The Canon Pixma printers are economical in the sense that the standard cartridge holds more ink and obviously offers more prints. Print quality is really good. I've had my MP180 for over 2 years now and it just WORKS!
Now, HP is economical in the sense that it is far more easier to get the cartridges refilled and yes, they are widely supported. Note that their ink cartridges are smaller in capacity. HPs also tend to have sufficient built-in memory, allowing for faster processing.
I would definitely stick to these brands.