Color laser printing is a cash vampire. A single color page can cost 10 to 25 cents. That’s because each color (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) has its own toner cartridge. You’re paying for four cartridges, not one.
Here’s a quirky fact: printing a full-page photo in color uses more toner than a text-heavy document. White space is free. Dark space is expensive. So if you print a photo of a black cat in a coal mine, you’re wasting money. Print a bunny on a snowy field instead.
The Hidden Hiss of Power
Laser printers are energy hogs. That fuser roller needs to be hot enough to melt plastic (around 200°C). It drinks electricity. A typical laser printer uses 400 watts during printing, compared to 10 watts for an inkjet. That adds a fraction of a cent per page, but it adds up over a year.
Turn off your printer when you’re done. Or better yet, use the sleep mode. Your electric bill will stop crying.
