Compact desktop printers exist to solve one problem: getting full printing capability onto a crowded desk without sacrificing quality or convenience. After comparing nine current models, the Brother MFC-J1360DW stands out as the best overall pick for its rare combination of automatic duplex printing, a color display, and a genuinely small footprint. For tighter budgets, the HP DeskJet 2855e delivers solid all-in-one basics at a low price, while the Canon PIXMA TR160 is the clear choice if portability matters more than scanning. The main tradeoff in this category is between upfront cost and long-term ink expenses, and between desk footprint and paper capacity. Read on for the full breakdown of where each model excels and where it falls short.
Complete the kit
Key Takeaways
- Automatic duplex printing is the biggest differentiator in this lineup — only the Brother MFC-J1360DW and Canon TS6520 offer it, and both rank near the top for that reason alone.
- The cheapest printers (HP DeskJet 2855e, Canon TS3720) often cost more over two years of ink than the mid-priced models, so upfront price is misleading in this category.
- An auto document feeder, found only on the Canon TR4720 here, changes daily usability more than any spec sheet suggests — it’s the make-or-break feature for anyone scanning multi-page documents.
- The Canon PIXMA TR160 plays a different game entirely: it’s a portable single-function printer, so comparing it on home-office terms is misleading. It’s the pick only if you print away from your desk.
- Canon‘s models skew toward photo quality and consistent ink pricing, while HP’s models offer better software integration and subscription flexibility but weaker duplex and ADF support at this price.
| Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer Duplex Printing |  | Best Overall | Printer Type: All-in-one inkjet | Connectivity: Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Display: 1.42-inch monochrome OLED | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer |  | Best Value | Functions: Print, copy, scan | Print Speed (Black): 7.5 ppm | Print Speed (Color): 5.5 ppm | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| Brother MFC-J1360DW Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with Duplex Printing and 1.8″ Color Display |  | Best for Small/Home Office | Printer Type: All-in-one inkjet | Connectivity: Wireless, USB | Display: 1.8-inch color | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer for Home Use |  | Best for Beginners | Functions: Print, copy, scan | Print Speed (Black): 7.7 ppm | Print Speed (Color): 4 ppm | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer with Print, Copy, Scan |  | Best Budget Duplex Pick | Printer Type: All-in-one inkjet | Functions: Print, copy, scan with automatic 2-sided printing | Connectivity: Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| HP DeskJet 2955 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer |  | Best Eco-Friendly Budget Pick | Functions: Print, scan, copy | Print Speed: Up to 7.5 ppm black, 5.5 ppm color | Input Tray Capacity: 60 sheets | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer |  | Best for Home Office Versatility | Functions: Print, copy, scan, fax | Print Speed: Approx. 8.8 ipm black, 4.4 ipm color | Photo Speed: Approx. 65 seconds per 4×6 borderless photo | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| Canon PIXMA TR160 Color Wireless Portable Printer |  | Best Portable Pick | Type: Portable color inkjet printer | Print Size: Up to 8.5″ x 11″ | Color System: 5-color hybrid ink system | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| HP DeskJet 4355 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer |  | Best Value All-in-One | Functions: Print, scan, copy | Print Speed (Black): 8.5 ppm | Print Speed (Color): 5.5 ppm | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| compact desktop printer | Connectivity | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Co | Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz) | — |
| HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All- | — | Print, copy, scan |
| Brother MFC-J1360DW Wireless C | Wireless, USB | — |
| Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless Al | Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) | Print, copy, scan |
| Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Co | Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Print, copy, scan with automatic 2-sided printing |
| HP DeskJet 2955 Wireless All-i | Wireless, mobile printing | Print, scan, copy |
| Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One | — | Print, copy, scan, fax |
| Canon PIXMA TR160 Color Wirele | Wireless, Wireless Direct Mode, AirPrint, Mopria | Print only |
| HP DeskJet 4355 Wireless All-i | Wireless, dual-band Wi-Fi, mobile printing | Print, scan, copy |
More Details on Our Top Picks
Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer Duplex Printing
The TS6520 earns the top spot because it balances everything a compact desktop buyer actually cares about: dual-band Wi-Fi, automatic duplex printing, and photo output that punches above its price. Compared with the cheaper HP DeskJet 2855e, it holds a 5GHz connection and prints on both sides of the page without babysitting, which matters on shared home networks. Its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system keeps replacement simple, though heavy text printers will burn through the black cartridge faster than a Brother with individual tanks. The tiny 1.42-inch OLED is functional but cramped next to the Brother MFC-J1360DW’s color screen, so expect to lean on the Canon PRINT app for anything fiddly.
