Canon TM-240 vs TM-255 or TM-250 : Which Offers the Better Cost of Ownership?

When you are looking at buying an A1 printer and  you are comparing the Canon TM-240 A1 printer, the Canon TM-255 A1 printer, or the Canon TM-250 the upfront price might look similar.

But when you look at ink value, cartridge capacity and long-term efficiency, the true cost of ownership tells a very different story.

For businesses printing CAD drawings, architectural plans or technical documents, those ongoing costs matter far more than the initial purchase price.

Starter Ink Value: The Canon TM-255 and Canon TM-250 gives You More From Day One.

One of the most overlooked differences between the Canon TM-240,  TM-255 and TM-250 is the amount of ink supplied in the box.

Canon TM-240 includes 300ml total starter ink
Canon TM-255 and TM-250 includes 490ml total starter ink

When you break that down by cost per millilitre:

Canon TM-255 and Canon TM-250 works out at approximately 45p per ml
the Canon TM-240 is closer to 80p per ml

That extra 190ml equates to roughly £150+ additional value immediately.

Before you’ve even printed your first full roll, the Canon TM-255 and TM-250 is already ahead financially.

Ongoing Ink Savings: Where the Gap Widens.

The Canon TM-255 and TM-250 accepts larger capacity ink cartridges.

This is where the real savings begin.

Larger tanks mean:

Lower cost per millilitre
Fewer cartridge changes
Less downtime
Reduced operational interruption

And crucially — the very first time you order a full replacement set of ink cartridges, the Canon TM-255 and TM-250 user is already saving money compared to the TM-240.

Over 2–3 years of regular use, this difference becomes substantial.

If you’re printing daily, the Canon TM-255 and TM-250 delivers noticeably better long-term value.

Built-In Hard Disc: Future-Proofing Your Workflow.

Another major difference is the integrated hard disc drive in the Canon TM-255.

This provides:

Improved job handling
Faster processing of larger PDF files
Better performance in shared office environments
Greater stability under higher workloads.

If your business expects growth — or you simply want capacity headroom — the Canon TM-255 offers future-proofing that the TM-240 does not.

For very light, occasional use, the Canon TM-240 performs well.

If you are printing more than jsut a few A1 prints a week the Canon TM-255 or TM-250 is the more sensible choice.

The Canon TM-240 or TM-255 and TM-250: Which Should You Choose?

If you are purely focused on keeping initial capital cost as low as possible, the Canon TM-240 may appear attractive.

However, when you factor in:

Starter ink value
Ongoing ink savings
Reduced intervention
Hard disc processing capability
Long-term scalability

The Canon TM-255 and TM-250 clearly offers the lower true cost of ownership.

For architects, engineers, construction firms and technical drawing environments, it is simply the smarter long-term investment.

Final Thought from Design Supply

With large format printers, the cheapest machine rarely remains the cheapest over time.

The Canon TM-255 and Canon TM-250 isn’t just the more premium option — it’s the financially sound one for businesses printing regularly and planning ahead.

If you’d like help calculating projected ink savings based on your print volumes, contact our team and we’ll model it properly for you.