How the printer break-even calculator works
The break-even formula
Price gap ÷ per-page savings = pages to break even; ÷ monthly volume = months. A $180 premium saving 5.5¢/page repays in ~3,300 pages — 27 months at 120/month, then free money. The calculation is the entire upgrade decision, and it takes thirty seconds.
The volume honesty check
Households overestimate printing by 2–3× ("we print a lot" usually means 40 pages/month). The honest volume is the cartridge-replacement history: pages actually printed per year ÷ 12. The break-even at the HONEST volume is the one that predicts satisfaction — at fantasy volume, every upgrade looks great.
The printer-lifespan discount
Break-evens past the printer's realistic life (4–6 years, sometimes shortened by firmware and DRM updates) never pay. The five-year net line in the calculator prices this — and the note about firmware is not paranoia: some manufacturers have bricked third-party ink via update, which is a real cost the sticker math hides.