Printers that save money are not defined by their price. If you want to save money on printing, instead look at ink cartridge prices and page yield.
If you're reading this, it's because you're looking for cheap ink cartridges, a cheap printer, or simply want to save money on printing in general. There's one thing you should know right away:
Don't be fooled by low-cost printers! Printers priced under $100 typically use expensive ink. You may save money on the printer initially, but expect to spend hundreds of dollars more on ink in the coming months.
So, if it's not the cost of the printer, how can you tell if it will save you money in the long run?
But, first and foremost, let us address one critical question:
What is the price of a printer?
Lower-end inkjet printers can range from $39 to $100, while office-grade printers can cost more than $1,000. It also depends on whether the printer is an inkjet or a laser. However, in my opinion, the question "how much does a printer cost?" can also be translated as "how much should a printer cost?" As I previously stated, a printer should not be too cheap, or you have every right to be suspicious of the catch.
So, aside from the printer's price, what should you look for to determine if a printer will be easy on your wallet in the long run?
Characteristics of a Low-Cost Printer
It has been established that the total cost of a year's worth of printer cartridges exceeds the cost of a low-cost printer. In most cases, it doesn't even take a year to spend $100 on ink for a printer that only cost $30!
Why, after all, are the printers so cheap? It's a sales technique used by printer manufacturers to entice you with a low-cost printer and then make their money back with expensive ink cartridges.
So, what should you look for when looking for a low-cost printer?
Efficient Use of Ink
In the long run, an ink-efficient printer is a cost-effective printer. Examine the cost per page to see if a printer is ink-efficient.
What is the cost per page? The cost per page of your printer is the most important factor to consider when determining the true cost of your printer and its efficiency. It is the true cost of each page printed by your printer.
How do you figure out the cost-per-page? The page yield of ink cartridges varies. The page yield of a cartridge is the number of pages it can print before needing to be replaced.
Which is less expensive: laser or inkjet printers?
When it comes to lower cost per page (also known as cost efficiency), laser printers easily outperform inkjet printers. When compared to ink cartridges, laser toner cartridges have significantly higher page yields.
Even though toner cartridges are more expensive, the cost per page of a laser toner is still much lower than that of an ink cartridge. As a result, while laser printers are initially more expensive, they are generally more cost-effective printers in the long run when compared to inkjet printers.
Larger (high yield) cartridge sizes are used.
Ink cartridges are typically available in standard, high yield (XL), and occasionally extra high yield (XXL) sizes. The main distinction is that high yield cartridges can typically print about twice as many pages as standard cartridges.
Though high yield cartridges are slightly more expensive than standard cartridges, they generally have a lower cost per page than standard yield counterparts, so high yield options are still less expensive in the long run.
If you print frequently, purchasing a high yield (XL) ink cartridge that prints more pages extends the time between replacements and can save you a significant amount of money, even if the higher-yield cartridge costs a few dollars more.
The main takeaway from all of this is that ink cartridges that can print more pages usually result in a lower cost per page—our primary metric of efficiency.
Using this metric to purchase a printer means purchasing a printer that pairs with an efficient cartridge, which will save you hundreds of dollars over time. Look for a printer that uses XXL extra high yield ink cartridges for even more savings. Knowing which printers provide this feature can be useful if you need to accommodate high print volumes.
Compatible or aftermarket ink is used.
When shopping for a new printer, make sure that compatible ink cartridges are more affordable.
The majority of original (OEM) brand cartridges are not inexpensive. Fortunately, there are now other options available through a variety of non-OEM retailers. Customers can save up to 80% or more on print costs by using third-party aftermarket consumables such as compatible and remanufactured ink cartridges. However, not all aftermarket brands are created equal.
InkJets is the most trusted brand that has been around for many years when it comes to reliable compatible or off-brand ink and toner replacements. Visit inkjets.com to learn more about our products.
Can Support Your Monthly Load
Every printer has a rating based on how many pages it can reasonably print per month. This pages-per-month estimate is especially useful for businesses choosing a workload printer, but it is also useful for students and families.
Sure, you're probably not printing 6,000 pages per month (though it may appear that way at times! ), but you're probably producing hundreds, if not thousands. Going over your monthly print load stresses the mechanics in your printer, causing it to break down faster, resulting in costly repairs and premature replacement. Monthly load is another great, low-key metric for determining how durable your unit is over time.
