Article last updated March 7, 2023
There are a number of things in our lives that we can expect to wear down and need replacement. Whether it's something simple like a pair of shoes, or a complex machine like a car; everything has a lifespan.
The same can be said of printers, though the signs of when it's time to get a new one may not be as obvious as the tread on your sneakers wearing down, or the 'check engine' light on your car's dashboard.
When is it time to get a new one? Read on to find out some of the signs to look out for!
Do I Really Need A New Printer?
Many people upgrade their computers and other devices every few years, but keep the same old printer for much longer.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. If something is working fine, it's great to continue to use it and get good value out of it, and inkjet printers and laser printers are no exception.
When you're using an aging computer, it's readily apparent when programs start to load more slowly, and things just don't seem as snappy as they used to. With an old printer, it's not always that easy to tell when it might be time for an upgrade. Often, the issues can be gradual, and may not be immediately noticeable as a major difference.
In fact, because customers often take for granted that their printer is there for the long run, they may not even be aware that they could save money on ink costs and be printing faster, better, and more efficiently.
It's only after they get a new printer that they realize what they've been missing with their old machine.
But don't sweat; there are some easy ways to tell when it might be time to upgrade your old printer. Here are some key printer issues to watch out for.
Printing Speed
One of the most obvious signs that you might need a new printer is if it seems to be taking forever to print photos and documents.
If your printer is more than a few years old, it's likely not as fast to print documents as it once was; and not as fast as newer models the printer manufacturers now have on the market.
This may not be a deal-breaker for people who only print occasionally, but when you have over a hundred pages that need to be printed at the last minute, the performance of your printer can mean the difference between getting the job done on time or not done at all.
Newer, Faster, Better Inkjet Printers and Laser Printers
Printers are far more complicated than they used to be, and actually do a lot more than they used to. Modern inkjet printers and laser printers can be just as complicated as any other computer on your network, or your mobile phone.
It might contain hard drives, operating systems, system memory, or even applications. New printers can read memory cards, store data, and offer the services of a document copier, document scanner and more!
And just like computers, newer models are always coming out that are faster and more powerful than the last.
In 2008, the typical time required by a printer to produce a photo without borders was approximately forty-eight seconds. Newer printers like the Canon PIXMA TS9120 can do the same photo printing in approximately 17 seconds!
Even when printing simple black-and-white text documents, the speed of printers has significantly increased in recent years. In 2010, the average printer could print about eight pages per minute (ppm). Today, the HP Officejet PRO X576DW prints up to 70 ppm! That's an almost 10x increase in speed!
So if your old printer seems to be taking forever to print documents and high quality photos, it might be time to get a new one that can keep up with your need for speed.
Print Quality
If the printer ink or toner on the page is looking smudged or faded, even after replacing the cartridge, it may be time to replace and recycle your old printer.
While some people may not care too much about print speed, print quality is another story.
The whole point of having a printer is to produce documents and photos that look great; so if the print quality is suffering, it's a big problem.
Not only does the quality of your prints reflect on you and your business; if you're using your printer for customers or clients, it could be costing you money. If the ink or print quality is poor, they may not want to use your services again, or recommend you to others.
There are a number of factors that can affect print quality, but one of the most common is an old or worn-out print head. The print head is what actually applies the ink or toner to the paper, and over time it can become clogged with dried ink or debris. This can cause prints to look faded, smeared, or otherwise poor in quality.
As previously mentioned, the advancements in printer technology in just the last ten years alone has been nothing short of remarkable. While older models had a maximum resolution of about 150 x 150 dots per inch (dpi), today's new printers often have a resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi, meaning that printing photos from home can now rival the quality from many photo shop kiosks.
So if you're noticing that your prints are lacking in details, your paper has smudges or your text is faded, it might be time to get a new printer that can give you the polished high quality look your documents deserve.
Connectivity Issues
If you're having trouble connecting your printer to your computer, or if it seems like the connection is always dropping, it might be time for an upgrade.
