Cheapest Printers to Run in 2026 — EcoTank vs Laser vs Cartridge

By Vincent on April 7, 2026

Last updated: April 2026

The price tag on a printer is almost irrelevant — what matters is how much it costs to run over time. Ink cartridges are notoriously expensive, but a new generation of printers has changed the game entirely. Here’s everything you need to know about finding the cheapest printer to run in 2026.

The Real Cost of Printer Ink

Standard ink cartridges cost between $15 and $40 each and print anywhere from 200 to 500 pages. That works out to 3–15 cents per page — more expensive per milliliter than most fine wines. Over a few years of printing, cartridge costs can easily exceed $300–500.

Contrast this with the newer alternatives — EcoTank ink bottle refills, laser toner, and high-yield INKvestment tanks — and the savings become dramatic.

Cheapest Printers to Run in 2026

Printer	Ink System	Cost Per Page (Black)	Upfront Cost
Epson EcoTank ET-2800	Refillable tanks	~$0.003	$$
Epson EcoTank ET-4850	Refillable tanks	~$0.003	$$$
Brother MFC-J4335DW INKvestment	High-yield tank	~$0.005	$$
Brother HL-L2350DW	Laser toner	~$0.02	$
Standard inkjet (average)	Cartridges	~$0.05–$0.15	$

Option 1: EcoTank Printers — Lowest Cost Per Page

Epson’s EcoTank range is the clear winner for lowest running costs. Instead of cartridges, you fill large ink reservoirs from bottles. One set of bottles costs around $15–20 and prints thousands of pages.

Epson EcoTank ET-2800 — Best Budget EcoTank

The most affordable way into the EcoTank ecosystem. The ET-2800 prints, scans, and copies with Wi-Fi connectivity. The included ink is worth about $70 in equivalent cartridges — you’re ahead before you’ve printed a single page.

Included ink: ~4,500 black / 7,500 color pages
Replacement ink bottles: ~$15 for thousands of pages
Cost per page: approximately $0.003 (less than half a cent)

→ Check the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 price on Amazon

Epson EcoTank ET-4850 — Best Full-Featured EcoTank

Everything the ET-2800 has, plus fax, a larger ADF, faster speed, and a touchscreen. If you print heavily and want the complete package, the ET-4850 is worth the extra cost — it more than pays for the difference over time.

→ Check the Epson EcoTank ET-4850 price on Amazon

Option 2: Laser Printers — Best for Documents

Laser printers use toner (a powder) instead of liquid ink. Toner cartridges last far longer than ink cartridges — high-yield options give you 3,000–10,000 pages each. For black-and-white document printing, laser cost-per-page is extremely competitive.

Brother HL-L2350DW — Cheapest Laser Printer

At under $100, the Brother HL-L2350DW is the most affordable way into laser printing. It’s fast (32 ppm), prints wirelessly, and high-yield toner replacements bring cost-per-page down to about 2 cents. For document-only printing, this is the most economical choice over the long term.

→ Check the Brother HL-L2350DW price on Amazon

Option 3: HP Instant Ink — Subscription Savings

HP offers a subscription called Instant Ink where you pay a flat monthly fee (starting at $0.99/month) for a set number of pages. HP monitors your ink level and ships replacement cartridges automatically before you run out.

This works best for users who print a consistent, predictable volume each month. The HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e is compatible with Instant Ink and is a good choice if you like the subscription model.

EcoTank vs Laser vs Cartridge — Which Saves the Most?

Here’s a realistic 3-year cost estimate for someone printing ~200 pages/month:

Printer Type	Upfront Cost	3-Year Ink Cost	Total 3-Year Cost
Standard inkjet (cartridges)	$80	~$540	~$620
HP Instant Ink	$150	~$108	~$258
Laser (Brother HL-L2350DW)	$100	~$144	~$244
EcoTank (Epson ET-2800)	$200	~$30	~$230
EcoTank (Epson ET-4850)	$350	~$30	~$380

Note: Estimates based on approximate ink costs and 200 pages/month printing.

For moderate printing volumes, the Epson ET-2800 and Brother HL-L2350DW both offer exceptional value. For very heavy printing (400+ pages/month), the ET-4850 pays for itself quickly.