What are the most affordable ink cartridges?
1. PGI-280 / CLI-281 Canon (available in XXL extra high yield cartridges)
2. Epson EcoTank 522 Ink bottles
3. Brother InkVestment LC3039
4. HP 910XL Ink Cartridge Series
5. HP 952XL Ink Cartridge Series
6. Epson EcoTank 522 Ink bottles
What printers use the cheapest ink cartridges?
Brother MFC-J5845DW INKvestment All-in-One Printer - Because of its low printer price and low cost per page, this printer is a popular choice among consumers. It has the ability to print, copy, scan, and fax. Prints up to 11 x 17 inches. It has an automatic document feeder and can print in both directions. 4 ink cartridges are required. It has all of the features you require for home or office use. WiFi capabilities are also included!
Uses:
Black, cyan, magenta, and yellow Brother LC3039 ultra high-yield cartridges
How many pages can each cartridge print?
A black cartridge (LC3039BK) prints 6,000 pages; each magenta (LC3039M), cyan (LC3039C), and yellow (LC3039Y) cartridge prints 5,000 pages.
Canon PIXMA TR8620 Wireless Inkjet Printer - A no-frills, no-hassle budget printer ideal for home use, perfect for printing beautiful borderless photos and documents. Print resolution is up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi.
It has all-in-one printer scanner technology and produces high-quality output at a rate unrivaled by other budget printers. Prints up to 15 black and white images per minute and 10 color images per minute. Printing 4′′ x 6′′ photos takes about 41 seconds. It prints colored images with pigment-based ink and text with dye-based ink.
Uses:
1 Canon PGI-280 black pigment ink cartridge
Four Canon CLI-281 dye-based ink cartridges are included: one photo black, one cyan, one magenta, and one yellow.
How many pages can each cartridge print?
A standard PGI-280 printer produces 200 pages. The PGI-280XL high yield printer can print up to 400 pages, and the PGI-280XXL extra high yield printer can print up to 600 pages.
A standard CLI-281 black cartridge has a page yield of 256. The CLI-281XL can print up to 515 pages, while the CLI-281XXL can print up to 824 pages.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 All-in-One Printer - The OfficeJet Pro 8210 is one of the most efficient inkjet printers. The HP 8210, like the OfficeJet 8035, is an all-in-one inkjet printer that uses ink efficient cartridges. According to HP, a full-featured printer with a 50% lower cost per page than laser printers. It supports wireless printing, duplex printing, as well as printing, scanning, copying, and faxing.
The HP 952 pigment-based ink cartridges used in this model are black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. HP sells the cartridges in two sizes: standard yield and high yield. Customers who print frequently should opt for high yield, or XL, cartridges.
Uses:
Four high yield HP 952 standard or HP 952XL ink cartridges: black, cyan, magenta, and yellow
How many pages can each cartridge print?
A standard HP 952 printer can print up to 1,000 pages; a larger high yield HP 952XL printer can print 2,000 pages.
Summing it up
If you start your printer search by looking for low-cost ink cartridges, you will almost certainly save money in the long run. When you've found an ink cartridge with a low cost per page, it's much easier to select from the printers that use that cartridge.
To achieve the best results, we only sell high-quality toner and ink cartridges at Inkjets.com. Our compatible and remanufactured toner and ink cartridges provide excellent print quality while saving you money over other sellers.
What exactly are compatible cartridges? These are new ink or toner cartridges filled with third-party ink or toner that produces crisp, vibrant, and long-lasting prints.
Our compatible toner and ink for laser printers and copiers, as well as ink for inkjet printers, are essentially brand-new copies of branded cartridges. They are intended to produce clear and sharp text prints as well as vibrant images. Inkjets.com has an excellent quality control system in place to ensure that the cartridge you purchase will fit into your printer without voiding its warranty.
Remanufactured cartridges are also available. These are empty cartridges that have been recycled in a 9-step process. This procedure entails a thorough cleaning, the replacement of old components, and stringent testing to ensure excellent results. A remanufactured cartridge is simply aftermarket ink or toner in an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cartridge that has been recycled.
