The Best Printer for Your Homeschool Family: 5 Surprising Yet Smart Things to Consider
The best printer for homeschool family (including yours!) is out there. And the good news is that it’s easy to find when you use these tips and ideas.
I’m sharing what I’ve learned over the past 11 years as a homeschooler to help make the process of finding the perfect printer for your family a success.
Why Are You Looking for a Printer for Your Homeschool?
If you’re reading this post, I’m assuming that you are on the hunt for a homeschool printer. Maybe you need a new printer to replace your current one? Or perhaps this is your first time buying a printer for homeschool use and you have no idea where to start?
Well, whatever reason that you’re here – welcome and I’m SO glad 😊 I love sharing resources, tips, and ideas that have helped my 5 boys and myself rock our homeschool over the years.
If you’re like many homeschool families (even if you don’t want to use a lot of worksheets or other types of printables), you still find that you need to print resources and important documents.
In fact, you probably have discovered that you have much more need for a homeschool printer than you ever imagined.
When we first started homeschooling (gosh, has it really been 11 years?!?), I had a few strong ideas about what the process would look like – and we surely wouldn’t need a printer. And then quickly learned to be flexible and let learning happen in the best possible way for my boys.
For example, I swore that we wouldn’t use worksheets or any type of busy work. And then my boys begged me to do those types of activities because they enjoyed the bit of structure and sense of accomplishment.
I’ve actually discovered that we use our printer for homeschool purposes on a daily basis. And having this simple device has saved me tons of time, money, and stress!
5 Things to Consider As You Search for the Best Printer for Homeschool Family (& Other Uses)
In addition to thinking about WHY you’re looking for a homeschool printer, it can be extremely helpful to take these 5 things into consideration.
When you start to search for a computer (I immediately go to Amazon for this type of stuff), you can quickly become overwhelmed with all the brands and styles.
These things to consider can help you narrow down your choices and reduce decision fatigue (not something you want to deal with when making a larger purchase!) as you find the best printer for homeschool family. As always, keep the needs of your family at the forefront of your mind.
1. How do you plan to use your homeschool printer?
A big part of what you need to consider when finding the right printer for your family is how you’ll be using it.
A few questions to ask yourself as you think about “how” include:
- What types of materials and resources will you be printing?
- How often do you think you’ll be using it (rough estimate)?
- Will you need both black-and-white and coloring printing? Will you be doing a lot of printing?
- Will you need to print from a mobile device (need bluetooth capabilities)?
- Do you need high print quality?
- Are you planning on printing out any of these types of resources (and how many)?:
- Digital curriculum
- Homeschool planner
- Labels
- Book covers
- Homeschool morning time materials
- Duplex printing
- High-quality prints (especially for art and picture study)
- Unit studies
- Homeschool portfolios
- Other required paperwork
- Reports and papers
- High school transcripts
- Other homeschool resources
2. What is your budget?
As you find out more about home printers, you might get caught up in all the bells and whistles. I recommend sticking to the basics and what you really need and can afford. More than likely, you don’t need the most expensive printer. Also, what printer is the best option that will serve you in the long run?
When considering your homeschool printer budget, keep in mind:
- Price of the printer
- Shipping costs (if any)
- Cost of printer supplies (like ink or toner cartridges or tanks)
- Types of paper you will be printing on (regular printer paper, cardstock, etc.)
3. What size would make the best homeschool printer for you?
Another important consideration is how much space you realistically have for a printer.
Are you working with a small homeschool area or roadschooling?
4. Where will you store your printer?
Along the same train of thought, you need to think about where you’ll store your printer. Will you keep your printer in your homeschool area? Or will it be stored in another area of your home?
Oh, and don’t forget to plan where you’ll be storing your printer supplies!
5. What type of supplies will you need for your printer?
Of course, you’ll need some type of paper to print on. Also, you might want to keep an extra ink or toner cartridge around just in case. (Unless you go with the HP Instant Ink program which helps you make sure that you have ink whenever you need it!).
Do you need a stand, shelf, or cabinet to store your homeschool printer on or in? Depending on the size of the printer, you may be able to store all your supplies – including the printer – on a rolling cart!
