Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 30 posts

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

#21

Post by eb0la »

stephenr wrote: post #19
AceStar wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I bet half-capacity cartridges are much more expensive to the business than full capacity ones.

You need to produce a separate batch with different logistics and less volume than ordinary cartridges. In some cases it will need even a different testing line.

At least, you save packaging because you don't need to put then in a fancy blister...

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

#22

Post by maxerickson »

red0point wrote: post #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?

Cheap laser printers work fine for black and white.

There are several ink jets with ink reservoirs instead of expensive cartridges (Epson EcoTank is one I know off the top of my head).

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

#23

Post by stephenr »

eb0la wrote: post #21
stephenr wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

I bet half-capacity cartridges are much more expensive to the business than full capacity ones. You need to produce a separate batch with different logistics and less volume than ordinary cartridges. In some cases it will need even a different testing line. At least, you save packaging because you don't need to put then in a fancy blister...

Different quantities aren't limited to those sold with the printer.

My Canon can take regular or XL cartridges - the only difference is the volume of ink inside.

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

#24

Post by maxerickson »

k__ wrote: post #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.

The spiritual successor is the 2300 line. I'd pay the extra $20 to get duplex+wireless and get the HL-L2340DW.

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

#25

Post by k__ »

maxerickson wrote: post #24
k__ wrote: post #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.

The spiritual successor is the 2300 line. I'd pay the extra $20 to get duplex+wireless and get the HL-L2340DW.

If it had a scanner I would consider a switch, haha.

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

#26

Post by wkubiak »

k__ wrote: post #25
maxerickson wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The spiritual successor is the 2300 line. I'd pay the extra $20 to get duplex+wireless and get the HL-L2340DW.

If it had a scanner I would consider a switch, haha.

You can find a B&W laser printer/color scanner combo with duplex & wireless in the Brother 2500 series. Model 2560 IIRC.

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

#27

Post by zhte415 »

tedyoung wrote: 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.

>But otherwise, yes, the printer itself is a loss-leader, just like the razor industry.

razor mention:

This reference to the blue-white bar before the blades?

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

#28

Post by maxerickson »

k__ wrote: post #25
maxerickson wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The spiritual successor is the 2300 line. I'd pay the extra $20 to get duplex+wireless and get the HL-L2340DW.

If it had a scanner I would consider a switch, haha.

I have a HL-2170W and miss the duplex the 3 times a year I use it. I was mostly letting people know that they more or less still make the same printer (at least, as far as I know the new ones have not become crap).

The HL-L2340DW comes with a starter toner cartridge that is good for 700 pages, so it is not a terrible way to have convenient printing for a decade.

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

#30

Post by LarryMade2 »

A) Depends on how cheap you can get a new or re-manufactured cartridge...

B) How easy is it to install drivers for the new printer on your existing hardware? (which can be a big factor if some of your hardware is multiple OS generations old)

Post reply on HN