Best home printer under $100 for students?
2 models · updated 2026-07-07
The verdict
Canon PIXMA TR4720 leads — 0 of 2 models rank Canon PIXMA TR4720 the top pick.
Not unanimous: ChatGPT picks Brother MFC-J1010DW; Claude picks Brother HL-L2405W.
As of 2026-07-07, ChatGPT and Claude collectively rank Canon PIXMA TR4720 #1 for home printer under $100 for students on ModelsAgree by aggregate score, though no single model picks it first. The models' case: Strong cheap all-in-one with ADF, auto two-sided printing, compact footprint, reliable mobile printing, and better photo/color output than many budget rivals. The models' main caveat: Faster print speeds. The strongest alternative is HP DeskJet 4255e — The best-rounded all-in-one under $80 — print, copy, scan with wireless that's genuinely reliable through the HP app, and optional Instant Ink can. Not unanimous: ChatGPT picks Brother MFC-J1010DW; Claude picks Brother HL-L2405W. Source: https://modelsagree.com/best/best-home-printer-under-100-for-students (modelsagree.com, CC BY 4.0).
Combined ranking
- 1GPT #2Claude #3
Strong cheap all-in-one with ADF, auto two-sided printing, compact footprint, reliable mobile printing, and better photo/color output than many budget rivals
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GPT Strong cheap all-in-one with ADF, auto two-sided printing, compact footprint, reliable mobile printing, and better photo/color output than many budget rivals
Claude Cheapest way (~$79) to get an ADF for multi-page scanning plus print/copy/fax, with auto duplex printing and no subscription pressure — a lot of machine for the money.
Where it falls shortper GPT Faster print speeds
per Claude Cut ink costs with higher-yield XL cartridges priced sanely — the tiny 275/276 carts drain fast, making it expensive for anyone printing more than a few pages a week.
- 2GPT #5Claude #2
The best-rounded all-in-one under $80 — print, copy, scan with wireless that's genuinely reliable through the HP app, and optional Instant Ink can keep costs predictable for light users.
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Claude The best-rounded all-in-one under $80 — print, copy, scan with wireless that's genuinely reliable through the HP app, and optional Instant Ink can keep costs predictable for light users.
GPT Very low upfront price, compact all-in-one design, ADF for scanning packets, easy phone printing, and adequate output for light school use
Where it falls shortper GPT Better long-term reliability and ink value
per Claude Decouple the good experience from HP's ink ecosystem — high standard cartridge costs and aggressive HP+ / account-signup requirements are the main reason it loses to the Brother laser.
- 3GPT —Claude #1
Monochrome laser at ~$99 with the lowest real cost-per-page of anything in this bracket — toner doesn't dry out between semesters, it prints essays and problem sets fast (30ppm) with duplex, and Wi-Fi plus AirPrint means it just works from a laptop or phone in a dorm.
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Claude Monochrome laser at ~$99 with the lowest real cost-per-page of anything in this bracket — toner doesn't dry out between semesters, it prints essays and problem sets fast (30ppm) with duplex, and Wi-Fi plus AirPrint means it just works from a laptop or phone in a dorm.
Where it falls shortper Claude Add a flatbed scanner — students constantly need to scan/copy syllabi and IDs, and its print-only design forces many buyers down to an inkjet all-in-one.
- 4GPT #1Claude —
Best student feature set under $100: automatic duplex printing, 20-sheet ADF, scan/copy/fax, good text speed, Wi-Fi, and solid everyday document output
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GPT Best student feature set under $100: automatic duplex printing, 20-sheet ADF, scan/copy/fax, good text speed, Wi-Fi, and solid everyday document output
Where it falls shortper GPT Much lower ink cost per page
- 5GPT #3Claude —
Clean setup, good-looking documents and occasional photos, auto duplex, strong app support, AirPrint, and Instant Ink can make sense for predictable student printing
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GPT Clean setup, good-looking documents and occasional photos, auto duplex, strong app support, AirPrint, and Instant Ink can make sense for predictable student printing
Where it falls shortper GPT Lower cartridge costs without requiring a subscription
- 6GPT #4Claude —
Compact, easy to use, auto duplex, individual ink cartridges, sharp text, and good enough color quality for coursework and handouts
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GPT Compact, easy to use, auto duplex, individual ink cartridges, sharp text, and good enough color quality for coursework and handouts
Where it falls shortper GPT Add an automatic document feeder
- 7GPT —Claude #4
Frequently $69-99 on sale with ADF, decent scan quality, and solid document output; Epson's no-HP+-style-lock-in approach appeals to students who hate subscriptions.
