couple of clicks.
You’ll be able to print gorgeous borderless photos and automatic double-sided documents quicker than most other printers at this price.
The wireless connectivity is strong and perfect for use around the home.
I found the touchscreen very responsive to the layout of the menus to be intuitive. It’ll be easy for beginners to find their way with, and get set up without much of a hassle.
You’ll also get some pretty attractive discounts when you sign-up for AmazonDash. This monitors your ink levels and automatically re-orders the right ones as soon as you need them.
You’ll be able to automatically print up to 35 sheets before needing to put more paper into the automatic feeder tray.
The printing speed is okay, though nothing to get your undies in a knot over.
I’d say it’s close to being the best all-in-one printer under 50 for you to look at.
- 35 pages of automatic printing
- Excellent touchscreen and intuitive controls
- Deep-cleaning is easier than most competing models
- Print quality – especially the 4×6 borderless photo prints – are stunning
- The plastic material build doesn’t feel too durable
- Terrible technical support if you come into trouble
3 HP Envy 5055 All-in-One Printer
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: No
- Inkjet/Laser: Inkjet
- Print from Phone: Yes
- Color Printing: Yes
Here’s another excellent all-in-one printer for home use.
I say it’s for home use as there is no Ethernet networking option. This means you won’t be able to connect to computer networks and print – like you would in an office.
Aside from this, it ticks all the boxes – except it doesn’t have an automatic document feeder. You’ll still be able to print and copy double-sided documents, but won’t be able to do it automatically.
The text and photos that are printed are crisp and high-quality, especially considering that this is a budget printer.
The design is sleek and attractive – though probably not the most durable. The borderless photo prints are awesome and don’t fade easily.
At a glance, it competes tightly for the best printer under 50 dollars.
- Beautiful design
- Very easy to use
- Photo prints don’t fade quickly
- Quick print speed
- Not easy to deep clean
- Long-term durability is questionable
4 Canon MG Series PIXMA MG2525 Printer
- Duplex Printing: No
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: No
- Inkjet/Laser: Inkjet
- Print from Phone: No
- Color Printing: Yes
It’s a gorgeous lightweight and compact printer that manages to pack the most important features into a small body.
It’s easy to set up for beginners and start printing right away.
There are two things to be aware of. First, it’s not wireless. Second, no USB cable comes in the box.
You’ll need to get a cable beforehand. The non-wireless issue isn’t big in my opinion as you can connect to any USB port and print in just a couple of seconds.
The quality is good, especially with the black ink. The text is very sharp and long-lasting.
You’ll get color and black/white ink in the box if you buy this printer – which is a big plus.
Overall, this is a handy and quality printer for computers under 50 dollars.
- Lightweight and compact – yet still has an attractive design
- Easy to set up and start using for beginners
- Black ink prints are of excellent quality
- You get to color and black/white ink in the box
- Not the most durable printer
- Doesn’t handle larger printing loads well
5 HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Wireless Printer
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: No
- Inkjet/Laser: Inkjet
- Print from Phone: Yes
- Color Printing: Yes
This printer is ink efficient and powerful – all while being affordable and easy to use.
There are tons of customizable features that you can set up to help you get more from the printer. It’s an excellent professional printer on a budget.
You’ll get high levels of productivity and good quality prints at a decent speed. One cartridge of black ink will give you about 1000 pages of printing.
This is excellent and suits small businesses and home businesses.
Overall, I’d say this is one of the best small wireless printers for small businesses and some professional use.
The app is powerful and lets you scan documents directly from your phone. It’s one of the most versatile apps I’ve ever used with a printer that’s this affordable.
- Unbelievable value for money
- Good quality and high print speeds
- Ink efficient and has access to HP Instant Ink
- Can print in color at a lower cost than most printers under $50
- Not very easy to use as there are so many settings and features that can be adjusted
- Durability is a major concern, especially with high usage levels
Also Read: How to Print Without Black Ink – the Ultimate Guide for You
6 Canon TS202 Inkjet Photo Printer
- Duplex Printing: No
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: No
- Inkjet/Laser: Inkjet
- Print from Phone: No
- Color Printing: Yes
This is an excellent high-quality, low-cost compact printer.
It’s compatible with larger cartridges despite its smaller overall size – meaning that you won’t have to replace them as often.
Their rear tray works exceptionally well and is very seldom faulty. Beyond that, I didn’t come across any major durability or performance issues with this printer.
It’s very lightweight and is perfect for tiny offices and working spaces. The productivity you’ll get is surprising when you consider both the size and cost of this printer.
I admit that it’s quite noisy and a little distracting at times. You’ll get used to it after a while, but that first stage is quite a struggle if you’re used to quiet printers.
- Ultra-lightweight and compact
- General performance and quality are above-average for this price
- Compatible with larger ink cartridges
- Copies are very clean and clear
- Noisy and distracting when you first get it
- Sold without the USB cable (you’ll need to buy one on your own)
7 Epson Workforce WF-2860 Wireless Printer
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: Yes
- Inkjet/Laser: Laser
- Print from Phone: Yes
- Color Printing: Yes
Here’s an excellent laser printer that goes toe-to-toe with the best inkjet printers in this list.
