A step-by-step guide to calculating the true cost of a printer—hardware, supplies, service, energy, and the hidden bits that impact your bottom line.
Printer TCO: The Basics
TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is the sum of all costs you’ll pay over the life of a printer—not just the sticker price. For most businesses, supplies and service outweigh the initial device cost within months.
- Acquisition: Printer price, installation, setup, training.
- Usage: Toner/ink, drums, waste bottles, maintenance kits, click charges (if under contract).
- Operations: Energy, network/IT time, paper wastage, downtime impact.
- Lifecycle: Repairs outside warranty, firmware/licences, trade-in/resale value.
- Finance: Cost of capital or lease interest, VAT implications (UAE VAT 5% where applicable).
Calculator Methodology (Step-by-Step)
- Set your time horizon: 36 months (small biz), 48–60 months (SME/enterprise).
- Estimate print volumes: A4 mono pages/month; A4 colour pages/month. Include monthly growth (%) if relevant.
- Confirm yields & prices: Supplies yields (ISO/IEC) and net prices (AED). Add a waste factor (e.g., 2–5%) to cover real-world losses.
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Map your service model:
- Break-fix: Pay as needed (parts + labour).
- Managed print: Click charges per A4 mono/colour (includes toner, parts, PM).
- Full-service lease: Fixed rental + click charges.
- Build the cost blocks:
Formulas you can paste into Excel/Google Sheets
Inputs (named cells): months, mono_ppm, color_ppm, mono_cpp, color_cpp, device_price, install_fee, lease_rental, energy_aed_month, it_time_hours_month, it_rate_aed, misc_aed_month, resale_value, finance_rate (as decimal).
Monthly_Pages = mono_ppm + color_ppm
Monthly_Click_Cost = (mono_ppm * mono_cpp) + (color_ppm * color_cpp)
Monthly_Ops_Cost = energy_aed_month + (it_time_hours_month * it_rate_aed) + misc_aed_month
If Buying Outright:
Capex = device_price + install_fee
Finance_Cost ≈ Capex * finance_rate * (months/12)
TCO = Capex + Finance_Cost + (Monthly_Click_Cost + Monthly_Ops_Cost) * months - resale_value
If Leasing:
Fixed = lease_rental * months
TCO = Fixed + (Monthly_Click_Cost + Monthly_Ops_Cost) * months - resale_value
Cost-per-page (blended): TCO / (Monthly_Pages * months)
Deriving click charges from cartridge yields (if you’re not on MPS)
If you buy cartridges instead of paying clicks, convert to cost-per-page (CPP):
Mono_CPP = (Mono_Toner_Price_AED / Mono_Yield_pages) * (1 + Waste_Factor)
Colour_CPP = SUM(each CMY toner price / yield) * (1 + Waste_Factor)
Drum_CPP = Drum_Price_AED / Drum_Life_pages
Maintenance_CPP = Maint_Kit_Price / Kit_Life_pages
Total_CPP = (Mono_CPP or Colour_CPP) + Drum_CPP + Maintenance_CPP
For colour, add CMY toner CPPs; add black if device uses K also for colour pages.
Worked Example (Illustrative; AED, 36 months)
Company prints 8,000 mono and 1,500 colour A4 pages/month. Considering two paths:
| Cost Block | Buy + Consumables | Full-Service Lease |
|---|---|---|
| Device | AED 11,500 + AED 350 install | AED 1,450 / month rental |
| Click/Consumables | Mono 0.085 / page; Colour 0.52 / page | Mono 0.18 / page; Colour 0.36 / page |
| Ops (energy + IT + misc) | AED 180 / month | AED 180 / month |
| Resale/Residual | – AED 2,000 (after 36 mo) | – AED 0 |
| Finance | Capex finance ≈ AED 1,265 | Included in rental |
| Total Pages (36 mo) | 9,500 pages/month × 36 = 342,000 pages | |
| TCO (36 months) | ≈ AED 11,850 (device+install+finance−resale) + (8,000×0.085 + 1,500×0.52 + 180)×36 ≈ AED 112,000–116,000 |
(1,450 + 8,000×0.18 + 1,500×0.36 + 180)×36 ≈ AED 114,000–118,000 |
Note: Numbers are illustrative. Real outcomes depend on your exact yields, service SLAs, and negotiated rates.
Ideas to Improve & Control TCO
1) Match device to duty cycle
Under-spec’d printers run hot, need more service, and waste toner. Over-spec’d devices tie up capital. Right-size for average + peak loads.
2) Use managed print for predictability
Click charges bundle toner, parts, and maintenance—often lowering risk and surprise bills. Compare total monthly spend, not line items.
3) Track mono vs colour
Colour pages can cost 3–6× mono. Apply print policies: default mono/duplex, user quotas, driver presets.
4) Reduce waste
Auto-duplex, secure release (hold print until badge tap), correct paper profiles to avoid reprints, and approved media lists to protect fusers.
5) Negotiate SLAs that matter
On-site response, parts availability, loaner units, and PM schedules cut downtime cost—which often dwarfs toner savings.
6) Standardize fleet & supplies
Fewer models = simpler stocking, faster fixes, and stronger pricing on bulk toner kits.
7) Watch energy & space
Energy-efficient devices with deep sleep + right placement (ventilation, dust control) improve life and cut OpEx.
8) Plan the exit
End-of-term options (buyout/refresh/trade-in) and expected resale affect your TCO today.
Your TCO Input Template (copy to Excel/Sheets)
| Field | Value (AED / units) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Time Horizon (months) | 36 | Typical 36–60 |
| A4 Mono pages/month | 8,000 | From meters |
| A4 Colour pages/month | 1,500 | From meters |
| Mono CPP (AED) | 0.18 | or computed from yields |
| Colour CPP (AED) | 0.36 | or computed from yields |
| Device Price (if buying) | 11,500 | Capex |
| Lease Rental (if leasing) | 1,450 / mo | Instead of Capex |
| Other Operational Costs | ≈ AED 200–300 / month | Covers install, training, energy, IT time, misc parts, finance, resale |
TCO FAQ
Is a cheaper printer always cheaper to own?
Not necessarily. Low-cost devices can have high CPP, shorter duty cycles, and more downtime. TCO can end up higher than a business-grade model.
Lease or buy—which is better?
Leasing improves cash flow and predictability; buying can be cheaper long-term if volumes are stable and you negotiate supplies/service well.
How do SLAs affect TCO?
Faster on-site response and guaranteed parts availability reduce downtime cost—often worth more than small CPP savings.
