If you’ve ever made a last-minute dash to the staff room or library to print off student worksheets before the bell rings, you’ll wish you had a printer in the classroom. There’s nothing like the convenience of being able to print something straight from your desk – whether it’s worksheets, posters, or papers for grading. But with so many different types of printers on the market, and the growing use of technology in education, it can be hard to know which is the best for your classroom needs. Here’s our roundup of the 10 best printers for teachers.
Before you buy: what to consider when choosing a printer for school
As a teacher, you may have specific printing needs, so there are some things you should look for when choosing a printer:
- Scanning. If you want to copy from a textbook, it’s worth checking the scanning capabilities of the printer – for example, whether you can scan multiple pages at once and the resolution of scanned images.
- Speed. Chances are you’ll be printing large volumes for all the students in your class so you don’t want to be spending hours waiting for the printer to finish. Print speeds can range anywhere between 15 and 40 pages per minute.
- Connectivity. To print from your mobile phone or tablet, you’ll need a printer you’with wireless connectivity that is also compatible with your smart device. Other might use Bluetooth, the cloud or USB connections.
- Paper size. Some printers can only print on A4 paper, so if you need bigger paper then look for a printer that supports different paper sizes.
- Inkjet vs laser. In general, inkjet printers are better for printing high-quality color images and photos, while laser printers work well for quick, high-volume printing in black and white.
- Ease of use. Ideally, you want a printer that is simple to set up and use – for example, with a touchscreen and automatic double-sided printing – so you won’t need to go searching for the manual during class time.
What’s the best models for teachers?
Here’s our round up of the best printers for schools and teachers.
1. Best overall printer: HP OfficeJet 3830 All-In-One Wireless Printer
And the winner is… The name says it all: this multifunctional superstar lets you copy, scan, fax, and print high-quality images and documents. It also has an easy-to-use touchscreen display and is compact so it won’t take up too much space on your desk. But what makes the HP OfficeJet a standout is its compatibility with technology like Amazon Alexa, as well as cloud printing. The only downside? A pretty noisy fan that might be distracting in a silent classroom.
2. Best color printer: Canon PIXMA MG360 Wireless All-In-One Color Inkjet Printer
This Canon printer is excellent for teachers looking to print off colorful photos, artwork, or classroom displays. You can use it either as a wireless printer or with a cord, making it compatible with all types of devices from mobile phones and tablets to computers. However, the paper has been known to jam – but customer service is available if this happens.
3. Best photo printer: Epson Surecolor SC-P900 Professional Photo Printer
Epson’s photo printer produces quality results that look like they’ve come straight from the print shop. It supports large paper sizes larger than A2 for posters, plus an impressive range of media, including fine art media, vellum, and poster board. Unsurprisingly though, printing is slow and the device is large and bulky. And the budget-conscious beware: it is quite expensive to buy and run.
4. Best wireless printer: HP ENVY 6455e All-In-One Wireless Color Printer
If you’re searching for something that will let you print quickly and efficiently, look no further than the HP ENVY. It is easy to use, and wireless connectivity means you only need to hook it up to your laptop or computer once. With many great features such as double-sided printing and six months of free ink subscription with HP+, you’ll be the ENVY of the other teachers!
5. Best for speed: HP LaserJet Enterprise M553n Color Laser Printer
This laser printer has lightning-fast print speeds: 40 pages per minute in color, meaning you can get an A4 color print in just 7 seconds. With a 650 sheet input capacity, it’s perfect for bulk printing without having to refill paper. The disadvantage of laser printing is that it is generally lower resolution than inkjet, at 1200 x 1200 dpi. The printer itself is also a little on the expensive side, but prints at relatively low cost per page.
6. Best for the environment: Epson EcoTank ET-3760 Wireless Color Supertank Printer
The Epson EcoTank is everything a busy teacher needs in a printer: fast and reliable, with high-resolution scanning. But hands-down the best feature is that it is cartridge-free, so all you need to do is refill the ink bottles when they run out. This allows for much more ink use than cartridges, saves up to 90% of the cost of replacement cartridges, and keeps them out of landfill. Great for your school budget AND the environment! Unfortunately, it can’t do double-sided printing which is a deal breaker for some teachers.
7. Best for small spaces: Pantum P2502W Black and White Laser Printer
This Pantum printer is highly compact and lightweight, making it easy to store in a small cabinet or move around as needed. It comes with fast, high-definition printing at 23 pages per minute, and supports multiple media and paper sizes. But as the name suggests, you’re limited to black and white printing. And while this is a durable model that should last a long time, there are reports it’s prone to overheating.
8. Best for security: Lexmark C3326dw Wireless Color Laser Printer
The Lexmark printer’s full-spectrum security architecture keeps your information safe, with encryption protecting your document on the device, over the network, and everywhere in between. Set up is quick and easy, with print speeds of up to 26 pages per minute. But this printer is pretty clunky so it might not be the best option if you have limited space or need to move it from classroom to classroom.
9. Best value: Brother HL-L3210CW Printer
This fast and affordable printer has a manual feed slot that handles a variety of paper types and sizes. It can print up to 19 pages per minute from a 250-sheet paper tray, so you can have all your documents ready for class without running out of paper halfway. Rich color printing and wireless capabilities make this printer great value – but the lack of ethernet access means it may not suit all classrooms.
10. Best 3D printer: Dremel DigiLab 3D45 3D Printer
There are plenty of 3D printers out there, but the Dremel DigiLab is purpose-built for schools. With Wi-Fi connectivity, students can print from anywhere – even at home. Plus the unique 720p camera allows you to watch progress of the print in real-time, making it a great classroom tool. Dremel even throws in prepared lesson plans aimed at K-12 students!
Now that you’re closer to solving your printer problems, have you considered Print Management? Talk to PaperCut today.
