6 Best Printers for College Students

Getting your assignments printed and ready to hand in can be tough if you don’t have a printer at home. 

Most colleges are pretty reluctant to print student works and those few who do allow you to print often charge insane amounts for simple print projects.

In A Hurry? Here Are Our Top Picks…

A dorm printer is an absolute must if you want to solve all of your printing issues for good. 

In this buying guide, we are going to have a look at the best printers for college students that you can buy right now.   With these great printers, you can hand in quality assignments on time.

The 6 Best Printers for College Students to buy now

Today you can shop from a huge variety of home printers that are quite affordable and that include lots of handy features.  It can be quite time consuming to scan through all of these printers when you are looking for the best but luckily for you, we have all the top picks listed right here. 

The Brother Wireless MFC-J690DW Inkjet Printer

This is one of the best Google cloud printers to get if you hate struggling to transfer information from one device to another just to get it printed.   You can set the printer up to different devices such as computers and smartphones. Connect to the internet and print via Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and so much more from anywhere in the house.

Brother Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer, MFC-J690DW,...
534 Reviews
Brother Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer, MFC-J690DW,...
  • SIMPLE TO CONNECT: Choose from built-in wireless or connect locally to a single PC or Mac via USB...
  • MOBILE PRINTING: Print wirelessly from mobile devices(1) using AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Brother...
  • CLOUD CONNECTIVITY: Print-from and scan-to popular Cloud services directly from the machine...

Last update on 2020-11-24 at 19:44. Source Amazon USA

The printer is suitable for copying, faxing, printing and scanning and can produce up to 12 ppm with ease.  The large LCD is also a big treat for those who hate to struggle to get the right printer settings set up for printing. 

Specifications

  • Weight – 18.1 lbs
  • Size – 6.8 x 13.4 x 15.7”
  • Cartridge type – Ink 
  • Cartridges included – 4
  • Print speed – 12ppm b/w and 10ppm color
  • Paper tray capacity – 150 sheets
  • Auto document feeder – 20 sheets
  • Paper sizes – A4 and smaller types
  • Functions – Copy, print, fax and scan
  • Display – 2.7” color touch screen
  • Interfaces – Wireless, Ethernet, USB 2.0, AirPrint, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and more
  • Mobile device compatibility – Google Cloud, AirPrint, Mopria, Brother iPrint&Scan and Wi-Fi 

Pros

  • Prints color and black and white on paper
  • The printer can be used for printing, scanning, faxing and copying
  • Can be used to print A4 and smaller paper sizes
  • Connect to the printer via Internet sources like AirPrint, Google Drive, Dropbox and more 
  • The printer is compatible with many mobile devices and computers
  • A 2.7” color screen makes it very easy to change print settings
  • The printer has a fast printing speed of 12 ppm for black and 10ppm for color
  • The printer has a large tray capacity of 150 sheets

Cons

  • Ink cartridges can become expensive
  • Connecting printer to phone line can be challenging
  • Printer is not suitable for photo printing

This printer is a great pick if you need a printer that can do it all from printing and scanning to copying and photo printing.  The HP wireless printer is compatible with computer and mobile operating systems and can be used for printing via Wi-Fi.

HP Wireless All-in-One Printer Envy 7120 Inkjet Wi-Fi...
199 Reviews
HP Wireless All-in-One Printer Envy 7120 Inkjet Wi-Fi...
  • This Kit Includes: HP Wireless ENVY 7120 All-in-One Photo Printer, Setup cartridges: Includes; HP...
  • A NEW LEVEL OF WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY YOU CAN COUNT ON: Get simple Wi-Fi setup in minutes, and start...
  • TRUE-TO-LIFE PHOTOS: Count on original HP Ink to deliver lifelike colors and rich blacks time after...

Last update on 2020-11-24 at 19:44. Source Amazon USA

It can only copy or scan one page at a time which can be slow but it offers lots of flexibility at an affordable price. The printer is a good pick for students who need to print a variety of document types.

Specifications

  • Weight – 17.8lbs
  • Size – 19.5 19.5 x 8”
  • Functions – Print, scan, copy and photo
  • Print speed – 14 ppm b/w and 9ppm color
  • Screen – 2.65” color touch screen
  • Borderless printing – 8.5 x 11”
  • Paper sizes – A4 and smaller types
  • Input tray capacity – 125 sheets
  • Output tray capacity – 25 sheets
  • Connectivity – USB 2.0, Wi-Fi and SD card slot
  • Operating system – Windows MacOS X

