The 7 Best Printers for Chromebooks and School Laptops, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: A refillable-ink printer with standard wireless support, for households where the Chromebook prints every week.

Epson's ET-2800 swaps cartridges for a refillable ink tank, adds scan and copy, and lists standard wireless protocol support. It sits in the $100 to $200 range and fits a small desk.

It takes the top spot because Chromebook households tend to print school assignments, forms and the occasional photo, which adds up in cartridge costs. Refillable bottles cut the cost per page considerably, and the printer rarely stops mid-assignment because of an empty cartridge. Standard wireless support means the Chromebook can find it on the network without a driver. It sits above the cheaper HP and Canon models because the running cost is the difference between a printer you tolerate and one you like.

Choose it if more than a couple of people print. The caveat is a higher upfront price, and the lack of a document feeder means multi-page scans are slow.

Ink system

Cartridge-free tank

Functions

Print, scan, copy

Connectivity

Standard wireless protocol

Footprint

Compact for a small desk

Our verdict: A mono laser with duplex and a 250-sheet tray, for text-heavy assignments printed in bulk.

Brother's DCP-L2640DW uses a monochrome laser engine with duplex printing, a 250-sheet paper tray and Alexa support, plus standard wireless protocol listing. It costs $200 to $500.

It ranks second because text assignments are the main job for most Chromebook users. Laser toner does not dry out or clog if the printer sits idle over a holiday, which is a common failure for inkjets in households that print in bursts. Duplex printing halves the paper for long readings, and the large tray means fewer reloads. The cost is no color, so science posters and photos need another solution.

Buy it if the Chromebook is mainly for school or work documents. Skip it if you need color for projects.

Engine

Monochrome laser

Duplex

Automatic

Tray

250 sheets

Extras

Works with Alexa

Our verdict: A small color display and automatic duplex make connection problems easier to solve.

The Brother Work Smart MFC-J1360DW carries a 1.8 inch color display, automatic duplex printing, standard wireless protocol support and LC501 series ink cartridges. It falls in the $100 to $200 range.

It ranks third because the screen matters more than it sounds. When a Chromebook cannot find a printer, the usual cause is a network change or a dropped connection, and an on-device display lets you see the network name and reconnect without a phone app or a PC. Duplex printing is a bonus for schoolwork. The limit is cartridge ink, which costs more per page than a tank model.

Pick it if you want an easy-to-recover printer for a family. Skip it if ink cost is your main worry.

Display

1.8 inch color

Duplex

Automatic

Ink

LC501 series cartridges

Connectivity

Standard wireless protocol

Our verdict: Ink tank economics plus Ethernet and a feeder, for a home office with a Chromebook.

Epson's ET-4800 uses the same cartridge-free ink system as the ET-2800 and adds an automatic document feeder, Ethernet alongside wireless, and fax. It costs $100 to $200 and lists standard wireless protocol support.

It ranks fourth, below the ET-2800, only because most Chromebook homes do not need the extras. Where it earns its place is the wired option: if Wi-Fi misbehaves, a cable to the router keeps the printer on the network, which stops the common problem of a printer disappearing from the list. The feeder lets a student scan a multi-page worksheet in one go.

Choose it if the printer sits near the router or doubles as a home office scanner. Skip it if you want the cheapest ink-tank option.

Ink system

Cartridge-free tank

Feeder

Automatic document feeder

Connectivity

Ethernet and wireless

Functions

Print, scan, copy, fax

Our verdict: The listing advertises AirPrint, the nearest thing here to a confirmed driverless protocol.

Canon's PIXMA TS5320 is a wireless all-in-one with AirPrint advertised, Alexa support and a standard cartridge inkjet engine. It is in the $100 to $200 range.

It lands fifth because AirPrint is a point in its favor. It is Apple's network printing standard, and a printer that supports it usually also supports the open protocols Chrome OS uses to find printers without a driver. That is an inference and not a certification, so confirm it on the setup screen. The cartridge system is the weak point for a household that prints often.

Buy it if you share the printer with iPhones and iPads as well as a Chromebook. Skip it if you want the lowest ink cost, where an EcoTank wins.

Protocol

AirPrint advertised

Ink system

Standard cartridges

Voice

Works with Alexa

Type

Wireless all-in-one

Our verdict: A budget wireless printer for Chromebook homes with light printing needs.

The DeskJet 4355 from HP is a compact wireless all-in-one with scan and copy, standard wireless protocol support and a 3-month Instant Ink trial. It is in the $50 to $100 range.

It ranks sixth because the low price comes with cartridge ink and a lighter-duty build. For a household that prints a few pages a week, the savings on the printer outweigh the cost of ink. The Instant Ink trial can lower ink costs for a time, but it is a subscription you need to manage.

Buy it for a light-duty Chromebook starter printer. Skip it if homework printing happens daily.

Functions

Print, scan, copy

Connectivity

Standard wireless protocol

Ink plan

3-month Instant Ink trial

Price bucket

$50 to $100

Our verdict: A cheap printer with an automatic document feeder for multi-page scanning.

Canon's PIXMA TR4720 includes an auto document feeder, a built-in fax, mobile printing support and standard wireless protocol listing. It costs $50 to $100.

It ranks last because most Chromebook households will use scanning less than printing, and the cartridge system makes printing more expensive over time. The feeder is useful for scanning permission slips and forms, and mobile printing lets phones join in. The fax is a legacy feature that will go unused.

Choose it if your Chromebook household scans paper often on a tight budget. Skip it if your priority is cheap printing.

Feeder

Auto document feeder

Fax

Built-in legacy fax

Mobile

Mobile printing support

Price bucket

$50 to $100