Pros:- Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) for reliable connections on crowded home networks
- Automatic duplex printing cuts paper use in half
- Vibrant photo quality unusual at this price
- Easy setup with AirPrint, Mopria, and Canon PRINT app support
Cons:- Limited to 8.5″ x 11″ media — no tabloid or large photo sizes
- Two-cartridge design raises running costs for frequent printers
- Small monochrome OLED makes on-printer navigation awkward
Best for: Hybrid workers and families who want one compact printer that handles documents and decent photos without a subscription
Not ideal for: High-volume text printers — the hybrid cartridge system gets expensive per page compared to printers with separate ink tanks
- Printer Type:All-in-one inkjet
- Connectivity:Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz)
- Display:1.42-inch monochrome OLED
- Max Media Size:8.5″ x 11″
- Automatic Duplex Printing:Yes
- Mobile Printing:Canon PRINT App, AirPrint, Mopria
- Ink System:2-cartridge hybrid
Our verdict“If you want the best all-around compact desktop printer for a mixed workload of documents and photos, this is the one to buy.”
HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
At the budget end, the DeskJet 2855e covers the print-scan-copy basics for less than almost anything else in this roundup. The catch is what HP gets in return: a 3-month Instant Ink trial that quietly converts into a subscription if you don’t cancel, and 2.4GHz-only Wi-Fi that can struggle on busy networks where the Canon TS6520’s dual-band radio stays steady. Print speeds of 7.5 ppm black and 5.5 ppm color are fine for homework and the occasional form, but anyone printing in volume will feel the wait. The 60-sheet tray also means more refilling than the Brother MFC-J1360DW’s 150-sheet capacity.
Pros:- Very low upfront price for full print/scan/copy functionality
- 3-month Instant Ink trial means no ink worries at first
- Reliable, straightforward wireless setup
Cons:- 2.4GHz-only Wi-Fi limits flexibility on modern routers
- Ink subscription becomes an ongoing cost after the trial
- Modest speeds and 60-sheet tray suit light use only
Best for: Students and light-duty home users who print a few pages a week and want the lowest possible upfront cost
Not ideal for: Anyone allergic to subscriptions or printing more than ~100 pages monthly — the Instant Ink model and slow speeds will frustrate
- Functions:Print, copy, scan
- Print Speed (Black):7.5 ppm
- Print Speed (Color):5.5 ppm
- Input Tray Capacity:60 sheets
- Wireless:2.4 GHz only
- Includes:3-month Instant Ink trial
Our verdict“The cheapest credible way to get wireless all-in-one printing on your desk, provided you treat the ink subscription as optional and cancel if unused.”
Brother MFC-J1360DW Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with Duplex Printing and 1.8″ Color Display
This Brother is the closest thing here to a work printer that happens to be compact. Its 20-sheet automatic document feeder and 150-sheet paper tray put it in a different productivity class than the Canon TS3720 or HP 2855e, neither of which offers an ADF at all — a real difference if you scan multipage contracts or school forms. At 16 ppm black it prints roughly twice as fast as the budget Canons, and the 1.8-inch color display beats the TS6520’s monochrome OLED for navigating settings. The tradeoff is ink: Brother’s LC501 cartridge series isn’t cheap, and unlike the HP there’s no subscription cushion.
Pros:- 20-sheet ADF makes multipage scanning and copying genuinely practical
- Fastest print speeds in this batch at 16 ppm black
- 150-sheet paper capacity means far fewer refills
- Both wireless and USB connectivity plus cloud app integration
Cons:- LC501 ink series carries high replacement costs
- Color printing at 9 ppm still lags office laser alternatives
- 1.8-inch display is small for the feature depth on offer
Best for: Small-office and work-from-home users who regularly scan multi-page documents and print in moderate volume
Not ideal for: Occasional photo printers — this is built for documents, and the LC501 ink gets pricey if pages stay light
- Printer Type:All-in-one inkjet
- Connectivity:Wireless, USB
- Display:1.8-inch color
- Automatic Duplex Printing:Yes
- Document Feeder:20-sheet ADF
- Paper Capacity:150 sheets
- Print Speed:16 ppm black / 9 ppm color
- Ink Series:Brother LC501
Our verdict“The pick for anyone whose compact printer needs to earn its keep in a home office, thanks to the ADF and paper capacity the cheaper models skip.”
Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer for Home Use
If the idea of configuring a printer makes you tense, the TS3720 is the gentlest entry point in this lineup. Setup is genuinely simple, ink is just two easy-to-swap cartridges, and the 1.5-inch LCD plus dual-band Wi-Fi get you printing from a phone within minutes. It even handles an unusually wide mix of media for the price — envelopes, banners, photo paper — where the HP DeskJet 2855e sticks to basics. What you give up is meaningful: no automatic duplex printing (the step-up Canon TS4320 adds it), and color pages crawl out at 4 ppm. For a household printing recipes, tickets, and school sheets, those limits rarely bite.
Pros:- Genuinely beginner-friendly wireless setup with mobile printing
- Handles diverse media: envelopes, photos, banners, high-resolution paper
- Two-cartridge ink system keeps maintenance dead simple
- Dual-band Wi-Fi at a budget price
Cons:- No automatic duplex printing — every two-sided job is manual
- Slow 4 ppm color printing tests patience
- Feature set stops at basic print, copy, scan
Best for: First-time printer owners and non-technical households who value painless setup over speed
Not ideal for: Anyone printing double-sided documents regularly — manual flipping gets old fast compared to duplex-equipped rivals
- Functions:Print, copy, scan
- Print Speed (Black):7.7 ppm
- Print Speed (Color):4 ppm
- Ink:2 easy-to-replace cartridges
- Display:1.5-inch LCD
- Connectivity:Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz)
- Media Support:Envelopes, photos, banners, high-resolution paper
- Warranty:1 year
Our verdict“The easiest printer here to set up and live with casually, as long as you never need fast output or two-sided printing.”
Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer with Print, Copy, Scan
The TS4320 occupies a smart middle ground: it delivers automatic two-sided printing at a price closer to the entry-level Canon TS3720 than the flagship TS6520. That single feature is the pitch — if you print lots of documents and hate flipping paper, this is the cheapest route here. Its dual-band Wi-Fi matches the TS6520, so network reliability isn’t sacrificed, and the EPEAT Silver / ENERGY STAR certifications appeal to buyers tracking efficiency. Compared with the TS6520, you accept plainer overall polish and the same 8.5″ x 11″ size ceiling; compared with the Brother MFC-J1360DW, you lose the ADF but save real money. The two-cartridge ink system remains the long-term cost weak point for heavy users.
Pros:- Automatic two-sided printing at one of the lowest prices in the roundup
- Dual-band Wi-Fi usually reserved for pricier models
- EPEAT Silver and ENERGY STAR certified for efficiency
- Simple setup with solid mobile printing support
Cons:- Capped at 8.5″ x 11″ media
- Two-cartridge ink design raises long-term running costs
- No document feeder for multipage scanning
Best for: Budget-conscious document printers who specifically want automatic duplex without paying for premium features
Not ideal for: Volume printers watching cost per page — the hybrid two-cartridge system gets expensive over time
- Printer Type:All-in-one inkjet
- Functions:Print, copy, scan with automatic 2-sided printing
- Connectivity:Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz)
- Max Media Size:8.5″ x 11″
- Cartridge System:2-cartridge hybrid ink
- Certifications:EPEAT Silver, ENERGY STAR
Our verdict“The most affordable way to get automatic duplex printing in a compact desktop frame — buy it for that feature, skip it if you need an ADF or low cost per page.”
HP DeskJet 2955 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
The HP DeskJet 2955 earns its place by keeping things simple and sustainable. Built with at least 70% recycled plastics, it stands out in a lineup where most competitors make no such claim — a genuine draw for buyers who care about their footprint. Compared with the Canon PIXMA TR4720, it forgoes the fax and auto document feeder in exchange for a lower price and a slightly tighter footprint, which matters on a crowded desk. The LCD control panel makes setup approachable for non-technical households, and the bundled 3-month Instant Ink trial means ink arrives before you run dry. The tradeoff is speed: at 7.5 ppm black, this model is slower than the HP DeskJet 4355 and best reserved for occasional printing rather than weekly batches.
