The Best Printers Under $500: An Expert Guide

As a computer expert and digital technology enthusiast, I‘ve witnessed firsthand the incredible evolution of printers over the last few decades. Long gone are the days of noisy, low-resolution dot matrix models that were once the only option for home users. Today, we have sleek, high-performance inkjets, lasers, photo printers and even affordable 3D printers to choose from.

If you‘re in the market for a new printer but don‘t want to break the bank, you‘ll be pleased to know that you can get a top-quality machine for under $500. In fact, this price point represents the sweet spot for feature-rich, reliable printers that are perfect for home offices, small businesses, photographers, students and creative hobbyists.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to choose the best printer under $500 for your specific needs. We‘ll cover the key differences between inkjets, lasers and photo printers, explore must-have features and connectivity options, talk about operating costs, and I‘ll give you my top picks in each category.

Inkjet vs Laser vs Photo Printers

The first decision you‘ll need to make when printer shopping is what type of printing technology you need. The three main categories are inkjet, laser, and photo printers. Here‘s a quick breakdown of each:

Inkjet Printers

Inkjet printers are the most popular choice for general home use because they‘re affordable, versatile, and easy to set up. They work by spraying tiny droplets of liquid ink onto the paper to create text and images. Inkjets are great for printing a mix of documents, graphics and photos.

Pros:

• Affordable upfront cost
• Compact size
• Excellent photo print quality
• Can print on a variety of media types and sizes

Cons:

• Higher cost per page compared to laser
• Slower print speeds (typically 5-15ppm)
• Ink can dry out if not used regularly

Laser Printers

Laser printers are the workhorse of the business world, but they‘re also a smart choice for home users who print mostly text documents. Instead of ink, laser printers use toner powder that‘s fused to the paper with heat. They‘re known for their blazing fast print speeds, crisp text quality and low operating costs.

Pros:

• Very fast print speeds (20-50+ppm)
• Low cost per page
• Excellent text quality
• High paper capacity

Cons:

• More expensive upfront than inkjets
• Larger, heavier machines
• Limited photo/graphics print quality
• Fewer media type options

Photo Printers

If you‘re serious about photography, a dedicated photo printer is the way to go. These specialized inkjets use 6, 8 or even 12 different ink colors to produce stunning, gallery-quality prints with smooth tonal transitions and a wide color gamut.

Pros:

• Unrivaled photo print quality
• Support for a wide range of photo papers and sizes
• Often include built-in memory card slots and LCD screens

Cons:

• Can be expensive to buy and operate
• Not ideal for document printing
• Slower print speeds
• Larger ink cartridges can dry out if not used often

To give you a better sense of how these different printer types compare, check out this table of key specifications for some of my top picks in each category:

Printer Model	Type	Max Print Speed (Black)	Max Print Speed (Color)	Max Print Resolution	Cost Per Page (Black)	Cost Per Page (Color)
Canon PIXMA TR8620	Inkjet	15 ipm	10 ipm	4800 x 1200 dpi	3.2 cents	12.7 cents
Brother MFC-J4335DW	Inkjet	20 ppm	19 ppm	1200 x 6000 dpi	0.9 cents	4.7 cents
HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e	Inkjet	22 ppm	18 ppm	1200 x 1200 dpi	2.2 cents	8.9 cents
Brother HL-L2395DW	Laser (Mono)	36 ppm	N/A	2400 x 600 dpi	3.6 cents	N/A
Canon imageCLASS MF445dw	Laser (Mono)	40 ppm	N/A	600 x 600 dpi	3.3 cents	N/A
Epson SureColor P700	Photo	N/A	1.29 ppm (8×10")	5760 x 1440 dpi	0.4 cents (A2, Matte Black)	0.8 cents (A2, Cyan)

Sources:

• Canon PIXMA TR8620 Specifications
• Brother MFC-J4335DW Specifications
• HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e Specifications
• Brother HL-L2395DW Specifications
• Canon imageCLASS MF445dw Specifications
• Epson SureColor P700 Specifications

As you can see, laser printers have a clear advantage in terms of raw print speeds, but modern inkjets are no slouch either, with some models capable of over 20ppm. Photo printers are in a league of their own when it comes to print quality, but they‘re much slower and geared exclusively towards photo output on premium papers.

