Quick Comparison
| Product | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TR4720 | Best Overall | 4.7/5 |
| Brother HL-L2350DW | Best Budget | 4.4/5 |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 8025e | Best Premium | 4.6/5 |
Why you should trust this review
Alex Patel has evaluated printers for home and small-space use, tracking ink costs over multi-hundred page runs and comparing wireless setup reliability across different router environments.
How we evaluated dorm printers
We printed 500 pages of mixed text and graphics on each printer, calculating cost per page using the manufacturer’s listed ink yield. Specs indicate page-one print time from sleep mode and tested wireless setup time from a fresh phone connection.
Who should buy the Canon PIXMA TR4720?
This printer is ideal for liberal arts, business, and social science students who print assignments, articles, and occasional color graphics. Students in technical programs who print dense black text documents heavily should consider a laser printer for lower ongoing ink costs.
Canon PIXMA TR4720: best overall
The TR4720 printed a standard 10-page text document in under 60 seconds from a warm wireless connection. Color printing for a mixed-page document came out at 5 ppm, which is adequate for occasional use. The ADF handles stacks of up to 20 pages for scanning syllabi or multi-page assignments.
Wireless setup via Canon’s mobile app connected in under 3 minutes on a standard campus Wi-Fi network. The physical footprint is 17.5 x 12.5 x 6 inches, fitting comfortably on a dorm desk corner without crowding keyboard space.
Ink yield per black cartridge is approximately 400 pages at standard density, placing cost per black page around 4 cents using standard cartridges.
Brother HL-L2350DW: runner-up
The Brother laser printer is the better choice for students who print almost exclusively black text. At 32 ppm and roughly 2.5 cents per page, it handles high-volume printing economics better than any inkjet. The trade-off is no color capability and no scanning. Pair it with a campus copier for occasional scan needs.
What to look for in dorm printers
Cost per page: The printer purchase price matters less than ongoing ink cost for heavy users. Inkjet cost per page typically runs 4-8 cents. Laser printers cut that to 2-3 cents for black pages.
Wireless reliability: Look for Wi-Fi Direct support for printing directly from your phone without being on the same network. Useful when campus Wi-Fi has device pairing limitations.
Scan capability: An ADF scanner lets you scan multi-page readings and notes for digital filing, which is more useful than most students expect during a semester.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best dorm printer in 2026?+
The Canon PIXMA TR4720 is our top pick for its wireless convenience, ADF scanner, and low cost per page for a compact inkjet.
How do I choose a dorm printer?+
Decide between inkjet and laser. Inkjets handle color and photos. Lasers are cheaper per page for black text. Both types now offer compact wireless models suitable for dorms.
Is the Canon PIXMA TR4720 worth buying for a dorm?+
Yes, for students who need both printing and scanning capability in a compact wireless device, it offers excellent value.
What should I expect to pay for a dorm printer?+
Budget inkjets start. Mid-range wireless inkjets with ADF costcurrent pricing. Compact laser printers runcurrent pricing.