Pros:- Made with at least 70% recycled plastics and ENERGY STAR certified
- Simple LCD control panel that makes wireless setup painless
- 3-month Instant Ink trial prevents surprise ink shortages
- Very affordable entry point for occasional color printing
Cons:- No auto document feeder, so multi-page scanning is manual
- Print speed of 7.5 ppm black is slow for anything beyond light home use
- Instant Ink becomes a recurring cost after the free trial ends
Best for: Eco-conscious students and small households that print a few pages a week and want cheap ink delivered automatically
Not ideal for: Anyone who prints in volume or needs an auto document feeder for scanning stacks of pages — the 2955 lacks both speed and ADF convenience
- Functions:Print, scan, copy
- Print Speed:Up to 7.5 ppm black, 5.5 ppm color
- Input Tray Capacity:60 sheets
- Connectivity:Wireless, mobile printing
- Ink Program:3-month Instant Ink trial included
- Sustainability:At least 70% recycled plastics
- Certifications:ENERGY STAR, EPEAT
Our verdict“Buy this if you want the cheapest low-hassle wireless all-in-one with an eco angle, and skip it if you ever need to scan more than a couple of sheets at a time.”
Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer
If the DeskJet 2955 is a basic household printer, the Canon PIXMA TR4720 is the step up for people who actually work from home. Its auto document feeder and auto 2-sided printing are features HP’s budget models skip entirely, and both save real time when you handle multi-page invoices or contracts. Fax capability rounds out a true 4-in-1 design, and the 100-sheet tray outpaces the 60-sheet capacity of both HP DeskJets in this lineup, meaning fewer refill interruptions. Alexa-enabled smart reorders keep ink stocked without a subscription. The compromises: at roughly 8.8 ipm black and 4.4 ipm color, output isn’t fast, and photos take about a minute per 4×6 — so photo-heavy users may prefer a dedicated photo model like the PIXMA TS6520.
Pros:- Auto document feeder and automatic two-sided printing at a budget price
- True 4-in-1 design with fax included
- 100-sheet paper capacity beats most compact rivals
- Alexa smart ink reorders with no subscription required
Cons:- Color print speed of 4.4 ipm is among the slowest here
- No duplex scanning despite the ADF
- Photo printing takes roughly 65 seconds per 4×6 print
Best for: Remote workers and home offices that regularly scan, copy, fax, and duplex-print multi-page documents
Not ideal for: Photo enthusiasts or high-volume print shops — photo output is slow and running costs climb quickly with heavy use
- Functions:Print, copy, scan, fax
- Print Speed:Approx. 8.8 ipm black, 4.4 ipm color
- Photo Speed:Approx. 65 seconds per 4×6 borderless photo
- Paper Capacity:100 sheets
- Duplex Printing:Automatic
- Auto Document Feeder:Yes
- Smart Features:Alexa low-ink notifications and smart reorder
- Power Consumption:7W active, 0.8W standby
- Certifications:ENERGY STAR, 1-year limited warranty
Our verdict“This is the most capable all-rounder for a small home office that needs fax, ADF, and duplex printing without paying business-class prices.”
Canon PIXMA TR160 Color Wireless Portable Printer
The Canon PIXMA TR160 is the only truly mobile option in this roundup, and that single fact defines who should buy it. While the HP DeskJet 2955 and Canon TR4720 are compact by desktop standards, they still need a wall outlet and a permanent spot — the TR160 slips into a bag and prints full-size 8.5″ x 11″ documents from a phone via AirPrint, Mopria, or wireless direct mode with no router at all. Its 5-color hybrid ink system produces noticeably better photos than the two-ink budget DeskJets. What you give up is substantial: there’s no scanner, no copying, no auto duplex, and the running cost per page is high if you print more than a handful of documents a week. This model makes the most sense for real mobility, not home-office duty.
