How cheap can a brand new color laser printer be? It turns out, in the post-pandemic new era, far less affordable than before - and in some cases, double the price.
The cheapest color laser printer we found available in stock today is the single-function (as opposed to multi-function) Lexmark C2425DW.
It boasts a printing speed of 23 pages per minute, far higher than any inkjet printer in this price range and also features USB, wireless and Gigabit Ethernet connectors, making it a great printer for SMBs as well.
- Check out our list of the best wireless printers around
- Here is our collection of the best home printers on the market
- Want to print large? Then check out our best A3 printers
Add in automatic duplex printing, a large paper tray, tiny footprint and fast processor and this genuinely looks like an amazing printer deal.
Hidden extras
However, this deal might not be as sweet as it seems, given the price of the consumables.
The printer only comes with starter black (750-page) and color (500-page) cartridges. Purchasing a full set of high capacity printer cartridges (2500-page color and 3000-page black) will cost you about twice as much as the printer itself.
So, while the C2425DW is cheap in the short term, its total cost of ownership and cost per print is quite high - probably up there with the most expensive on the market (even if you don't have to buy a new drum).
Gone are the days, though, where it's cheaper for businesses to buy a new printer every time they run out of toner; great for your accountant, but not so great for the environment.
- Buying for enterprise? Then check the best workgroup printers
Bear in mind
- If this model is unavailable in your region, you may need to use a specialist parcel forwarding service to take advantage of the deal.
- If you've managed to get hold of a cheaper product with equivalent specifications, in stock and brand new, let us know and we'll tip our hat to you.
