Best printers under $100

Buying a printer on a budget is a tricky--if you tighten the belt too much, you run the risk of falling victim to the classic bait-and-switch purchasing model and spending more on consumables (ink and paper) in the long term.

That said, the $100 mark is a great place to start shopping for a low cost printer. At that price, you have the option of getting an all-in-one multifunction device that combines a scanner and a copier in addition to the printing functions, and some models like the Epson Stylus NX430 even give you convenient extras like a 2.5-inch LCD touch panel and wireless connectivity.

Both laser and inkjet printers are included in the list below. The general rule is that inkjet printers are better for graphics-heavy documents and photos, whereas laser printers (especially the monochrome models) are better for producing speedy text documents in a business environment.

(Credit: Sarah Tew /CNET)

Epson Stylus NX430 Small-in-One The Epson WorkForce NX430 lives up to its "small-in-one" moniker with the size and features to match. Students and sm... [Read more]