While some connectivity issues can be fixed with a simple software update or driver change, others may simply be a matter of hardware. Older machines didn't support wi fi or other options for wireless printing.
If your machine does not have any features related to Wi-Fi or ethernet technology, it's probably time to consider a new model with these features and even more options and services for printing.
These days, it's not just about connecting your printer to a single computer. With the rise in popularity of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, people want to be able to print from anywhere.
Most printer models now offer apps and software for easy printing from any device. So if you find yourself struggling to connect, double check to see if your printer is compatible with the latest devices and software.
The printer's duty cycle has been exceeded.
The duty cycle of a printer is the projected number of pages that it can print in one month without experiencing mechanical failure.
This figure is only an estimate that is intended to account for the amount of printing wear and tear that occurs on your printer. When printing an excessive amount of pages in a short period of time, you are increasing the wear and tear on the critical internal components of your printer.
The duty cycle of a printer is not regulated by any industry standards because the number of pages that can be printed in a single cycle varies widely depending on the type and manufacturer of the printer. In general, more expensive printers have a tendency to have a higher duty cycle in comparison to cheaper ones.
The monthly duty cycle of a lower priced HP DeskJet printer model may be set at 1,000 pages. This means that if you print more than 1,000 pages a month, you run the danger of causing damage to your printer because it was not meant to withstand such a strenuous level of output.
Keep in mind that the monthly duty cycle is typically an overly optimistic estimate of the number of pages that can be printed. There is also something known as Recommended Monthly Volumes, which are better in terms of accuracy and realism but are not offered by every manufacturer. The range of 50 to 100 pages per month is recommended for use with an HP 2622 printer. This is very different from the printer's duty cycle of 1,000 pages, boasted about on the box of the printer.
We are in no way suggesting that you get rid of your machine simply because you have reached the end of the printer's duty cycle. However, there comes a time in the life of a product when it begins to deteriorate and cease functioning the way that it did in the past, like a car that has 250,000 miles on the odometer.
It's Difficult to Find Replacement Ink Cartridges and Toner Cartridges
One of the main reasons individuals decide to upgrade their printers is that ink cartridges can become difficult to find for an older machine.
After a certain length of time has elapsed, some older printer models will no longer receive any type of support from the manufacturer, and that printer ink cartridge will no longer be found on the shelf at the local office supply shop. 
Although the printer manufacturer may decide to stop producing the ink cartridges, there is still a market for recycled and compatible ink cartridges that perform the same functions as their original counterparts.
For instance, HP has stopped manufacturing HP 02 printer ink cartridges. Those who are stuck with an older printer like the HP Photosmart 3110 that utilizes those discontinued ink cartridges would normally be unable to print at this time and would be required to purchase a new printer.
However, we here at Inkjets.com don't think this is reason alone to get a new printer.
Inkjets.com supports a large number of printers that have been discontinued by providing recycled and compatible ink cartridges that are fully guaranteed to work with your printer.
You can expect the same high level of quality from our remanufactured and compatible ink and toner cartridges as you have come to expect from the original manufacturers of your actual printer, despite the fact that our prices are far more reasonable.
Time for an upgrade?
If after reading this article you find yourself in need of a new printer, may we humbly suggest a "like new" printer instead.
Inkjets.com carries a wide selection of refurbished printers, that have been sent back to the manufacturer, restored and confirmed to be in the same condition as a brand new unit of the same printer model, and repackaged for sale.
These printers have been thoroughly checked for functionality and come with all accessories that normally come with a new unit. They also come with ink! The only thing they don't come with is the same high retail price you'd pay in a store. With a 90 day warranty, there's no reason not to take advantage of these amazing deals on refurbished printers.
Because we sell such a large variety of products, from remanufactured ink cartridges and laser cartridges from over a dozen popular printer brands to OEM ink and printers we have the products you need at prices you'll love.
Start saving today!
