We’ve all been there—printing out worksheets, flashcards, and lesson plans like there’s no tomorrow, only to find that your ink runs out just when you need it most. If your deskjet printer is starting to feel more like a money pit with all those cartridge replacements, you might be wondering if a laser printer would save you some cash (and frustration) in the long run. Let’s dive into the numbers to figure out at what point a laser printer becomes the smarter choice for your homeschooling needs.

Deskjet vs. Laser Printer: A Closer Look at the Costs

Deskjet Printers are often the default choice for many families due to their low upfront cost, typically ranging between $50 and $150. However, the real expense comes with ink cartridges. Standard ink cartridges cost around $30 and print between 200 to 300 pages. This means the cost per page is roughly 7.5 to 11 cents for black-and-white printing. If you’re printing 300 pages per month, you’ll spend around $540 annually on ink alone, leading to a first-year total cost of about $640, including the initial printer cost.

Laser Printers, while initially more expensive—typically between $150 and $300—offer significant long-term savings. A toner cartridge for a monochrome laser printer costs about $80 but yields around 3,000 pages (please keep in mind this varies depending on the brand). This brings the cost per page down to approximately 2 to 5 cents. If you’re printing 300 pages per month, the total cost of toner for the year is only about $96. Adding in the initial printer cost, your first-year expense with a laser printer totals around $346.

Cost Savings of Laserjet over Deskjet over a 2 year time-frame

Conclusion: When Is It Worth the Switch?

• Under 100 pages per month: A deskjet printer remains cost-effective at this level of printing. The savings you might get from a laser printer won’t outweigh the higher upfront cost.
• 100-200 pages per month: At this level, the cost difference begins to shift. By the end of the first year, a laser printer will save you some money compared to a deskjet, and the savings will continue to grow.
• Over 200 pages per month: If you consistently print more than 200 pages per month, upgrading to a laser printer will significantly reduce your printing costs over time. For high-volume homeschooling families printing 300 pages or more each month, the laser printer pays for itself within the first year and offers long-term savings.

In short, if you’re printing moderate to high volumes regularly (150+ pages a month), it’s worth investing in a laser printer to save money and time in the long run.​

I hope this helps you decide which type of printer is right for your family!

*Be sure to check out all of our printable resources at How to Homeschool for Free!*

Breaking Down the Math

For those of us who like to see a little more math, here is a clear breakdown of the costs of Deskjet vs Laser by number of pages printed:

Printing 100 Pages per Month:

• Deskjet: First-year cost = $280 (including ink)
• Laser: First-year cost = $282 (including toner)

For 100 pages per month, both types of printers have similar first-year costs, making a laser printer less necessary unless you value faster printing speed and sharper text.

Printing 200 Pages per Month:

• Deskjet: First-year cost = $460 (including ink)
• Laser: First-year cost = $314 (including toner)

At 200 pages per month, the savings with a laser printer become apparent by the end of the first year.

Printing 300 Pages per Month:

• Deskjet: First-year cost = $640 (including ink)
• Laser: First-year cost = $346 (including toner)

If you’re printing closer to 300 pages per month, a laser printer will save you nearly $300 in the first year alone, and that savings will compound over time as the cost of toner remains far lower than that of ink.

Other Important Considerations

Print Speed: Laser printers are significantly faster than deskjets. If you often print large batches of worksheets or lesson plans, this can be a big advantage. A laser printer can typically handle 20-30 pages per minute, compared to the 5-10 pages per minute of a deskjet.

Print Quality: Laser printers generally produce sharper and crisper text, which can be especially helpful for educational resources like worksheets, where clear and readable text is important. While deskjets perform well for photos and graphics, laser printers are better for heavy text documents.

Durability and Volume: Laser printers are designed for higher-volume printing, making them more durable over time. Deskjet printers, on the other hand, may wear out more quickly with frequent use, especially if you’re regularly printing hundreds of pages per month.

Color Printing: If you frequently need color printing, deskjet printers are often the better choice since color laser printers are much more expensive upfront. However, if most of your printing is black-and-white, a monochrome laser printer will serve you well.

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