Why not just go to your local library and print for $0.10/page or whatever? Our library is super small and still supports WiFi printing (I assume with a credit card to release print jobs). For photos, I go to Costco or the local pharmacy, which seems to always have decent photo printers.

If you can plan ahead a little, you don't ever need to actually have a printer on hand.

However, if you print frequently, a B&W laser printer is probably a worthwhile investment. I bought one when my wife needed to do immigration paper work and it has been great. We still use it quite frequently to print out coloring sheets or whatever for my kids, as well as for sending in the occasional form. I haven't needed to buy a new toner cartridge, and I have printed around 1000 pages and it still prints as clearly as the day I bought it. I think we've spent about the same as printing at our library, but from the convenience of our home, and I've used the scanner function several times, as well as the bulk copy feature (insert stack of paper and it copies them all).

If you only print occasionally (1-2x/year), check out your local library or office supply store. If you print more frequently, a laser printer is most likely what you want, especially if you only need black and white. If you print a lot of color, maybe getting a color inkjet is worthwhile if you like the look of ink over toner. Most people shouldn't own an inkjet printer.

For some engineering stuff it’s useful too, checking the size or fit of something.

Really? I live in the Netherlands as well and haven't had to print something in ages. If I have to I'll just go to the library which is right next to the supermarket.

I do write the address on envelopes by hand, which I would use a printer for if I'd own one.

Things I print: manuscripts to edit (easier to mark up), crosswords to solve, sheets for PnP RPGs, print and play games, patterns for children, etc

I basically markup manuscripts 50% of my day, I live in OneNote (on Surface Pro). For MS I'm quite impressed, there's a few annoyances (and work won't let me try OneTastic) but overall it works -- I've not printed anything for my own use since I started using it.

I'm a British expat and for example:

- Some of my forms for UK electoral registration.

- For 30% ruling the firm doing my application sent a form to print band return

- I set up a sole trader company and had to print and bring form to my setup meeting.

There were a few others too. The NL itself is generally good for digital services though. I only need to print a few things a year. Nothing frequent.

The main thing I use my printer for is printing postage when I send packages. Is that not a thing in the Netherlands?

At least in Germany I usually get a QR code for the online bought postage I just show at the local post office on my phone. They print out the the postage thing on a sticker. I need to go there anyways with the package.

Ah, that's a little more involved than what I'm used to in the United States.

Here I can print a piece of paper with an address and 2D bar code on it (which is the postage), tape the label to a box, and leave it where the mailman can find it (usually on my front porch), drop it in the outgoing mail at work, or hand it to any mailman I see. No visiting a post office to mail things.

Some of us still have problems reading off of LCDs all day and tablets still don't cut it. Maybe e-ink will eventually be ok.

Yeah that's true. I bought a USB e-ink monitor na few years back, but the refresh rate was intolerable.

I have high hopes for a technology like that though. Natural contrast ratio as brightness increases is a wonderful thing.

Phones have got ridiculously bright backlights to solve this, and still sunglasses and a sunny day completely ruin the experience.

I just print stuff at work.