{"id":6227,"date":"2019-01-12T00:58:53","date_gmt":"2019-01-12T00:58:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ldproducts.com\/blog\/?p=6227"},"modified":"2023-06-16T19:33:50","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T19:33:50","slug":"best-cheap-printers-with-affordable-printer-cartridges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ldproducts.com\/blog\/best-cheap-printers-with-affordable-printer-cartridges\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Cheap Printers with Affordable Printer Cartridges"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Make a smart buy for your business and your budget with our favorite affordable printers of 2022.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n

Finding an inexpensive printer with low operating costs can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.\u00a0 With so many printer brands and price points to choose from, it\u2019s hard to know whether you\u2019re making a smart buy.\u00a0 Equally important factors like cartridge replacement costs and page yield are an often-overlooked piece of the puzzle and if you end up with an inefficient machine, you could be stuck with high operating expenses for a long time.<\/p>\r\n

Luckily, with this guide, we cover everything you need to consider when shopping for a cheap printer.\u00a0 To start, we\u2019ll break down a few printer pricing factors that will help you keep your costs low, then we dive straight into a few our favorite budget-friendly printers.<\/p>\r\n

If you wish to jump right to the list of cheap printers with low-cost cartridges, click here<\/a>.\u00a0 For further reading, check out our guide on how to decide between an inkjet and a laser printer<\/a> or our list of the best printers of 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

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Know What Printer Type You Need<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

Printer type and printer pricing can vary quite a bit.\u00a0 With different printers going on sale every week and new printer models being released every few months, there are no shortage of options if you are searching for a new printer.\u00a0 Before you start your search, decide what features and functionality make sense for your needs.<\/p>\r\n

First, you\u2019ll need to choose between an inkjet or a laser printer<\/strong>.\u00a0 Inkjet printers have a cheaper sticker price than most laser printers but cartridge replacements tend to be far more frequent thanks to a smaller cartridge capacity.\u00a0 They are great for casual home printer users needing to print text and photos, but they aren\u2019t the most economical option if you print a lot.\u00a0 Laser printers use toner cartridges to produce a print and are best suited for high volume printer users.\u00a0 You will end up paying more upfront for that additional printing power but toner cartridges are more cost efficient than ink cartridges in the long term because of their higher page yield.<\/p>\r\n

Next, you’ll have to decide whether you need a multi-function (aka all-in-one) printer or just a basic printer.<\/strong> An all-in-one printer that features scan, copy and fax options is going to be slightly more expensive than a basic printer that only prints, but most of those additional features won\u2019t add too much to the total price tag since they are so common these days.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

More advanced features like faster print speeds and a higher monthly duty cycle can definitely affect printer price, and you can expect to pay more for those if they are a must-have.<\/p>\r\n

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Understand Cartridge Page Yield<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
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What’s page yield? Page yield is the approximate number of printed pages you get from a particular printer cartridge.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

All printer manufacturers base their quoted page yield on the same ISO\/IEC 24711 standards so consumers can easily compare cartridge efficiency across printer brands. Cartridge cost and page yield can vary from printer to printer, making it very important to keep in mind when shopping for a new machine.<\/p>\r\n

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Buying a printer that uses cartridges with an inefficient page yield means more frequent cartridge replacements and higher operating costs.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

In your hunt for an affordable machine, you will want to look for a printer that offers a decent page yield and low cartridge costs.\u00a0\u00a0 Unfortunately, this isn\u2019t always straightforward.\u00a0 In fact, two printer cartridges can offer the same page yield but sell at very different prices.<\/p>\r\n

Let us look at the HP 64XL black ink cartridge and Brother LC103 black ink cartridge as an example.\u00a0 Both cartridges offer a page yield of approximately 600 pages but HP sells their cartridge for $37.99, while Brother\u2019s is only $16.79. Varying degrees of page yield and cartridge cost can lead to a very different printing bill at the end of the month depending on what printer you go with.\u00a0 Be sure to pay attention to cartridge operating costs when you are comparing potential printer models.<\/p>\r\n

Important:<\/strong> What may seem like a great printer deal upfront may end up using costly printer cartridges!\u00a0 Don’t forget to factor in cartridge price and page yield when shopping for a new machine…<\/em><\/p>\r\n

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Consider the Cartridge Capacity (Standard Yield vs High Yield)<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

Printer cartridges come in a range of sizes and capacities.<\/p>\r\n