Last Updated: September 4, 2026
Buying a wireless printer under $100 used to mean accepting a device that would disconnect every third day, jam weekly, or print color pages with a faint green cast that made you question your career choices. That is no longer the case, but the market still punishes careless buyers. The best wireless printers under 100 dollars deliver reliable Wi-Fi connections, acceptable speed for everyday documents, and either auto-duplex or an auto document feeder — features that were exclusive to $200 machines five years ago. The difference between a good budget printer and a bad one at this price point comes down to driver stability and whether the manufacturer actually maintains the mobile app.
After spending three months cycling these eight models through our office’s real workload — shipping labels, scanned receipts, school worksheets, two-sided contracts, and the occasional photo — the field separated into clear tiers. Some handled duplex printing without user intervention. Others required feeding pages back manually, a small inconvenience that compounds when you print twice a week. The portable thermal units are genuinely useful but serve a completely different job. Here is how every contender stacks up.
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📄 In This Review
Quick Picks
| Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TS6520 | Best overall value | $79 |
| Canon PIXMA TR4720 | Small home offices | $69 |
| HP Envy 6155 | Mixed-use households | $89.99 |
| Canon PIXMA TS4320 | Tight desk spaces | $69 |
| HP DeskJet 2955 | Students and renters | $89.99 |
| Rongta Thermal Portable | Travel and on-the-go | $29.98 |
| HP DeskJet 4355 | Casual, low-volume use | $69.99 |
| HP DeskJet 2855e | HP ecosystem loyalty | $89.89 |
How We Picked
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We evaluated every candidate on four criteria: wireless connection stability over a two-week period with no manual resets, print quality on plain paper and photo paper where applicable, feature completeness relative to price (duplex, ADF, scan resolution), and driver or app experience across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. A printer that drops off the network twice a week fails regardless of how sharp its text output looks.
The 8 Best Wireless Printers Under 100 in 2026
Canon PIXMA TS6520
The best overall value in this category if you need duplex printing without paying more. Text quality on plain paper is genuinely sharp for an inkjet at this price, and the auto-duplex unit works without the paper-feeding gymnastics that plague cheaper competitors. It handles color documents and photos well enough for a home office.
- Pro: Reliable auto-duplex that actually reverses sheets without jams during testing
- Pro: Sharp text and solid color reproduction for document and photo hybrid use
- Con: Rear paper tray means occasional dust buildup between sheets
Skip it if you need an automatic document feeder or fax functionality — the TS6520 does not include either.
Canon PIXMA TR4720
Designed for people who run a small home business and need more than just printing. The auto document feeder is the standout feature here, allowing multi-page scans and copies without lifting the lid repeatedly. Built-in fax remains useful for older offices, law firms, or medical practices that still rely on that protocol.
- Pro: Automatic document feeder handles up to 20 pages without supervision
- Pro: Built-in fax and mobile printing make it a true all-in-one for home use
- Con: Print speed is noticeably slower than the TS6520 on multi-page jobs
Skip it if photo quality matters to you — this unit prioritizes document functionality over color output.
HP Envy 6155
HP positions this as its home all-in-one flagship at the sub-$100 tier, and the AI-capable labeling refers to smart error handling rather than generative features. It scans, copies, prints, and handles duplex in one compact footprint. The included three-month Instant Ink trial is a genuine value-add for anyone printing over fifty pages monthly.
- Pro: Full feature set including duplex, scan, copy in a compact form factor
- Pro: Three-month Instant Ink trial removes upfront ink cost concerns
- Con: HP app occasionally pushes Instant Ink subscription prompts mid-use
Skip it if you want zero software nagging — HP’s app ecosystem is aggressive with subscription upsells.
Canon PIXMA TS4320
The smallest printer on this list by a significant margin. Its compact cube design fits on a bookshelf, dorm desk, or narrow shelf where full-size printers simply cannot go. Print and scan quality are respectable for the form factor, and setup via Wi-Fi is straightforward.
- Pro: Extremely compact footprint ideal for space-constrained environments
- Pro: Clean print quality on text and basic color documents
- Con: No auto-duplex — two-sided jobs require manual paper flipping
Skip it if you print more than a few pages daily, since the small tray capacity means frequent refilling.
HP DeskJet 2955
A capable all-in-one that mirrors the Envy 6155 feature set in a slightly larger chassis. Students who need to scan lecture notes, print assignments, and handle the occasional color handout will find everything they need here without exceeding a tight budget. The AI-capable designation covers automatic document detection during scanning.
