The 7 Best Printers Without Ink Subscriptions of 2026, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: Refillable tanks, an automatic document feeder and Ethernet. Office features with no ink plan.

The Epson ET-3850 is a cartridge-free tank all-in-one with an automatic document feeder, Ethernet and wireless connectivity, scan and copy functions, and a bonus black ink bottle in the box. Refillable tanks mean you buy bottled ink when you need it, never a plan, and the bonus bottle starts you off ahead on the commonest color.

It ranks first because it bundles office features with the cleanest ink model. The ET-4800 adds fax but no bonus bottle noted, and the entry models drop the feeder.

Buy it for a home office that scans and copies multi-page documents. The caveats are a higher upfront price than the other EcoTanks and a bigger body. Skip it if you print only occasionally and want the cheapest tank printer.

Ink

Refillable tanks, no cartridges

Document feeder

Automatic

Connectivity

Ethernet and wireless

Extras

Bonus black ink bottle

Our verdict: Same subscription-free tank base with a feeder, Ethernet and a built-in fax.

The Epson ET-4800 uses the same subscription-free tank base with an automatic document feeder, Ethernet, wireless, a built-in fax, and scan and copy functions, and no subscription program to opt into. Fax is the differentiator: it keeps a landline-style workflow alive for offices that still need it.

It ranks second because fax is niche, and no bonus ink bottle is noted. It costs less than the ET-3850, which is its argument.

Buy it for a small office that still sends occasional faxes. Skip it if you never fax and would rather save the money. Without the extra bottle, factor in the first refill sooner than on the ET-3850, and keep the bottle shelf-ready.

Ink

Refillable tanks

Document feeder

Automatic

Connectivity

Ethernet, wireless and fax

Functions

Print, scan, copy, fax

Our verdict: The simplest way to dodge ink plans: a wireless tank printer with bottled refills.

The Epson ET-2800 is a wireless color tank printer with print, scan and copy functions, a compact footprint, bottled ink refills and no subscription program. It is the simplest route past ink plans, and small enough for a dorm desk.

It ranks third because it has no automatic document feeder and no Ethernet port. It costs less than the larger EcoTanks, though, and it covers most home needs.

Buy it for a student or light home user who wants zero ink plans and a compact machine. Skip it if you scan multi-page documents regularly. A flatbed handles single pages without trouble, but a stack takes a long time, and you must stay at the glass for every sheet.

Ink

Refillable bottles

Connectivity

Wireless

Functions

Print, scan, copy

Subscription

None to join

Our verdict: A step below the ET-2800 in price with the same subscription-free tank design.

The Epson ET-2400 is a wireless color tank printer with print, scan and copy, bottled ink and no subscription, priced below the ET-2800. The design is deliberately plain, which keeps setup simple.

It ranks fourth because it is close to the ET-2800 in capability and also lacks a feeder or Ethernet. The price gap is its only real advantage.

Buy it for a family that prints every week and wants the lowest tank price. Skip it if you need a feeder or a wired network. If the ET-2800 is nearly the same cost in your market, choose it for the visible ink levels on its front panel, which help you refill before a tank runs dry.

Ink

Refillable tanks

Connectivity

Wireless

Functions

Print, scan, copy

Price

Below the ET-2800

Our verdict: Black-and-white laser with duplex and a 250-sheet tray. Its Refresh plan is optional.

Brother's DCP-L2640DW runs on toner rather than liquid ink, prints on both sides automatically, holds 250 sheets and offers wireless and mobile printing, with an optional Refresh subscription trial attached to the listing. Toner does not dry out, so a laser handles weeks of idle time between jobs, which suits infrequent printers who dread a clogged print head.

It ranks fifth because it prints only black and white, and the listing includes a trial offer you should ignore. It beats every inkjet on idle reliability.

Buy it if you print mostly text and print rarely. Skip it if you need color pages or photos. Standard toner works without enrolling, so you can decline the trial.

Type

Monochrome laser

Paper tray

250 sheets

Duplex

Automatic

Connectivity

Wireless and mobile

Our verdict: A colour laser with duplex and no bundled plan. Toner is bought only as needed.

The Brother HL-L3220CDW is a color laser at 19 pages per minute, with automatic duplex, a 250-sheet tray and no bundled subscription in the listing. Toner is bought individually when needed, which avoids any plan.

It ranks sixth because it is print only, with no scanner, and color toner pages cost more than tank pages. It suits modest volumes.

Buy it for color reports and handouts at moderate volume. Skip it if you need scanning or copying. Compared with the tank printers, per-page color cost is higher, so it makes the most sense for lighter printing where a laser's crisp text and idle reliability matter more than cheap color pages.

Type

Color laser

Speed

19 pages per minute

Paper tray

250 sheets

Duplex

Automatic

Our verdict: Big INKvestment cartridges and a touchscreen. Less subscription-free than a tank, but no plan bundled.

The Brother INKvestment MCF-J5010DW is a color inkjet all-in-one with larger INKvestment cartridges, a 2.7 inch touchscreen, automatic two-sided printing and copy and scan, with no bundled subscription. Larger cartridges mean fewer swaps.

It ranks last because it is still a cartridge printer, so you remain exposed to cartridge pricing. It is less subscription-free than a tank printer in spirit.

Buy it if you want cartridges and an easy interface. Skip it if you want to avoid cartridge pricing entirely. The touchscreen is pleasant, but the tanks above reduce long-term costs more effectively, and cartridge replacement is a recurring expense you can avoid.

Type

Color inkjet all-in-one

Cartridges

Larger INKvestment

Screen

2.7 in touchscreen

Duplex

Automatic