You're standing in the middle of a big-box store, or more likely, scrolling through fifteen browser tabs, and you see it. A sleek, white all-in-one printer for $39. It looks like a steal. It's Friday morning, the coffee hasn't quite kicked in, and your old inkjet just gave you the "Cyan is low" death stare for the last time. But here’s the thing about black friday computer printer deals that nobody tells you: that $39 printer is actually a $500 debt in disguise.
Buying a printer during the holidays is a minefield.
Retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart love to slash prices on hardware because they know the real money isn't in the plastic and chips. It's in the liquid gold—the ink. If you aren't careful, you’ll spend more on your first two replacement cartridges than you did on the actual machine. Honestly, it’s a bit of a racket.
Why Most Black Friday Computer Printer Deals Are Actually Terrible
Most people go into the shopping season looking for the lowest sticker price. That is mistake number one. When you see those doorbuster specials, you’re usually looking at "entry-level" models. These machines are intentionally designed with tiny "starter" cartridges that hold about as much ink as a teardrop.
Let's look at the math, because the math is brutal.
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Take a standard budget inkjet. You might find it on sale for $45. A high-yield black and color cartridge set for that same machine often retails for $50 to $60. You are literally paying more for the ink than the hardware. Within six months of printing school projects or tax forms, your "deal" has evaporated. This is why experts like those at Consumer Reports often suggest ignoring the upfront cost entirely and focusing on the "cost per page."
If you're printing more than 20 pages a month, you should probably avoid the cheapest deals. Seriously. Just walk away.
Instead, look for "Tank" printers. Epson’s EcoTank or Canon’s MegaTank lines are the stars of the show here. They rarely drop to that impulse-buy $50 price point—you’re more likely to see them go from $300 down to $220—but they come with enough ink in the box to last two years. That is a real deal. You're paying more today to save hundreds tomorrow. It’s a bit of a mental hurdle when you’re in "saving mode," but your future self will thank you when you aren't rushing to Staples at 9 PM on a Sunday because the yellow ran out.
The Laser Advantage: The Secret MVP of Holiday Sales
If you don't need to print photos, stop looking at inkjets. Just stop.
Laser printers are the unsung heroes of black friday computer printer deals. Brands like Brother have a cult following for a reason. Their monochrome (black and white) laser printers are basically tanks. They don't dry out. That’s the biggest "gotcha" with inkjets—if you don't use them for three weeks, the print head clogs, and you waste half your remaining ink just running "cleaning cycles."
Laser toner is a dry powder. You can leave a Brother HL-L2350DW (a common Black Friday target) sitting in a dusty corner for six months, turn it on, and it will spit out a perfect page instantly.
During the sales, you can often find these reliable workhorses for under $120. While it’s not as "flashy" as a photo printer, the reliability is unmatched. HP’s LaserJet series also sees deep discounts, though you have to be careful with their "HP+" ecosystem. HP+ basically requires an internet connection and original HP toner to function. Some people love the convenience of the Instant Ink subscription; others find it a bit too "Big Brother" for their liking. Know which camp you’re in before you click "Buy Now."
Subscription Models vs. Buying Outright
We need to talk about the "Free Ink" trap.
You’ll see stickers on boxes promising "6 Months of Free Ink" with an HP+ or Epson subscription. It sounds great. Who doesn't like free stuff? But read the fine print. You usually have to provide a credit card upfront. Once that trial ends, you’re on a monthly billing cycle based on how many pages you print. If you go over your limit, they charge you. If you cancel the subscription, the ink cartridges you already have in the machine—even if they are full—will often stop working.
It turns your printer into a service rather than a tool you own. For some families, this is actually cheaper. For others, it’s a frustrating recurring expense.
How to Spot a Real Discount in the 2026 Season
Retailers use "MSRP Bloat" all the time. They’ll claim a printer is "$150 off," but if you check a price tracker like CamelCamelCamel, you’ll see the printer has been selling for that "sale" price for most of the year.
True deals usually happen on:
- Last-gen models: When Canon or Epson releases a "new" version that just has a slightly different shade of gray plastic, the previous year's model gets dumped for cheap.
- Wide-format machines: If you’re a crafter, look for the Epson Expression Photo XP-15000. It’s a niche product that often gets a significant percentage-off discount because it’s a higher-ticket item.
- Office-grade All-in-Ones: The printers meant for small businesses often have better build quality than the "Home" versions. Look for the "Pro" designation.
Don't forget the paper. It's the boring part of black friday computer printer deals, but paper prices have climbed. Bundling a few reams of high-quality 22lb or 24lb paper when they are on "buy two get one free" specials is a smart move. Cheap 20lb paper is thinner and more prone to jams, especially in high-speed duplex (two-sided) printers.
Real Talk on All-in-One Scanners
Do you actually need a scanner?
Most of us just use our iPhones or Androids to "scan" documents these days. Apps like Adobe Scan or even the built-in Notes app on iOS do a better job of flattening and OCR-ing (turning images into searchable text) than a cheap flatbed scanner. If you don't need to scan thick books or old photos, you can save money by buying a "print only" machine. These are smaller, have fewer moving parts to break, and are significantly cheaper during holiday sales.
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However, if you are digitizing the family archives, look for a deal on a printer with an ADF—Automatic Document Feeder. This allows you to stack 20 pages and let the machine do the work. Without it, you’re stuck lifting the lid for every single page. It’s a soul-crushing task.
Final Steps for the Savvy Shopper
If you’re serious about snagging the best value this year, stop looking at the shiny posters and start looking at the spec sheets. Specifically, look for the "Yield" of the replacement cartridges.
Check the price of a replacement set of ink before you buy the printer. If the ink costs more than 60% of the printer's sale price, it's not a deal. It's a trap.
Also, verify the connectivity. We’re in 2026; if a printer doesn't support 5GHz Wi-Fi (only 2.4GHz), you’re going to have a nightmare of a time connecting it to a modern mesh router system. Many of the "budget" Black Friday models use older, cheaper Wi-Fi chips that struggle with modern networks.
Your Action Plan:
- Identify your volume: Under 50 pages a month? Get a cheap Laser or a mid-range Inkjet. Over 50? Get a Tank printer.
- Check Third-Party Compatibility: See if the printer accepts "remanufactured" cartridges. Some brands use firmware updates to block these, forcing you to buy their expensive brand-name ink.
- Measure your space: Printers have gotten "deeper" lately. Make sure that "great deal" actually fits on your desk before you lug it home.
- Ignore the "MSRP": Use a price history tool to ensure the "Sale" is actually the lowest price of the year.
Forget the hype. Focus on the long-term cost of ownership. A printer is one of the few pieces of tech where the cheapest option is almost always the most expensive in the long run. Choose wisely, and you won't be swearing at a "Low Ink" warning by mid-January.