Printer total-cost worksheet

Estimate the cost of owning one printer over a number of months you choose. Enter the purchase and setup costs, expected printed sides, consumable replacement cost and the yield you are assuming. Keep any pages covered by included starter consumables separate so they are not charged for again.

The scenario buys whole replacement packs when the assumed page allowance runs out, so some paid-for consumables may remain at the end. Record the exact print mix and the source of the yield assumption, and edit them when your expected usage changes. This is a planning estimate rather than a promise of cartridge performance.

All shopping tools

This tool does not save your entries automatically. Download a copy to keep your work, and clear the worksheet on a shared device before leaving. Do not enter passwords, account numbers or other sensitive personal information.

Printer and expected usage

Define the exact model and a consistent printed-side basis.

Printer model and condition

Colour mix, paper size and other print assumptions

Ownership horizon in months

Expected printed sides per month

Printer purchase cost, GBP

Delivery and other one-off setup costs, GBP

Consumables and paper

Use a single replacement pack or complete consumable set with one explicit yield assumption.

Replacement pack or complete set being modelled

Replacement pack or set cost, GBP

Assumed printed sides per replacement pack or set

Record the print mix and basis; do not treat a quoted yield as a guaranteed result.

Assumed printed sides covered by included consumables

Enter 0 if none are included or usable for this scenario.

Paper cost per printed side, pence

Use your intended paper and sidedness to derive this rate.

Other costs during this horizon, GBP

Include only costs you explicitly choose to model, counted once.

Evidence and limitations

Keep prices and yield assumptions editable.

Price sources and dates checked

Manufacturer or observed yield source and conditions

Unmodelled costs, usage changes or separate consumables

Using your worksheet

Use printed sides consistently for monthly usage, included pages and replacement yield.
If consumables have separate replacement cycles, model a justified complete-set assumption or label this simple calculation as incomplete.
Include paper separately unless you have explicitly excluded it from the scenario.
Compare alternative printers by making a separate copy of the worksheet with the same usage assumptions.

Assumptions and limits

Replacement packs are rounded up to whole packs; leftover consumable value is not credited.

A constant monthly print volume and constant assumed yield are used.

No actual cartridge yield, maintenance interval or energy consumption is supplied.