After researching 100 ink cartridges from some of the best printer brands, I discovered a shocking fact: the HP 65 tri-color ink cartridge is one of the most expensive inks in the world, costing $9,995 per liter.
Despite its modest price of just $19.99 per cartridge, the cost effectiveness of this ink is far from ideal.
Here’s a look at why this HP printer cartridge may seem cheap to buy, but can turn out to be one of the most expensive investments for regular users.
The illusion of affordability – cheap but expensive
For just $19.99, you can replace the HP 65 Tri-Color Ink Cartridge and keep printing. But here’s the thing: That $19.99 only provides 2ml of ink, just enough ink to print about 100 pages. Although 100 pages may seem reasonable, when you do the math you realize that for 1,000 pages you will have spent $200 on ink cartridges. And if you used a liter of this ink, the total cost would be around $10,000! What initially seems like an affordable product is actually one of the most expensive items you can purchase for your printer in the long run.
Now let’s compare this with what other ink options offer. Take, for example, the Epson T850, which sells for $71 for an 80ml cartridge and can print up to 850 pages. With this printer, the cost of printing 1,000 pages would be just under $85, significantly less than what you would pay with the HP 65. Another example is the Brother LC75C, which sells for $15.49 $ for a 12ml cartridge and can print 600 pages. In the long run, for 1,000 pages, you would only spend around $25.82.
Why is the HP 65 tri-color ink cartridge so expensive? The answer lies in printer economics. Printer manufacturers like HP sell their printers at competitive prices but recoup their profits by selling high-margin ink cartridges. For example, printers compatible with the HP 65 Tri-Color ink cartridge, such as the HP DeskJet 3755 or the HP Envy 5055, are often very affordable. However, once users purchase these budget printers, they are bound to face the high cost of replacement cartridges like the HP 65. This model ensures that even if the printer itself is cheap, the long-term printing cost term is anything but cheap.
For anyone printing a reasonable volume of documents or images, ink tank printers are a much better solution. Ink tanks offer significantly lower costs per page and allow you to print thousands of pages before needing a refill. Unlike traditional cartridges that hold a small amount of ink, ink tanks are designed for volume printing and provide a much better total cost of ownership over time.
The sale price of an ink cartridge is not all you should consider when purchasing one. To choose the right ink for your printer, it is important to consider the total cost of ownership based on the number of pages you will print. For example, looking at how much it costs to print 1,000 pages can give you a clearer idea of the long-term expenses involved.
With traditional HP cartridge models, like the HP 65 or HP 67, you can easily spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to meet your printing needs. But with an ink tank printer, you’ll save significantly because refilling ink costs just a fraction of the price per page.