Oh, and other supplies that I love having are a paper cutter and paper punch (for use with 3-ring binders)!
My 2 Favorite Printers for Homeschool Use (& Beyond)
I’ve tried a few printers to boost our learning adventures. Our budget is usually on the low end plus I’m frugal 😉 We actually have 2 printers that I use for our homeschool. One was gifted to us and the other I purchased after a lot of research. Both printers have special places in my homeschool mom heart – I ❤️️ HP Printers!
🖨 HP LaserJet M1217 nfw Multifunction Printer –> Our “new to us” printer
This printer is a beast (in a good way!). It prints in black-and-white and has saved our homeschool a ton of money. We’ve had this printer for over 8 years and have never had a problem with it.
The ink cartridges are inexpensive and I get at least 6,000 pages out of each cartridge. Actually, I’ve only ordered cartridges twice.
This printer is fantastic if you need to print high volume. For example, one year I purchased PDF workbooks from PAC (Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum) for my 2 older boys. With this printer, I was able to easily print out all pages with no worry about cost.
I love that I can scan and print, as well as duplex printing (print on both sides of the paper). Plus, the HP LaserJet M1217 doesn’t take up that much space considering all that it can do.
🖨 HP OfficeJet 3830 –> my absolute favorite printer ever!
Hands down – this printer has been the BEST purchase for our homeschool.
Before I bought this printer, I did a bunch of research and asking around Facebook groups. When it came time to hit the buy button, all the checkboxes were filled for the HP OfficeJet 3830.
Here are a few reasons why I adore this all-in-one printer so much:
- Cost – At the time, this printer was on sale and included 6 months free HP Instant Ink (more on that amazing program in a bit!). New versions and styles are available at the price that I got my printer.
- Color printing – The ability to print in color has been a game changer for our homeschool. Now, all of our fun printable resources are extra special!
- Multi-functionality – I love being able to print, scan, and copy with one machine. (You can also fax but I’ve never used that function). I use this printer all the time for our homeschool AND as a soccer team manager (especially for scanning game cards, registration forms, etc.).
- Bluetooth – I can send a resource to the printer from my smartphone while I’m in another room. I use this function way more than I ever thought would (including extra math practice and recipes to work on with my boys).
- HP INSTANT INK – I really can’t say enough good things about this program. It’s been incredible in helping me save time, money, and stress. I NEVER run out of ink since my printer has been connected to this program. You can find out more over at HP Instant Ink.
- Basically, you sign up for a plan that will work best for your family. For example, we are on the 100 pages per month ($5.99/month) with ability to rollover up to 300 pages.
- You synch your printer with the program (step-by-step instructions are provided plus there’s a help chat, if necessary).
- As you get close to running out of ink (black or color), HP Instant Ink sends you a small package with the ink AND a pouch with no postage required to return your empty ink cartridge. Makes it super easy to recycle!
3 Common Types of Home Printers
Before we get to taking a closer look at some of the most popular printers for homeschooling, it can be helpful to learn more about the different types of printers that are commonly used in homes.
1. Inkjet printers
An inkjet printer is typically inexpensive and uses liquid ink that is rather inexpensive to replace. These types of printers can be a good fit if you don’t have a lot to print and don’t need high-quality. According to Adorama, inkjet printers “can print photographs in high resolution on photo paper, pages of text on traditional paper, or labels and iron-on transfers on specialty stickers and paper.”
2. Laser printers
As the name implies, laser printers use lasers (or small beams of light) on a toner that sets into the paper. The toner cartridge are often more expensive than their ink counterparts but last longer. Other bonuses of using these printers is faster printing and higher-quality.
3. Supertank printers
I don’t have any experience with these types of printers (also known as ecotank printer). I’ve done a bit of research on them and heard from a few friends about their experiences.
Large tanks are refilled with ink (in place of cartridges) to eliminate the need for disposal or recycling. Although these printers have higher prices tags, the overall cost of printing is less.
Let’s Compare Some of the Most Popular Homeschool Printers
I don’t have much experience with other printers for homeschool use. I share the below suggestions based on research and recommendations from friends so you can get as much information as you can as you pick the best printer for homeschool family.
