Printer repair cost

You’ve created a masterpiece and now it’s time to hit print. But shock horror, your printer’s refusing to play ball. If your printer’s not working, it could be for a simple reason that you can troubleshoot yourself. However, some fixes are best left to the professionals. Here, we’ve broken down the average printer repair cost.

Is your printer not working and needs a repair?

First things first, if your printer’s not working, there are a few simple checks you should carry out yourself.

• Make sure there’s paper in the tray.
• Check that the USB cable is plugged in or that your printer’s connected to the wifi (if it’s wireless).
• Make sure your printer’s plugged into the power socket and that the socket is on.
• Check that the ink and toner cartridges aren’t empty.

If your printer is wireless, we’d recommend trying a USB cable to see if that works. It may just be that the connection’s not strong enough.

Once you’ve tried all these steps, if your printer’s still not functioning correctly, we’d recommend going to a professional who can carry out some more in-depth checks.

How much would it cost to fix a printer?

On average, printer repairs cost around £42 per hour. So, your total printer repair cost will depend on how complex the problem is and therefore how long the process takes.

Printers have many mechanical and electronic parts that all need to work together, so it can take time to diagnose exactly what the problem might be. However, simple problems can often be fixed quickly and easily.

Some professionals will give you a fixed cost for the job, which may be more cost-effective. We’d recommend comparing overall fix costs before instructing a professional so you can be sure you’re getting your repair for the best value.

What are the typical problems that require fixing on a standard printer?

As printers have so many parts, there are lots of things that can go wrong. However, some of the common problems you may encounter include:

• Your printer isn’t printing.
• You have smudges or marks on printed documents.
• The colour’s not coming out right.
• Your printer is telling you it needs a service.
• An error code has popped up.
• There’s a paper jam.
• Your printer is making strange noises, such as banging, squeaking or grinding.

These issues should all be relatively easy to repair. However, there are also issues that are more complex and therefore more expensive. If this is the case, it may be cheaper to simply buy a new printer.

FAQs for printer repairs

Are printers worth repairing?

This will depend on the cost of your printer. Most basic office printers cost around £100 so often won’t be worth repairing. If your repair is going to cost more than half of what it would cost to buy a new printer, we’d usually recommend buying a new one.

What is the average life of a printer?

Most printers last between three and five years. However, if you maintain your printer properly, it could last even longer.

Can inkjet printers be repaired and is it worth it?

Inkjet printers can be repaired but it will often cost less to simply buy a new printer. That said, there are more expensive inkjet printers that would be worth repairing. Ultimately, it all depends on your printer’s value.