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HP
Printers are getting more and more expensive as companies start to move away from individual ink cartridges and add more features to already bloated machines.
But what if you don’t print that often and you can make an ink cartridge last for a year? What if you don’t need to scan, fax, copy and digitize every piece of paper in your house? What if you just need your printer to, well, print?
There are still plenty of inexpensive options to be had, some that offer a surprising amount of functionality for your dollar.
Here are three of the best printers under $100.
Brother MFC-J895DW
Brother
Brother is one of the most trusted names in printing for good reason. Because of the reliability of their products the Brother MFC-J895DW is an easy inclusion on this list. I own the previous generation of this printer, and the ease with which I can print something from any computer in my home—or from a phone or tablet—is ridiculously simple. And Brother’s onboard software package and color touchscreen make setting it up and connecting to your home wireless network a breeze. The copy, scan and fax functions are simple to use, with an automatic document feeder to quickly digitize any of your hardcopy papers. I make frequent use of the one-sheet bypass tray in the back of the unit to print labels and one-off full page pictures. If you use their XL ink tanks, you can go even longer between cartridge replacements (though when you do need more ink, your printer can order ink automatically for you through Amazon). Just scraping in at $99, Brother is a great no-compromise device.
HP Envy Photo 7155
HP
The HP Envy Photo 7155 is a connectivity wizard with wireless and NFC capabilities. Plus, you can insert an SD card and print photos directly from that. What does this mean for you? Basically, any way you want to connect to the printer, with whatever device you have, you can. It’s got all of the all-in-one goodies you need (copy, print and scan). And the HP Envy Photo 7155 can also report ink levels to Amazon or HP’s own ink supply service (HP Instant Ink) to make sure you never run out without having a fresh cartridge on hand. The onboard software also has some other impressive features, like letting you scan a document directly to an email. (Thankfully, it has a color touchscreen to help guide you through the process.) And it’s made from recycled plastics and electronics, helping reduce your carbon footprint. Overall, this is one of the cleanest looking printers on the list, with one of the most robust feature sets.
Samsung SL-M2020W/XAA Wireless Monochrome Printer
Samsung
And what if you don't need an all-in-one device? What if you don't even need color? The Samsung SL-M2020W is a versatile champ of a monochrome laser printer. It has onboard Wi-Fi, meaning you can print from your mobile device using NFC and Google Cloud Print or the Samsung Mobile Print app (a feature that’s missing from other, more expensive, printers). Its 21ppm print speed is considerably fast than a comparable inkjet printer. With a footprint that’s not much larger than a sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a printer that does more in such a small space. For just $129, you'll get a laser printer that performs well beyond its modest price.