Connectivity Options

Regardless of what type of printer you choose, you‘ll want to pay attention to the available connectivity options. In today‘s world of smartphones, tablets and laptops, wireless printing is no longer a luxury – it‘s a necessity. Here are the key connectivity features to look for:

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is the most popular way to connect your printer wirelessly to your home or office network. Most modern printers support the 802.11 b/g/n standards, with some higher-end models also including the newer, faster 802.11ac. With Wi-Fi, you can print from any device on your network without being physically tethered to the printer.

Wi-Fi Direct

Wi-Fi Direct is a convenient way to print wirelessly from your mobile device without needing to connect to a Wi-Fi network. It establishes a direct peer-to-peer connection between your device and the printer. This is great for quickly printing photos from your phone or tablet.

NFC

Near Field Communication (NFC) is another wireless technology that allows for touch-to-print functionality. With NFC, you can simply tap your compatible mobile device on the printer to initiate printing, without any complicated setup required.

USB

Even in our wireless world, USB connectivity is still important. You‘ll need it for initial setup of your printer, and it provides a reliable direct connection to your computer. Some photo printers also include a second USB port for printing directly from a flash drive.

Ethernet

For the ultimate in speed and reliability, nothing beats a wired Ethernet connection. This is especially important in busy offices where a dropped wireless connection could spell disaster. Look for printers with a built-in Ethernet port for easy integration into your wired network.

Security Considerations

One often overlooked aspect of printer connectivity is security. Wireless printers can be vulnerable to hacking if not properly secured. When setting up your printer, be sure to enable encryption (WPA2 is best), set a strong password, and consider hiding your SSID to prevent unauthorized access.

Operating Costs

While it‘s tempting to just look at the sticker price when buying a printer, the real cost of ownership is in the ongoing operating expenses – namely ink or toner. Inkjet printers are notorious for their high cost per page, with some models burning through pricey ink cartridges at an alarming rate. Let‘s take a look at some real-world numbers.

Based on my research and experience, here are the typical costs per page you can expect for each printer type:

• Inkjet: 5-20 cents per page (black), 15-50 cents per page (color)
• Laser: 2-5 cents per page (black), 10-15 cents per page (color)
• Photo: 50 cents to $2+ per page, depending on paper type and size

As you can see, laser printers are the clear winner when it comes to minimizing your cost per page. This is due to their higher page yields – a typical toner cartridge can print anywhere from 1,500 to over 10,000 pages before needing to be replaced! Inkjet cartridges, in contrast, may only last a few hundred pages.

Of course, there are ways to reduce your inkjet printing costs. Look for printers with high-capacity cartridges, or consider models with refillable ink tanks like the Epson EcoTank series. These printers cost more upfront but can save you a bundle in the long run. For example, the Epson EcoTank ET-4760 ($499.99) comes with enough ink to print up to 7,500 black pages or 6,000 color pages – that‘s about 2 years‘ worth of printing for the average user!

Choosing the Best Printer Under $500

Choosing the best printer under $500 for you ultimately comes down to your specific needs and how you plan to use it. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Typical print volume: If you print a lot, prioritize a printer with low operating costs like a laser or supertank inkjet.

• Type of documents: If you mainly print text documents, a monochrome laser printer offers the best combination of speed, quality and efficiency. For photo printing, go with a dedicated photo inkjet printer.

• Connectivity: Consider your office setup and choose a printer with the appropriate wired and wireless connectivity options for easy integration.

• Extra features: All-in-one printers are great for home offices, while duplex (two-sided) printing is a must-have for saving paper. A touchscreen interface and memory card slots are also nice to have.