** If you have experiences with any of these printers (especially pros and cons, as well as if it’s a reliable printer), please share in the comments area at the bottom of this post!
- 6 FREE MONTHS INSTANT INK SUBSCRIPTION when you activate HP+ – Print up to 700 pages a month. Ink ships to you automatically so you never run out. After 6 months, monthly fee applies unless cancelled, and you'll save up to 50% on ink.
- INCLUDES FREE HP+ SMART FEATURES – Activate HP+ free to get advanced features for mobile printing, security, automatic updates and more. HP+ only works with an HP account, internet connection and Original HP Ink for the life of the printer.
- BEST FOR BASIC PRINTING – Print basic color documents like recipes, forms and travel documents. Dynamic security enabled printer
- KEY FEATURES – Print, copy and scan in color, plus mobile and wireless printing
- EASY SETUP – Get started fast on any device with the HP Smart app that guides you step by step
- HP SMART APP – Print, scan and copy from your phone—whenever, wherever. Get advanced features for 24 months with HP+.
- WORRY-FREE WIRELESS – Get better range and more reliable connections using dual-band Wi-Fi with self-reset
- This printer is eligible for a free six-month free instant ink trial if/when customer sign up for the HP+ Program and when customer set up the product. If the customer does not choose to sign up for HP+ they do not receive the free trial
- 6 MONTHS FREE INK when you activate HP plus – Includes 6 months free subscription for Instant Ink delivery service with HP plus activation. Ink ships automatically so you never run out. After 6 months, monthly fee applies unless cancelled, and you save up to 50%
- INCLUDES FREE HP plus SMART FEATURES – Activate HP plus free to get advanced features for mobile printing, security, automatic updates and more. HP plus only works with an HP account, internet connection and Original HP Ink for the life of the printer
- BEST FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND HOME OFFICES – Print professional-quality color documents like forms, reports, brochures and presentations
- KEY FEATURES – Fast color print, copy, scan and fax, plus 2-sided printing, mobile and wireless printing, and an auto document feeder
- FAST PRINT SPEEDS – Print up to 18 pages per minute in black and 10 pages per minute in color
- DUAL BAND WI-FI – Self-healing Wi-FiTM automatically detects and resolves connection issues
- SECURITY ESSENTIALS – Protect sensitive data with basic encryption, password protection, Wi-Fi security and document protection. Get enhanced cloud-based security features with HP plus
- Dynamic security enabled printer
- Main functions of this HP DeskJet 3755 (3700 series) compact printer: copy, scan, wireless printing, AirPrint, Instant Ink ready so you'll never run out of ink
- The power of your printer in the palm of your hand: The HP Smart app allows you to easily set up your printer, scan from your smartphone, order toner, and print from the cloud—such as iCloud, Dropbox and Google Drive
- Ink delivered to your home: get your first 4 months free when you enroll in HP Instant Ink (optional) during printer set up; plans starting at $0.99 per month after the trial period, shipping and recycling included
- Compact and wireless, this printer is designed to fit your space and life; get the vibrant blue color and power in the world’s smallest all-in-one for home
- Any room, any spot-this ultra compact all-in-one is designed to fit where you need it
- Seven segment plus LCD display; HP Scroll Scan for easy handling of most scan jobs, from plain paper to stiff media
- Paper sizes supported: Various sizes from 3x5 in to 8.5x14 in including letter, legal, 4x6 in, 5x7 in, 8x10 in & No 10 envelopes
- Media sizes supported : Letter; legal; 4 x 6 in; 5 x 7 in; 8 x 10 in; No. 10 envelopes (Note: many other media sizes are supported. Anything from 3 x 5 to 8.5 x 14"). | Media types : Plain paper, Matte Brochure Papers, Glossy Brochure Papers, Photo papers, Envelopes, Other specialty inkjet papers. Compatible operating systems: Windows 11; Windows 10; Windows 8; Windows 7; Windows Vista; iOS
- Main functions of the HP M203dw laser printer: reliable monochrome printing, wireless printing, AirPrint, double-sided printing, LED control panel, and more
- This HP M203dw laser printer replaces the HP M201dw printer, additionally the newer HP M203dw has 15% faster print speeds plus HP JetAdvantage Security Manager
- Prints up to 30 pages/minute, input tray paper capacity up to 260 sheets, duty cycle up to 2,000 pages/month
- The power of your printer in the palm of your hand: The HP Smart app allows you to easily set up your printer, scan from your smartphone, order toner, and print from the cloud—such as iCloud, Dropbox and Google Drive
- Set a faster pace for your business: Print two-sided documents right away, and easily manage to help maximize efficiency
- Original HP Toner cartridges with JetIntelligence - engineered to help your printer print faster and more pages
- Never shop for toner again: Save 10% with Amazon Dash Replenishment upon activation; your printer measures toner levels and places smart reorders when you are running low; no subscription fees
- Ideal for home and small to medium businesses with work groups of 1-5 users; one-year limited hardware warranty; 24-hour, 7 days a week Web support
- 6 MONTHS FREE INK when you activate HP+ – Includes 6 months free subscription for Instant Ink delivery service with HP+ activation. Ink ships automatically so you never run out. After 6 months, monthly fee applies unless cancelled, and you save up to 50%.
