Printer makers price small printers low and their cartridges high. The result: two printers that look alike on the shelf can differ by a factor of three in what they cost to run. If you print more than a few hundred pages a month, the cartridge decides the purchase. Here is how to compare properly, with the models we see most.
The three numbers to look up before buying
- Cartridge yield (ISO pages) for the standard and the high-yield cartridge. If there is no high-yield option, the printer is designed for low volume.
- Cartridge price, genuine, from a reseller you would actually use.
- Separate drum? If yes, add its cost per page (small) and one more thing to stock.
Cost per page = price ÷ yield, adjusted for your coverage (see the cost-per-page guide). Then multiply by your monthly pages and 36 months, and add the printer price.
Monochrome small-office models compared
| Printer class | Cartridges | High-yield pages | Cost per page (genuine, high-yield) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP LaserJet Pro M404 / M428 MFP | 58A / 58X | 10,000 | ≈ 2.3¢ | Best value in the class; 2-packs available |
| HP LaserJet Pro M402 / M426 MFP (older) | 26A / 26X | 9,000 | ≈ 2.1¢ | Still excellent if you own one |
| HP LaserJet Pro M203 / M227 MFP | 30A / 30X + 32A drum | 3,500 | ≈ 3.5¢ incl. drum | Compact; drum every ~23k pages |
| Canon imageCLASS MF260 series / LBP162 | 047 + 049 drum | 1,600 | ≈ 6¢ incl. drum | Low volume only |
| HP LaserJet M110 / M139 MFP (personal) | 105A/106A + 120A drum | ~1,000–2,000 | ≈ 5–7¢ | Cheap printer, expensive pages |
Color small-office models
| Printer class | Cartridges | Black high-yield | Approx. color page | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP Color LaserJet Pro M454 / M479 MFP | 414A / 414X, 4-packs | 7,500 | ≈ 12–14¢ | Best for regular color volume |
| HP Color LaserJet Pro M255 / M283 MFP | 206A / 206X | 3,150 | ≈ 14–16¢ | Good for occasional color |
| Canon imageCLASS MF644 / MF642 / LBP622 | 054 / 054H | 3,100 | ≈ 13–15¢ | Compact; CMYK sets available |
Figures use our current genuine prices and ISO yields; your coverage changes the absolute numbers but not the ranking.
Rules of thumb
- Under 300 pages a month: buy the cheap printer; toner cost will not matter much.
- 300–1,500 pages a month, mono: a 400-series LaserJet class printer with a 10,000-page cartridge pays for its higher price in the first year.
- Color needed but mostly text: any color model with the driver defaulting to grayscale; buy black singles and a CMY pack once a year.
- Several printers: standardize on one cartridge family; one spare covers all.
- Check that cartridges are stocked by more than one reseller and that 2-packs or 4-packs exist — availability is part of the cost.
Before you decide
Look the candidate printer up in the printer cartridge finder: it shows the exact cartridges, yields and our prices, and the compatible printers list on each cartridge tells you which other models share it. Then run the three-year math. The printer that wins on paper usually wins on the invoice too.
Genuine cartridges mentioned in this guide
- HP 58X Toner Cartridge
- HP 414A Toner Cartridge CMYK 4-Pack
- Canon 054 Toner Cartridge
- HP 26X Toner Cartridge
- HP 30X Toner Cartridge
Related guides
- HP LaserJet Pro M404 & M428 Toner Guide (HP 58A/58X)
- HP Color LaserJet Pro M454 & M479 Toner Guide
- HP Color LaserJet Pro M255 & M283 Toner Guide (HP 206A)
- Canon imageCLASS Toner Guide: 045, 046, 054, 055 & More
Frequently asked questions
Which laser printer has the cheapest toner?
Among small-office monochrome models, printers that take high-yield cartridges in the 9,000–10,000 page class (for example HP LaserJet Pro M404/M428 with the 58X, or M402/M426 with the 26X) have the lowest cost per page with genuine toner. Compact personal printers with 1,000–1,500 page cartridges cost two to three times more per page.
Is a color laser printer expensive to run?
Color pages cost several times a mono page because four cartridges are consumed. A color printer used mostly for black text is fine if the driver defaults to grayscale; if you print a lot of color, choose a model with high-yield color cartridges and 4-pack availability.
Should I buy the printer with the lowest price?
Compare the total over three years: printer price plus (monthly pages × cost per page × 36). A printer that costs $100 more but saves 2 cents a page pays back in a year at 400 pages a month.