To help you narrow down your choices, here are my top picks for the best printers under $500 in each category:

Inkjet Printers

• Best All-in-One: Canon PIXMA TR8620 ($179.99) – This versatile inkjet handles printing, scanning, copying and faxing with ease. It has a 20-page ADF, auto 2-sided printing, and supports wireless printing from your smart devices.

• Best for Low Cost Per Page: Brother MFC-J4335DW ($159.99) – Featuring extra-large ink cartridges and an internal ink storage tank, this Brother inkjet delivers a remarkably low 0.9 cents per black page and 4.7 cents per color page.

• Best for Small/Home Office: HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e ($229.99) – This speedy inkjet churns out up to 22ppm and has a robust 35-page automatic document feeder for effortless scanning and copying. It also comes with a free 6-month Instant Ink subscription.

Laser Printers

• Best Monochrome: Brother HL-L2395DW ($169.99) – Built for small offices, this compact laser printer is fast, efficient and affordable to operate. It prints at up to 36ppm, supports duplex printing, and offers Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity.

• Best All-in-One: Canon imageCLASS MF445dw ($299.99) – This monochrome laser multifunction device can print, scan, copy and fax, with print speeds up to 40ppm. It has a large 350-sheet paper capacity and a responsive 5-inch color touchscreen.

Photo Printers

• Best 13-inch: Epson SureColor P700 ($799.99) – While it‘s over our $500 budget, this is the best 13-inch photo printer you can buy. It uses a 10-color pigment ink system for stunning, archival-quality prints up to 13×129 inches.

• Best for Portability: Canon SELPHY CP1300 ($139.99) – This compact dye-sublimation printer lets you print lab-quality 4×6" photos wherever you go. It has Wi-Fi and USB connectivity and an optional battery pack for true on-the-go printing.

The Future of Printing

As someone who‘s been following the evolution of printer technology for many years, I‘m excited about what the future holds. Here are a few of the latest trends and innovations that are shaping the printers of tomorrow:

More Efficient Ink Systems

As environmental concerns continue to grow, printer manufacturers are investing heavily in new ink systems that minimize waste and cost. HP‘s Instant Ink program automatically orders new cartridges when you‘re running low, while Epson‘s EcoTank and Canon‘s MegaTank systems let you refill the printer‘s ink reservoirs with affordable bottles. Expect to see even more efficient and eco-friendly ink solutions in the years ahead.

The Rise of 3D Printing

While still a niche technology, 3D printing is becoming more mainstream and affordable every year. Today, you can get a decent consumer-grade 3D printer for under $500 – something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. As the technology continues to improve and costs come down, I believe 3D printers will become a common sight in homes and offices.

Voice-Activated Printing

With the rise of smart speakers and digital assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple‘s Siri, it‘s only natural that voice-controlled printing would follow suit. Several printer manufacturers now offer voice-activated printing as a built-in feature, allowing you to print hands-free with a simple voice command. As natural language processing continues to advance, I expect this trend to accelerate.

Self-Healing Printers

One of the most frustrating aspects of owning a printer is dealing with paper jams, clogged print heads and other mechanical issues. Thankfully, the printers of the future will be much better equipped to diagnose and fix these problems on their own. HP is already leading the charge with its new Self-Healing printers that can automatically detect and resolve certain issues without any user intervention required.

Conclusion

Choosing the best printer under $500 ultimately comes down to understanding your own unique needs and printing habits. Whether you opt for an inkjet, laser or photo printer, you‘ll be amazed at the level of performance, quality and features you can get in this price range.

As a digital technology expert, my advice is to prioritize low operating costs, reliable connectivity options and of course, print quality. Don‘t just go for the cheapest model – invest in a printer that will serve you well for years to come.

Finally, remember that printer technology is constantly evolving, with exciting new innovations on the horizon. From more eco-friendly ink systems to voice-activated printing and even self-healing printers, the future of printing has never looked brighter.