Printers that print both sides for you
If you print double-sided every week, a printer with automatic duplex saves time and paper. It turns each sheet over inside the printer, so there’s nothing to reload. Look for “automatic two-sided printing” or “auto duplex” in the specifications, not “manual duplex”.
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Which type suits you
Mono laser with auto duplex
Best for: Homework, essays, forms and anything mostly text.
Lowest cost per page, toner doesn’t dry out, fast double-sided printing.
Ink tank inkjet with auto duplex
Best for: Families printing colour worksheets and photos.
Refillable tanks keep colour pages cheap. Slower than laser on long documents.
Colour laser with auto duplex
Best for: Small offices printing colour handouts and booklets.
Crisp colour text and charts, and no clogged nozzles after a quiet month.
What to check in the specs
| Spec | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Duplex | “Automatic” or “auto”. “Manual duplex” means you still turn the paper yourself. |
| Cost per page | Divide the toner or ink price by its rated page yield. Ink tanks and laser printers usually win. |
| Duplex speed | Listed in images per minute (ipm) for two-sided pages. Often about half the one-sided speed. |
| Paper tray | 150 sheets or more means fewer refills during long jobs. |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi and phone printing help when several people share one printer. |
Not ready to buy?
Your current printer can still print both sides. The manual duplex wizard works out the right page order for it, and the booklet maker handles folded booklets.
Frequently asked questions
What does automatic duplex printing mean?
The printer turns the paper over by itself and prints the second side, so you don’t need to reload anything. Look for “auto duplex” or “automatic two-sided printing” in the specifications. “Manual duplex” means you turn the paper yourself.
Are printers with automatic duplex more expensive?
Not much. Many entry-level mono laser and inkjet printers now include automatic duplex, and it often pays for itself in saved paper if you print long documents regularly.