I think any between $150 and $100 will work if you are just using it to print papers. I totally understand your frustration with printers not working because I can't stand that either.
My printer/scanner/copier is a Canon Pixma, which I paid about over $200, 6 years ago and it still works good. I think it's worth investing a little more in a printer if it will be used for other things as well. I'd like to get a much better printer in the future that can print pro quality photos and thick papers since I use it a lot for crafting, digital art, and photography purposes and will probably pay over $500 for it.
