Best Printer for Teachers 2024: Our Top Picks for the Classroom

Whether you’re fronting up a huge IT department or are simply looking for an easy classroom printer, the best printer for teachers can vary wildly. Even as different classes have different print requirements, staff and students alike may struggle to find the right printer to suit their needs. As with buying any other niche of top printers, then, the art comes to refining what you search for.

To help, we’ve compiled a guide with our top printer recommendations for faculty. Considering a range of budgets and use cases, we’ve chosen from a diverse array of print solutions to ensure your classroom has the right printer for its needs.

How We Picked the Best Printer for Teachers

Even if your class is small, the best printers for teachers need to be able to print large volumes of consistent high-quality paper – for worksheets and other handouts. We considered printers with accommodating paper capacities and high-quality end results. We also prioritized printers with a range of connectivity options to suit different teaching needs: both quick printing from a mobile device or more reliable wired printing.

We settled on five products across a range of budgets, each ideal classroom printers for different use cases. We’ve broken down the reasons to invest in each specific one, and what type of printer is best for respective classes and styles.

Epson EcoTank ET-2800

Specifications

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Technology: InkJet
• Connectivity Technology: Ethernet, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: Yes

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Technology: InkJet
• Connectivity Technology: Ethernet, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: Yes

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What We Think

This printer offers some of the best value for money on the printer market, with incredible print quality across a range of media types.

Reasons to Buy

• Affordable price point – these Epson printers are easy to bulk-buy and offer tremendous return-on-investment.
• Versatile print options – from standard documents to craft projects, you’ll be able to print whatever your students need.

Reasons to Avoid

• Difficult to store – the model is slightly bulkier than other printers, with a specialist media tray at the rear which can be hard to access.

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One of our favorite Ink Tank printers, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is a highly versatile print solution, ideal for the classroom. Capable of fast and high-quality prints without breaking the bank, this Epson printer is well worth investing in as a teacher.

Though it’s now been outclassed by the ET-2850, the ET-2800 still boasts great value for money. Capable of printing specialist media such as cardstock or art prints thanks to its high-quality ink, this printer is ideal for those wanting versatility out of their unit. It’s wirelessly compatible with a wide range of devices, from PCs to cloud printing, making it easy to set up and even easier to print from.

One element that may lose it some appeal, however, is the design: slightly larger than other printers, and with a poorly-placed media tray at the rear, this unit is less convenient to house. If you can overcome this hurdle, then the ET-2800 is the ideal printer for teachers.

Pantum P2502W

Specifications

• Printer Output: : Monochrome
• Printer Type: : Laser
• Connectivity Technology: : Wi-Fi, USB 2.0
• Duplex Printing?: No

What We Think

For a cheap-and-cheerful print solution, this monochrome printer gets the job done with fast print speeds with a low cost.

Reasons to Buy

• Affordable – the sub-$100 price point makes it a great affordable print solution.
• Efficient printing – with high-yield toner and fast print speeds, this laser printer can churn out copies with ease.

Reasons to Avoid

• Monochrome documents only – the P2502W can only print standard documents, rather than more varied options seen in other printers.

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If you need an affordable printer for teachers under $100, then the Pantum P2502W is a great budget option. Capable of rapid-fire document printing, this black-and-white laser printer is a high-efficiency and low-cost classroom printer.

With a print speed of 22 pages per minute, the P2502W is fast – producing sharp monochrome documents. Print wirelessly or via the USB port on the unit, for quick and simple connectivity. The P2502W is straightforward to set up, too; it can be done in just a single step. Though the base toner options can print up to 700 pages before replenishing, you have the option of a higher-yield option which boosts this up to 1,600. If you need high-volume standard document printing, then this is the ideal printer for you.

For anything else, however, you may want to look elsewhere: the P2502W is only capable of monochrome documents, not even able to print in color like other laser printers – such as one option below. But if you need a stop-gap rapid-fire printer for classroom copies, then the P2502W is a cheap investment.

Canon PIXMA iX6820

Specifications

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Type: InkJet
• Connectivity Technology: Ethernet, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: No

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Type: InkJet
• Connectivity Technology: Ethernet, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: No

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What We Think

Designed for a range of specialist media, this compact and versatile media is great for creative classes.

Reasons to Buy

• Incredible media versatility – with a broad range of compatible material, this printer is able to render creative craft projects with ease.
• Great color gamut – the five-color ink system means prints are rendered with incredible depth and vibrance.

Reasons to Avoid

• Slow print speed – especially for specialist prints, you’ll be waiting some time for them to complete.

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If you want to encourage some more creative crafting projects from your students, then the Canon Pixma iX6820 is a suitable offering from Canon. Capable of printing on a wide range of specialist material such as cardstock, this printer allows you to create creative creations in the classroom.

With a print size of up to 13″ x 19″, the iX6820 allows for large-format prints in high quality – both resolution and color. The unique five-color ink system implemented means shades are rendered with inspiring depth and clarity. Resolution-wise, you can print with a maximum resolution of 9600 x 2400 dots per inch (DPI), for photo-quality visuals.

That said, it’s not ideal for large classrooms or rapid-fire crafting. A standard postcard-sized print takes over 30 seconds to complete, which is incredibly slow even despite the high image quality. But for a classroom printer capable of creative craft projects, the iX6820 is an ideal print solution.

