How to choose the best printer for university

The best printer for university students: What to consider

When deciding which printer best fits your university needs, there are definitely a few key factors that can make all the difference in terms of your perfect uni printer choice:

Your printer budget

As a student, managing expenses is crucial. Student printer options can vary from the most affordable entry-level models to higher-end devices with lower long-term costs for regular printing needs. It’s important to think about both the upfront cost and factor in ongoing ink expenses too.

Your printer size

We’re well aware that space can often be quite limited in the average student halls or shared house. A compact printer is easier to store on a desk or shelf without sacrificing valuable space.

Your printer type

One key choice is whether to go for an inkjet printer, laser printer, or ink tank printer. They each offer different strengths, but in short, what you need to know is:

Inkjets: Cheaper upfront, better with colour printing than laser, but higher print costs over time.

Laser: More costly upfront, faster with black & white printing than inkjet, lower print costs over time.

Ink tank: Best of both, with all the print qualities of an inkjet, but even cheaper print costs than laser.

If you want to cover the topic in more detail, we have a guide to inkjet vs laser printers.

Is it WiFi-enabled?

The ability to print from laptops, tablets, and smartphones without plugging in cables makes a big difference to convenience and added portability. Many printers for students can also include Wi-Fi Direct, which is ideal for halls without stable Wi-Fi.

Do you need colour printing or only black and white?

While black-and-white printing is enough for most essays and reports, certain uni courses such as design, media and photography will require colour printing. Choosing the right colour printer ensures a level of rich, accurate colour printing that ensures coursework always looks professional. As we mentioned above, if you need colour printing then an inkjet or ink tank printer is a great option.

Budget printers for students

For many students, cost is a major factor when choosing a printer. A good budget printer for students strikes a balance between affordability, ease of use and reliable performance.

Here are some of the best budget printer options for students, complete with expected price range and some of the key features and benefits.

Expression printers for students (Most cost effective)

Epson Expression printers are designed with convenience and everyday use in mind, making them ideal for university students. These printers are compact, affordable and reliable.

Budget-friendly printers from the Expression range are very affordable and they’re ideal for light to moderate use, such as printing essays, lecture notes and assignments.

Key features and benefits:

• Compact design, making them ideal for small desks in halls.

• WiFi printing so that you can print from laptops, tablets or mobiles.

• Access to ink subscription services, helping to lower printing costs and avoid running out of ink at key times.

WorkForce printers for students (Mid-range)

The Epson WorkForce series is built for productivity, offering speed and efficiency to suit busy university schedules. For students who need to print, scan and copy, these models are an ideal fit.

Many of the printers in the WorkForce range offer advanced features like scanning and automatic document feeders. This is a great option for those seeking the best all-in-one printer for students, and is particularly useful for those doing group work, needing to scan library references, or who submit signed forms digitally.

WorkForce printers with these features are still usually priced below £100 to fit a student budget.

Key features and benefits:

• Multi-functional printers: allowing you to print, scan and copy all in one place.

• Automatic document feeder for faster scanning of university notes.

• Still compact enough for smaller university rooms.

Ink tank printers for students (Best long-term investment)

Epson ink tank printers are a smart investment for students who need to print regularly throughout their course. Instead of cartridges, they use refillable tanks that print hundreds or even thousands of pages per fill. While coming at higher upfront costs, they soon offer economic and environmental benefits, as refillable tanks drastically cut replacement needs compared to cartridges.

Entry-level ink tank printers for students are generally speaking, more expensive upfront but far cheaper over time.

Key features and benefits:

• Extremely low ink costs – ideal for high-volume printing.

• Larger ink reservoirs to reduce the frequency of refills.

• Good for students needing to print hundreds of pages across a semester.

Small printers for students

For students with very limited space, small printers are the obvious choice. They take up minimal desk space and offer the benefit of combining portability with regular and reliable printing.

Key features and benefits:

• Compact design: perfect for dorms, fitting neatly on shelves or desks.

• Mobile printing: send documents from smartphones, tablets or laptops.

• Print without a network: ideal for student accommodation with unreliable Wi-Fi.

• Small printers can enjoy access to ink subscription services, helping to lower printing costs and avoid running out of ink at key times.
  

Home printers for students

A home printer is perfect for everyday student needs – from coursework essays to lecture slides. They’re designed for moderate printing volumes while being user-friendly and dependable.

Key features and benefits:

• Compact size: ideal for student halls or small bedrooms.

• Double-sided printing: saves paper and reduces costs.

• LCD screens: simplify the setup and operation.

• Individual ink cartridges: only replace what’s empty, avoiding waste.

Epson home printers enjoy an individual ink system, meaning you won’t waste ink when one colour runs out. Instead, you only replace the cartridge that’s empty – a cost-effective feature for many.

WiFi printers for students

For modern student life, a WiFi printer adds major convenience. No cables, no hassle – just print straight from your device. This is a fantastic option for students who want to reduce clutter, and some options even allow you to enjoy printing on the move.

Key features and benefits:

• Wi-Fi Direct allows printing without a router – perfect for halls or shared houses.

• Print from anywhere using laptops, tablets or smartphones.

• Many WiFi options are multifunctional, with scanning and copying included.

WiFi functionality makes printing more flexible and stress-free, particularly for last-minute coursework deadlines and group work printing needs.

Colour printers and photo printers for students

While not every student will need colour printing, for some courses it’s essential. Colour printers produce vibrant, accurate images, ideal for subjects including art, design, photography or media.

Price range can vary depending on the printing technology required, from affordable cartridge-based printers to premium six-colour photo printers, but there are options for a range of budget.

Key features and benefits:

• High-quality photo prints for coursework and portfolios.

• Rich colour reproduction: essential for creative subjects.

• Options include photo printers and EcoTank models for those who need frequent colour printing at high volume.

While these printers may be more expensive upfront and use more ink, the quality output is unmatched for students in creative disciplines. Beyond the academic needs, you can also print high quality photos of your favourite nights out for the wall of your university room or a scrapbook for a friend’s birthday, as well as a few nice photos to send home to gran to show her how you’re getting on.