Printers themselves tend to be reasonably priced, it is the recurring cost of ink and toner cartridges that tend to burn a hole in the pocket. The printer could cost something in the region of $50 but buying the cartridge could actually cost you more! This is a clever thing that printer manufacturers do; they price the printer low, knowing that by doing so the printer is an easy purchase. But, this also makes the buyer commit to future cartridge purchases.