There are lots of cheap printers on the market at present but if you do a lot of printing  then the ink (cartridge) cost is going to be most important factor in the long term. Cheap printers usually require expensive cartridges to operate- that’s how they can afford to sell them so cheaply. Here is what you need to consider when deciding on a printer.

The simplest way to compare the cost of printers is to calculate the printing cost per page- this is mainly going to be the cost of your cartridges (especially) if you are doing a large number. However, there are other factors which will contribute to your cost. Printers heads (ink jet printers) and drums (laser printers) have a limited life, so taking these into account will give you a more accurate approximation of  yearly running costs. The cost of the printer should also be considered (especially if your printing needs are moderate)

Black and white laser printing can be inexpensive and fast. With laser printing, you will need to consider the cost of the drum as the drums use have a limited life in terms of the number of  pages they can print. Some top-end inkjet printers have can now compete or even beat monochrome laser printers in printing costs. For example, the HP 6500 and 8500 series.

Generally, the cheaper the printer, the more expensive the replacement cartridges will be and hence the operating cost of the printer. Cheap printers probable only make sense for the home user with very low printing requirements. Many people are buy these computers without fully realizing the cost of running them and subsequently find that they are better off throwing their cheap computer away and buying a more economical one.

Buying a very cheap computer may in fact be false economy. It makes sense assess printing costs before you choose a computer.