It's time for Framework to build a modular printer
Who'd have thought that we'd still be talking about printers in the 2020s? Wasn't it all supposed to be paperless by now? The reality is that we're about as likely to give up paper as we are to get flying cars, which means we have to deal with all the things wrong with the printing industry.
And, let me tell you, there are a lot of things wrong with the printing industry. From shady business practices to even shadier hardware designs, unless you're willing to fork out for a business-class ink-slinger, there's almost no way to escape. What we need is an industry disrupter, and looking at what Framework has achieved in the laptop and desktop computer world, I think the company should seriously consider taking on the printer establishment next.
Framework should break the printer industry next
Burn it all down
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Framework has made a splash in the computer world and built a loyal following because it does what other tech companies are too scared to do: give you control. Framework doesn't just offer a little repairability, but lets you replace, upgrade, and swap every part of their laptop and compact desktop systems .
The company even offers ways to make something useful from old laptop motherboard modules and has taken a hard stance against e-waste. Common business wisdom might say that planned obsolescence is good to keep the suckers locked-in and paying for life, but so far Framework is proving that you don't have to be evil to sustain a tech business.
While the Framework model is still building momentum, I honestly think it would be awesome to apply this disruptive model to the printer industry, because things are looking more than a little bleak.
Printers are problematic in 2026
It prints money (for someone else)
The premise of a printer used to be simple. You bought the printer, paper, and ink. You printed until you ran out of ink. Then you bought more ink. It was simple, and everyone got something out of the deal.
Then printers became disposable. In many cases it was cheaper to buy a whole new entry-level inkjet than it was to buy new ink cartridges for it! That was already a sign that something wasn't right, but for me, the turning point was the advent of printer subscriptions like HP Instant Ink .
Now, I don't know about you, but to me, a printer subscription, like a car seat heater, is something that should never be a subscription . The typical printers people buy to use at home really are mostly disposable now. The print heads are built into the cartridges, which is a major reason they cost so much, and there isn't really anything worth fixing or replacing. At least not in a cost-effective way.
That's not the experience you get with business printers. For example, my own Epson Ecotank printer costs around $1000, but offers true refillable ink tanks, and it can be serviced by a technician. It's meant to both minimize the price of each page, and maximize the lifespan of the printer itself. The tradeoff is that high asking price, but there are at least some printers using this approach at more palatable prices. But, I still don't think it's enough.
What a printer would look like if it didn't hate you
We need to LEGO of the old ways
I'm no engineer, but wouldn't it be great if printers were properly modular? If you could easily swap out the logic board or feed assembly, it would change everything. Obviously, printers are more mechanically complex than laptops, but I would love to see the modular philosophy applied to them.
More than that, however, it would be nice to get rid of ink DRM , or to have the option to upgrade your printer with a screen or better Wi-Fi down the line. What about getting better quality prints by changing to better print heads later?
Of course, it's easy to just write a wishlist, but if anyone could crack this nut, I think it's the Framework folks.
Why doing the opposite of HP and its friends might actually win
If you look at how tired people are of Netflix subscriptions, and food subscriptions, and everything that used to be a once-off purchase now being a subscription, it's not hard to read the room. Companies like HP have overestimated how much capacity we have for these shenanigans.
The bar is low, but all a company like Framework has to do is respect our time, money, and intelligence, and it might end up stealing every disgruntled customer from the printer giants. Even if it means lower quality prints, or more technical friction. So come on Framework (or anyone else), show us what you got.
