Can Wireless All-In-One Printers Save Money?
Wireless all-in-one machines integrate printing, scanning, copying, and faxing into a single device. What used to require purchasing four separate devices now costs the price of one.
The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw retails for $759 and includes all the above functions. Buying a separate fax machine, scanner, copier, and printer individually would exceed this amount.
The Bottom Line
Whether you save money depends on your print volume and ink type.
Traditional Inkjet Printing Costs
Traditional cartridge-based inkjet printers cost approximately 7.5 cents per page for black-and-white printing and around 20 cents for color.
B&W Inkjet
7.5¢
per page average
Color Inkjet
20¢
per page average
HP OfficeJet 8720
1.8¢
B&W per page
Toner Buzz test data shows the HP OfficeJet 8720 at 1.8 cents per page for black-and-white and 9.7 cents for color. The Brother MFC-L2750DW XL laser all-in-one costs 2.7 cents per page—Tom's Guide says this is the lowest among laser printers they've tested.
Ink Tank Printers Change the Cost Structure
The Epson EcoTank series uses ink bottles instead of cartridges. According to official data, the included ink can print 7,500 black-and-white pages and 6,000 color pages. A replacement ink bottle set costs $12. Epson claims savings of $1,000 over three years compared to cartridges.
7,500
B&W pages per fill
6,000
Color pages per fill
$1,000
3-year savings claimed
Tom's Guide tested the Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 at 0.9 cents per page for color, lower than the inkjet printer average of 1.9 cents.
Consumer Reports testing shows: Users who print about 35 pages per month start saving money after two years with ink tank printers. After two and a half years, total cost of ownership is lower than all traditional inkjet printers.
Ink Tank Printers Have Higher Purchase Prices
Epson EcoTank standard models range from $199 to $599, professional models from $799 to $1,229. Canon MegaTank entry-level models are $200 to $300.
Traditional inkjet printers can be had for as little as $70, but consumables are expensive. The Epson Expression Premium XP-640 sells for $70, but four-year usage costs approach $550. This is the printer manufacturer's standard strategy: sell machines cheap, sell cartridges expensive.
Ink Cost Per Page Calculation
Cartridge Price ÷ Page Yield = Cost Per Page
The formula for calculating ink cost per page
HP 64XL Black
$45.89 • 600 pages
7.6¢
per page
Brother LC103 Black
$20.49 • 600 pages
3.4¢
per page
Page yields are based on ISO standard 5% coverage testing. When printing photos or documents with higher coverage, actual yields will be lower than stated.
Third-Party Compatible Cartridges Save Even More
| Cartridge | OEM Price | Compatible Price | Page Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 952XL Black (LD Products) | $34.99 | $17.99 | Same |
| HP 65 XL Black (CompAndSave) | $32.99 | $20.95 | 300 pages |
Compatible cartridges are cheaper because some parts are recycled, they're sold factory-direct, and retail markup is eliminated.
HP Instant Ink Subscription Service
Charges by page count. Ink is delivered automatically, including shipping and recycling. HP claims users save up to 50%. Overage charges are $1.50 per 10 to 15 pages. Color and black-and-white cost the same. Downside: low-volume users may pay more than buying cartridges outright.
$1.79
10 pages/month
$31.99
700 pages/month
$1.50
Overage per 10-15 pages
Power Consumption Is Another Cost
Home inkjet printers use 30 to 50 watts during operation, 3 to 5 watts on standby. GridHacker data shows commercial laser printers use 500 watts while printing.
13W
Epson WF-2850 printing
3.6W
WF-2850 standby
12W
EcoTank ET-2800 printing
0.2W
ET-2800 idle
The Epson WorkForce WF-2850 uses 13 watts while printing, 3.6 watts on standby, 0.6 watts in sleep mode, and is ENERGY STAR certified. The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 uses 12 watts printing, 1.5 watts standby, 0.2 watts idle.
At the US average electricity rate of 12 cents per kWh, a 45-watt printer running 1.5 hours daily uses 0.0675 kWh, costing less than 1 cent per day. Annual cost is approximately $3. Electricity is a negligible portion of total printing costs.
Duplex Printing Reduces Paper Consumption
Paper costs 0.5 to 2 cents per sheet. A ream of 500 sheets of standard copy paper costs around $10. Automatic duplex printing cuts paper usage in half. The Brother MFC-L2750DW XL, HP OfficeJet Pro 9135e, and Canon MAXIFY MegaTank GX6020 all support automatic duplex printing.
Wireless Features Save Time and Walking
Print From Any Device
With WiFi connection, phones, tablets, and computers can all print—no USB cable, no walking to the printer to connect.
Multi-User Sharing
Multiple people can share one printer. HP Smart, Epson Smart Panel, and Canon PRINT apps support remote printing.
Minimal Power Difference
WiFi standby uses slightly more power than wired connections, but the difference is single-digit watts.
Fewer Cables
Eliminates the cost and clutter of connection cables and cable management headaches.
Ink Tank Printer Ink Can Dry Out. If left unused for long periods, printheads can clog. Both Canon MegaTank and Epson EcoTank have this issue. Recommendation: print at least once per week. Cartridge-based printers have the same problem, but cartridge replacement costs are higher.
Print Volume Determines Which Solution Saves Money
Under 10 Pages/Month
Traditional Inkjet
Or subscription service entry-level plan
100+ Pages/Month
Ink Tank Printer
Break-even in about two years
500+ Pages/Month
Laser All-in-One
Best value for high volume
Consumer Reports data confirms ink tank printers are suitable for medium to high volume users, with two-year payback.
All-in-One Reduces Device Count
One device takes one outlet and one spot on the desk. Four devices need four outlets, four power cords, and four locations.
Maintaining one device is simpler than maintaining four. Wireless all-in-ones also eliminate connection cable costs and cable management hassles.
The Verdict
Wireless all-in-one printers can absolutely save money—but how much depends on your print volume, ink type choice, and usage patterns. For moderate to heavy printing needs, ink tank printers offer compelling long-term savings. For occasional printing, traditional options or subscription services may be more economical. The consolidation benefits—single device, shared access, less clutter—provide value beyond pure cost savings.