Owning a printer you can use at your leisure is one of the best things in life. However, when it comes to replacing your ink cartridges, you can be in for a rude shock to find out that they cost an arm and a leg. This is why today we're helping you get the answer to the question "what is the best printer with the cheapest ink cartridges."
Which printer is most economical for ink costs?
We want you to have a very seamless experience when replacing your ink cartridges. So, therefore, we'll be looking at the most affordable ink cartridges and the most cost-efficient ones as well.
This is because not only do we want you to be able to afford your ink, but we also want you to go for some time before you have to replace the ink cartridges.
Let's dive in.
Best Printers With Cheap Ink Cartridges
1. Canon Pixma MG3620 Wireless All-In-One Color Inkjet Printer
- Mobile device printing: Easily print from your iPhone, iPad,...
- Quick and easy wireless setup
- Powerful printing options: Airprint, Google Cloud Print, NFC,...
- Compact and space-saving design
- Print on both sides of the page with auto 2-sided print
Starting us off is an inkjet printer that thousands of reviews for a reason. If you're looking for a reliable all-in-one printer that is affordable and reliable, this is it. This Canon Pixma MG3620 all-in-one printer gives you decent photo print quality and print speeds.
Its compact design and affordable nature make it perfect for home use. This means that it will have no problem fitting on your office desk. In addition to using cheap ink, this inkjet printer is also powerful.
The drawback with this Canon masterpiece is that the build is not extremely strong. However, there's no cause for alarm. In this case, you'll just notice that the thin plastic is not that durable. Another thing is that you don't get an automatic document feeder or the duplex scanning feature.
Nonetheless, this is a decent printer that will serve you well.
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2. HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e
- FROM AMERICA'S MOST TRUSTED PRINTER BRAND – The OfficeJet Pro...
- UPGRADED FEATURES – Fast color printing, copy, fax, auto...
- WIRELESS PRINTING – Stay connected with our most reliable...
- HP APP – Print, scan, copy, or fax right from your smartphone...
- 3 MONTHS OF PRINTING INCLUDED – Subscribe to Instant Ink...
Overall there has not been any issue with using the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e at our office. The rapidity with which the printer operates has not let us down, particularly when operating under a color mode. These make it possible to print presentations and brochures in good time since the per page color print agility is 18 pages per minute while the black and white is 22.
It therefore becomes easy to navigate by use of touch screen. The leading functions could be located at once, as there is no confusion with the interface’s layout. We also liked the fact that the printer can be connected wirelessly to a smartphone and print without any problems.
All in all the ink subscription service is very cost effective but unfortunately during the initial setup we faced minor issues. Wireless connection for the device was quite time-consuming. That is why the HP Envy 5530 All-in-One Printer will perform best with users who require it for everyday light use in their workplace.
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3. HP DeskJet 2855e
- FROM AMERICA'S MOST TRUSTED PRINTER BRAND – The DeskJet 2855e...
- KEY FEATURES – Color printing, copy, scan, and a 60-sheet input...
- WIRELESS PRINTING – Stay connected with our most reliable...
- HP APP – Print, scan, copy, or fax right from your smartphone...
- 3 MONTHS OF INK INCLUDED when you activate HP+ – Subscribe to...
We recently set up the HP DeskJet 2855e, and right away, we appreciated its compact footprint. It easily fits on our desk without taking up too much space. The printer offers color options that are perfect for printing everything from recipes to important documents.
The initial ink subscription is a nice bonus. The three months of Instant Ink means we won’t have to worry about running out of ink right after setting up the printer. Once we activate HP+, it's like having a personal ink waiter who brings us replacements before we run dry.
For routine use, it works exceptionally, but it has some flaws, like low speed when printing. For the casual home use, it does not disappoint in the fact that it is cheap and also serves its purpose. It has become easier to print from our smartphones the app being so easy to use.
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4. Brother HL-L2460DW
- BEST FOR HOME OFFICES & SMALL TEAMS – Engineered for...
- COMPACT, CONNECTED, EXCEPTIONALLY EFFICIENT– Connect with...
- BROTHER MOBILE CONNECT APP – Manage your wireless printer...
- VERSATILE PAPER HANDLING – Tackle high-volume black & white...
- BROTHER IS AT YOUR SIDE – Backed by Brother with a 1-year...
We’ve been using the Brother HL-L2460DW for quite some time now and overall we’re quite satisfied with it. The configuration was easy to complete, and we liked the fact we could download the necessary applications on-line. This approach made getting started much smoother.
The printing speed is one of the features of this printer that we liked, as it is capable of producing 36 pages per minute. This feature is particularly useful amidst large volumes of work. The new feature of automatic duplex printing also proves useful in saving time and prints on both sides of the paper.
