Published 2026 figures put mono laser at 3–8¢ per page and inkjet black-and-white near 7.5¢ (Toner Buzz). The widely quoted 1–2¢ is an aggregate best case with no itemized source. Printer technology (toner, cartridge, or refill tank) sets the real rate.
The Quick Answer: Your Printer's Technology Sets the Rate
Ask five sources what black-and-white printing costs at home and you get five different numbers. A cost-per-page analysis published January 7, 2026 ("What's the Average Cost to Print a Page?") puts mono laser at 3–8¢ per page and inkjet output overall at 7–20¢. Toner Buzz puts inkjet black-and-white specifically at about 7.5¢. An aggregate 2026 market summary claims 1–2¢ — and the evidence behind that figure itemizes zero printer models. Same question, answers from 1¢ up to 20¢, because the variable is the hardware on your desk.
What follows is a technology split, not a brand ranking: mono laser, cartridge inkjet, or refill-tank inkjet, each matched to a monthly page volume and priced per page in consumables alone.
The Published 2026 Numbers — and the One You Shouldn't Trust Blindly
The strongest itemized source in our evidence is the January 7, 2026 analysis: black-and-white laser at 3–8¢ per page, color laser at 12–15¢ per page, and inkjet output at 7–20¢ per page. Toner Buzz's own figures — roughly 7.5¢ for inkjet black-and-white and about 20¢ for color — land at the edges of that same inkjet span, which is about as much agreement as published pricing data ever gets.
Then there is the aggregate claim: home black-and-white printing at 1–2¢ per page, with "higher-end printers reducing cost further." That summary names no models