- New TechRadar Pro survey shows many people don’t own a printer
- Despite this, HP has cornered a significant portion of the market
- Japanese brands are the most popular to own
The role of home printers might seem to be diminishing to many, as cloud storage, document sharing, and mobile devices, are quickly replacing the many tasks once reliant on physical prints.
However, for millions of people, printers remain an essential tool for everything from school projects to remote work and small business operations.
A recent survey conducted across our WhatsApp community revealed intriguing insights into printer ownership trends. With a sample size of 3,676 respondents across nine brands, the survey’s single question — “What printer do you have?” — yielded both expected and surprising results.
HP and Japanese brands lead the pack
HP emerged as the clear leader in this survey, with 38% of the total sample stating that they own a printer made by the company.
HP’s sheer market dominance is particularly interesting when compared to those who do not own a printer, which accounted for 21% of respondents. While HP has cornered a significant portion of the market, a growing number of people are either opting for alternatives to personal printing or simply choosing not to own a printer at all.
What’s perhaps even more intriguing is the dominance of Japanese brands within the top four. Brother, Canon, and Epson collectively account for 37% of the total, showing the significant influence that Japanese technology has in the global printing market.
Brother in particular commands 11% of the total share, with Canon at 14%, and Epson close behind at 12%. The remaining brands, Kyocera, Oki, Ricoh, Xerox, and Lexmark, collectively make up less than 5% of the responses. This indicates that these brands have their niches but have limited awareness or availability among respondents.
The number of people forgoing printer ownership might also reflect urban living conditions where access to printing services is readily available through libraries or office supply stores. In such environments, individuals may find it unnecessary to invest in personal printers.
Furthermore, high ongoing costs associated with ink cartridges and maintenance might deter potential buyers from investing in printers.
Another recent survey by TechRadar Pro reveals that while the shelf price of many printer cartridges is less than $20, in the long run, printer owners will have to spend between $5,000 to $10,000 per liter of ink.
