Printer prices range from $50 to $500 depending on type and features

A basic inkjet printer costs between $50 and $150. A laser printer starts around $150 and can reach $300 to $500 for a multifunction model that prints, scans, and copies. Photo printers run $100 to $400. The price you pay depends on whether you need color, how fast it prints, and what extra features matter to you — not on what the manufacturer suggests you should spend.

The sticker price is only part of what a printer costs you. Ink or toner, paper, and repairs add up over time. A $60 printer might cost you $300 a year in supplies if you print heavily. A $300 printer with cheap toner might cost you $100 a year. Before you choose based on the upfront price alone, think about how much you actually print and what kind of documents you need.

Key Takeaways

  • Inkjet printers are cheapest to buy but expensive to run, costing $50 to $150 upfront and $20 to $40 per month in ink if you print regularly.
  • Laser printers cost more at the register ($150 to $500) but use cheaper toner and are better for high-volume printing or offices.
  • Multifunction printers that print, scan, and copy cost $100 to $400 and save space if you need more than one machine.
  • The total cost of ownership — printer plus supplies over three years — matters more than the purchase price alone.
  • Refurbished and previous-year models can cut the upfront cost by 20 to 40 percent if you do not need the newest features.

Inkjet printers: cheap to buy, expensive to use

An inkjet printer costs $50 to $150 new. You will find them at any electronics retailer and most office supply stores. They are small, quiet, and work well for home use and light office printing. The catch is the ink: a set of cartridges costs $15 to $40 and runs out fast if you print color documents or photos regularly.

If you print 20 to 50 pages a month, an inkjet makes sense. If you print 200 pages a month, the ink cost will exceed what you paid for the printer within a year. Some inkjet models come with starter cartridges that hold less ink than the replacements you buy later, so the first refill stings more than you expect.

Inkjet printers also sit unused for weeks or months in many homes. When you finally need to print, the nozzles can clog and the printer may refuse to work until you run a cleaning cycle — which uses ink. This is one reason people end up replacing inkjets instead of fixing them.

Laser printers: higher upfront cost, lower cost per page

A laser printer costs $150 to $300 for a basic black-and-white model. Color laser printers start around $300 and go up to $500 or more. The toner cartridge costs $30 to $80 but prints 1,000 to 3,000 pages, so the cost per page is roughly one-third of what you pay with inkjet.

Laser printers are built for offices and people who print more than 100 pages a month. They print faster than inkjets — typically 25 to 40 pages per minute instead of 5 to 15. The paper output is sharper and more professional. They sit idle without clogging, so you can leave one unplugged for months and it will work the next time you need it.

The downside is size and weight. A laser printer takes up more desk space than an inkjet and weighs 30 to 50 pounds. If you have a small home office or move your printer often, this matters. Laser printers also do not print photos well — the color is flat and the paper options are limited.

Multifunction printers: one machine for printing, scanning, and copying

A multifunction printer (also called an all-in-one) prints, scans, and copies in one machine. Inkjet multifunction models cost $100 to $250. Laser multifunction printers cost $250 to $500. They save space and money compared to buying three separate machines, and they are useful if you scan documents regularly or need to copy pages.

The trade-off is complexity. A multifunction printer has more parts that can break, and repairs cost more because the technician has to diagnose which function failed. If the scanner breaks, you lose scanning and copying even if printing still works. For home use, this is usually not a problem. For a small business that depends on scanning, a separate scanner might be safer.

Multifunction printers also print slower than single-function printers of the same price, because the mechanism has to handle multiple tasks. If speed matters to you, compare the pages-per-minute rating before you buy.

Photo printers and specialty models

A dedicated photo printer costs $100 to $400 and prints on glossy paper, matte paper, and other specialty media. These printers are for people who print photos regularly — not for occasional prints. If you print photos once or twice a year, a regular inkjet printer or a photo printing service will cost you less.

Specialty printers exist for labels, receipts, and other narrow uses. A label printer costs $50 to $200. A receipt printer for a small business costs $150 to $400. These are not general-purpose machines and should only be considered if you have a specific, regular need.

How to compare total cost, not just the price tag

To know what a printer really costs, add up three years of supplies. Find the cost of a replacement cartridge or toner, multiply it by how many you expect to buy per year, and add that to the printer price. A $60 inkjet that uses $30 of ink per month costs $1,140 over three years. A $300 laser printer that uses $10 of toner per month costs $660 over three years.

Check the page yield on the cartridge box or the manufacturer's website. This tells you how many pages one cartridge prints. Divide the cartridge cost by the page yield to get the cost per page. Laser toner typically costs $0.02 to $0.05 per page. Inkjet ink costs $0.10 to $0.30 per page. This number matters more than the cartridge price alone.

Also factor in paper. A ream of standard copy paper costs $4 to $8 and prints 500 pages. Photo paper costs $0.50 to $2 per sheet. If you print photos, this adds up fast. If you print mostly text, paper is a small part of the total cost.

Where to buy and how to save money

New printers are sold at electronics retailers (Best Buy, Micro Center), office supply stores (Staples, Office Depot), and online (Amazon, manufacturer websites). Prices are usually the same across retailers, but sales and bundle deals vary. A printer bundled with paper or ink cartridges can save you $20 to $50 upfront.

Refurbished printers cost 20 to 40 percent less than new ones. A refurbished printer has been returned, tested, and repacked by the manufacturer or a reseller. It usually comes with a warranty of one to three years. If you are comfortable with a used machine and do not need the latest model, refurbished is a real way to cut cost.

Previous-year models also drop in price when new models arrive. A printer from last year works the same as this year's version but costs less. The only difference is usually a new color or a minor feature you do not need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to buy a printer or use a printing service?

If you print fewer than 50 pages a month, a printing service (UPS Store, FedEx, local print shops) is usually cheaper. You pay $0.10 to $0.50 per page. If you print more than 100 pages a month, owning a printer saves money. The break-even point depends on your local prices and what kind of printing you do.

Do I need to buy the printer brand's cartridges or can I use third-party ones?

Third-party cartridges cost 30 to 50 percent less than brand cartridges and work in most printers. The trade-off is that some printers warn you the cartridge is not genuine, and the print quality may vary. Using third-party cartridges does not usually void your warranty, but check your printer's manual to be sure.

What is the difference between a printer and a copier?

A printer receives data from a computer and prints it. A copier scans a physical page and prints a copy without a computer. A multifunction printer does both. If you need to copy documents regularly, a multifunction printer is cheaper than buying a separate copier. If you only print from a computer, you do not need copying.

Should I buy a wireless printer?

Wireless printers cost $20 to $50 more than wired models but let you print from any device on your network without plugging in a cable. If you have multiple computers, tablets, or phones, wireless is worth the extra cost. If you have one computer and do not move the printer, a wired printer is simpler and cheaper.

How long do printers last?

An inkjet printer typically lasts three to five years before parts wear out or the cost of repairs exceeds the cost of a new printer. A laser printer lasts five to ten years. Multifunction printers last three to seven years. The actual lifespan depends on how much you use it and how well you maintain it.