More features are introduced through the mobile application and the ability to print from our devices is significant. If you work from home, or are a business that requires an effective but cheap monochrome laser printer, then this model should be considered.
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5. Brother MFC-J1205W Wireless Color Inkjet Printer
- NO INK REPLACEMENT FOR UP TO 1-YEAR(1): Experience truly...
- PUT THE POWER OF PRINTING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: The simple to use...
- USE BROTHER GENUINE INK: Engineered to work with INKvestment Tank...
- BROTHER REVOLUTIONARY INKVESTMENT TANK SYSTEM: Brother...
- ELIMINATE INK REPLACEMENT GUESSWORK: Print with confidence using...
This Brother printer is a lot like our previous option in that you get free ink, can use the Brother app, high page yields, and more.
In addition, you get the Brother Page Guage that allows you to know how much ink you've used and how much is remaining.
This means that you can remove the guesswork from knowing how much ink you've used.
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What Are Some Qualities of An Affordable Printer?
Now that we've looked at some of the best printers in the market that will help you conserve your ink and save your money let's look at the qualities to look out for.
The reason we're looking into this is that the low price of a printer can trick you into believing that the ink will be cheap as well. It's not uncommon to find yourself paying thousands of dollars for a printer you bought for $50.
Why? Because some printer manufacturers sell their printers at cheap prices, knowing that they'll get their money back in cartridges sales.
Therefore, to avoid getting duped, let's look at the qualities of good cheap ink printers.
1. Uses Large Ink Cartridges
You can either get cartridges that come in the standard size or the high-yield (XL) sizes. As modern times progress, you can also find printers that have extra high yield (XXL) sizes. The word we're looking for here is efficiency.
Therefore, you want cheap ink printers that can handle larger cartridges. This is because although they cost slightly more than the standard-size ones, you won't have to keep refilling or replacing and you'll get to print a lot more pages.
When you're looking for cheap ink printers, you want to get a low cost per page when printing. Therefore, isn't it better to get high-yield cartridges that print twice the number of pages that standard ones do at a slightly higher price?
Mind you, this is not double the price. It's just slightly higher. So, you get to save money and the hassle of replacing your ink every other day. Therefore, the larger the cartridges you can get, the better.
2. Low Cost-Per-Page
We mentioned this above, but let's look at it in a bit more detail. Ink efficiency is a must-have when you want cheap ink printers. This means looking at the long-term. Today we'll look at two important terms: page yield and cost per page.
Page yield is a fancy printing term that means the number of pages your ink cartridge can print before it runs out. Therefore, naturally, you want cartridges that have a higher page yield.
The cost per page is the price of the cartridge / (divide by) the page yield.
Therefore, an efficient all-in-one printer will have a small cost per page. A question you could be asking yourself is, "are inkjet printers more effective than laser ones?"
Well, when it comes to cost efficiency, laser options win the race. This is because although the price of laser toner cartridges is higher than for ink cartridges, the cost per page is significantly lower. Therefore, although the initial cost of laser options is much higher than that of the inkjet printer, it's actually more cost-effective down the line.
If you do lots of printing, especially black and white printing, consider a good laser printer. Otherwise, you're good to go with these inkjet printers above.
3. Compatible with Aftermarket Ink
As you shop for a good inkjet printer, ensure that you check whether you'll get low-cost compatible ink cartridge replacements. Several third-party companies provide remanufactured cartridges at affordable prices.
Therefore, if your inkjet printer is compatible with these options, you'll be good to go.
4. Handles Your Monthly Load
You don't want to ruin your new printer. Therefore, ensure that you check the pages-per-month that your printer of choice can print before settling on it.
This is because going over the stated monthly print load can cause your all-in-one printer to break down faster. In addition, you'll then have to use your money to repair and replace some parts. Definitely not cost-efficient, is it?
What Are Some Printer Terms You Should Know?
Now that you know what is the best printer with the cheapest ink, let's look at some terms we've mentioned above, and you should know the meaning of.
1. Page Yield
We mentioned the page yield above, but we'd like to reiterate it here. Why? Because this is a crucial aspect when choosing a good printer to use with cheap ink.
The page yield is the estimated number of pages you can print with a cartridge and is based on the manufacturer's insights. Again, you can check for this information as you are buying your printer or cartridges.
The page yields are often based on ISO standards and vary depending on the type of printer. You may have two different printers at the same price, but the cartridges and page yields vary.
2. Total Cost of Ink
This term is somehow self-explanatory, but we'll look at it a bit more. This term simply means to the total cost of ink that your printer will be using regularly. Why is this important? Because the total cost of ink is where many printer manufacturers make most of their money from.
We mentioned above that you can buy a printer at a low price and end up buying ink that costs way more than the printer.
This is why. You can even find that you're printing at 10 cents per page. Might as well just go to the store and have your work printed there.
