HP 61 vs HP 962 Cost Per Page — Which Is Actually Cheaper Per Print

The HP 61 vs HP 962 Price Trap

At first glance, HP’s 61 and 962 cartridges appear to serve the same purpose — both are standard yield tri-color cartridges for HP’s consumer printers. But their pricing tells a different story:

• HP 61 (Standard Yield): Currently $16.99 (Amazon)
• HP 962 (Standard Yield): Currently $49.99 (Amazon)

That’s nearly 3x the price for cartridges with identical milliliter capacities. So why the disparity?

Yield Testing Reveals the Truth

Independent testing shows both cartridges deliver approximately 165 pages at 5% coverage (ISO/IEC 24711 standard). This means:

• HP 61 cost per page: $0.103
• HP 962 cost per page: $0.303

The 962’s premium comes from being bundled with HP’s higher-end OfficeJet Pro printers, where manufacturers assume business users will pay more. Home users get identical print quality from the 61.

When to Consider Alternatives

1. Refill Kits: Third-party refill kits for HP 61 average $12.99 for 5 refills ($0.016/page)
2. High-Yield 61XL: The 61XL variant prints 330 pages for $24.99 ($0.076/page)
3. Compatible Cartridges: Reliable third-party options like a reputable third-party option print 200 pages for $9.99 ($0.050/page)

Pro Tip: HP 962 cartridges use the same ink formulation as 61 series — the only difference is the chip that reports remaining ink levels to your printer.

The Verdict

Unless your printer specifically requires HP 962 cartridges, the HP 61 series delivers identical prints at 1/3 the cost per page. For maximum savings, consider vetted third-party alternatives that work in both cartridge types.

Watchdog picks

• B0CWP64QMTCheck on Amazon → · Buy on Amazon
• B01N7V39UOCheck on Amazon → · Buy on Amazon
• B08KDQZJQ5Check on Amazon → · Buy on Amazon
• EPSON 502 EcoTank Ink Ultra-high Capacity Bottle Black Works with ET-2750, 2760,Check on Amazon → · Buy on Amazon
• B0DPYJWX2FCheck on Amazon → · Buy on Amazon
• BIODANCE Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask, Hydrating Overnight Hydrogel Face Mask, PoCheck on Amazon → · Buy on Amazon
• B002BWQ6XKCheck on Amazon → · Buy on Amazon
• B001EQ4G0OCheck on Amazon → · Buy on Amazon

Products in this guide

• HP 65 Black Ink Cartridge Works with HP AMP 100, DeskJet 2600, 3700, ENVY 5000 SeriesCheck on Amazon →
• Epson 502 Ink Cartridges, Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow, 4-PackCheck on Amazon →
• Brother Genuine Standard Yield Toner Cartridge, TN730, Replacement Black Toner, Page Yield Up To 1,200 Pages, Amazon DasCheck on Amazon →
• Brother Genuine TN730 3-Pack Standard Yield Black Toner Cartridge with Approximately 1,200 Page Yield/CartridgeCheck on Amazon →