Brother MFC-J4535DW

Specifications

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Type: InkJet
• Connectivity Technology: USB, Ethernet, Bluetooth, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: Yes

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Type: InkJet
• Connectivity Technology: USB, Ethernet, Bluetooth, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: Yes

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What We Think

For a mid-range printer to cater to all your basic administrative needs, this InkJet printer from Brother can solve all your problems at a reasonable price point.

Reasons to Buy

• Affordable price point – the MFC-J4535DW isn’t rock-bottom priced, but adds value proportional to its price.
• Productive – with an accommodating print tray and fast print speeds, this is a great option for printing copious class copies.

Reasons to Avoid

• Low-yield ink – whilst Brother sells separate (and more expensive) high-yield ink, the base toner makes for a higher cost-per-print.

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As an all-in-one printer, the Brother MFC-J4535DW isn’t unique on the market. But Brother printers offer unrivaled price-to-performance, and this InkJet printer makes for a productivity powerhouse for classrooms of any size.

With a print speed of 20 pages per minute, the MFC-J4535DW is respectable in its print speeds and price point. This is made even more valuable due to its accommodatingly large paper tray: boasting two 200-sheet paper trays for long periods between reloading. Coupled with high-yield cartridges, it’ll be some time before you need to change anything under the hood.

That said, you’ll need to invest more in those cartridges in order to make the most of the MFC-J4535DW. The initial cost-per-print is quite high with this model which may alienate some schools. It’s still a figure measured in cents rather than dollars, thankfully, and we still recommend the MFC-J4535DW as a top printer for teachers.

Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw

Specifications

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Type: Laser
• Connectivity Technology: USB, Ethernet, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: Yes

What We Think

An ideal printer for reams of standard documents, this printer makes a teacher’s job far easier with fast speeds and high print capacity.

Reasons to Buy

• Highly efficient – the MF753Cdw has a huge input tray and high-yield toner for long periods between refills.
• Fast print speeds – this laser printer can churn out 35 pages per minute in standard document formats.

Reasons to Avoid

• Cumbersome – the bulky design gives the ET-2800 a run for it’s money as a large printer – you’ll need to accommodate it in your classroom.

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We all remember being given a handout in class that was printed so illegibly you could hardly read it. To avoid similar problems for your students whilst still bulk printing, consider the Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw: a color laser printer with an incredible 4,000 prints-per-month duty cycle.

The MF753Cdw can print at speeds of up to 35 pages per minute, allowing you to print bulk volumes of documents in less time – and with automated duplexing, you can save on your paper budget with double-sided prints. The high-yield toner means that it’ll take you a while before needing to order replacements. If you need paper to cater to the whole school and not just one classroom, the MF753Cdw can cater to that to: with an initial 250-sheet paper tray and an optional 550-sheet add-on, you’ll rarely need to replenish paper or toner.

That high-capacity comes at a cost, however: especially with the bolt-on tray, the MF753Cdw is notably bulky as a print unit – and is difficult to move. But for fast and high-volume printing, there is no replacement for the MF753Cdw.

Features and Considerations

If you or your faculty is looking into other printers not featured on our ranking today, here are some factors to factor into your pre-purchase decision:

Print Quality

The primary variable to consider for print quality is the printing technology used. Laser printers are superior when it comes to text quality, while InkJet printers produce better-looking photos and graphics. Keep in mind that some toners or ink systems produce even better-looking documents or designs.

Print Speed

Depending on the size and specifications of your school, a faster printer may be necessary: if you need to print out hefty quantities of documents, be sure to invest in a fast printer – but bear in mind that print speeds are necessarily reflective of overall quality or specialist media speeds.

Versatility

Depending on your class requirements, some features are no doubt more beneficial than others. Having a built-in document scanner or the option to print stickers will be useful. Consider your subjective needs, and whether your use case is reflective of the price you’ll pay for the printer.

Connectivity

Of course, how you print is just as important as what. Most modern printers come with some form of wireless connectivity, and those that don’t will definitely have a USB or Ethernet port somewhere. Make sure that your planned method of printing isn’t interrupted by cable management, or a time-consuming Bluetooth connection.

Why InkJet Printers are the Best Printers for Teachers

InkJet printers tend to be the best across the board in terms of printers – for homes, offices or any other use case. For teachers, especially, we think they are the better investment. Whilst laser printers are cheaper, and often faster, they tend to be less efficient in the long run with poorer overall quality and cumbersome toner refills.

InkJet printers employ more efficient printheads that employ colored ink, capable of detailed photos as well as high-quality documents. For education purposes, this means better images, graphs and any other visual mediums – plus the ability to print with specialist media such as photos. Even if you only use it for rote document printing, an InkJet printer will almost always be more worthwhile in the long term.

FAQs

Verdict

Epson EcoTank ET-2800

Specifications

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Technology: InkJet
• Connectivity Technology: Ethernet, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: Yes

• Printer Output: Color
• Printer Technology: InkJet
• Connectivity Technology: Ethernet, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing?: Yes

Show more

• Shop on Amazon

Though it’s not the most compact printer on the market, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 wins our ranking thanks to its incredible efficiency and matching of price and performance – an ideal solution for classrooms of any capacity!

Looking to present as well as print? Check out our guide on the best smart whiteboard options today.