Is it Worth Repairing Your Home Office Printer?

Are you trying to decide if your home or office printer is worth repairing? Does your printer still fit your needs, or do you think you need to buy a new one?

With more and more of us working from home these days, it’s not surprising that more of us are investing in computers, printers, and other office equipment. If you print often throughout the day, you know how frustrating it can be to have printer issues, especially when you’re not in a big office with other printers to choose from.

However, the right printer can be a big expense. It’s tempting to continue repairing an older printer, but you could be throwing money away! How do you know if it’s time to replace your printer? How long do inkjet printers last?

Here are our recommendations:

Generally, the average lifespan of an inkjet printer is around 3-5 years under normal usage. If you use the printer more frequently than average or if you’re using it for a business, you might find the life of your printer is shorter.
Inkjet printers have a lifespan on the lower end, while laser printers last a little longer.
If you’re spending a lot of money on replacement parts for your printer, it might be a better investment to buy a new printer – low supply of replacement parts could be an ongoing issue.

Printer Repair or Replace: Ask Yourself These Questions

Before you make the decision to repair or replace your inkjet printer, ask yourself these questions:

Have you been printing frequently?
Is your printer still under warranty?
Are you using an older model printer?
How much is the hourly rate for printer repair services?

Not sure about the answers to these questions? MCS can help! MCS offers a $25 printer assessment. One of our technicians will diagnose the issue(s) and provide you with an estimated cost of repair. If the cost is not worth the labor rate, we’ll let you know so you don’t waste your money or your time. If we think buying a new printer is the best option for you, we’ll let you know about that too, and we can even make recommendations about how to go forward and what printer to choose.

Like cars, plumbing, or heating, it’s difficult to find a printer repair center that can be counted on. Don't you wonder if what is done was completely necessary, because it always seems to cost more? At MCS, we do only what is necessary. If a machine is older or has a repair that would exceed the cost of replacement, we aren’t against telling you it's not worth the cost of fixing.