Why Is Printer Ink So Expensive?

So many things are way too expensive. Take Kobe beef for example. Who would pay well over $100 for a
steak? I could never even force myself to pay that much for a piece of meat. Maybe I should. Who’s to
say it wouldn’t change my whole world? And then there’s the price of almost any medical procedure.
Are they kidding? Even the insurance companies negotiate to pay pennies on the dollar. That brings us
to the cost of printer ink. Can I just ask, “Why?”
There are a couple of schools of thought on the matter. Printer ink manufacturers lean toward the camp
that blames it on research and development, espousing that the technology required to create quality,
reliable printer ink drives up the price. Then there are those who say that printer manufacturers change
enormous amounts for printer ink to make up for selling their printers at such a low price. Many choose
the side of Switzerland, declaring that both theories have merit and attribute to the exorbitant costs of
printer ink.
Whatever you believe, unlike Kobe beef, for most of us the purchase of printer ink is unavoidable, so we
need to shop smart. First you should know that inkjet printers – mostly for home use – are smaller with
limited capacity, requiring frequent ink replacement. Laser printers – usually for more heavy duty uses
like home or commercial offices – use toner ink cartridges. In the latter case, your upfront cost will be a
bit more, but you will be able to print thousands of pages before you need to replace your printer ink.
Also keep in mind that name brand printer ink cartridges can be more expensive. Luckily there are
comparable options available. Then there is the fact that not all printer ink cartridges are created equal.
Some are filled with more ink, yet others offer a subpar page yield.
Remember that we are often held hostage – forced to purchase the kind of ink our printer requires for
as long as we use it, so you’ll want to make all the right decisions off the bat. If you would like help
making the best printer purchase for you, Computer “A” Services – New Smyrna Beach’s trusted source
for computers – can certainly help.