The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To estimate what a printer will really cost, add its purchase price to the ink or toner, paper, maintenance, replacement parts and electricity you expect to pay for over a defined period. Then divide that total by the number of pages you expect to print. A printer’s purchase price or cartridge cost alone cannot show its full cost of ownership.
1. Set the period, page volume and print mix
Choose how long you expect to keep the printer, such as three years. Estimate your pages per month, then multiply by the number of months in that period to get projected pages. For example, a three-year estimate at 100 pages per month covers 3,600 pages.
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Separate the pages by type if you print both black-and-white and color. Include photo or other high-coverage pages as a separate category when they make up a meaningful share of your work: a page with substantial ink coverage may use supplies differently from a typical document page. Use the same period, monthly volume and page mix when comparing printers.
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For each required cartridge, ink bottle, toner or other supply, divide its current local price by its rated page yield. Multiply that per-page figure by the pages you expect to print with that supply over your chosen period. Use supplies compatible with the exact printer model.
#1 Best Overall
- PERFECT FOR BASIC PRINTING NEEDS – Print everyday color documents like to-do lists, letters, financial documents and recipes
- KEY FEATURES – Color print, copy, scan, and a 60-sheet input tray, plus mobile and wireless printing
- OPTIMIZE PRINT FORMATTING WITH HP AI – Print web pages and emails with precision—no wasted pages or awkward layouts; HP AI easily removes unwanted content, so your prints are just the way you want
- ICON LCD – Print your basic documents with ease from the intuitive control panel
- PRINT SPEED – Up to 7.5 ppm black, 5.5 ppm color
Supply cost over the period = (projected pages ÷ rated yield) × supply price.
For color printing, include every color supply the printer requires, or calculate black-and-white and color pages separately if their supply use differs. If you want a quick supply-only cost per page, divide the price of the relevant supply by its rated yield. That figure does not include paper, the printer itself, maintenance or electricity.
HP describes the calculation as “Cost of refillable ink bottle / Print yield = Cost of ink per page.” Its example uses a $30 bottle rated for 6,000 pages, which works out to $0.005 per page for ink in that example only—not a typical or universal price. HP’s ink cost-per-page explanation also shows how to add paper cost per sheet when estimating a paper-inclusive page cost.
Rank #2
- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Scan & Copy Handling - Utilize the device’s integrated scanner for efficient scanning and copying operations
3. Add paper, maintenance and other costs
To include paper, divide the price of a pack by the number of sheets in it, then multiply the per-sheet price by projected sheets. Match the paper price to the type you actually expect to use; specialty paper can change the estimate.
Add documented or observed maintenance and replacement-part costs over the same period, along with electricity or other costs you choose to include. These expenses vary by printer and use. If you do not have a credible model-specific estimate, do not silently count them as zero: mark them as omitted, and show the total before and after any optional maintenance estimate you can support.
4. Calculate total ownership cost and average cost per page
Use the same categories and period throughout the estimate:
Rank #3
- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Scan & Copy Handling - Utilize the device’s integrated scanner for efficient scanning and copying operations
Total ownership cost = printer purchase price + ink or toner + paper + maintenance and replacement parts + electricity and other included costs.
Average total cost per page = total ownership cost ÷ total projected pages.
Label the result with what it includes. A supply-only cost per page is not the same as an all-in ownership cost per page. Ricoh’s definition of cost per page uses total printing cost divided by total pages, with ink or toner, paper and, in some calculations, maintenance or energy among possible cost components. Ricoh explains cost per page.
Rank #4
- AFFORDABLE ALL-IN-ONE FOR HOME AND HOME OFFICE: Print, copy, and scan on one compact wireless printer designed for everyday home office printing, schoolwork, documents, and reports. Produce beautiful prints for results that stand out.
- EASY TO USE WITH CLOUD APP CONNECTIONS: Print from and scan to popular Cloud apps(2), including Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, and more from the simple-to-use 1.8” color display on your printer.
- FULL-SIZE FEATURES IN A COMPACT DESIGN: This printer includes automatic duplex (2-sided) printing, a 20-sheet single-sided Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)(3), and a 150-sheet paper tray(3). Engineered to print at fast speeds of up to 16 pages per minute (ppm) in black and up to 9 ppm in color(4).
- MULTIPLE CONNECTION OPTIONS: Connect your way. Interface with your printer on your wireless network or via USB.
- MOBILE PRINTING MADE EASY: Go mobile with the Brother Mobile Connect app(5) that delivers easy onscreen menu navigation for printing, copying, scanning, and device management from your mobile device. Monitor your ink usage with Page Gauge to help ensure you don’t run out(6).
5. Compare printers on equal terms
For each printer, use the same ownership period, monthly page volume, black-and-white/color mix and local price date. Include the printer’s purchase price and the cost of supplies compatible with that exact model. Record whether paper, maintenance, parts and electricity are included or omitted.
A lower purchase price does not establish a lower overall cost. Canon’s calculator asks users to select print volume and a period, but warns that actual ownership cost can differ with usage, printing environment and maintenance cycles not captured by the estimate. Its cited calculator is Malaysia-specific, so use local prices and treat its output as an estimate for its stated assumptions—not a universal benchmark. Canon’s cost-of-ownership calculator guidance.
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Epson describes its total-cost-of-ownership calculation as hardware purchase cost plus ongoing ink or toner, while noting that other consumables, servicing, power and parts replacement may also affect the total. Calculator scope can therefore differ: check what each one counts before comparing results. Epson’s printing cost calculator information.
Best Value
- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Seamless Multi-Page Handling - Tackle multi-page documents with ease using the Auto Document Feeder (ADF) for quick scanning and copying
6. Interpret rated yields carefully
A rated page yield is a test-based estimate, not a guarantee that your supply will print exactly that many pages. Canon says yields can vary with page content and coverage, settings, temperature, humidity and printing frequency. For cartridge yields, Canon identifies ISO/IEC 24711 with the ISO/IEC 24712 color chart; it describes a separate stated test method for its ink bottles. Check the yield basis for the specific supply rather than assuming all quoted yields use the same method. Canon’s yield and calculator notes.
Manufacturer calculators and yield figures are useful inputs, but the result depends on their stated assumptions and your actual use. HP’s worked example, Canon’s Malaysia-specific calculator and Epson’s European calculator information are not interchangeable market prices or independent evidence of a universal printer cost. Prices and availability vary by location and date.
Quick Recap
A reusable worksheet
- Ownership period: ___ months or years
- Expected pages: ___ pages per month × ___ months = ___ pages
- Print mix: ___ black-and-white; ___ color; ___ photo or high-coverage pages
- Printer purchase price: ___, in your local currency and on the date checked
- Ink or toner: for each required supply, (projected pages ÷ rated yield) × current supply price = ___
- Paper: (pack price ÷ sheets per pack) × projected sheets = ___, if included
- Maintenance, parts and electricity: ___ included, or identify each item omitted
- Total ownership cost: add the included costs above = ___
- Average cost per page: total ownership cost ÷ total projected pages = ___
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
