[TrackerFF]

Because the VAST majority of people that purchase printers are super casual users, that will maybe print out 10-20 pages a year, and let the printer collect dust rest of the time.

Being the "IT guy" among family/friends/colleagues, 9 out of 10 times that's the case. Someone asks me if I can help them with their printer, they bought it 1-3 years ago, they've barely used it, but need new ink cartridge.

It's always the same printers. They saw one on sale for $40 or whatever at some big box store, a bought it.

[rsynnott]

In which case you _particularly_ want laser, because laser printers will keep working for that sort of duty cycle, whereas if not used semi-regularly, most ink cartridges will need replacing even if not empty.

[Filligree]

Although those aren’t the only two technologies. I have a wax printer, which has similar behaviour for photo prints. Only… it isn’t quite precise enough to do text very well, and it’s A5. But otherwise it’s great!

I don’t look forward to running out of consumables. For some reason these aren’t made anymore.

[massysett]

Someone printing 10 to 20 pages a year is not interested in the capital expenditure of a laser printer. They want something with as little up-front expenditure as possible.