Pros

  • The printer is suitable for printing, scanning, copying and photo printing
  • It has a quick print speed of 14ppm for black and 9ppm for color
  • You can use A4 and smaller page sizes such as envelopes
  • The input tray has a capacity of 125 sheets
  • Connect to the printer via USB, Wi-FI, SD card slot and other internet interfaces
  • Download the HP smart app and print from any smart device
  • The printer is compatible with most computers and smartphones
  • It is a versatile tool to have at your dorm
  • The printer is easy to set up and use
  • It has a large 2.65” color touch screen that allows you to change settings with ease

Cons

  • Inkjet ink can be a bit expensive
  • You can only copy or scan one page at a time

This Canon Printer is another good pick if you want a printer that can do it all.  The printer is suitable for scanning, copying, faxing, printing and photo printing.  It is compatible with most mobile and computer operating systems and can be used for printing via Google Cloud, AirPrint and others.

Canon Wireless All-in-One Inkjet PIXMA Printer with Built-in...
36 Reviews
Canon Wireless All-in-One Inkjet PIXMA Printer with Built-in...
  • This kit includes: Canon PIXMA Printer Wireless Inkjet Office all-in one Printer, Set of Ink Tanks;...
  • 30-SHEET DUPLEX AUTO DOCUMENT FEEDER: Easily copy, scan and fax multiple documents without having to...
  • HIGH RESOLUTION: 4800 x 1200 maximum color dpi produces incredible quality and detail in both your...

Last update on 2020-11-24 at 19:44. Source Amazon USA

The printer is very easy to set up and use and it can be used for copying or scanning more than one page at a time.  

The printer is also very easy to set up and use.  A lot of accessories such as CD, USB cable, Phone cable, and even dust cloths are included with are printer combo.  

Specifications 

  • Weight – 18.7lbs
  • Dimensions – 18.1 x 15.2 x 7.9”
  • Print speed – 9.7ppm black, 5.5ppm color and 4x6” photo in 46sec
  • Print size – A4 and smaller sizes
  • Feeder capacity – 100 sheets
  • Output tray capacity – 30 sheets
  • Paper compatibility – plain, high resolution, photo, glossy and other types of paper
  • Compatible operating system – Windows, Vista, Mac and others
  • Functions – Print, copy, scan, fax
  • Connectivity – AirPrint, USB and Google Cloud

Pros

  • The printer can be used for printing color and black copies
  • It can print, copy, scan and fax
  • Print via AirPrint, Google Cloud and other internet interfaces
  • You can copy or scan multiple pages at a time
  • Print wireless from any Wi-Fi computer
  • Comes with My Image Garden software for organizing and printing photos
  • The printer can be used for photo printing
  • It is easy to set up and use

Cons

  • Inkjet ink can be expensive to replace
  • Some feel the touch screen is a bit small
  • Setting it up on the phone line can be challenging

This is an ideal printer for students who are constantly on the go.  The printer is very small at just 12.7 x 7.3 x 2.5” and it gets power via USB cable which means you can even use it for printing from your car.

CANON PIXMA iP110 Wireless Mobile Printer With Airprint(TM)...
6 Reviews
CANON PIXMA iP110 Wireless Mobile Printer With Airprint(TM)...
  • AirPrint(TM): Print wirelessly and effortlessly from your compatible iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch- no...
  • To use AirPrint, you will need one of the following Apple devices running the latest version of iOS...
  • Easily print wirelessly from select online cloud services with the Canon PRINT app.

Last update on 2020-11-23 at 09:58. Source Amazon USA

The printer is compatible with most mobile and computer operating systems.  It also connects via the internet so you can print via AirPrint, Wi-Fi, USB and more.  

It isn’t suited for bulk printing but it can be used to print black and color pages as well as photo prints.  The canon printer also comes with an app that you can use for easy printing when using a mobile device. It is a good solution for students who don’t do a whole lot of printing.  

Specifications

  • Weight – 4.3lbs
  • Size – 12.7 x 7.3 x 2.5”
  • Cartridge type – Ink
  • Connectivity – Airprint, Wi-Fi, USB and Cloud compatible
  • Auto feeder capacity – 50 pages
  • Compatible operating systems – Windows, Mac, and mobile devices
  • Borderless printing – 4x6” photo in 53sec
  • Paper size – A4 and smaller

Pros

  • The printer is compatible with AIrprint and Cloud
  • You can use a free PPS app to print via mobile devices
  • Use the printer for color and black and white printing
  • Can be used for printing photos and printing
  • The printer is compatible with most computer and mobile operating systems
  • The printer is super compact which makes it perfect for traveling
  • The printer is very easy to use

Cons

  • It cannot be used for copying
  • No faxing or scanning feature
  • The printer cannot be used for heavy duty printing
  • Inkjet printing can be expensive

This is one of the best printers for small businesses because the printer prints much more affordable compared to inkjet printers.   It works with toner cartridges and drums and produces many more copies or prints per cartridge than ink cartridges can ever produce.

Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Laser Printer with Duplex...
4,806 Reviews
Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Laser Printer with Duplex...
  • Prints up To 27 ppm, automatic duplex printing
  • 250 Sheet Capacity Paper Tray. A4 2-sided print speed-13. A4 standard print speed-26. Automatic 2...
  • Windows 10 Compatibility: If you upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, some features...

Last update on 2020-11-24 at 19:44. Source Amazon USA

It cannot be used for faxing or photo printing and doesn’t print color.  But it is ideal for bulk black and white printing and copying. 

The printer also has a large paper tray so you won’t have to continuously add more paper to your machine. 

The printer also isn’t Wi-Fi or internet compatible but it can be connected to any type of computer for easy printing.  

Specifications

  • Weight – 15lbs
  • Size – 14.2 x 14 x 7.2”
  • Media type – Plain paper, bond, envelope, labels and more
  • Cartridge type – toner cartridge and drum – black only
  • Print speed – 27ppm
  • Paper tray – 250 sheet
  • Connectivity – USB 2.0
  • Compatible operating systems – Windows, and USB
  • Wi-Fi compatibility – No

Pros

  • Laser printers print much more affordably
  • The drum cartridges and toners last a lot longer than ink toners
  • The printer is very easy to use
  • It has a large 250 paper tray capacity
  • You can print up to 26 pages per minute
  • It is compatible with most computer operating systems
  • You can print high resolution black copies
  • Set it on low resolution to save even more ink
  • Perfect for bulk printing

Cons

  • The printer cannot print color
  • No Wi-Fi or cloud connectivity
  • Not suitable for photo printing

This printer is another good printer for those who want to be able to print anything including photos.  The printer can be used for copying and scanning and is an ideal pick for students due to its affordable price.

Sale
Canon Pixma TS6320 Wireless All-In-One Photo Printer with...
1,932 Reviews
Canon Pixma TS6320 Wireless All-In-One Photo Printer with...
  • With a 1.44” OLED display and LED status bar easily navigate and view your printer status. The...
  • A five individual ink system allows you to print sharp Black text documents and vivid color photos,...
  • With an auto expandable output tray, this printer is made for smartphone & tablet printing. Even...

Last update on 2020-11-24 at 19:44. Source Amazon USA

The printer can print on A4 and smaller paper sizes and it is super easy to use because it offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and smartphone compatibility. You can also use this printer to copy or scan multiple pages at the same time which saves students a lot of time on printing.  

The printer is an ideal solution for those who are looking for a wireless printer at a more affordable price.  

Specifications

  • Weight – 17.1lbs
  • Size – 14.9 x 14.2 x 5.6”
  • Cartridge type – Inkjet
  • Function – Print paper and photo, copy and scan
  • Screen – 1.44” OLED display
  • Paper size – A4 and smaller
  • Compatible operating system – Computer and mobile
  • Connectivity – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, smart home device
  • Paper tray – Back/top feeder

Pros

  • The printer is easy to set up and use
  • It can be used for color and black paper printing, copying, scanning and it can print photos
  • You can print on A4 and smaller paper types such as envelopes
  • It has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and smartphone app compatibility
  • The printer is compatible with most computer and mobile devices
  • It has a back / top paper feeder which allows you to copy multiple pages
  • A photo editing app is included with the printer

Cons

  • The printer cannot fax
  • Inkjet cartridges can be expensive
  • Not suitable for mass bulk printing

Buying Guide

These are all the best printers for college students to get for your dorm.  If you are not quite sure which one will suit your needs to perfection then perhaps this quick guide can help you decide.

The Best Portable Printer

The Canon Pixma iP110 is the best portable printer to get if you are always on the go.  This printer is absolutely tiny and super portable. 

It uses a USB cable for power and you can use it for color, black and photo printing via the internet or direct computer connection.

The Best for Budget Printing

Laser printers are not the cheapest but they are the best if you want to reduce your printing cost in the long run.  The Brother HL-L2300D is a great pick if you are printing in bulk. It can only print black bit produce many more copies per toner.

The Best for Photo Printing

If you want to print photos as well as documents then we recommend the HP 7120 Inkjet, Canon PIXMA and the Canon PIXMA TS6320 printers.  These can all print normal copies as well as photos on gloss paper.

The Biggest Screen

If you hate struggling to set your printer then the Brother MFC-J690DW is a good pick with its large color touchscreen.  

Conclusion

With the best printers for college students you can print with ease from your dorm and we are quite certain that all of these printers are worthy investments.  If you are also looking for other great tech products then we welcome you to check out some of our other product reviews. 

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