For most Chromebook owners the safest choice is a Wi-Fi laser or ink tank printer that advertises Mopria or AirPrint support, because ChromeOS prints through the network without any vendor driver. A monochrome laser such as the Brother HL-L2460DW or DCP-L2640DW suits students and anyone printing mostly text, a tank printer such as the Canon MegaTank G3270 or Epson EcoTank ET-2850 suits families that print a mix of homework and photos, and the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e suits a home office that needs a document feeder and fast duplex output.
Printers for Chromebook — Top Picks on Amazon
Compare the current top-rated Printers for Chromebook with live pricing and verified customer reviews.
Check Price on AmazonPrice & availability shown on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.How Chromebook printing actually works
ChromeOS does not install the driver packages that Windows users are used to. Instead it talks to the printer over the local network using the standard IPP protocol, the same family of technology behind Apple AirPrint and the Mopria Print Service. Roundups of Chromebook printers consistently say that a Mopria-certified or AirPrint-capable printer shows up in the Chromebook print dialog on its own once both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. Google also runs a “Works with Chromebook” badge program, and some Canon PIXMA models are listed by reviewers as carrying it.
The practical consequence is simple: shop for the protocol, not just the brand. Look for the words Mopria, AirPrint or IPP Everywhere in the maker’s specification list. Printers that only offer a proprietary app or a Windows-only driver can be awkward or impossible to use from a Chromebook.
One caveat that reviewers repeat is scanning. Printing is usually driverless, but scanning from a Chromebook can need the maker’s mobile app or an extra step, so if scanning matters, read the maker’s support page for your exact model before buying.
At a glance: printers that suit a Chromebook
| Model | Type | Best for | Stated features | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother HL-L2460DW | Mono laser, print only | Students, text-heavy printing | Automatic duplex, dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet (per review roundups) | No scanner, no color |
| Brother DCP-L2640DW | Mono laser all-in-one | Households that also scan or copy | One roundup lists 36 ppm and a 50-sheet document feeder | Scanning from ChromeOS may need extra steps |
| Canon PIXMA G3270 MegaTank | Refillable ink tank | Low running cost, occasional photos | AirPrint and Mopria; about 6,000 black and 7,700 color pages per bottle set as reported by reviewers | No automatic duplex, flatbed only |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2850 | Refillable ink tank | Budget tank printer with duplex | Epson lists 7,500 black and 6,000 color pages; automatic two-sided printing; Mopria | No document feeder, no Ethernet |
| Epson EcoTank ET-4850 | Refillable ink tank | Home office with higher volume | Duplex, 30-sheet feeder, fax, 250-sheet tray per TechRadar | Larger and costlier up front |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e | Color inkjet all-in-one | Home office | 22 ppm black and 18 ppm color, 35-sheet feeder, Ethernet, 250-sheet capacity | HP+ and cartridge restrictions apply |
| Canon imageCLASS MF665Cdw | Color laser all-in-one | Offices and schools needing color | Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet and Mopria per RTINGS | Larger footprint, toner is a bigger purchase |
Best printers for Chromebook by use
Text and homework: a mono laser
If the printer mostly produces essays, worksheets and forms, a monochrome laser is the easiest to live with. Toner does not dry out between uses, a single cartridge covers many pages, and the output is sharp. The Brother HL-L2460DW is repeatedly named a value or overall pick in 2026 roundups, which report automatic duplex, dual-band Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port. Speed figures differ between sources (some list 36 pages per minute, another 32), so treat the speed as a rough guide and read the maker’s page if it matters to you.
If you also want to scan and copy, the Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW share a review page at RTINGS, which gives the MFC-L2820DW a 9.0 out of 10 and calls it an excellent monochrome all-in-one for small offices, with strong page yields and good scans. The MFC adds fax. A reported weak spot is that some owners must reconnect the wireless link manually after network changes.
Mixed use and photos: an ink tank
Tank printers fill from bottles rather than cartridges, which is why reviewers describe their cost per page as very low. The Canon G3270 is a common budget pick: TechRadar calls it a cheap MegaTank printer that suits images, while noting there is no automatic duplex and no front paper drawer. The Epson ET-2850 adds automatic two-sided printing and, according to Epson, ships with ink that it says equals up to two years of printing at about 150 pages per month. Both are flatbed-only, so scanning a stack of pages is a manual job.
If the household prints more, the Epson ET-4850 is the model TechRadar’s reviewer calls their favorite home printer. It adds a 30-sheet feeder, fax and a larger paper tray, and the reviewer found documents excellent while photos on photo paper were a little disappointing.
Home office: HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e
The HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e is a frequent pick for home offices. Specification sheets list 22 pages per minute in black, 18 in color, automatic duplex, a 35-sheet feeder with single-pass two-sided scanning, and Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB. The trade-off is HP’s ecosystem: the printer is HP+ enabled, and HP states it is intended to work only with cartridges carrying an HP chip. If you prefer third-party ink, a tank printer or a Brother laser avoids that.