- INCLUDES FREE HP+ SMART FEATURES – Activate HP+ free to get advanced features for mobile printing, security, automatic updates and more. HP+ only works with an HP account, internet connection and Original HP Ink for the life of the printer.
- BEST FOR BUSY FAMILIES – Print documents, borderless photos, homework and creative projects
- KEY FEATURES – Print, copy and scan in color, automatic 2-sided printing, borderless photos, mobile and wireless printing
- EASY SETUP – Get started fast on any device with the HP Smart app that guides you step by step
- CONNECT THE WHOLE FAMILY – Easily connect everyone from virtually any device. Self-healing Wi-FiTM helps keep you connected and reduces interruptions.
- HP SMART APP – Print, scan and copy from your phone—from anywhere. Get additional advanced features with HP+.
- PRINT FROM THE CLOUD – Print and scan to and from your cloud accounts like Dropbox and Google Drive in a few taps
- This printer is intended to work only with cartridges with original HP chips or circuitry and will block cartridges using non-HP chips or circuitry. Periodic firmware updates will maintain the effectiveness of these measures.
- Mobile device printing: Easily print from your iPhone, iPad, Android or tablet.In The Box : PIXMA MG3620 Wireless Inkjet All-In-One Printer, Manuals and other documents, Setup CD-ROM, FINE Cartridges (Black and Color), Power Cord
- Quick and easy wireless setup
- Powerful printing options: Airprint, Google Cloud Print, NFC, Mopria and Canon Print
- Compact and space-saving design, Auto 2-Sided Printing
- Print on both sides of the page with auto 2-sided print
- Form factor: Print, copy, scan
- Max print speed color: 16
- Max print speed black white: 9.9
- Connectivity technology: Wi-Fi
- PRINT, COPY, SCAN, FAX: The PIXMA TR4720 is a true 4-in-1 printer that is compact, versatile and easy-to-use..In The Box : PIXMA TR4720 Wireless All-in-One Printer, Set of Starter (PG-275/CL-276) Ink Cartridges, RJ-11 Telephone/Modem Cable, Power Cord, DocumentationFor numbers listed in product description see “specification sheet” in technical specification section below
- EASY SETUP: Enjoy simple setup through the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app[1].
- EASY TO INSTALL: Designed for easy ink cartridge installation and replacement.
- FRONT PAPER TRAY: A fast and easy to load front paper tray with 100 sheet plain paper capacity.