Pros:- Genuinely lightweight and battery-ready portability
- Wireless direct mode prints without a Wi-Fi router
- 5-color hybrid ink system delivers above-average photo quality
- 1.44-inch OLED display simplifies mobile operation
Cons:- No scan, copy, or fax functions at all
- Missing automatic duplex printing
- High per-page ink costs make it impractical for regular volume printing
Best for: Traveling salespeople, students, and van-life or event workers who need to print documents on the spot
Not ideal for: Anyone with a fixed desk — you give up scanning, copying, and duplex printing versus similarly priced desktop all-in-ones like the TR4720
- Type:Portable color inkjet printer
- Print Size:Up to 8.5″ x 11″
- Color System:5-color hybrid ink system
- Connectivity:Wireless, Wireless Direct Mode, AirPrint, Mopria
- Display:1.44-inch OLED
- Functions:Print only
- Duplex Printing:No
Our verdict“Pick the TR160 only if portability is non-negotiable; if your printer never leaves the desk, the TR4720 gives you far more capability for the money.”
HP DeskJet 4355 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
Think of the HP DeskJet 4355 as the DeskJet 2955 with the one feature that actually matters: a 35-sheet auto document feeder. For a small price bump over its sibling, you get multi-page scanning and copying without babysitting the flatbed — something only the Canon TR4720 also offers in this lineup, and usually at a higher cost. It also prints faster, at 8.5 ppm black, and its dual-band Wi-Fi holds a steadier connection on congested home networks than single-band budget models. The eco story carries over with 70% recycled plastics, and Instant Ink arrives with a 3-month trial. The tradeoff is modest capacity — the 60-sheet tray is half the TR4720’s 100 sheets, and like most budget inkjets, per-page ink costs climb fast if you print heavily without a subscription.
Pros:- 35-sheet auto document feeder at a budget-friendly price
- Fastest black print speed among HP’s compact DeskJets here
- Dual-band Wi-Fi for a more stable home network connection
- 70% recycled plastic construction with ENERGY STAR certification
Cons:- 60-sheet input tray requires frequent refills compared with the Canon TR4720
- Ink subscription becomes an ongoing cost after the trial
- No automatic duplex printing at this price
Best for: Budget-conscious families who want ADF scanning, copying, and reliable wireless printing for homework and household paperwork
Not ideal for: High-volume users or small offices — slow-ish color speeds, a small paper tray, and ink subscription dependence make it costly at scale
- Functions:Print, scan, copy
- Print Speed (Black):8.5 ppm
- Print Speed (Color):5.5 ppm
- Input Tray Capacity:60 sheets
- Auto Document Feeder:35 sheets
- Connectivity:Wireless, dual-band Wi-Fi, mobile printing
- Recycled Content:70% recycled plastics
- Certifications:ENERGY STAR, EPEAT
Our verdict“This is the smartest value pick if you want ADF convenience and dependable wireless printing under a tight budget, provided your print volumes stay light.”
How We Picked
I evaluated each printer through the specific lens of compact desktop use: physical footprint relative to capability, ease of setup for a home or dorm desk, printing speed and quality for everyday documents, and the real cost of ownership over the first two years of ink. Models that justified more desk space with features like duplex printing, an auto document feeder, or a display panel ranked higher than similarly sized machines without them. I also weighed connectivity — Wi-Fi, mobile printing support, and how painless the app experience is — because a printer that fights your phone never stays on a desk for long.
The ranking logic favors features-per-square-inch first, then running costs, then price. That’s why the Brother MFC-J1360DW leads despite not being the cheapest: it packs duplex printing, scanning, fax, and a color display into a footprint smaller than some budget models here. Single-function or portable units like the Canon TR160 were judged against their intended niche rather than punished for lacking scanners, but they rank lower for general desktop duty because most buyers in this category want an all-in-one.
