Best Printers for Students in India: Home Use Guide

Printing assignments at a print shop adds up quickly, and last-minute queues before a submission are stressful. A printer at home saves time, and it can save money too, as long as you choose one that's cheap to run, not just cheap to buy.

This guide helps students and parents choose a printer for assignments, projects and exam notes, with HP picks matched to how much you print.

The short answer

First, do you need a printer at all?

Be honest about how much you print. If you print only 10 or 20 pages a month, a nearby print shop may cost less than buying a printer and its refills. A printer starts to make sense when you print regularly, need prints at odd hours, or need colour and scans often.

Our guide to printer running cost shows how to compare the cost per page with a print shop's rate.

How much do students print?

A rough estimate helps you choose:

• Light: a few assignments a semester, maybe 20 to 50 pages a month
• Regular: weekly assignments and notes, perhaps 100 to 300 pages a month
• Heavy: project work, exam prints and several students sharing, often 300 pages or more a month

These are sample ranges to help you think, not rules. Count your own pages for a month.

Ink tank vs laser for students

For a deeper look, read our guide to laser vs inkjet vs ink tank printers.

Do you need scan and copy?

Many students scan ID cards, certificates or notes. A multifunction printer prints, scans and copies. A print-only printer does just one thing, and costs less.

If you scan occasionally, your phone's camera or a scanning app may be enough. If you scan often, choose a multifunction.

Wi-Fi or USB?

• USB connects the printer to one computer by cable. It's simple and reliable.
• Wi-Fi lets you print from a laptop or phone without cables, and lets several devices share the printer.

If you want to print from a phone, check that the model has Wi-Fi. Some printers use USB only. Our guide to connecting an HP printer to Wi-Fi explains the setup.

Our HP picks for students

HP Smart Tank 520: the all-round student printer. It prints, scans and copies using refillable ink tanks, which keeps colour printing cheap. It prints up to 12 pages per minute in black and 5 in colour (ISO), and two-sided printing is manual. It uses a flatbed scanner, so you scan one page at a time. Check the model's connection type if you plan to print from a phone.

Choose it if: you print colour projects, charts and notes, and want print, scan and copy at a low running cost.
Skip it if: you scan stacks of pages, since it has no document feeder.

HP Smart Tank 210: the budget ink tank. HP lists it as a print-only printer that uses USB, with ink tanks and the same print speeds as the 520. It has no scanner.

Choose it if: you only need to print, and you want ink tank running costs.
Skip it if: you need scanning or copying.

HP Laser 1008a: the simple mono printer. A compact black-and-white laser printer with a USB connection. It prints up to about 20 pages per minute, and it suits notes, assignments and forms. Toner doesn't dry out, so it works well if you print only now and then.

Choose it if: you print mostly text and want something simple and reliable.
Skip it if: you need colour, scanning or Wi-Fi. Mac users should check compatibility before buying.

HP Smart Tank 750: the step-up for heavy use. Automatic two-sided printing, a 35-sheet document feeder and Wi-Fi with Ethernet. It suits a family that shares the printer, or a student who prints and scans a lot.

For a side-by-side comparison, see our guide to HP Smart Tank 210 vs 520 vs 750. For more models, see the best HP printers in India 2026.

Size, noise and where it will sit

• Hostel or shared room: choose a compact model, and check the size against your desk.
• Noise: printers make some noise while printing. Laser printers are usually quicker, so the noise is short.
• Space to refill or open: leave room to open the paper tray, the lid and the ink tank cover.

Ways to save on paper and ink

• Use draft mode for notes and rough copies.
• Print double-sided to halve your paper use.
• Print several pages per sheet for revision notes.
• Preview before printing to avoid wasted pages.
• Buy paper in bulk. See our photocopy paper.
• Use genuine ink. Check our ink bottles and cartridges.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Choosing only on the printer price and ignoring the cost of refills.
2. Buying a print-only printer when you need scanning.
3. Assuming it has Wi-Fi. Check the specifications.
4. Buying a laser if you need colour. Mono lasers don't print colour.
5. Leaving an ink tank printer unused for months, which can dry the print head.
6. Ignoring compatibility with your laptop's operating system.

After you buy

• How to connect an HP printer to Wi-Fi
• How to refill an HP Smart Tank printer
• How to scan to PDF from an HP printer

Frequently asked questions

Which printer is best for students?
For most students who print colour and need scanning, an ink tank multifunction such as the HP Smart Tank 520. For black-and-white assignments only, a simple laser such as the HP Laser 1008a.

Is an ink tank or laser printer better for home use?
Ink tank suits regular and colour printing at low cost. Laser suits black-and-white documents and occasional printing.

Do I need Wi-Fi in a student printer?
Only if you want to print from a phone or several devices. For one laptop, USB is fine.

Will a printer work with my Mac or Chromebook?
Not always. Check the printer's compatibility before buying.

Is it cheaper to use a print shop?
If you print very little, yes. If you print regularly, a printer with low running costs usually works out cheaper. See our running cost guide to compare.

Are the printers on WERY genuine?
Yes. WERY sells 100% genuine products with official brand warranty.