Ink instead of champagne

How printer manufacturers turn customers into cash cows

The most expensive champagne is cheaper: If you calculate the price per liter of printer ink, you come up with astonishing amounts.

(Bild: HP, instagram.com/armanddebrignac Krone KREATIV,)

If it were a drink, it would be enjoyed on the most festive occasions: HP colored printer ink (type 304) costs 17 euros for two milliliters in electronics stores. That's 8500 euros per liter. Armand de Brignac Midas, one of the most expensive champagnes in the world according to "Falstaff", costs 200,000 euros in a 30-liter bottle, or 6667 euros per liter - in other words, less. Printing is lucrative for manufacturers - and they do a lot to keep it that way.

Some manufacturers actively prevent third-party cartridges in the operating software of their printers, and as the latest affront to customers, the US provider HP has come up with a subscription service with rental printers, monthly ink delivery and always-on Internet access. But you don't have to take part in this practice: Not all printer models produce such high operating costs, and a considered purchase saves hassle later on. Krone+ reveals which models will save you money when printing.