Cheapest Printer to Run in Australia 2026
When Australians shop for a printer, they look at the hardware price. That's the wrong number.
A $49 printer that costs $35 per cartridge and yields 200 pages will cost you more in 12 months than a $299 laser printer running on $14 compatible toner for 3,000 pages. The hardware is a one-time cost. The cartridges are forever.
This guide cuts through the marketing and ranks the cheapest printers to run in Australia in 2026 — based on actual running costs.
The Only Number That Matters: Cost Per Page
Cost per page (CPP) is calculated simply:
CPP = Cartridge Price ÷ Rated Page Yield
At FetchInk, we stock genuine and compatible cartridges for hundreds of printer models. The price differences are substantial — and with compatible cartridges, CPP can drop to almost nothing for a mono laser.
Here's what matters:
- Mono laser: best CPP for text-heavy printing
- Colour laser: better than inkjet for colour documents, but higher running costs
- Inkjet: cheapest hardware, worst CPP unless using refillable/tank systems
- EcoTank/MegaTank: best inkjet running cost, high upfront hardware cost
Category 1: Mono Laser — Best Overall Value
Mono lasers dominate Australian offices and home offices for a reason: toner lasts significantly longer than ink, the cartridges don't dry out from sitting idle, and the cost per page is exceptional.
Brother HL-L2350DW / HL-L2370DW
The benchmark for cheap printing in Australia.
These compact mono laser printers use the TN2450 toner cartridge (rated ~3,000 pages). With compatible toner from FetchInk:
- Compatible TN2450 from FetchInk: $13.91
- Genuine TN2450: ~$147
- CPP (compatible): ~0.46 cents/page
- CPP (genuine): ~4.9 cents/page
That's a 10x difference in running cost. If you're printing 500 pages a month, compatible toner saves you roughly $220/year on this printer alone.
The Brother HL-L2350DW and HL-L2370DW are widely available in Australia from $149–$199. At those hardware prices plus sub-0.5c CPP with compatible toner, this combination is hard to beat for anyone who primarily prints black-and-white documents.
Ideal for: Home offices, students, anyone who prints a lot of text.
Brother MFC-L2713DW / MFC-L2730DW (All-in-One)
Same TN2450 cartridge as the HL-L2350DW, but with copy, scan, and fax built in.
- Compatible TN2450: $13.91
- CPP (compatible): ~0.46 cents/page
If you need a multifunction device and want the cheapest running costs, this is it. The all-in-one premium over the basic laser is minimal, and the running cost is identical.
Brother HL-L5200DW / MFC-L5755DW (Workgroup)
For heavier printing loads, the higher-yield Brother workgroup range uses the TN3440 cartridge (rated ~8,000 pages).
- Genuine TN3440: ~$280
- Compatible alternatives available
- CPP (genuine): ~3.5 cents/page
- CPP (compatible): can drop to ~1.0–1.5 cents/page with quality compatible toners
These are the right machines for busy offices printing thousands of pages per month.
Category 2: Colour Laser — Best for Colour Documents
Colour laser printers cost more upfront and more per page than mono — but they're dramatically cheaper than inkjets for colour documents printed regularly.
Brother HL-L3230CDW
A popular entry-level colour laser using the TN253 (standard) and TN257 (high-yield) toner set.
Standard yield (TN253):
- Compatible Black: $13.91 | Genuine: ~$157
- Compatible Cyan/Magenta/Yellow: ~$13.50 each via full compatible colour set at FetchInk: $54.72 for all 4 vs ~$507 genuine for a full set
- CPP black (compatible): ~2.3 cents/page (rated ~600 pages standard yield)
- CPP colour (compatible): ~3.5–4 cents/page
The complete compatible colour set (TN253 CMYK) from FetchInk at $54.72 compared to ~$507 for four genuine cartridges is a dramatic saving. For a small business doing coloured reports, invoices, and marketing materials in-house, this changes the economics entirely.
