Buying Guide
The Best Printers Under $150: Picks and Trade-offs
We looked at 6 printers under $150 side by side, with the trade-offs that separate them and who each one suits.
By Jamie Cole, Lead Product Researcher
9 min read6 products evaluated
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At the $150 ceiling, you get real choice: full-featured inkjet all-in-ones with duplex printing and document feeders, a genuine monochrome laser, and enough room to think seriously about whether an ink-tank system's math works for your household or office before committing.
Below are 6 printers we compared at this price tier, all verified to fall under $150, ranked on true cost per page, feature completeness, and fit for different print volumes.
Quick Picks
Our 6 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Best for Text Volume
Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer
Home offices printing mostly black-and-white text documents
Our take Check price for Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best Budget Laser
Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w Compact Wireless Laser Printer
Budget-conscious buyers who want laser economics without the higher Brother price
Our take Check price for Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w Compact Wireless Laser Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best Display and Controls
Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer
Home users who want the easiest day-to-day control panel experience
Our take Check price for Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best for Fax and Document Feeding
Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer
Home offices needing fax and document feeding without spending near the full budget
Our take Check price for Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best for Light Use
HP DeskJet 4355 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
Light home printing where saving budget matters most
Our take Check price for HP DeskJet 4355 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best for Double-Sided Printing
Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer
Buyers who want duplex printing while spending the least under $150
Our take Check price for Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Best for Text Volume1 of 6
Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The HL-L2405W is the only laser printer at this price tier in our lineup, and it changes the running-cost math meaningfully for anyone printing mostly black-and-white text.
Best for
- Home offices printing mostly black-and-white text documents
Why we like it
Toner costs less per page than inkjet cartridges over time, and toner doesn't dry out the way idle ink cartridges can. It skips scan and copy to keep the price, so pair it with a separate scanner if you need one. Mobile printing and wireless setup make it easy to add to a home network without extra cabling. Toner doesn't dry out during slow weeks.
Key dimensions & specs
- Monochrome laser engine
- Print only, no scan or copy
- Wireless and mobile printing
- Works with Alexa
- Compact footprint
Pros
- Lowest cost per page for text-heavy printing in this list
- Toner doesn't dry out during slow weeks
- Compact for a laser printer
- Reliable wireless setup
Cons
- No scan or copy functions
- No color output
- Higher upfront cost than the inkjets in this list
Best Budget Laser2 of 6
Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w Compact Wireless Laser Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
This compact laser undercuts the Brother laser above on price while offering the same core toner economics, up to 19 pages per minute of monochrome output with a lower cost per page than any inkjet in this list.
Best for
- Budget-conscious buyers who want laser economics without the higher Brother price
Why we like it
It's print-only, which keeps both the price and the footprint small.
For anyone deciding between the two laser picks here, this is the better fit if budget matters more than the small speed and build differences the pricier Brother offers.
Key dimensions & specs
- Monochrome laser engine, up to 19 PPM
- Print only
- Wireless connectivity
- Compact footprint
- 1-year limited warranty
Pros
- Lowest price laser option in this list
- Low true cost per page for text printing
- Compact footprint
- Fast for monochrome text output
Cons
- No scan or copy
- No color
- Fewer connectivity options than the pricier Brother laser
Best Display and Controls3 of 6
Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
42-inch OLED display and clearer controls than most inkjets at this tier, with automatic duplex printing plus scan and copy included.
Best for
- Home users who want the easiest day-to-day control panel experience
Why we like it
It's a well-rounded home printer that balances usability against ongoing ink cost.
Color output still runs on a combined cartridge design common at this price, so heavy single-color printing draws down the whole cartridge faster than a separate-tank system would. For general home use it remains one of the easiest printers in this list to live with day to day.
