The best printer for students 2018: top picks for printing out coursework

No matter if you're a student (or you know one) who is at school, college or university, getting the best printer for their homework or coursework can be essential.

If a student is on a course where they have to hand in a lot of paper work, having their own printer can be a lifesaver, rather than having to visit the library. So, let our best printer for students buying guide help you make your choice.

Often you don't want to spend a huge amount on a printer when you're a student, nor do you want a huge behemoth of a printer that fills up an entire room in the halls of residence, while keeping everyone awake with its noise.

That's where our best printer for students list comes in, as we've put together our top picks that will suit a student's needs, no matter what educational institute they are at.

If you're also looking for a laptop, make sure you check out our best laptops for students 2018 guide.

1. HP Deskjet 3630

Print speed: Varies depending on document | Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, B5, Borderless A4, Borderless A5, Borderless B5 | Paper capacity: 60 sheets | : | Weight: 4.2kg

If you've checked out some of our other printer buying guides, you'll have likely seen the Deskjet 3630 at the top, or near to it. That's because it's a great little printer that strikes a good balance between features, affordability and print quality. It's compact enough for you to easily take with you to university with, and it offers print quality that can rival more expensive devices. This makes it our pick for the best printer for students overall. However, if you have a bit more of a budget, you may want to check out some of the other printers in this list...

Read the full review: HP Deskjet 3630

2. Epson EcoTank ET-4550

Print speed: 33ppm | Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, B5, Envelopes (C4, C6, DL, No. 10), 9 x 13cm, 10 x 15cm, 13 x 18cm, 13 x 20cm, 20 x 25cm, 10 x 14.8cm | Paper capacity: 150 sheets | Dimensions: 515‎ x 360 x 241mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 7.4kg

At first glance, the Epson EcoTank ET-4550 might seems like an expensive choice for a printer for students, but while the initial cost of this printer is quite high, it can end up being much cheaper over the years thanks to its ink-saving features. It allows students to refill their printer using ink bottles, which can be a huge money saver, which will be a blessing if the student loan is running low! Epson also includes two years of ink with the package; no more expensive cartridges and instead, you have enough material to deliver 11,000 pages worth of black and color inks (that's 700ml worth of liquid).

3. HP Envy 5540 All-in-One printer

Print speed: 22 pages per minute | Scan resolution: 1200 x 1200 dpi | Features: Print, copy, scan | Dimensions: 161 x 454 x 410 mm | Weight: 6.82kg

The HP Envy 5540 All-in-One printer is a cheap all-in-one printer that offers printing, scanning and photo printing, supports not just USB but Wi-Fi, Wireless Direct and AirPrint wireless printing, and it even offers automatic double-sided printing. This makes it one of the best printers money can buy for students, giving them a host of features they'd usually have to visit the library to use. As with many budget printers, the cost of consumables can be quite high, but for a flexible all-in-one with plenty of student-friendly features, the HP Envy 5540 is hard to beat.

4. Brother HL-3140CW

Print speed: ISO 18ppm | Print resolution: 600 x 600, Effective 600 x 2,400 | Paper sizes: A4, Letter, B5 (JIS), A5, A5 (Long Edge), A6, Executive, Legal, Folio | Paper capacity: 250 sheets | Dimensions: 410 x 465 x 240mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 17.4kg

The Brother HL-3140CW is showing its age, but it this means you can get some excellent prices for it these days, making it a great choice for students. For the money you're getting a superb wireless color laser print that offers very good print quality at decent speeds. It's larger than many other printers, but it fits in loads of features, such as scanning and photocopying, and it's wireless nature means it can be shared with the rest of the household. This is one of the best printers for students who live in shared houses.

5. HP OfficeJet 200 Mobile Printer

Print speed: 18ppm | Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, B5 (ISO), B5 (JIS) | Resolution: 1200 x 1200 sheets | Connectivity: USB 2.0; Wi-Fi | Dimensions: 364 x 186 x 69 mm

If you're a student moving away from home, you don't want to be lugging around a heavy old printer. That's why the HP OfficeJet 200 Mobile Printer is such a good choice for students. Weighing less than HP's previous mobile printers, the HP OfficeJet 200 Mobile Printer is a brilliant little portable printer that can hook up to devices via Wi-Fi. It offers plenty of connectivity options, and while it's more expensive than its less-mobile rivals, if you want to travel light (or you just don't have the room), it's well worth considering.

6. HP Sprocket Photo Printer

Print speed: 40 seconds | Print resolution: 313 x 400 | Paper capacity: 10 sheets | Dimensions: 75 x 116 x 23 mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 0.17kg

Being a student isn't all about studying and homework, though of course those play a big part, but you'll also want to have fun as well. That's why the HP Sprocket Photo Printer is a great gift for any students going off to study. It's a small, hand-sized, photo printer that offers an easy and fun way to instantly print digital snaps - essentially turning any digital camera into a Polaroid-esque instant printer. It doesn't use ink, so you don't have to worry about buying replacement cartridges - instead it uses heat to transform a pre-dyed sheet of paper into your photos. It runs on batteries and has a stylish design as well. Sure, it won't print out any dissertations, but for keeping those precious memories of fresher's week and beyond, it's a brilliant printer for students.

• Check out our list of the best printers, no matter if they are ink jet or laser