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Claude Frequently $69-99 on sale with ADF, decent scan quality, and solid document output; Epson's no-HP+-style-lock-in approach appeals to students who hate subscriptions.
Where it falls shortper Claude Improve reliability and print speed — it's slow (~10ppm black) and Epson's frequent printhead-cleaning cycles waste already-small cartridges.
- 8GPT —Claude #5
Regularly $49-60, making it the lowest entry price for a working print/copy/scan machine — fine for a student who prints a handful of pages a month and needs occasional scans.
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Claude Regularly $49-60, making it the lowest entry price for a working print/copy/scan machine — fine for a student who prints a handful of pages a month and needs occasional scans.
Where it falls shortper Claude Add auto duplex and cheaper ink — single-sided-only printing and pricey cartridges mean anyone with regular coursework outgrows it in a semester.
By use case
How this board's leaders rank when the same four models are asked a more specific question.
| Product | This board | office | home printer under $100 | all-in-one $150 | photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TR4720 | #1 | #1 | #1 | #6 | #7 |
| HP DeskJet 4255e | #2 | #4 | #8 | #9 | #8 |
| Brother HL-L2405W | #3 | #5 | — | — | — |
| Brother MFC-J1010DW | #4 | #2 | #3 | #1 | — |
| HP ENVY 6155e | #5 | — | — | — | — |
| Epson Expression Home XP-4200 | #6 | — | #7 | — | #4 |
| Epson WorkForce WF-2930 | #7 | #6 | — | — | — |
Rank history
Just missed the top 5
GPT Brother HL-L2405W — excellent cheap-to-run text laser, but no color or scanner and often sits above $100 unless discounted · Canon PIXMA TS6420a — nice print quality and duplexing, but no ADF and running costs keep it behind fuller student all-in-ones
Claude Brother DCP-L2640DW — the ideal student machine — laser all-in-one with flatbed — but it sits just above $100 except during rare sales, so it misses the price cap
By model
ChatGPT
- 1.Brother MFC-J1010DW
- 2.Canon PIXMA TR4720
- 3.HP ENVY 6155e
- 4.Epson Expression Home XP-4200
- 5.HP DeskJet 4255e
Claude
- 1.Brother HL-L2405W
- 2.HP DeskJet 4255e
- 3.Canon PIXMA TR4720
- 4.Epson WorkForce WF-2930
- 5.HP DeskJet 2855e
Common questions
What is the best home printer under $100 for students? according to AI models?
Canon PIXMA TR4720 leads. 0 of 2 models rank Canon PIXMA TR4720 the top pick. The current top 3: Canon PIXMA TR4720, HP DeskJet 4255e, Brother HL-L2405W. Ranked by asking ChatGPT, Claude the same buying question and merging their top-5 picks, updated 2026-07-07. Source: modelsagree.com.
Which home printer under $100 for students? did each AI model pick first?
ChatGPT: Brother MFC-J1010DW. Claude: Brother HL-L2405W.
Do the AI models agree on the best home printer under $100 for students??
Not unanimous. ChatGPT picks Brother MFC-J1010DW; Claude picks Brother HL-L2405W.
What changed in the latest home printer under $100 for students? ranking?
In the latest poll (2026-07-07): Canon PIXMA TR4720 climbed 1 spot, HP DeskJet 4255e climbed 3 spots; Brother MFC-J1010DW dropped 3 spots, HP ENVY 6155e dropped 2 spots, Epson Expression Home XP-4200 dropped 2 spots; Brother HL-L2405W and Epson WorkForce WF-2930 entered the ranking. The models are re-polled on demand, so this ranking moves.
How is this home printer under $100 for students? ranking made?
ChatGPT, Claude are each asked the same buying question in a fresh session with no system steering. Their top-5 answers are merged (rank 1 = 5 pts … rank 5 = 1 pt) into the consensus ranking, re-polled on demand and tracked over time.
More on how polling works: full methodology →
Cite this ranking
ModelsAgree, “Best home printer under $100 for students?” — merged ranking from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini & Grok, polled 2026-07-07. https://modelsagree.com/best/best-home-printer-under-100-for-students (CC BY 4.0)
Tracked by ModelsAgree · rank 1 = 5 pts … rank 5 = 1 pt · re-polled on demand