Key dimensions & specs
- Color inkjet all-in-one: print, scan, copy
- Automatic duplex printing
- 1.42-inch OLED display
- Intuitive control panel
- Compact design
Pros
- Clearest display and controls in this list
- Duplex printing included
- Full print, scan, copy function set
- Comfortably under budget
Cons
- Combined color cartridge design
- No fax or document feeder
- Cartridge cost rises with heavy printing
Best for Fax and Document Feeding4 of 6
Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The PIXMA TR4720 keeps an automatic document feeder and built-in fax, features many printers drop well before this price ceiling.
Best for
- Home offices needing fax and document feeding without spending near the full budget
Why we like it
That makes it a fit for a home office that still occasionally needs to scan or fax multi-page paperwork. It leaves plenty of budget headroom under the ceiling for anyone deciding whether to spend more elsewhere, like an ink-tank system, once monthly volume is factored in.
Key dimensions & specs
- Color inkjet all-in-one: print, scan, copy, fax
- Automatic document feeder (ADF)
- Mobile printing support
- Wireless connectivity
- Compact design
Pros
- Includes ADF and fax at a low price point
- Full document workflow support
- Wireless and mobile printing
- Leaves budget room under the $150 ceiling
Cons
- Combined color cartridge design
- No automatic duplex printing
- Entry-tier build quality
Best for Light Use5 of 6
HP DeskJet 4355 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The DeskJet 4355 covers print, scan, and copy at the lowest price in this list, with a 3-month Instant Ink trial to soften early cartridge cost.
Best for
- Light home printing where saving budget matters most
Why we like it
It's wireless and simple to set up, a solid entry point for light home printing needs.
If your household prints only occasionally, this frees up the most budget headroom of any pick here to put toward paper, extra ink, or another desk accessory instead.
Key dimensions & specs
- Color inkjet all-in-one: print, scan, copy
- 3-month Instant Ink trial included
- Wireless printing
- Compact footprint
- AI-capable printing features
Pros
- Lowest price in this list
- Instant Ink trial offsets early ink cost
- Simple wireless setup
- Frees up budget for accessories or paper
Cons
- Combined color cartridge design
- No automatic duplex printing
- Best suited to light, occasional printing
Best for Double-Sided Printing6 of 6
Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The PIXMA TS4320 is the least expensive pick in this list that still includes automatic duplex printing, a useful feature for anyone printing multi-page documents regularly.
Best for
- Buyers who want duplex printing while spending the least under $150
Why we like it
Scan and copy are included in a compact, easy-to-set-up design. It leaves the most budget room under the ceiling of any pick here, which is worth considering if you'd rather put the savings toward extra ink or a printer stand instead. Full print, scan, copy function set.
Key dimensions & specs
- Color inkjet all-in-one: print, scan, copy
- Automatic duplex (2-sided) printing
- Wireless printing
- Compact design
- Easy setup process
Pros
- Automatic duplex printing at the lowest price in this list
- Full print, scan, copy function set
- Simple setup
- 1-year limited warranty included
Cons
- Combined color cartridge design
- No automatic document feeder
- Entry-tier build quality
How We Chose These Printers Under $150
Each pick was assessed across 5 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- Ink-tank versus cartridge break-even math
- Weighed whether a cartridge printer at this tier or stretching toward an ink-tank system pays off faster, based on realistic monthly print volume.
- Verified current pricing under $150
- Confirmed each pick's actual listed price stays under the ceiling this guide promises, dropping any option that exceeded it.
- Feature completeness at this tier
- Checked which picks include duplex printing, an automatic document feeder, or fax, features that become more common but still aren't universal.
- Laser versus inkjet cost per page
- Compared toner and cartridge running costs directly, since two genuine laser options exist at this tier alongside the inkjets.
- Budget headroom for different needs
- Considered how much of the ceiling each pick actually uses, since a pick leaves more room to spend on paper, ink, or accessories than a one.
What to Look for in a Printer Under $150
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Match actual size and capacity to your real need, not the category label alone
Listings for a printers under $150 often use a size or capacity label ("compact," "large," "heavy-duty") that isn't standardized across brands, so the same label can mean meaningfully different actual dimensions or capacity from one product to the next.
