Top Small Business Printers: Balancing Cost and Quality in 2025

Every small business owner knows the importance of watching the pennies. Yet, when it comes to printers, going too cheap can cost you more in the long run. The right printer isn't just a purchase—it's an investment that can either drain your resources or boost your productivity.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll help you navigate the sometimes confusing world of business printers to find that elusive sweet spot where cost meets quality.

Understanding Your Small Business Printing Needs

Before diving into printer specifications and models, take a moment to assess what your business actually needs.

Daily Print Volume

The number of pages your business prints daily is perhaps the most important factor in your decision-making process.

• Low volume (1-100 pages monthly): Occasional printing for meetings or client presentations

• Medium volume (100-500 pages monthly): Regular document production for internal and external use

• High volume (500+ pages monthly): Constant printing requirements for marketing materials, reports, or customer communications

Knowing your volume helps determine the duty cycle you need—that's the maximum number of pages a printer can handle monthly without breaking down.

Print Type Requirements

What are you actually printing? This seemingly simple question dramatically narrows down your options.

• Text documents only: Basic monochrome (black and white) printers will suffice

• Occasional colour: Entry-level colour inkjet or laser printers

• High-quality colour materials: Professional-grade colour printers with superior colour accuracy

• Marketing materials: Printers with borderless printing and special paper handling

• Wide-format printing: Specialised printers for larger documents or posters

Multifunction Needs

Many small businesses benefit from multifunction printers (MFPs) that combine printing with:

• Scanning

• Copying

• Faxing (yes, some industries still use this!)

• Document feeding for batch processing

A 2024 study by Business Print Solutions found that small businesses saved an average of £320 in office space and reduced power consumption by 15% when using MFPs instead of separate devices.

Printer Technologies: Inkjet vs. Laser

The two main printer technologies each have distinct advantages and limitations for small businesses.

Inkjet Printers

Pros:

• Lower upfront cost (typically £100-£300 for business models)

• Excellent for colour and photo printing

• More compact size for limited office space

• Can print on various media types

Cons:

• Higher cost per page (typically 5-10p per page)

• Slower print speeds

• Print heads can clog if not used regularly

• Ink cartridges dry out even when not in use

Laser Printers

Pros:

• Lower cost per page (typically 2-5p per page)

• Faster print speeds

• More durable for higher volume printing

• Toner doesn't dry out like ink

Cons:

• Higher initial investment (typically £200-£800+ for business models)

• Colour laser printers are significantly more expensive

• Larger footprint in your office

• Not as good for high-quality photos

According to the Office Equipment Trade Association, laser printers typically offer a 40% lower total cost of ownership for businesses printing more than 200 pages monthly.

Hidden Costs of Printing

The purchase price is just the beginning. Consider these ongoing expenses when calculating your true cost of ownership:

Consumables

• Ink/Toner: The most significant ongoing expense, varying wildly between models

• Drums and other components: Some printers require periodic replacement of additional parts

• Maintenance kits: Higher-end printers may need professional servicing

Energy Consumption

Modern printers vary significantly in their power usage. Look for:

• Energy Star certification

• Auto-off features that power down when not in use

• Sleep mode power consumption under 2 watts

A printer that uses just 5 watts less in standby mode saves approximately £10 yearly on your electricity bill—not massive, but it adds up across all your devices.

Paper Handling

Consider these often-overlooked factors:

• Paper capacity: Smaller trays mean more frequent refilling

• Duplex printing: Automatic double-sided printing reduces paper costs by up to 50%

• Special media handling: Can it handle the envelopes, card stock, or labels your business uses?

Top Printer Recommendations for Small Businesses in 2025

Based on extensive testing and small business feedback, these printers offer excellent value for specific business needs:

Best All-Around Multifunction Printer

Brother MFC-L8900CDW

This colour laser MFP offers robust performance with reasonable operating costs. At about £550, it's an investment that pays off through reliability and efficiency. Running costs average about 2.5p per black and white page and 12p per colour page.

Best Budget-Friendly Option

HP OfficeJet Pro 9025e

For around £280, this inkjet offers impressive business features including automatic document feeding, duplex scanning, and surprisingly economical ink usage with subscription options. Running costs average about 3.2p per black and white page and 9p per colour page with an HP Instant Ink subscription.

Best for High-Volume Printing

Kyocera ECOSYS P3155dn

This monochrome laser printer has exceptionally low running costs at just 1.2p per page. The initial £420 investment quickly pays for itself in businesses printing over 1,000 pages monthly.

Best Compact Option

Canon MAXIFY GX5050

This inkjet tank printer costs around £350 but comes with enough ink for approximately 6,000 black and white pages and 14,000 colour pages. Refill bottles are inexpensive, making this possibly the most economical small printer on the market.

Smart Features Worth Paying For

Modern business printers offer connectivity and productivity features that can justify a higher purchase price:

Cloud Connectivity

Printers with direct cloud connectivity allow:

• Printing directly from Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive

• Scanning documents directly to cloud storage

• Access to documents from anywhere

A survey by Small Business Technology Review found businesses using cloud-connected printers saved employees an average of 15 minutes daily in document handling.

Mobile Printing

With more work happening remotely, consider:

• AirPrint compatibility for Apple devices

• Mopria certification for Android

• Dedicated printer apps with advanced features

Security Features

Often overlooked but critically important:

• Secure print release (jobs only print when you're at the machine)

• Encrypted network connections

• User authentication

• Hard drive encryption for printers that store documents

The Federation of Small Businesses reported that 20% of cyber incidents in small businesses involved networked devices—including printers—in 2024.

Making the Final Decision: A Simple Framework

To find your perfect printer sweet spot, follow this framework:

1. Calculate your true monthly print volume (not what you think it might be)

2. Determine your colour requirements (none, occasional, or frequent)

3. List additional functions needed (scan, copy, fax)

4. Calculate total cost of ownership over 3 years:

   • Purchase price

   • Consumables cost × your estimated volume

   • Energy costs

   • Maintenance requirements

5. Compare at least three options that meet your technical requirements

Real-World Case Study: Thompson's Accounting Services

Sarah Thompson runs a 6-person accounting firm in Bristol. Her team was spending nearly £900 quarterly on outsourced printing before investing in a Brother MFC-L8900CDW.

"We calculated that we print approximately 1,200 black and white pages and 300 colour pages monthly, mostly client reports and tax documents," Sarah explains. "The initial £550 investment seemed steep, but we've reduced our printing costs by 68% in the first year."

Sarah's team particularly values the secure print release feature, ensuring client financial documents aren't left unattended in the print tray—a small feature with huge privacy implications in their industry.

Sustainable Printing Considerations

Environmentally conscious businesses should consider:

• Duplex printing by default to reduce paper usage

• Recyclable cartridges or subscription programs that include recycling

• Energy efficiency ratings and sleep mode power consumption

• Refillable tanks instead of disposable cartridges

The Green Business Bureau estimates that implementing these four practices reduces the environmental impact of office printing by up to 70%.

Conclusion: Balance is Key

Finding the perfect printer for your small business isn't about buying the cheapest or most expensive option. It's about understanding your specific needs and identifying where quality matters most for your operations.

Take the time to calculate your true printing costs, considering both visible and hidden expenses. The right printer should feel less like an office expense and more like a productivity tool that supports your business growth.