If you want to know the total cost of ink for your printer, divide the page yield by the cost of each ink cartridge. For example, if the cost of your black ink cartridge is $30 and the page yield is 300, you'll know that the cost per page is 10 cents.
The total cost of ink is probably why you will find yourself considering aftermarket cartridges as a better option because they are significantly cheaper.
3. Print Speed
This is a term we've mentioned severally as we were looking at the best options for you. The print speed is often written as PPM, which means pages per minute.
One thing to note with the print speed is that it can affect the quality of your prints. This is whether you're using wireless printing or not. For example, you may notice that the prints in draft mode are not as good as the prints in optimal mode, even if they are faster.
If your business requires speed, we recommend getting a laser printer. This will balance the speed and quality of your prints. You can use with cheap ink and still get the results you require.
4. Duty Cycle
What is the duty cycle? Duty cycle refers to the total number of pages that your printer can print monthly with ease. Knowing this will allow you to stay within these limits to avoid wearing out your parts and needing to replace them sooner than expected.
Some of the parts that may be affected include the fuser and the drum. These parts are especially expensive to maintain. Therefore, check for the duty cycle before purchasing a printer to know how much printing you can do with your purchase.
Even if you want to use with cheap ink, you still need to ensure that you're not overworking your printer. Read the product descriptions to ensure that you're getting the right printer for you.
Now that we've looked at the terms and the qualities of an affordable printer, let's look at some other factors you should look out for when choosing a printer.
What Printer Features Should You Consider?
These are some other considerations you should pay attention to in addition to the qualities of an affordable printer we've looked at above.
1. Automatic Document Feeder
This factor is for you if you want efficiency. Gone are the days that you had to feed your printer the sheets manually. Nowadays, you can choose a printer with this option, and you can sit back and relax as the printer does everything for you.
Our second option is a great example of such a printer. Unfortunately, although our first pick is our best choice, it doesn't come with this feature. Therefore, consider our second pick above if you want to save time and effort while printing.
2. High-Quality Text
Even though you can use your machine to print art prints and photos, you might find that you're mostly printing documents. Therefore, you want a printer that will produce high-quality text documents that you can proudly share with others.
If you print out a lot of documents, ensure that you don't compromise on the print speed as you are checking for the quality. Ensure that the print speed is decent and there's no smudging or bleeding.
Even though you'll be using cheap ink, you still want your documents to look clear and crisp. Therefore, we've selected only the best printers for you. However, you can still go through the pros and cons sections to see which ones stand out in terms of quality text documents.
3. Great Photo Printing Quality
Just like the text documents, you want your photos to look just as great even though you're using cheap ink. Whether you're printing photos for professional or personal use, you want the best. Therefore, check the product details and reviews to see if your printer of choice delivers on this front.
You don't want to experience any bleeding or similar issues when printing images. After all, a good image is worth a thousand words, and you want your photos to reflect your message clearly.
The printer's color accuracy and color reproduction are some features to look out for. Again, check the pros and cons sections to see which ones are the best in this regard.
This is the case if you know that you'll be doing a lot of photo printing.
4. Duplex Printing and Duplex Scanning
Scanning has become an important aspect of today's times, especially when it comes to preserving old memories and moments. However, we understand that not all printers are great for scanning photos. Therefore, if scanning old photos is a priority for you, you can get a good photo scanner.
Otherwise, consider a printer that has duplex scanning and printing. What does this mean? It means getting a printer that does two-sided printing and scanning. This feature allows you to save ink and paper without compromising on quality.
It is also an efficient way of printing and scanning, especially when you do this often. It can either be automatic or manual. If you want a hands-free experience, you can choose a wireless color photo printer with duplex printing and scanning.
This feature, along with an auto document feeder, will make the process a lot more seamless.
5. Fast Printing Speeds
Fast print speeds are a great feature to have, along with duplex printing, mobile printing, and other cool features.
We've talked a bit about the print speeds above and how to balance this with quality. Nonetheless, we thought that it required another mention. So our third pick is a good example of a printer that offers you decent print speeds.
Frequently Asked Questions About Printers With Cheap Ink Cartridges
1. Do cheap printers use more ink than expensive ones?
Depending on the manufacturer, the price of the cartridges may vary. However, it's common to find cheap printers using very expensive cartridges, as we mentioned above.
This is how the manufacturers make money. This is why today, we focused on the printers that use cheap ink. Therefore, although you may have to invest a bit more initially, the options we've picked above use cheap ink and will be cost-effective in the long run.
Nonetheless, we also have some affordable printers for you if you are on a budget.
2. Are laser printers more economical?
Compared to inkjet printers, laser ones use toner cartridges with a high page yield. This means that laser printers are more economical.
Although these toner cartridges are more expensive than the ink ones, they are more cost-effective in the long run. This means that you won't have to replace these cartridges every now and then.
