Add It Up With The Best Calculators

During testing, I used the Helect Calculator to do some accounting for my painting business and had no problems. The buttons provided excellent feedback, and the response time was instant even when I was working quickly. The contrasting readout worked well in the natural light of my studio. The solar panel was fairly weak, and I found that battery power was the best bet for continuous use as the single AA battery kept it going. It is worth noting that I live in the often cloudy pacific northwest, so anything solar-powered often doesn’t get much sun in the spring and winter months.

As a second test, I sent the Helect desktop calculator to work with my roommate, an accountant. During testing, she found that the angle was slightly too aggressive for her wrist, which is often plagued by carpal tunnel. Another item we both noticed during testing is that the comma and decimal on the LCD readout looked very similar, which was confusing. The commas were actually on the top of the screen, while the decimal inhabited the bottom, but it was still weird. Read the in-depth review here.

The gold standard and one of the best graphing calculators for students is the TI-84 PLUS CE. As I entered high school and more advanced math classes, teachers requested we bring our own calculators. My mother refused to spend the $100 and some change dollars it would have cost to have my own TI-84, so I went through school borrowing calculators and very likely frustrating my math teachers. At the ripe age of 27, and with zero math classes ahead of me (hopefully), I finally have that TI-84 that I never got as a teenager, thanks to this guide. Take that, Mom! To be fair, if I had a child who needed a $100 calculator, I’d be skeptical too. But still.

Utilizing the TI-84’s basic operations is fairly straightforward. The backlit color screen is a significant step above the calculators of my past and it weighs under a pound at 11.99 ounces. If you want to get the most out of this high-end calculator, perusing the manual and some tutorial videos would be wise. With so much functionality in such a small device, navigating to the feature you want can be quite the task. Additionally, downloadable applications enhance the capabilities of this device to serve specific uses. Read the in-depth review here.

The TI-84’s biggest rival is the Casio Touchscreen Graphing Calculator. Weighing in at almost an ounce more than the TI-84 and offering similar functionality at a lower price, this model from Casio makes a strong case. The color screen makes creating easy-to-read graphs a breeze. While you lose some functionality of the TI-84, this device is still comparable and excellent for high school and college students. 

One drawback is the four AA batteries required for operation, which make the device a bit weighty, and they will need to be replaced when they die versus recharges. Other than that, the Casio touchscreen graphing calculator offers easy-to-use functionality at a surprisingly reasonable price which scores it a spot on our list. 

Casio took touchscreen technology and made a strong but impressive divergence from models like the TI-84 and PRIZM FX-CG50 with the Casio Touchscreen Graphing Calculator. While you are probably used to operating a calculator with its buttons, most of the functionality in this device is accessed through the screen with an included stylus and a series of menus with numerical buttons and a few others to assist.

This calculator directly rivals the TI Nspire CX II CAS and is an excellent choice for calculus students and above with its advanced computer algebra system. To power this behemoth (It weighs slightly more than a pound) of a calculator, you’ll need four AAA batteries. 

Like many advanced graphing calculators, the Texas Instruments TI-Nspire CX II Color Graphing Calculator takes quite a learning curve to unlock its full functionality. This calculator is one of the more advanced options on the market and is excellent for most math except trigonometry. The full color, high-resolution LCD backlit screen is easy to see and offers crisp lines for all your graphing needs. 

This calculator does boast a truly impressive amount of advanced features and, because of this, is not allowed for some college tests. You should verify with your academic institution if this model is acceptable before purchasing. Lastly, you can download additional applications or program functionality for your specific uses to round out this already powerful beast. Our guide to the best label makers features more cool additions to your office equipment. Check them out.

For a budget-friendly option that makes quick work of simple math problems, the Septo Desk Calculator is the answer. Large, sensitive buttons are hard to miss, and the sizeable screen is easy to read. Weighing in at under five ounces, this model is easily handled or thrown back in a drawer of your home office desk for when you need it. Due to the low cost, this simple calculator makes an excellent choice for buying in bulk for an office. 

While this device is not ergonomically ideal for long-term use, it is excellent for tackling quick issues and problems that just can’t be done in your head. Two power options are available for the Septo calculator. One AA battery will be the most effective power source, and you can use solar power in a pinch.

Our favorite printing calculator is the Casio HR-100TM Mini Desktop Printing Calculator. Its size makes it easy to fit on a desk without appearing clunky. The large single-line display holds 12 characters. This printing calculator is an excellent choice for businesses as it offers simple functions, grand total, cost sale margins, a full decimal system, and tax and currency exchange functionality. 

This device prints two lines per second in up to two colors on a 2.25-inch paper roll. Keystrokes are stored in a buffer, so nothing will be lost if you type faster than it can print. Because this is not a thermal printer, replacement plain paper rolls are acceptable.