Ideal for: Small businesses, home offices that need occasional colour output.
Canon imageCLASS MF445dw
Canon's mono MFP using CART057 (standard) or CART057H (high-yield, ~10,000 pages).
- Genuine CART057H: ~$269
- Compatible CART057H: Check FetchInk Canon toner range
- CPP (genuine 057H): ~2.7 cents/page
- Compatible versions bring this down substantially
Canon imageClass machines are reliable workhorses. The 057H high-yield cartridge makes the per-page economics better for medium-volume users.
Category 3: Inkjet — When It's Worth It
Inkjet printers have a reputation for expensive running costs, and for standard cartridge models, that reputation is earned. But two sub-categories can make sense:
EcoTank / MegaTank Systems (Epson, Canon, Brother)
These use refillable ink tanks rather than cartridges. The hardware costs more ($350–$600+) but ink bottles are very cheap per ml, and CPP can drop to 0.3–0.5 cents per page for colour.
Best for: High-volume colour printing, photo printing, households that print frequently.
Not for: Occasional printing — the hardware cost doesn't pay back on low volume.
Standard Inkjet — Avoid for Value
A standard inkjet cartridge (e.g., HP 67XL Tri-Colour, ~$52, rated ~200 colour pages) works out to roughly 26 cents per colour page. That's 7x more expensive than a colour laser with compatible toner.
Unless hardware cost is the only constraint, a mono laser with compatible toner will almost always be cheaper over 12 months.
Real Running Cost Comparison (12 Months)
Assumptions: 500 pages/month, 12 months = 6,000 pages.
| Setup | Cartridge Cost | CPP | Annual Running Cost | |-------|---------------|-----|---------------------| | Brother HL-L2350DW + compatible TN2450 | $13.91 / 3,000 pages | 0.46¢ | ~$28 | | Brother HL-L2350DW + genuine TN2450 | $147 / 3,000 pages | 4.9¢ | ~$294 | | HP standard inkjet (67XL) | $52 / 200 pages | 26¢ | ~$1,560 | | Epson EcoTank ET-2850 (high vol ink) | ~$15 bottle / 7,500 pages | 0.2¢ | ~$12 (but ~$450 hardware) |
The mono laser with compatible toner wins for most Australian households printing primarily documents.
How to Get the Cheapest Running Costs From Any Printer
1. Always use high-yield cartridges High-yield (XL) cartridges have a higher upfront cost but a significantly lower cost per page. Always compare the high-yield option before buying standard.
2. Use quality compatible toner The savings are real and substantial. A compatible TN2450 at $13.91 vs $147 genuine is not a rounding error — it's 90% less. For everyday document printing, the quality is indistinguishable.
3. Print in draft/economy mode for internal documents Most laser printers have a toner-saving mode that uses 30–50% less toner. It's fine for internal docs and roughly halves your CPP again.
4. Don't replace cartridges at the first warning Printers often trigger low-toner warnings when 15–20% of toner remains. Shaking the cartridge gently (for laser) often extends life by another 50–100 pages.
5. Buy in bulk when on sale Toner cartridges keep for 18–24 months in storage. Buying 2–3 cartridges when there's a discount locks in savings.
Quick Reference: Cheapest Printers to Run in Australia 2026
| Printer | Cartridge | Compatible Price | CPP | |---------|-----------|-----------------|-----| | Brother HL-L2350DW / L2370DW | TN2450 | $13.91 | 0.46¢ | | Brother MFC-L2713DW | TN2450 | $13.91 | 0.46¢ | | Brother HL-L3230CDW (colour set) | TN253/257 | $54.72 (CMYK) | 3.5–4¢ colour | | Brother HL-L2350DW (3-pack value) | TN2450 3-pack | $41.11 | 0.46¢ |
The best printer to run is almost always a Brother mono laser with compatible toner from FetchInk. Ollie and Noodle have done the maths — and the maths is very clear. 🐾