- QUALITY DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOS: Produce quality documents, photos and boarderless[11] prints up to 8.5" x 11"
- For numbers listed in product description see “specification sheet” in technical specification section below
- The PIXMA TS9521C has 5 Individual Inks that are ready for craft projects & everyday needs; ChromaLife100 protects photos from fading; 100 years; Album, 30 years; Behind glass, 20 years; Without glass
- Print from all your favorite devices, whether that is a smartphone, tablet, memory card or computer; With Air Print, Morea Print Service, and Wi Fi the PIXMA TS9521C is ready for all your devices
- With 12'x12 inches paper support, booklet layout copy, oversized scanning and Auto Document Feeder for multi-page documents, the PIXMA TS9521C is extremely versatile and ready to handle lots of projects
- For numbers listed in product description see “Specification sheet” in technical specification section below
- WORKS WITH ALEXA: Ask Alexa to print your shopping list, to-do list, crosswords, coloring pages, and more. To set up, say “Alexa, discover my printer.” Alexa can also detect when ink or toner is running low and orders more when you need it. Save 10% on all ink or toner smart reorders. Restrictions may apply
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― High-capacity ink tanks mean no more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; Epson’s exclusive EcoFit ink bottles make filling easy and worry-free
- Dramatic Savings on Replacement Ink ― Save up to 90% with replacement ink bottles vs. ink cartridges (1) – that’s enough to print up to 4,500 pages black/7,500 color (2), equivalent to about 90 individual ink cartridges (3)
- Stress-Free Printing — Up to 2 years of ink in the box (4) – and with every replacement ink set – for fewer out of ink frustrations
- Zero Cartridge Waste – By using an EcoTank printer, you can help reduce the amount of cartridge waste ending up in landfills
- Impressive Print Quality ― Unique Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology produces sharp text – plus impressive color photos and graphics – on virtually any paper type
- Built-in Scanner & Copier ― High-resolution flatbed scanner and a color display for easy document copying and navigation
- Modern Connectivity ― Features wireless, plus hands-free voice-activated printing (5). Easily print from your smart device (6) using AirPrint or the intuitive Epson Smart Panel App (7)
- Designed for Reliability ― Worry-free 2-year limited warranty with registration (8), including full unit replacement
- Epson strongly recommends the use of genuine ink to ensure optimal print quality and performance. Use of non-genuine ink could cause damage not covered under the printer’s ltd. wnty.
- High-speed printing — PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology delivers high-speed, high-volume printing with 25 black/12 color ISO ppm and fast first-page-out.
- High-precision printing — accurate dot placement and DURABrite Ultra instant-dry pigment inks for professional-quality prints.
- High-volume reliability for heavy workloads — innovative heat-free technology designed for reliability and reduced downtime.
- Easy to use — 4.3" color touchscreen for quick navigation and control, plus all-new Epson Smart Panel App (1) for enhanced connectivity and productivity from your mobile device.
- Designed for productivity — auto 2-sided printing and 1-sided, 35-page ADF streamline workflow.
- Maximize efficiency — with large, 250-sheet paper capacity.
- Convenient, wireless setup — using a smartphone or mobile device (2) with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE); also includes built-in wireless, Wi-Fi Direct (3) and Ethernet networking.
- Seamless scanning — Epson ScanSmart supports easy scanning and editing with a user-friendly interface.
- Comprehensive security features — including secure wireless and Secure Data Erase.
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― High-capacity ink tanks mean no more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; Epson’s exclusive EcoFit ink bottles make filling easy and worry-free
- Dramatic Savings on Replacement Ink ― Save up to 90% with replacement ink bottles vs. ink cartridges (1) – that’s enough to print up to 4,500 pages black/7,500 color (2), equivalent to about 90 individual ink cartridges (3)
- Stress-Free Printing — Up to 2 years of ink in the box (4) – and with every replacement ink set – for fewer out of ink frustrations
- Zero Cartridge Waste – By using an EcoTank printer, you can help reduce the amount of cartridge waste ending up in landfills
- Impressive Print Quality ― Unique Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology produces sharp text – plus impressive color photos and graphics – on virtually any paper type
- Built-in Scanner & Copier ― High-resolution flatbed scanner and a color display for easy document copying and navigation
- Modern Connectivity ― Features wireless, plus hands-free voice-activated printing (5). Easily print from your smart device (6) using AirPrint or the intuitive Epson Smart Panel App (7)
- Designed for Reliability ― Worry-free 2-year limited warranty with registration (8), including full unit replacement
- Epson strongly recommends the use of genuine ink to ensure optimal print quality and performance. Use of non-genuine ink could cause damage not covered under the printer’s ltd. wnty.
- Print more, wait less. Engineered for increased efficiency with class leading print speeds of up to 32 pages per minute.
