How to Calculate the Cost of Inkjet Printing

Inkjet printers may cost you more than you think.

Inkjet printers provide several advantages over more expensive printers such as laser printers. The inkjet printer is quiet and can print high-quality images quickly. When choosing a new printer, you might be drawn to a cheaper inkjet, but first stop and calculate how much it will actually cost you to use the machine. Not considering hidden costs may lead you to pick a printer that costs more to operate than you expected.

Instructions

1. Determine who will use your inkjet printer. If it's for personal use, you'll only need to calculate how much you print each week. If it's a larger printer for a small office, you'll need to estimate how much each person will print each week.

2. Decide your needs. For an office setting, or if you use your printer for business and must print long documents, you'll want a printer that prints as fast as possible. If you print pictures, color images or business reports, you'll want a printer that does high-quality printing.

   Start by determining the cost of the printer that meets your requirements. For example, a cheap printer for average use may cost only $100, while a printer that prints quick, high-quality prints can cost $400 or more.

3. Estimate the average number of documents you print daily. If several documents use large pictures and a lot of color, count this as two pages instead of one. Read the printer's specifications, the printer box or the ink cartridge box, and see how many pages can be printed with one cartridge.

4. Multiply the number of pages you print each week by four. Take this number and compare it to how many pages the ink cartridge can print. You might print 50 pages a week or 200 pages per month. If your ink cartridge prints 200 pages or less before running dry, you'll need new ink or a new cartridge at least once a month. Calculate how often you'll need to buy ink in a year and add the cost of the ink cartridges to the printer cost.

5. Calculate the cost of additional accessories, such as cords or cables, that you'll need to buy with the printer. Add this cost to your previous sum. To find out what your printer comes with and what you'll have to buy on your own, read the specifications and the list of included items on the box or a website that features the product.

6. Calculate the total cost of the printer, supplies and the amount of ink you'll need to support your printing habits. You can lower the price of ink slightly by purchasing ink refill kits and refilling the cartridges yourself. This only works once or twice, however.

   If you're buying a cheaper inkjet printer, keep in mind that it may wear out sooner than the more expensive models. You may need to buy a new one in one to three years. Consider the cost of maintaining the printer, including buying ink and paper, and what it will cost to buy a new one in a few years. This overall cost is roughly what you'll pay for inkjet printing.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy a printer with separate ink cartridges for each color. Then you can replace the cartridges one at a time as they run out instead of having to replace an entire cartridge when one color runs out.

References

• Castle Ink: Calculate Total Cost of Inkjet Printing