Buying a new printer instead of replacing ink? [closed]

"Always check the expected output of the cartridges included with new printers. You will usually find them to be a fraction of the expected output of after-market cartridges. There are very few (if any?) cheaper printers on the market which come fitted with cartridges containing more than 50% the normal amount of ink or toner, 33% isn't uncommon, and I'm sure you'll find less somewhere if you look. This is true of laser printers as well as inkjets.

So factor this into your decision: if paying $40 gets you a new printer and $40 gets you a new set or cartridges, you will probably get more than twice the output from the new carts as you would the new printer with its part-full carts.

Of course, this doesn't take into account the chance of the old printer failing before you've used all the new ink. But if you are buying a cheap printer the chance of the new one failing is probably no better!

Personally I find my laser to be much better value for money, and the output much quicker and higher quality, but my output is higher than yours. If a set of ink carts that come with a cheap printer last you a full year then a laser probably isn't going to be any more economical for you then the 'jet unless it lasts many years.

Another thing to consider: what do you actually use the printer for? My parents no longer use an inkjet for printing off photos because it actually works out far cheaper [once you factor in ink, fancy paper, reprints due to the printer needing a head clean, and so on] to take a memory card into Boots, Asdo or Tesco next time they go shopping, and have some photos printed there. You might find a cheap B/W laser (for letters, business printing, and draft printing) and using such services (or their online equivalent) for photo output a better option then running an inkjet printer."

"Look into Kinkos/Fedex (or whatever they call themselves these days FedEx Office?). Add up that $40-$60 you paid for the printer plus the amount of electric it uses just sitting there idle (many printers have a external brick these days, so unless you unplug the brick, yes it's using power). Figure out the actual amount you paid per page. Compare to how much it would have cost you to do those prints at Kinkos. You probably saved money, and you certainly won on convenience, but make sure.

Here's the thing: for very low print volumes, you need to be careful the ink carts aren't going to dry out on you. If you're getting 1-1.5 years out of the starter carts, then it's likely a real one would last 3 years. At which point you run a real (though still small) risk of the cart drying out, or the printer breaking due to disuse. This makes the entire investment worthless. With an outside print service, you probably pay more per page, but there's no chance you'll be out extra money along the way."

Are you on good terms with a neighbor? Take your document over on a flash stick and visit while your document prints. Pay them back in some form that is mutually agreeable.

"Select a brand that don't have ""advanced"" ink cartridges, and get the one where you can get ""no name cartridges"" for half the price.

Don't get the cheapest printer, get the second cheapest :)
I mean if you go into a store, don't get the 40$ printer, get the 60$ printer and quality goes up directly. (but always check what the cartridges costs!)

A note is that I don't really see laser printers as the solution either, since one time laser printer is becoming more and more common (price of replacement parts is closing in on the sales price...)

So always look at the price for cartridges, and not so much the price on the printer!

/Johan

Update:
I forgot to tell you that it is bad practice use resources like that,
even thou it can be more profitable it is just wrong.

But on the other hand printers are quite advanced mechanical things with a lot of moving parts, so they will not last forever."