Do All-in-One Printers Last Long?
A comprehensive guide to understanding the lifespan of multifunction printers and how to maximize their longevity
Three years ago, I bought an HP all-in-one printer for over a thousand yuan. Last month, it completely gave up on me. The scanner failed first, then prints came out with horizontal lines everywhere, and finally it stopped recognizing ink cartridges altogether. I took it in for repair, and the technician said the motherboard was fried—fixing it would cost over 600 yuan, so I might as well buy a new one.
Modern all-in-one printers combine printing, scanning, and copying functions in a single device — but how long do they really last?
Real-World User Experiences
This kind of thing is all too common. On the LD Products website, a user commented that their HP 7520 lasted fifteen years, and customer service replied saying fifteen years was indeed quite long—time for a new one. But then there are people who say their Xerox Workcentre 6015, purchased in 2012, hasn't had a single issue to this day.
On a physics forum, one person vented about going through five Canon printers, two HP printers, one Brother, and one Epson in seven years. The Canons were relatively reliable but kept breaking down, and the Epson was acting up from day one. Their old HP, though? Lasted twenty years strong.
Industry Standards & Expectations
Industry Standard
Manufacturer Claim
Home Use Capacity
Commercial Capacity
The industry-recognized number is three to five years. Manufacturers themselves claim around seven years, but that's likely exaggerated. Lifespan isn't measured in years anyway—it's measured in print volume. Every machine comes with a rated monthly duty cycle printed on it. Home-use models typically handle one to several thousand pages per month, while commercial units can reach up to fifty thousand pages.
A machine designed for two thousand pages per month can handle three thousand in the short term, but it won't hold up over time.
Consumer Reports Data (2019)
Key Finding: 110,000+ Printers Surveyed
2019 Consumer Reports surveyed over 110,000 printers. Multifunction all-in-one printers had nearly double the failure rate compared to single-function black-and-white laser printers. More features mean more components, which means more things that can break.
Ink Replacement Frequency
28% of inkjet users reported ink replacement was too frequent. Among Brother all-in-ones, it was 21%. Kodak all-in-ones fared worst at 42%.
Paper Jam Issues
Paper jamming affected around 10% of machines surveyed, causing significant frustration and productivity loss for users.
Brand Reliability Rankings
All four categories positive
All four categories positive
All four categories positive
HP had some negative marks among its six evaluated categories, but HP also has the largest market share—more users means more complaints. This doesn't necessarily indicate lower quality.
Inkjet vs. Laser: A World of Difference
Inkjet and laser printers are worlds apart. Inkjet all-in-ones average around four years of lifespan, while laser models last five to ten years. The difference comes down to ink.
Inkjet print heads have nozzles finer than half the width of a human hair. Ink left sitting dries up inside and clogs the nozzles. Toner powder doesn't dry out. Inkjet machines can't sit idle—go a week without printing and the print heads start clogging. It's recommended to print once or twice a week, even if it's just a test page.
| Feature | Inkjet All-in-One | Laser All-in-One |
|---|---|---|
| Average Lifespan | ~4 years | 5-10 years |
| Idle Risk | High (nozzle clogging) | Low (toner doesn't dry) |
| Recommended Use | Print weekly minimum | No minimum required |
| Maintenance Cost | Higher (head cleaning uses ink) | Lower |
| Best For | Regular home/photo printing | Office documents |
Cleaning the print heads wastes ink—sometimes a single cleaning cycle uses as much ink as printing several pages. Many people use their printer only a few times a month, and within two years the print heads are shot.
Parts Supply & Obsolescence
Parts supply is another issue. Manufacturers typically stop producing replacement parts seven years after discontinuing a model, and firmware updates cease as well. When an old machine breaks down and you can't find parts, replacement is the only option.
The fuser unit in laser printers, according to HP, needs replacement around every 100,000 pages, and the drum unit at roughly 30,000 pages. Home users rarely hit those numbers.
How to Maximize Your Printer's Lifespan
Choose a mid-range laser all-in-one for best longevity
Use your printer a few times per week
Stay within the rated monthly duty cycle
Print test pages weekly if using inkjet
Consider Brother, Canon, or Samsung for reliability
Keep spare parts availability in mind when purchasing
The Bottom Line
Buy a mid-range laser all-in-one, use it a few times per week without overloading it, and five to seven years is no problem. Inkjets require more frequent use—three to five years is normal. Those fifteen or twenty-year lifespans? Those are the exceptions, not the rule.