Decades after we were first promised a “paperless office,” nearly half of Americans still own a printer. But most aren’t happy with them, and that might be by design.

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The Washington Post’s Help Desk is here to discuss all things printers. Tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler rounds up a series of investigations he and his colleagues conducted into most people’s least favorite piece of personal tech. 

Many people still need to print shipping labels, school projects, legal documents and medical forms, so printers aren’t going away anytime soon. The printer industry seems to be taking advantage of this reality – by jacking up the price of ink and convincing you to update your equipment more often than might be necessary.

But there are ways you can make owning a printer cheaper and less frustrating. There are also alternatives to buying a home printer, but make sure to protect your privacy when using a third-party printing service. Listen to find out how.