These printers often cost much more, so it’s a rare find at this price point.
The print speeds are fast and the quality is excellent. You’re not going to get that glossy photo print finishes, but you’ll be happy with what you get here.
With auto double-sided printing, it’s a printer that is all about productivity and ease of use. You can get up to 30 pages printed automatically.
There weren’t any paper jams or issues, which pleasantly surprised me.
It’s a fantastic cheap wireless printer with low long-term costs and good productivity.
- Auto double-sided printing was flawless
- Printing was fast
- Easy-to-use and set up
- Great value for money considering that it’s a laser printer
- Deep cleaning is very tough on this printer
- The touchscreen isn’t great and the menu is quite confusing
8 HP DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One Printer
- Duplex Printing: No
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: No
- Inkjet/Laser: Dot-matrix
- Print from Phone: No
- Color Printing: Yes
If you want a printer that’s affordable and does the basics to a high standard, then this might be the printer for you.
It’s faster than most others at this price point as it uses dot-matrix printing. Here’s a great article to read if you want to know more about this type of printing.
The photo print quality isn’t as good as the inkjet printers, but they last a long time and are put out quickly.
It will suit you if you’re concerned about handling larger printing projects and need reliable productivity. The cost of this is that the prints take a slight hit to quality output.
It’s still good enough for most uses, just not as high resolution as the inkjet alternatives.
If found that this works excellently with Alexa. There are tons of voice commands that will make your life much easier – and make it far easier for beginners to coax high-quality prints out of this printer.
It’s an affordable and value-driven pick for best affordable all-in-one printer.
- Awesome value for money
- Insanely fast print speeds
- Highly productive and can handle larger printing projects quite easily
- The compact and lightweight design makes it great for offices
- It doesn’t have wireless connectivity (this is common with these budget printers)
- You’ll need to buy some accessories like the USB cable before you’ll be able to print
Also Read: Best Printers for Graphic Designers
9 Canon TS3122 Pixma Wireless Printer
- Duplex Printing: No
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: No
- Inkjet/Laser: Inkjet
- Print from Phone: No
- Color Printing: Yes
This printer can be a little daunting for beginners to get started on – especially if you don’t have any experience.
There are comprehensive guides and instructions to follow to help you perform common tasks. This is great and all, though you might find them difficult to understand and follow.
Some tasks like changing ink cartridges can be challenging – to say the least.
Don’t let this get you down though, because once you’ve got a handle on this printer, it’s excellent. It’s super-affordable and cheaper than most of the others on this list.
You’ll be able to handle home printing with ease and not have to stress about the quality. It’s all up to par and it ticks all the right boxes and performs well when you need it most.
- Covers all the important aspects of printing at home while staying super-cheap
- Pretty versatile and able to connect wirelessly
- Good printing quality, especially the black-only printing
- Good ink management and cost-savings over the long-term
- Hard to set up right and navigate many of the settings
- Durability is a bit of a grey area
10 HP DeskJet 2622 All-in-One Compact Printer
- Duplex Printing: No
- Copy and Scan: Yes
- Automatic Printing: No
- Inkjet/Laser: Inkjet
- Print from Phone: Yes
- Color Printing: Yes
This budget-friendly workhorse goes a long way to make your life easy. It can do both wireless and wired printing without much trouble.
It’s easy to set up and use has tons of functions and puts out reliable and consistent quality.
I must admit that I would have liked to print some borderless prints, and get higher quality color prints – but that’s something you often have to sacrifice with these budget printers.
It’s pretty durable, though not designed to last forever.
I wouldn’t use this as a professional printer. Having said that, I think it’s perfect for a home office and casual use.
When you consider the number of features available and the performance-for-price you’re getting, it quickly becomes a printer that’s very hard to ignore.
- Performs to a level worthy of much more money
- Excellent cost-saving measures
- Very easy for beginners to use
- The app is excellent and among the best mobile-friendly printing apps I’ve ever used
- Print speeds and kind of slow
- The quality and resolution of the color print could be better
Frequently Asked Best Printers under $50 Questions:
Here are some things to think about
Remember that all the printers in this list have been chosen based on the balance they strike between performance, durability, reliability, consistency, and more.
Not only did they need to perform well in all these areas, but they also needed to fall into the under $50 price category.
Each of the printers has a strong and a weak point – as is the nature of all budget products. Don’t let this deter you as I’ve done my best to point these out to you.
You shouldn’t expect too many unknowns jumping up on you.
Each printer may have some minor difficulties. Almost all of these have a workaround and you’ll be able to get it done with a little effort and research on your part.
All that’s left is for you to choose the printer from the list that most closely amplifies your strengths and will help you reach your goals more quickly.
Keep all this in mind as you make your choice – and you’ll be very satisfied with the results you get.
Once you have one of the best printers under $50, you’ll be able to get more done with less effort – and get the results and performance you’ve been searching for!
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