| compact desktop printer | Connectivity | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Co | Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz) | — |
| HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All- | — | Print, copy, scan |
| Brother MFC-J1360DW Wireless C | Wireless, USB | — |
| Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless Al | Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) | Print, copy, scan |
| Canon PIXMA TS4320 Wireless Co | Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Print, copy, scan with automatic 2-sided printing |
| HP DeskJet 2955 Wireless All-i | Wireless, mobile printing | Print, scan, copy |
| Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One | — | Print, copy, scan, fax |
| Canon PIXMA TR160 Color Wirele | Wireless, Wireless Direct Mode, AirPrint, Mopria | Print only |
| HP DeskJet 4355 Wireless All-i | Wireless, dual-band Wi-Fi, mobile printing | Print, scan, copy |
Factors to Consider When Choosing Compact Desktop Printers
Choosing a compact desktop printer involves more than picking the smallest box. These are the factors that actually change how satisfied you’ll be six months after purchase.Footprint vs. Functionality
The most common mistake buyers make is chasing the smallest possible printer and then discovering it can’t do what they need. Measure your actual desk space first — including clearance for the output tray and paper loading, which often extends the effective footprint by several inches beyond the listed dimensions. A printer with an auto document feeder is slightly deeper but saves you from hand-feeding every page when scanning, which matters weekly if not daily. Similarly, a model with a front-loading paper cassette protects paper from dust and lets you push the printer flush against a wall, whereas rear-feed designs need headroom behind them. Decide which functions you’ll genuinely use — most home users never touch fax, but scan-to-phone is used constantly. The right compact printer shrinks the size of the machine, not the scope of what it can do.
Ink Costs Will Dwarf the Purchase Price
Every printer in this category uses inexpensive hardware subsidized by ink sales, and that shapes the whole market. A $70 printer can easily consume $150–$300 in cartridges over two years of moderate use, so the sticker price is the smallest part of the equation. Check the page yield and price of replacement cartridges before committing — the difference between a 100-page tri-color cartridge and a 200-page one compounds fast. Multi-cartridge designs (separate color tanks) beat single tri-color cartridges because you only replace the color that runs out. HP’s Instant Ink subscription can flatten costs for predictable-volume printers, but it penalizes low-volume users who pay monthly even when idle. Run a rough estimate of your monthly page count and multiply it out; that number, not the retail price, is the real comparison.
Duplex Printing: Small Feature, Big Daily Impact
Automatic duplex printing is quietly one of the highest-value features in this segment, and it’s surprisingly rare at budget prices. Manually flipping every sheet to print double-sided turns a 20-page document into a tedious chore and doubles your paper consumption. If you print reports, schoolwork, or anything you’ll file or read on paper, a duplex-capable model pays for its slightly higher price within months through paper savings alone. Models without auto duplex will print double-sided only through manual re-feeding, which most people abandon after two attempts. This single feature separated the top of this lineup from the middle more clearly than any speed or resolution spec.
Connectivity and App Experience
Modern compact printers live or die by their software as much as their hardware. Wi-Fi with a stable mobile app means you can print from a phone without booting a laptop, and support for AirPrint or Mopria removes app installation entirely for one-off guests or family members. Watch for account requirements during setup — some manufacturers push mandatory cloud registration that adds friction and can lock features behind ongoing terms you didn’t expect. A printer with a small display panel is easier to troubleshoot because error states and Wi-Fi status are visible at a glance instead of decoded through blinking lights. If multiple people or devices will share the printer, prioritize models with a proven multi-user app experience over slightly better print specs.
Speed and Duty Cycle Expectations
Compact inkjets are not fast machines, and pretending otherwise leads to disappointment. Most models in this range print 5–11 pages per minute in black, which is fine for homework and shipping labels but painful for a 60-page report. Manufacturer speed ratings are measured in draft mode; real-world default-quality output typically runs 30–50% slower. More telling than speed is the monthly duty cycle — the volume the printer is built to sustain. Exceed it regularly and you’ll face paper jams, worn rollers, and premature printhead failure. If your printing involves regular bursts of 30+ pages, a slightly larger and sturdier machine will cost less in frustration than pushing a compact model past its design limits.
Portable vs. Compact: Know Which You Need
These terms get used interchangeably, but they describe different products. A compact desktop printer is a fixed all-in-one that simply occupies less desk space. A portable printer is battery-powered, single-function, and designed to travel — it trades paper capacity, speed, and scanning entirely for mobility. Buyers who conflate the two often end up returning the portable model because it can’t handle household scanning and copying. Get a portable printer only if you genuinely print outside your home — in a car, at a client site, or at events. For everyone else, a compact all-in-one with Wi-Fi covers remote printing needs just as well, since anything on your phone can reach a home printer over the network from anywhere with forwarding features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which compact printer in this lineup costs the least to own over time?