This matters because buying based on the category label rather than the specific listed dimensions or capacity is a common way to end up with something that doesn't actually fit your space or handle your real load.
Check the listing for exact measurements or a stated capacity figure, and compare that directly against your actual space or need, not just the marketing size category.
Verify build material and construction quality from reviews, not just spec-sheet claims
A product description can describe material or construction in flattering terms that don't always hold up under real, sustained use, and the gap between a listing's claimed quality and its actual durability only shows up in how the product performs after weeks or months of real use, not in day-one photos.
This matters more for anything you'll use daily or under real load, less for occasional light use where durability matters less.
Check reviews specifically for mentions of how the printers under $150 holds up over time, not just unboxing-day impressions, and treat a listing's own quality claims as a starting point to verify, not a guarantee.
Confirm any headline feature actually works as advertised, not just that it's listed
A feature appearing in a product's bullet points doesn't guarantee it performs well in practice, some features are functional but limited, and a few are closer to a marketing checkbox than a useful capability.
This matters directly if a specific feature is the main reason you're choosing this printers under $150 over a simpler, cheaper alternative, since a feature that underperforms in practice undermines the whole reason for paying more.
Check reviews specifically for real-world experiences with the exact feature that matters most to you, not just whether the feature is listed at all.
Weigh review count alongside rating, not rating alone
This matters more for a purchase you're relying on to perform consistently over time, less for a low-stakes, easily replaceable item.
Check both the star rating and the review count together for any printers under $150 you're considering, and treat a high rating on a very small review count as a promising but less-proven signal.
Check compatibility and fit with your existing setup before ordering
A printers under $150 that looks like a straightforward fit in photos can still have a compatibility detail, a connector type, a mounting requirement, a size threshold, that doesn't match your existing setup, and this kind of mismatch is one of the most common and avoidable reasons for a return.
This matters directly if the product needs to physically connect to, mount on, or otherwise integrate with something you already own.
Check the listing's specific compatibility details against your exact existing setup, not just the general product category, before ordering.
How to Choose a Printer Under $150
By Rating Confidence: Highest Rated vs Most Reviewed
| Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer | |
Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer vs Brother HL
- Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer
- The lower-priced option in this comparison, worth checking its actual specs and review history against your specific need before assuming it's enough.
- The higher-priced option, worth it if it offers real, checkable headroom in build quality, capacity, or features over the cheaper pick.
Default to Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer unless your specific need calls for the pricier pick's extra headroom.
For a First-Time Buyer Specifically
- Clear, specific dimensions or capacity and a real, established review history, not just marketing language.
- You need real durability and feature depth for regular use, where Brother HL's build gives real headroom over the cheaper picks.
- You only need this for light or occasional use, where Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer covers the same job at a lower price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy an ink-tank printer instead of staying under $150?
If you print more than roughly 150 pages a month with a mix of color content, an ink-tank printer above this price tier usually pays back its higher upfront cost within months through cheaper refill bottles. Below that volume, a cartridge printer in this list is the more practical choice.
Is a laser printer worth it at the $150 tier?
Yes, if you print mostly text. Both laser picks in this list, the Brother HL-L2405W and Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w, cost less per page in toner than any inkjet here, though neither includes scan or copy.
Is buying a refurbished printer a good way to get more features under $150?
A refurbished or open-box unit at this price sometimes matches a model that sells new for $250 or more. Only buy from a seller offering a clear return window and some form of warranty on the refurbished unit.
Which pick includes the most features under $150?
The Canon PIXMA TR4720 includes an automatic document feeder and fax, features most printers at this tier skip, while still leaving significant budget room under the $150 ceiling.
Do all printers under $150 include duplex printing?
In this list, only the Canon PIXMA TS4320 and TS6520 include automatic duplex printing. Check the spec sheet directly rather than assuming it's standard once you're spending near $150.
Bottom Line
Best overall: Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer — best for text volume pick in this roundup. See the full verdicts above for every pick, with pros, cons and who each one suits.
Browse all printers under $150 on Amazon — Prime-eligible options with current pricing.