Think before you ink

Different printer manufacturers offer different solutions to the high cost of ink

There were indigo and terracotta printers at Walmart the day I shopped. I went for terracotta.

Conventional wisdom has it that King C. Gillette’s genius in shaving products was to sell his unique safety razor handle at the cheapest practical price, because once customers had purchased the razor, they’d have no choice but to buy Gillette’s proprietary blades from that point forward.

That long-standing story has been debunked somewhat by Randal Picker of the University of Chicago Law School; the true story of Gillette’s strategy and pricing is not as cut and dried. But even if King Gillette didn’t clearly and wholeheartedly follow the model with which he’s credited, others certainly have, and nowhere is this more evident than in the printer aisle of your local big box store.

You can find all-in-one inkjet printers, scanners and copiers for quite low prices — but once you buy one, you’re on the hook to buy that manufacturer’s proprietary ink cartridges going forward, which can be a considerable expense.

Consumer discontent about this model has gotten loud enough in recent years that some manufacturers have responded with alternate approaches.

The traditional computer inkjet printer uses cartridges that serve a dual purpose. The cartridge includes not only a supply of…