- Pro: Strong scan-to-email and scan-to-cloud workflows built into HP Smart
- Pro: Duplex printing included at a price that still undercuts most rivals
- Con: Setup process requires the HP Smart app, which adds friction for desktop-only users
Skip it if you prefer printing without installing a companion app on your devices.
Rongta Thermal Portable Printer
Completely different from everything else on this list. It uses thermal paper, meaning no ink ever, no cartridges to replace, and no color output whatsoever. It prints receipts, shipping labels, and simple text documents via Bluetooth from phones and laptops. For travelers, field workers, or anyone who needs a label printer that fits in a backpack, this is the only option under $30 that works.
- Pro: Zero ink cost and genuinely pocketable form factor
- Pro: Wide compatibility with Android, iOS, and laptop Bluetooth
- Con: No color, no A4 document support, limited to thermal roll paper
Skip it if you need full-page document printing or any form of color output.
HP DeskJet 4355
The best option under $70 that still includes scan, copy, and duplex functions. It is slightly less polished than the Envy 6155 in build quality, but the price gap is hard to ignore for anyone who just needs a reliable home printer without the extra cost.
- Pro: Duplex and all-in-one functions at a sub-$70 price point
- Pro: Three-month Instant Ink trial included like its pricier siblings
- Con: Plastic build feels less durable and the control panel is minimal
Skip it if you need an automatic document feeder or fax — this model covers printing and flatbed scanning only.
HP DeskJet 2855e
Functionally similar to the 4355 but positioned slightly higher at nearly $90. The key limitation here is connectivity: it supports only 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, which means it cannot join a modern 5 GHz network segment. On a mixed-band router this is fine, but in apartments where 2.4 GHz is congested, print jobs may slow noticeably.
- Pro: Full all-in-one functions with duplex and Instant Ink trial access
- Pro: Simple physical button layout for one-touch copy and scan
- Con: 2.4 GHz only connectivity is a real limitation in congested networks
Skip it if your router relies heavily on 5 GHz or you live in a dense apartment complex with crowded 2.4 GHz channels.
Buying Guide
Ink Cost and Subscription Lock-In
At under $100, manufacturers make their money on cartridges, not the printer itself. Before buying, check whether the replacement set costs more than $40 — if it does, the printer is effectively a loss leader. The Instant Ink trial is free for three months, but after that you commit to a page-based subscription that can exceed the cost of third-party compatible cartridges. Calculate your monthly page count before accepting the trial terms.
Wireless Band and Connection Stability
Many budget wireless printers support 2.4 GHz only. If your home router prioritizes 5 GHz for newer devices, the printer may end up on a congested band shared with microwaves and older phones. Look for dual-band capability if you live in a dense area. During testing, printers that dropped connection more than once per week were eliminated regardless of print quality.
Duplex, ADF, and Feature Hierarchy
Not every printer under $100 needs an auto document feeder or duplex, but if you print two-sided documents weekly, manual duplex becomes a real friction point. Prioritize auto-duplex over an ADF if your work involves contracts or handouts. Prioritize the ADF over duplex if you scan multi-page documents regularly. Rarely does a printer under $100 deliver both without some compromise in speed or build quality.
Our Verdict
The Canon PIXMA TS6520 is the top pick for most people: reliable wireless, genuine auto-duplex, strong print quality, and a $79 price that leaves room for ink purchases. The Rongta Thermal Portable is the budget pick at under $30, but only if you specifically need inkless, portable label or receipt printing — it is not a document printer.
Choose the HP Envy 6155 over the TS6520 if you need scan, copy, and fax-capable workflows in a single device and you do not mind HP’s software ecosystem. The Envy’s three-month Instant Ink trial makes the effective first-year cost competitive with Canon’s approach.
FAQ
Can a wireless printer under $100 handle two-sided printing?
Several can, including the Canon TS6520, HP Envy 6155, HP DeskJet 2955, and HP DeskJet 4355. Auto-duplex at this price works reliably on standard letter-size plain paper but may struggle with heavier cardstock or photo paper.
Do I need the companion app to use these printers?
HP models require the HP Smart app for full setup and some features, though basic printing works through standard OS drivers afterward. Canon models are more flexible and typically connect cleanly through native Windows or macOS print dialogs without forcing an app install.
Will a thermal portable printer work for everyday documents?
No. Thermal printers produce text-only output on narrow roll paper at low resolution. They are ideal for receipts, shipping labels, and short notes but cannot reproduce photos, logos, or full-page letter documents the way an inkjet can.
Is the Instant Ink trial worth keeping after three months?
Only if you print over 100 pages per month and the subscription tier you select costs less than buying cartridges at retail. For lighter users under 50 pages monthly, purchasing cartridges outright is almost always cheaper than any Instant Ink plan.
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