Color for a classroom or office: a color laser
The Canon imageCLASS MF665Cdw is the model RTINGS reportedly names among its best tested options for ChromeOS. The Brother HL-L3280CDW is a cheaper color laser that RTINGS scores 7.6 out of 10, praising wide connectivity and a high page yield with relatively inexpensive toner, while noting that the missing scanner may be a dealbreaker.
Best printers for laptops, Dell laptops, Linux and schools
The same logic that applies to Chromebooks covers other laptops. For Windows laptops, including Dell models, Windows can add many modern network printers on its own and the maker’s driver is available if you want extra features. Because the printer connects to your network, not to a particular laptop brand, the model that works for a Chromebook works just as well for a Dell, Lenovo or HP laptop. A Mac uses AirPrint in the same driverless way.
Linux users should look for IPP Everywhere, AirPrint or Mopria in the spec list. Guides from the Debian wiki and several 2026 buyer guides explain that CUPS can query a driverless printer for its paper sizes and duplex options, so no vendor package is needed. Epson and Canon also publish Linux packages for some models, and older HP printers work through the hplip package. Brother’s HL-L2405W is named by one guide as having strong Linux compatibility, though through Brother drivers and not purely driverless.
For students, the biggest cost is usually consumables. A tank printer or a mono laser keeps the cost per page low. For schools and shared rooms, prefer models with Ethernet, a monthly duty cycle that matches the load, and automatic duplex to save paper. Canon states a duty cycle of up to 3,000 pages a month for the G3270, and HP lists a recommended monthly volume cap for its home models, so match those figures to real usage.
Setup and compatibility notes
- Put the printer and Chromebook on the same Wi-Fi network, then open the print dialog and look for the printer by name.
- If it does not appear, add it manually under the ChromeOS printer settings using its IP address, which is shown on the printer’s network status page.
- Managed school Chromebooks may restrict which printers can be added, so the administrator may need to approve it.
- Dual-band printers can sit on 2.4 GHz only; if discovery fails, check that the router is not isolating wireless devices.
- Subscription ink programs and chip-locked cartridges (HP+, Brother’s Refresh toner plan) can disable printing if you use unapproved supplies, so read the terms before enrolling.
Pick X if you…
| If you… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Print mostly text and want the simplest setup | Brother HL-L2460DW | Mono laser with duplex and Ethernet, no scanner to configure |
| Need to copy and scan as well | Brother MFC-L2820DW or DCP-L2640DW | Document feeder and strong RTINGS scores |
| Want the lowest running cost with some photos | Canon G3270 or Epson ET-2850 | Refillable tanks with large stated yields |
| Run a small home business | Epson ET-4850 or HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e | Feeder, duplex, larger trays |
| Need color documents in volume | Canon MF665Cdw or Brother HL-L3280CDW | Color laser with Ethernet and Mopria |
Alternatives worth a look
- Canon PIXMA TS3720 or TS4320: low-cost cartridge inkjets that roundups say support Mopria and AirPrint. Cartridge yields are small, so running cost is higher than a tank model.
- Xerox B230: a mono laser listed with AirPrint and Mopria and a 36 ppm engine in one roundup.
- Portable printers such as the HP OfficeJet 250 or Canon PIXMA TR160: for dorm rooms or travel, with slower speeds and higher cost per page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to install a driver to print from a Chromebook?
Usually not. ChromeOS prints over the network using IPP, so a printer that supports Mopria, AirPrint or IPP Everywhere should appear in the print dialog automatically. Only printers with Windows-only drivers tend to be a problem.
Can a Chromebook scan with an all-in-one printer?
Often, but it is less seamless than printing. Many makers provide a mobile app or a web scan page, and some models need extra setup. Read the maker’s support notes for your exact model if scanning is important.
Is a laser or an ink tank printer better for a student?
A mono laser is better for essays and forms because toner does not dry out and pages come out crisp. An ink tank is better if the student also prints diagrams, posters or photos, since it handles color at a low cost per page.
Will the same printer work with a Dell laptop or a Mac?
Yes. The printer connects to your network, so any modern Windows laptop, Mac or Chromebook can use it. Macs and iPhones use AirPrint, Windows adds many network printers by itself, and the maker supplies full drivers for extra features.
What should I look for if I use Linux?
Look for IPP Everywhere, AirPrint or Mopria on the spec sheet, because CUPS can use those printers without a vendor package. Epson and Canon also publish Linux packages for some models, and older HP printers rely on hplip.
Are subscription ink plans worth it?
They can reduce cost for steady, predictable printing, but they tie you to the maker’s supplies. HP states its HP+ printers are intended to work only with HP-chipped cartridges, and some Brother owners report problems with the Refresh toner plan, so read the terms before enrolling.
