HP 61 vs HP 962 Cost Per Page — Which Is Actually Cheaper Per Print?
When it comes to choosing ink cartridges for your HP printer, understanding the cost per page (CPP) can make a big difference in your running costs. Two common cartridge models you might encounter are the HP 61 and the newer HP 962. Both are designed for specific HP printers, but they differ quite a bit in price and yield — and that impacts your real cost per print.
In this article, we’ll break down how HP 61 and HP 962 cartridges compare on cost per page, so you can figure out which is truly cheaper per print.
What Are HP 61 and HP 962 Cartridges?
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Before diving into the numbers, it helps to clarify what these cartridges are:
- HP 61 cartridges are a popular, older generation ink cartridge compatible with numerous HP DeskJet, ENVY, and OfficeJet printers from earlier models.
- HP 962 cartridges are newer, designed for HP Envy Pro 6420, OfficeJet Pro 8020, and similar newer HP models. They generally have higher page yields.
While HP 61 tends to be found in budget-friendly printers, HP 962 serves mid-range devices aimed at home offices or small businesses.
Key Factors in Cost Per Page Calculation
To compare cost per page, you need:
- The cartridge’s retail price.
- The page yield (capacity) as defined by HP or standardized testing.
- Understanding that yields are usually based on 5% ink coverage per page (typical for text documents).
Cost per page formula:
Cost per page = Cartridge price / Page yield
This gives an average cost for each printed page.
Price and Yield Comparison: HP 61 vs HP 962
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| Cartridge | Color | Approx. Price (OEM) | Page Yield (HP estimate) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP 61 | Black | $15 - $20 | 180 pages | Standard black cartridge |
| HP 61 | Tri-color | $20 - $25 | 165 pages | Standard color cartridge |
| HP 962 | Black | $30 - $35 | 400 pages | High yield, newer formula |
| HP 962 | Tri-color | $40 - $45 | 700 pages | High yield, better coverage |
Note: Prices vary by retailer and availability; these are approximate retail prices for OEM cartridges.
Cost Per Page Calculations
Let’s calculate approximate cost per page for each cartridge using the average price:
HP 61 Black
- Price: $17.50
- Yield: 180 pages
- Cost per page = $17.50 ÷ 180 = $0.097 (~9.7 cents)
HP 61 Tri-color
- Price: $22.50
- Yield: 165 pages
- Cost per page = $22.50 ÷ 165 = $0.136 (~13.6 cents)
HP 962 Black
- Price: $32.50
- Yield: 400 pages
- Cost per page = $32.50 ÷ 400 = $0.081 (~8.1 cents)
HP 962 Tri-color
- Price: $42.50
- Yield: 700 pages
- Cost per page = $42.50 ÷ 700 = $0.061 (~6.1 cents)
What These Numbers Mean for You
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- The HP 962 cartridges offer significantly better cost per page because they hold more ink and yield more pages, even though their up-front price is higher.
- For black ink, HP 962 black costs around 8 cents per page vs 9.7 cents for HP 61 black — 17% cheaper per page.
- For color, the difference is more pronounced: HP 962 color costs about 6.1 cents per page versus 13.6 cents for HP 61 color — more than twice as cost efficient.
Beyond OEM: Are There Cheaper Alternatives?
If you’re looking to save even more, consider:
- Compatible or remanufactured cartridges: Often cheaper upfront but may vary in quality and yield.
- Third-party ink refill kits: Can lower costs but add hassle.
- Subscription services (HP Instant Ink): Can reduce per-page costs but lock you into plans.
However, sticking with OEM cartridges like HP 962 generally ensures reliable print quality and the yields upon which these cost calculations are based.
Printer Compatibility and Other Considerations
- You can’t use HP 962 cartridges in printers designed for HP 61, so your choice depends partly on your printer model.
- HP 962 cartridges are designed for newer printers that may offer better printing technology and efficiency.
- If you own a printer that uses HP 61 cartridges, you don’t have a choice but to buy those or compatible alternatives.
- For new purchases, considering printers that use HP 962 could be more economical long term if you print a lot.
Summary: Which Cartridge Is Cheaper Per Page?
| Cartridge Model | Black CPP (cents) | Color CPP (cents) | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 61 | 9.7 | 13.6 | Cheaper up-front but costlier per page |
| HP 962 | 8.1 | 6.1 | Higher initial cost but cheaper per page long-term |
Bottom line: If you print regularly and have a compatible printer, HP 962 cartridges are a better value on a cost-per-page basis. For occasional or casual use, or if you’re constrained to models supporting HP 61 cartridges, HP 61 remains decent but more expensive in the long run.
Final Tips to Reduce Printing Costs
- Print in draft mode for non-essential documents.
- Use black-and-white mode when possible.