- Dynamic features accommodate your evolving needs. The 250-sheet paper capacity helps improve efficiency with less refills and handles letter or legal sized paper.
- Flexible printing. The manual feed slot offers flexible paper handling for a variety of papers and sizes, such as card stock, envelopes, etc. to help you create professional looking documents.
- Printing as mobile as you are. Print wirelessly from your desktop, laptop, smartphone and tablet.
- Connect your way. Versatile connection options with built-in wireless or connect locally to a single computer via its USB interface.
- Ensure optimal and uncompromising performance: When it’s time to replace your toner, be sure to choose Brother Genuine TN730 Standard or TN760 High-Yield replacement cartridges. And with Refresh EZ Print Subscription Service, you’ll never worry about running out of toner and you’ll enjoy savings of up to 50%* on Brother Genuine Toner. Get started with Refresh today with a 4 Month Free Trial.*
- Engineered for productivity: Brother’s latest technology is infused into the HL L2390DW. Equipped with a flatbed scan glass for convenient copying, this monochrome laser printer is engineered to scan directly from mobile devices
- Print more, wait less: Developed to optimize efficiency, this replacement for the DCPL2520DW produces a robust and class leading print speed of up to 32 pages per minute (1)
- New, user friendly features : This new Brother monochrome laser printer includes a 250 sheet paper capacity, which helps improve office efficiency with less refills. The HLL2390DW also handles legal and letter sized paper
- Flexible printing: Print envelopes, card stock, and multiple sized paper through the easy to access manual feed slot, allowing you to create professional looking documents with higher resolution
- Wireless printing & exceptional support : The easy to link wireless technology allows you to submit print jobs from your laptop, smartphone, desktop, and tablets (2). We provide free online, call, or live chat support for the life of your printer. At Brother, we want to ensure that your experience with us is exceptional
- Ensure optimal and uncompromising performance: When it’s time to replace your toner, be sure to choose Brother Genuine TN730 Standard or TN760 High-Yield replacement cartridges. And with Refresh EZ Print Subscription Service, you’ll never worry about running out of toner and you’ll enjoy savings of up to 50%* on Brother Genuine Toner. Get started with Refresh today with a 4 Month Free Trial.*
- The Brother HL-L2395DW monochrome laser printer helps your home or small office meet its document imaging needs. delivers class-leading print speeds, convenient copying and scanning and Cloud connection directly from the touchscreen. Brother, the 1 brand in home and small office laser printers.
- [Comprehensive functionality]-2.7" Color Touchscreen,A monochrome laser all-in-one printer from Brother, with scan and copy functions, Ethernet and WiFi networking, and and wireless printing with Apple AirPrint. Works with Windows and macOS.
- [Simplified Workflow]-Using the touchscreen, access Brother Cloud Apps: a free suite of innovative, Cloud-based applications designed to meet your changing needs, including Scan to Office, which converts a hard copy document into an editable file - Word, Excel, or PowerPoin
- [Powerful processing power]-The 250-sheet paper capacity helps improve efficiency with less refills and the manual feed slot offers professional prints on a variety of papers and sizes, such as card stock, envelopes, etc.print more,wait less,print speeds of up to 36 pages per minute
- [Loaded with cost saving features]-Automatic duplex (2-sided) printing helps save on paper costs and toner save mode helps save on toner cost
Do You Really Need a Homeschool Printer?
Okay, so after reading all this information, you may be wondering if you really need a homeschool printer. Perhaps you’re just getting started and not sure what will be the best printer for homeschool family like yours? Or you just don’t have the budget or space at this time?
No worries! You can always go with a printing company, especially one that focuses on homeschool materials. Two companies that I am familiar with are:
You can send a print job or two to one of these companies to see if it’s a good fit for your homeschooling needs. Look for current turnaround time before placing order (if your material is time-sensitive).
What Type of Homeschool Printer Will You Get?
Wow! That was a lot of information to take in. It’s my sincere hope that you find the guidance that you need to make an informed decision on getting the best printer for homeschool family.
Which of these homeschool printers look like the best fit for your family? Do you have any experiences (especially pros and cons) with any of these printers? Please leave your comments at the end of this blog post to help other homeschoolers find their perfect printer 😊