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Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

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11–20 of 30 posts

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sustainability concerns?

It's too bad sustainability has nothing to do with legality.

Not that I think its a particularly good idea, but, you could make a law like that.

I suppose, the ban on disposable products in food service and shopping (styrofoam and plastic bags) already is.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's too bad sustainability has nothing to do with legality.

The original comment suggested that this should be illegal, and the reply, as I interpreted it, asked on what grounds. I can see on reflection we're discussing different issues (i.e. I've taken the comment trail as a normative discussion, rather than a technical one). Sustainability concerns seem like a valid ethical reason to create laws and attempt to minimise things like this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=…

My comment can be read two ways: It's too bad sustainability has nothing to do with legality, in the sense that it should be illegal to make products that are extremely wasteful.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#14
The cost of many cheap printers are back-loaded, meaning you will pay for the printer many times over from incredibly overpriced ink. Printers often come with starter ink cartridges to tip you quicker into starting your ongoing payment to the printer company.

Buying a more expensive printer can often lower the cost per page before looking at after market ink.

I read an article that said inkjet ink is one of the most expensive liquids in the world.

How to get around it? Find a good color laser, or higher end inkjet that can get aftermarket high capacity cartridges or toner to make the cost a fraction of what it normally is. My current color laser gets me a set of 4 high yield toners for $80 instead of over $400. I don't print much, but when I do, a little bit of homework can go a long way.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#15
post #4

For laser printers (and ink jets as well), the cartridge you get with the new printer often has a much lower print capacity than a new (separately purchased) cartridge. For example, the printer will come with a cartridge that can print 500 pages, whereas a new one would print 2,000. But otherwise, yes, the printer itself is a loss-leader, just like the razor industry.

If new printers included a full capacity cartridge, it would create a loop-hole where anybody could make money by buying new printers, discarding the printer and reselling just the cartridge from it.

So they sell the new printers with half-full / reduced capacity cartridges to prevent this situation.

Bottom line: don't buy a new printer when you run out of toner thinking you've "beaten the system". You probably haven't.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#16
post #2

And shouldn't it be illegal to price products like this?

I don't think it should be illegal to price things like this.

What should be illegal is only when deceptive practices are used. For example, they should be required to make it clear on the packaging when the new printer does not include a full-capacity cartridge.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#17
Is there any printer that represents the opposite of that statement? I recently tried to find a cheap way to print stuff, but all I found were cheap printers with expensive ink, even the ones designed for businesses, those even more so.

Why is there no 'opensource' / 'ecofriendly' / ... printer that's expensive to buy, but the ink is cheap & easy to replace?

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The original comment suggested that this should be illegal, and the reply, as I interpreted it, asked on what grounds. I can see on reflection we're discussing different issues (i.e. I've taken the comment trail as a normative discussion, rather than a technical one). Sustainability concerns seem like a valid ethical reason to create laws and attempt to minimise things like this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=…

My comment can be read two ways: It's too bad sustainability has nothing to do with legality, in the sense that it should be illegal to make products that are extremely wasteful.

And you hit the nail on the head in terms of what I was angling at :)

On a related note: http://qz.com/811525/sweden-gives-its-fixer-citizens-tax-bre... -> "Sweden offering tax breaks to citizens who repair, not replace, broken things"

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#19
post #15
post #4

For laser printers (and ink jets as well), the cartridge you get with the new printer often has a much lower print capacity than a new (separately purchased) cartridge. For example, the printer will come with a cartridge that can print 500 pages, whereas a new one would print 2,000. But otherwise, yes, the printer itself is a loss-leader, just like the razor industry.

If new printers included a full capacity cartridge, it would create a loop-hole where anybody could make money by buying new printers, discarding the printer and reselling just the cartridge from it. So they sell the new printers with half-full / reduced capacity cartridges to prevent this situation. Bottom line: don't buy a new printer when you run out of toner thinking you've "beaten the system". You probably haven…

> If new printers included a full capacity cartridge, it would create a loop-hole where anybody could make money by buying new printers, discarding the printer and reselling just the cartridge from it.

If the printer included a full capacity cartridge, the price would certainly be higher.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it cheaper to buy a new laser printer than replace the cartridge?

#20
I don't know why everyone has problems with their priting costs.

Got a Brother HL 2030 since 2006. Payed about 150€ back then. Printed everything with it, including all stuff I needed to get my degree (projects, script, thesis, etc) and all the private stuff I did. Only this year I replaced the cartridge and drum for about 30€. Now it prints like on the first day.

Best purchase ever.

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