How much is a used printer worth?

Most used home/office printers resell for about $10–$40 — and honestly, a lot of them aren't worth the trip. The single biggest price driver isn't the printer itself, it's what's still in the cartridges: a printer with full or near-full ink or toner can be worth more for the cartridges alone than the machine underneath them. Add wireless printing and a recognizable brand (HP, Brother, Canon, Epson) and a basic inkjet edges toward $30–$50; a newer laser or all-in-one with low page count can clear $60–$120+.

That's the short version. Here's how to tell a real flip from a curb-clutter pass.

Used printer value range

Type / condition	Est. resale range
Old inkjet, empty/near-empty cartridges, no wireless	$0–$10 — often not worth taking
Basic inkjet, some ink remaining, working	$10–$25
Name-brand wireless inkjet all-in-one, full/near-full cartridges	$25–$50
Monochrome laser printer, name brand, low page count	$30–$70
Color laser or higher-end all-in-one (duplex, high-yield toner)	$60–$120+

Estimates only — actual resale depends on cartridge fullness, brand, wireless capability, and local demand. Not guaranteed.

What drives a printer's resale value

Ink or toner level. This is the whole game. A full set of name-brand cartridges can be worth more resold separately or bundled than most inkjet printers sell for on their own — check the ink levels in the printer's menu before you decide.
Brand. HP, Brother, Canon, and Epson hold value and have easy-to-find replacement cartridges. Off-brand or store-only printers are a much harder sell even in perfect condition.
Laser vs. inkjet. Laser printers hold value better — toner doesn't dry out sitting unused the way inkjet cartridges do, and buyers know it.
Wireless / all-in-one function. Wireless printing, scanning, and copying all add real value over a basic wired print-only unit.
Page count / usage. A low-mileage printer (check the internal usage counter in settings if you can) sells better than a high-mileage one, especially for laser models rated for tens of thousands of pages.
Missing parts. No power cord, no USB cable, or a missing paper tray knocks the price down fast — these are cheap for buyers to replace individually, but it's still friction.

Is a printer worth flipping?

Be honest with yourself here: most free printers aren't worth the trip. Printer technology moves fast and new basic inkjets are cheap, so a random old printer with empty cartridges is usually clutter, not a flip. The exceptions are worth grabbing: full ink or toner cartridges, a genuine laser printer, or a newer name-brand wireless all-in-one. If none of those apply, it's fine to pass.

What to grab: full or mostly-full cartridges (check before you commit), laser printers, newer wireless all-in-ones from major brands. What to skip: empty cartridges with no other selling point, off-brand units, anything missing its power cord.

How to flip a free printer

Check the ink/toner levels first, either through the printer's own menu or a quick test print — this determines almost everything else about whether it's worth taking.
Confirm it powers on and connects (wireless or USB) before you commit to hauling it.
Wipe it down and check the paper tray and rollers for dust or paper jams.
Photograph the model number and the ink/toner level screen if you can capture it — buyers search by exact model and want to know what's left in the cartridges.
List cartridges separately if the printer itself is low-value — full, unopened, or lightly-used cartridges for a popular printer model often sell faster and for more than the printer.

Where free printers come from

Printers get replaced constantly — a cheaper new one bought on sale, an office standardizing on one brand, or someone just tired of ink costs. They're common in curb piles, garage cleanouts, and Buy Nothing groups, often with plenty of usable ink still inside because the previous owner didn't think to check.

That's the gap Freebox closes — it surfaces free finds near you with an estimated resale value already attached, so you can skip the empty-cartridge duds and grab the ones actually worth the drive.

Find free printers worth flipping near you

Freebox shows free stuff being given away near your ZIP, each with an estimated resale value and profit, and pings you when a high-value find drops. See what free printers and electronics near you are worth — then grab the good ones before someone else does.

Freebox is a paid app. Resale figures are estimates, not guarantees.

See free finds near me →

FAQ

How much is a used printer worth? Most used printers resell for about $10–$40. Full or near-full ink/toner cartridges can be worth more than the printer itself, while empty-cartridge inkjets are often not worth taking at all.

Is it worth flipping a free printer? Only sometimes — be selective. Full cartridges, laser printers, and newer wireless all-in-ones from major brands are worth grabbing. An old inkjet with empty cartridges is usually clutter, not a flip.

Why do full ink cartridges matter more than the printer? Name-brand ink and toner are expensive to buy new, and a full or lightly-used cartridge holds most of that value regardless of how old or basic the printer is. Buyers specifically search for printers "with ink" for this reason.

Are laser printers worth more than inkjet printers used? Generally yes. Toner doesn't dry out the way inkjet cartridges do, so a used laser printer is a safer bet for a buyer and tends to hold resale value better, especially from brands like Brother and HP.

Where do people give away free printers? Curbsides, office cleanouts, garage sales going free at the end of the day, and Buy Nothing groups. Apps like Freebox aggregate these listings and add an estimated resale value so you know which ones are actually worth grabbing.