The Canon PIXMA TS9020 currently offers the best combination of features, starting price, and ink replacement costs, topping a couple of other picks that nevertheless make great alternatives.
The best budget printer for most people
$70 from Amazon$70 from Newegg$160 from StaplesThe Canon PIXMA TS9020 is a budget all-in-one inkjet printer for those who need to scan, copy, and make quality prints. It has a four-star rating on Amazon with more than 700 reviews, it's well-reviewed on numerous tech sites, and it's recommended by members of our staff. If you need a cheap printer that can do it all, this is it.
Who should buy this printer
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The Canon PIXMA TS9020 is an all-around great choice for anyone who doesn't feel an inkjet printer should cost hundreds of dollars. This option costs well under $100, but it has most of the same features that the more expensive options also offer.
The compact body means it's great for anyone with limited space, cheap ink refills mean the cost stays down if you plan on using it for years to come, and it has plenty of connectivity options, including an SD card reader, USB-A, NFC, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi, allowing you to print from most of your devices.
Is it a good time to buy this printer?
Yes. Ink refills can still be easily and cheaply found, it prints wirelessly and has compatible iOS and Android apps, and set up is straightforward.
8 reasons to buy:
- Offers printing, copying, and scanning.
- Five-inch LCD display for simple control.
- Plenty of connection options.
- Wired and wireless printing.
- Duplex printing.
- Six color tanks for better color precision.
- Cheap ink replacement costs.
- Prints relatively quickly.
2 reasons not to buy:
- There is a cheaper alternative if you print only a few times a year.
- There is an alternative if you'd rather have a laser printer.
Most people don't need to spend more for quality prints
The Canon PIXMA TS9020 is an all-in-one inkjet printer that offers up quality photo prints from six separate ink tanks. All-around performance, including scanning and copying, shouldn't leave you frustrated, averaging about 15 monochrome pages per minute and about 10 color pages per minute. It will even automatically print on both sides of a page, helping keep paper costs down.
Scan documents at a 2,400-dpi optical resolution, and take advantage of a five-inch LCD touchscreen on the front of the printer for quick control over your workload. With plenty of connectivity options, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB-A, NFC, and an SD card reader, you shouldn't have many issues printing what you want, no matter the device.
We took future ink costs into account, as it's expected that you'll be using this printer into the foreseeable future. There are plenty of third-party replacement options, with some starting at about the $10 mark. To top it off, the Canon PIXMA TS9020 has seen plenty of favorable reviews, both from independent websites and from users on Amazon, amassing more than 700 reviews for a combined four-star score.
Alternatives to the Canon PIXMA TS9020
The Brother HL-L2300D (about $60) is an alternative option if you don't plan on printing photos and you don't need the added functionality of a scanner and copier. It connects with USB-A, it can duplex print up to about 27 black-and-white pages per minute, and it has a 250-sheet paper tray. Toner cartridges can be had on the cheap, keeping the price down in the long run.
The Brother HL-L2300D is a monochrome laser printer that's best suited for anyone who's not looking to print photos.
The HP DeskJet 1112 (about $30) is an alternate color inkjet option for anyone who rarely prints anything. It's about as cheap as they come, it includes ink right out of the box, it's super simple to set up, and it's compact. The only caveat here is that you might spend more on a USB-A cable needed to connect it to your PC.
The HP DeskJet 1112 is an ultra-cheap option for anyone who rarely finds the need to print anything.
Bottom line
For most people, the Canon Pixma TS9020 is an ideal mix of quality, function, and connectivity, plus it costs well under $100. If you rarely print, the HP DeskJet 1112 is a cheaper alternative, and if you're looking for a laser printer, the Brother HL-L2300D makes a great option.
The team that worked on this guide
