Guide · Phones, tech and TVs

How long should a printer last in Australia?

A printer bought for around $200 should last about 4 years or more.

A printer should last more than a year or two. If it stops working or stops accepting ink in that time, take it back.

That’s our guide, and plenty last longer. CHOICE’s lifespan research puts it at about 3 years.

The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid. If it fails sooner through no fault of yours, the shop that sold it has to put it right, even when the maker’s warranty has run out.

Check yours

Takes a minute. It works out where you stand and what to say.

Is mine still covered?

Our guide to how long a printer should last, by price:

Price paid	Should last about
Up to $800	4 years
$800 to $2,000	5 years
Over $2,000	6 years

For one bought around $200:

Under 2 years: very likely covered.
2 years to 4 years: borderline, so worth asking.
Over 4 years: harder, but it isn’t a cut-off.

If it failed before the typical lifespan CHOICE gives, say so when you ask.

These are guides, not law.

Signs it’s a fault

Paper jams that never clear, or it won’t pull paper in
It rejects genuine ink or says a cartridge is empty when it isn’t
It won’t connect to Wi-Fi or a computer, or shows a fatal error

What usually isn’t covered

Ink heads clogged by months of not being used
Third-party ink the maker warns it may reject, if that was the cause
A change of mind, misuse, or a fault you knew about when you bought it.

What to do

Find your proof of purchase. The receipt is best. A bank or card statement, an order email or a warranty registration also works.
Go back to the shop you bought it from. Not the maker. The shop is responsible, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.
Say what’s wrong and what you want. For a minor problem, the shop can choose to repair it first. For a major one (it’s unsafe, or you wouldn’t have bought it if you’d known), you choose a refund or a replacement.
If they say no, go up a step. Ask again politely, in writing if you can, and keep copies. Then contact your state or territory consumer protection agency. If you need to, your state tribunal is the next step.

What to say at the counter

“I bought a printer here on [date]. [What’s wrong.] It hasn’t lasted as long as I’d reasonably expect for what I paid, so it isn’t of acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law. I’d like it repaired, replaced or refunded.”

A tip for a printer

Ink wears out, but the printer shouldn’t. Keep the error code and the model number, and say what you’ve tried.

Check yours

It's Stuffed works out where you stand, helps you find your proof of purchase and writes what to say. It also keeps your receipts and warranties in one place, so you’re not hunting for them next time.

Check yours

Common questions

How long should a printer last?

By our guide, a printer bought for around $200 should last about 4 years or more, and plenty last longer. The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid.

Does the consumer guarantee still apply to a printer after the warranty ends?

Yes. They’re separate from the maker’s warranty and from any extended warranty, and they don’t have an end date. What matters is whether it lasted as long as a reasonable person would expect for what it was and what it cost.

Who do I go to if a printer fails, the shop or the maker?

The shop that sold it. The shop is responsible for putting it right under the consumer guarantees, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.

Do I need the receipt to take a printer back?

You need proof of purchase, but not the original receipt. A bank or card statement, an order email or a warranty registration can do the job.

More guides

Where this comes from

ACCC: consumer rights and guarantees · CHOICE: how long should your appliances last