The best budget compact printer

HP's DeskJet 3755 packs several functions into a compact printer that's highly portable and great looking.

Billed as the world's smallest all-in-one inkjet printer, the HP DeskJet 3755 is ideal for occasional printing at home or tight spaces like studio apartments or dorm rooms. Despite the small footprint, it can print, copy, and scan.

To achieve the compact size, HP didn't use a flatbed scanner. Instead, the DeskJet 3755 has a Scroll Scan system that feeds paper and thin paper stocks like photo paper, similar to an automatic document feeder. However, unlike an ADF, you can't feed multiple pages at once.

The DeskJet 3755 has Wi-Fi for wireless printing and it also supports Apple AirPrint. In our testing, we found it does a good job with color documents and photos, but it is slow. Its scanner is also subpar in image quality and speed. Copy and scan functions are really extras, but this is not a printer for you if you rely on them. As a printer, it is fine if speed isn't a concern and you value its compact size more.

As with most inkjet printers, replenishing the ink cartridges will be costly if you print often. Because the DeskJet 3755's ink cartridges are small — including the high-yield options — you could be replacing them a lot. HP offers its Instant Ink program with this printer, where HP automatically sends you (for a subscription fee) new ink cartridges. You could save money with this program since HP discounts the cost of ink for subscribers. If printing is not a priority, this may not be an issue.

Pros: Space-saving design, built-in scanner, good-quality prints, photo capable, wireless

Cons: Slow and low-resolution scanning, small-capacity paper tray, not ideal for busy office workflows, low page yields per ink cartridge