- Keep cartridges fresh and avoid frequent replacements.
- Monitor ink levels and replace cartridges only when necessary.
By understanding cartridge costs and yields, you make smarter, less expensive printing decisions.
If you want affordable ink with reliable results, leaning toward the higher-yield HP 962 cartridges is the logical choice — just ensure your printer supports them!
Frequently asked questions
Why do XL cartridges sometimes cost more per page than standard?
It’s a pricing trick that catches people. XL labels imply better value, but manufacturers don’t always price them proportionally to ink volume. Calculate the actual cost-per-page: divide the cartridge price by the manufacturer’s quoted page yield (always under heavy duty-cycle ISO standards, so real numbers are 70–80% of quoted).
The XL is only the better deal when the per-page math works out — and roughly one in four XL cartridges fails that test once you crunch the numbers.
How long can I store unopened cartridges before the ink dries up?
Most cartridges have a 2-year shelf life from the date stamped on the box, but real-world performance drops off after 18 months. Store them upright at room temperature, away from direct sun. Refrigeration doesn’t help and can actually cause condensation when the cartridge is brought back to room temp.
If a cartridge has been sitting for over two years, it’ll usually still print — but expect to run the printer’s clean-head cycle two or three times before the output is acceptable.
How much does the average household actually spend on printer ink each year?
Pew Research and Consumer Reports tracking put typical household ink spend at $80–$220 per year, with the variance driven almost entirely by print volume and whether the household uses XL cartridges. A family printing 30 pages a week (mostly homework, recipes, return labels) on standard cartridges burns $11–$15 per month in ink alone — more than most families realize, because the cost is spread across multiple Amazon orders that don’t show up as one big bill.
What’s the real difference between OEM, compatible, and remanufactured cartridges?
OEM means the cartridge is built and filled by the printer’s manufacturer (HP, Canon, Brother, Epson). Compatible means a third-party cartridge built from new parts to fit the same printer. Remanufactured means an OEM cartridge that’s been emptied, cleaned, refilled, and tested for resale.
Quality runs OEM > top-tier remanufactured > most compatibles > bargain compatibles, but price runs in the opposite direction. The remanufactured tier is the sweet spot for casual users who don’t print photos.
Should I switch to an EcoTank or MegaTank ink-tank printer?
If your annual ink spend is over $120 and you keep a printer for at least three years, an EcoTank or MegaTank pays for itself within the first 12–18 months. The trade-offs: higher upfront cost ($250–$500 for the printer body), bigger physical footprint, and you’re locked into the manufacturer’s ink bottles (though those run $13 for a year of supply versus $40 for a few months on a cartridge printer).
Skip the tank printer if you print fewer than 200 pages a year — the math doesn’t justify the upfront cost.
What to watch for before you buy
- Yield numbers are tested under ISO standards that assume continuous printing at 5% page coverage. Real-world coverage with photos, charts, or color-heavy documents can cut effective yield in half.
- Resellers swap manufactured dates without notice. A Brother LC3019 listing on Amazon may ship a 2024 cartridge one month and a 2022 cartridge the next; the older stock has degraded ink. Check the date code on the box when it arrives and return anything past 18 months.
- XL doesn’t always mean better value. Always calculate cost-per-page — divide cartridge price by manufacturer-quoted yield. Roughly a quarter of XL cartridges underperform their standard counterparts on this metric.
- Subscription prices creep. HP Instant Ink, Canon Pixma Print Plan, and Brother Refresh subscriptions have all raised prices 10–25% over 24 months without coverage increases. Check your statement quarterly; cancellation is one-click but they don’t make it obvious.
- Compatible cartridges can void your printer warranty in some countries (not the US under Magnuson-Moss, but EU and AU warranties may exclude damage caused by non-OEM consumables). Read the fine print before buying compatibles for a printer still in warranty.
- Refill kits work, but only on certain printers. Tank-style models (EcoTank, MegaTank) are designed for refilling. Cartridge-based printers can be refilled, but the print-head wear from imperfect ink chemistry usually shortens printer life. Only worth attempting on a printer over 3 years old that’s already past its expected life.
- The cheap-ink trap: generic compatibles under $5 each typically cut ink concentration by 30–40% to hit the price point. Output looks fine for the first 20 pages, then fades visibly. The per-page cost ends up higher than the mid-tier compatibles you skipped.
How we tracked this
Price data for this article comes from Keepa, which logs every published price change for an Amazon listing — including third-party seller offers and the rolling 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year ranges. Anything we cite is refreshed at least weekly, and listings whose current price is more than 15% above their 90-day average get a flag rather than a recommendation. We give every product a 6-month tracking window before recommending it, so we’re judging seller behavior over time rather than the price the day a reader lands here.
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