On ink economics alone, the Brother MFC-J1360DW and Canon TS6520 come out ahead because their individual ink cartridge systems let you replace only what’s empty, and both support higher-yield cartridges for a lower cost per page. The cheapest hardware — the HP DeskJet 2855e and Canon TS3720 — uses lower-yield combined cartridges that make them more expensive per page despite the low sticker price. HP models can narrow the gap through the Instant Ink subscription if your monthly volume is predictable and moderate, typically 50–100 pages. If you print fewer than 20 pages a month, the subscription math stops working and standard cartridges on any model become the cheaper route. The honest answer is that the mid-priced printers here usually win on two-year total cost.
Is the Canon PIXMA TR160 a good main printer for a small desk?
Not really, unless your needs are unusually narrow. The TR160 is a single-function portable printer — no scanner, no copier, smaller paper capacity, and slower output than any desktop model in this lineup. Its value comes from being battery-powered and fitting in a bag, which no other printer here can do. As a primary machine, the Canon TS4320 or HP DeskJet 2955 covers more tasks for less money while still having a modest footprint. Where the TR160 earns its place is as a second printer for mobile professionals — real estate agents, contractors, vendors at events — who need to hand someone a signed form on the spot. If you never print away from a wall outlet, skip it entirely.
Do I need an auto document feeder, or is a flatbed scanner enough?
If you ever scan more than one page at a time — contracts, school forms, tax documents, receipts — an ADF saves real time and is worth prioritizing. In this lineup, only the Canon PIXMA TR4720 includes one, which is why it ranks above similarly priced rivals despite its otherwise modest specs. Flatbed-only models require you to place each page individually, capture it, swap pages, and repeat, then stitch the files together yourself. For occasional single-page scans or photos, the flatbed is perfectly adequate and the ADF adds nothing. The mistake to avoid is assuming you’ll rarely scan multi-page documents; most people discover they do it far more than expected once remote paperwork, insurance claims, and school portals enter the picture. Budget for the ADF if there’s any doubt.
Are cheap compact printers like the HP DeskJet 2855e actually reliable?
They’re reliable for the workload they’re designed for — roughly 100–300 pages a month of light home use. The build quality is lighter, the paper trays hold less, and the components have less margin, but within their duty cycle these machines hold up fine for years. Problems start when they’re used as shared family or small-office workhorses: paper jams increase, printheads clog during idle periods, and the small cartridges drain quickly. The 2855e specifically benefits from HP’s polished setup and app experience, which reduces the most common failure mode of all — users giving up on Wi-Fi setup and shelving the printer. Treat it as a personal, low-volume machine and it’s a dependable bargain. Push it past that role and the mid-tier models here are the safer money.
Is duplex printing worth paying extra for in a compact printer?
For most buyers, yes — it’s one of the few features that changes behavior daily rather than occasionally. Auto duplex halves your paper consumption immediately, which partially offsets the higher purchase price through consumable savings within the first year of moderate use. It also makes longer documents practical to print and read, whereas manual flipping leads most people to default to single-sided and waste paper. In this lineup, the Canon TS6520 offers duplex printing at one of the lower prices, making it the value play if that feature is your priority, while the Brother MFC-J1360DW pairs duplex with the fullest feature set. The exception is if you print mostly photos, labels, or single-page documents — duplex adds nothing there, and a cheaper single-sided model is the smarter buy.
Conclusion
Match the printer to the buyer, not the spec sheet. For the best overall, the Brother MFC-J1360DW is the safest recommendation — duplex printing, a color display, full all-in-one functionality, and reasonable ink costs in a footprint no larger than the budget models. The best value is the Canon PIXMA TS6520, which brings automatic duplex printing to a lower price than anything else here. For budget buyers and beginners, the HP DeskJet 2855e offers the friendliest setup and app experience, while the Canon PIXMA TS3720 suits first-time printer owners who want dead-simple operation. The best premium-leaning choice for home-office productivity is the Canon PIXMA TR4720, the only model with an auto document feeder plus fax. And for the specific need of mobile printing, the Canon PIXMA TR160 is in a class of its own — just don’t buy it as your only printer. Everyone else choosing between the middle of the lineup should let two questions decide: do you need duplex, and do you scan multi-page documents? Answer those, and the right pick becomes obvious.
