The 6 Best Printers For Chromebook - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best printer for Chromebook we've tested is the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw, a color laser all-in-one designed for small or home office use. It has a large display with a user-friendly user interface, a scanner with an automatic feeder and single-pass duplex scanning, and plenty of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet. It produces very high-quality documents and is fast, printing up to 29 pages per minute. The toner cartridges last a long time, so it doesn't need much maintenance, and what little it does need is cheap. It works with Chromebooks out of the box without installing additional drivers or apps. The only thing it doesn't do well is photo printing, which is typical for most laser printers.

One thing to remember is that the MF743Cdw is only one of many variants in the same lineup. If you want to save some money and don't mind compromising on a few features, you can get a cheaper variant like the Canon imageCLASS MF741Cdw, which lacks duplex scanning and NFC support. There are also more expensive models with improved security and cost management features, like the Canon imageCLASS MF746Cdw. You can see all the variants and details in our full review.

If you need to print photos or posters, get the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 instead. It's an all-in-one supertank inkjet model. It prints incredibly detailed and colorful photos and supports paper sizes up to 13" x 19". A full tank yields thousands of prints, and you can refill the tank as you go with bottles of ink, which are very cheap. It has some drawbacks, though, like the lack of an automatic feeder and slower printing speeds. It's also more expensive. If you don't need to print on wide format paper and would rather save money, you can go with the cheaper Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 variant. It gives you the same print quality but only supports paper sizes up to 8.5" x 11".

If you only print black and white documents, consider the Brother MFC-L2750DW, a monochrome laser all-in-one. Its high-resolution scanner produces fantastic scans, and it's equipped with an automatic feeder with single-pass duplex scanning to quickly process multi-page and double-sided documents. It produces exceptionally sharp documents, doesn't take long to warm up, and prints very quickly at up to 36 pages per minute. Its toner cartridge lasts a long time, and replacement toner is cheap, so your cost per print will remain low over time. You have to replace the drum separately, which is an additional expense, but it usually lasts for around 12,000 prints, so you likely won't need to do it often.

If cost is a concern, this printer has a few variants and bundles you'd want to check out. The Brother MFC-L2710DW gives you the same print quality and page yield, but it lacks NFC support and duplex scanning and prints slightly slower at 32 pages per minute. You can also get bundles with an XL toner cartridge, like the Brother MFC-L2750DW XL, which might be cheaper than buying the cartridge separately. You can find more details about the variants in our full review.

If you need something modest for general home use, get the Brother MFC-J4335DW, an all-in-one inkjet model. It's more compact than the laser models we recommend above, so it takes up less space, and you still get plenty of features, like an ADF-equipped scanner and plenty of connectivity options. It's fully compatible with Chrome OS and works straight out of the box without installing any drivers or third-party apps. This model only has Wi-Fi and USB connectivity. If you need Ethernet or external storage support (to print off a USB flash drive), you can go with the Brother MFC-J4535DW variant but expect to pay a little more.

It uses four ink cartridges—the usual cyan, magenta, yellow, and black—and yields around 2000 black and 800 color prints. It means you won't need to replace the ink cartridges often unless you print a lot, and even then, the cartridges are relatively cheap, so your maintenance cost won't rise too quickly. It produces outstanding black and color documents, and it's pretty fast, pushing out 17 black or 15 color pages per minute. As for photos, it prints very fine details, but it struggles to reproduce bright, saturated colors, as well as very light and dark shades.

Our best budget pick is the Brother MFC-J1205W, also known as the Brother MFC-J1215 at Walmart. It's a good inkjet all-in-one option if you don't print all that often and only need basic features. It has a sturdy build, Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, and a flatbed scanner with extendable lid hinges. It prints high-quality black and color documents, although you'll have to be patient, as it only prints nine black or six color pages per minute. It's not bad for photo printing; it prints very detailed pictures but has trouble reproducing bright, saturated colors and darker tones.

The ink cartridges yield a lot of prints—around 1100 black and 700 color—and they're cheap, so your maintenance cost is exceptionally low. Of course, as it's a budget model, it's missing features like an automatic document feeder and Ethernet connectivity. Still, it's a good option if you want something affordable and don't mind a few tradeoffs.

Last but not least, the cheap printers. Our pick is the Canon PIXMA MG3620, a basic inkjet all-in-one model. It isn't super sturdy, lacks a display, and only has a flatbed scanner with no ADF, but it produces sharp documents and good-looking photos. The main drawback is that it only has a black and tri-color cartridge, and they only yield about 200 black and color prints. The cost-per-print is still low because the cartridges are cheap; it just needs a lot of maintenance. Since it only has one color cartridge, you need to replace it even if one color runs out. It's a good option if you only need to print one-off projects once in a blue moon; otherwise, you're better off getting a model with better page yields, like the Brother MFC-J1205W above.

For small places like a dorm or bedroom, the HP DeskJet 3755 is a good option. You may find it under a different model number as it changes depending on the region and retailer, like the HP DeskJet 3772 or 3722; you can see the variants in our full review. It's a super compact all-in-one with Wi-Fi and USB connectivity and a sheetfed scanner. It produces reasonably sharp documents and very detailed photos; it's just a little slow, as it can only print up to five black or three color pages per minute. The main drawback is its page yield, as the ink cartridges are only good for about 100 black and 40 color prints. The cartridges are cheap, but the cost will still add up quickly if you print a lot, so this is best suited for people who only print occasionally. There's no need to install drivers or third-party apps to use the printer; it works fully with Chrome OS devices straight out of the box.