Printers have frustrated users for decades. They jam at the worst moments. Cartridges run dry and demand replacement at steep prices. Manufacturers add digital rights management that blocks third-party ink. Paris-based Open Tools aims to change that equation with its Open Printer, a compact machine built for longevity and user control.
The device relies on standard parts and open designs. It prints on sheets or continuous rolls. An integrated cutter handles banners or custom sizes. Refillable cartridges compatible with common HP models keep costs low. No proprietary drivers required. The system runs on an open-source print server that works across operating systems from Windows to iOS.
Three team members drive the project. Léonard Hartmann, Nicolas Schurando, and Laurent Berthuel describe their creation simply. “Open Printer is an open-source, repairable inkjet printer designed for makers, artists, and anyone tired of throwaway hardware,” they explain in coverage by Hackster News. Built with modular components, it assembles, modifies, and repairs with relative ease.
At its core sits a Raspberry Pi Zero W. That single-board computer manages the show. A separate STM32 board handles cartridge functions. Resolution hits 600 dpi for black and white, 1200 dpi for color. Dimensions stay tight at roughly 50 by 10 by 11 centimeters. Users can mount it on a desk or wall. The 1.47-inch display and jog wheel offer direct control.
Sustainability sits at the heart of the concept. Traditional printers often end up in landfills after a few years. This one fights obsolescence. Standard mechanical parts mean replacements come from ordinary suppliers. The team plans to release all electronics, mechanical files, firmware, and bill of materials under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. That choice encourages repairs, upgrades, and community contributions while restricting commercial resale of the designs. Details appear on the project’s main page at opentools.studio.
Users gain freedom over ink. Print in black only. Or color alone. Or both. The system avoids the common error message that halts black printing when a color cartridge empties. Refills come from 100-milliliter bottles sold by the company or third parties. No DRM blocks the process. One recent article captured the appeal. “Sick of printer manufacturers locking you out of third-party cartridges and refills? The Open Printer doesn’t mess around like that,” noted Geeks Are Sexy.
And the flexibility extends further. Paper rolls up to 29.7 centimeters wide allow long banners or strips. The cutter trims them automatically. Standard A4, A3, letter, or tabloid sheets work too. Artists and makers see particular value here. They can produce custom formats without wrestling multiple machines.
The project has drawn attention in tech circles. A June 2026 update on the crowdfunding page revealed a nomination for a French design award. The campaign on Crowd Supply remains in pre-launch mode as of early July 2026. Interested parties sign up for notifications. Crowd Supply’s project page outlines the vision of a printer that adapts to the user instead of the reverse.
But why does this matter now? The right-to-repair movement has gained traction worldwide. Governments in Europe and parts of the United States push legislation against planned obsolescence. Consumers grow weary of devices designed for short lifecycles. Open Tools taps that sentiment. Its machine promises to outlast a laptop. Community members on Hacker News and Reddit have praised the concept in threads dating back to late 2025.
One Hacker News discussion from last year highlighted the absence of commercial open-source print servers until projects like this emerged. Contributors pointed to years of work improving Linux printing stacks. The Open Printer builds on that foundation with CUPS, the Common Unix Printing System, at its heart. It connects via USB-C, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth. AirPrint support brings convenience for Apple users without locking them into a closed garden.
Scanning remains a gap. The printer itself does not include a scanner. Users rely on phone apps for that task. The team acknowledges the limitation in its FAQ. Yet the overall package still appeals. Maintenance stays straightforward. If the company vanishes, parts remain available from distributors. 3D-printed components can replace broken plastics. Tutorial videos and open files support long-term viability.
Comparisons to mainstream offerings reveal stark differences. Major brands tie users to expensive subscriptions or proprietary cartridges. Repair often proves impossible or uneconomical. The Open Printer flips the model. It treats the owner as capable. Customization options include colored variants or user-designed 3D parts. The license permits sharing and modifying with proper attribution and same-license requirements.
Recent coverage reinforces the momentum. A story in RTM World from October 2025 described the modular, DRM-free approach and Raspberry Pi controller. Notebookcheck and other outlets covered the upcoming crowdfunding. On X, users shared the project’s homepage with notes on its repairable nature and lower costs compared to commercial alternatives. One post from July 2026 called it a “repairable and open source paper printer” that undercuts traditional options.
The timing aligns with broader hardware trends. Makers seek control. Enterprises explore sustainable procurement. Artists want tools that spark creativity rather than constrain it. Open Tools positions its printer as one piece in a larger shift toward understandable, maintainable devices. Future releases could expand the lineup. For now, the focus stays on delivering this inkjet that prints, cuts, and endures.
Challenges remain. Production scaling for a small Paris team will test execution. Speed specifications still carry a “to be defined” label. Community contributions will prove vital once files go fully public after the product stabilizes. The non-commercial license clause may limit some business adaptations. Yet the core promise holds. A printer that users can truly own.
Industry watchers see parallels in other open hardware successes. Single-board computers democratized computing. Modular smartphones attempted similar disruption though with mixed results. This effort targets a mundane but ubiquitous device. Success here could inspire more categories. Imagine open routers, monitors, or peripherals built on the same principles.
Laurent Berthuel and his colleagues have spent years refining the concept. Early inspiration came from projects by YTEC and SpriteMods. They pushed further to create a polished, usable product. The result feels both radical and practical. Radical in its openness. Practical in its compatibility with existing cartridges and networks.
Pre-order interest will reveal market appetite. If the campaign gains traction, expect more details on final pricing and availability. Early indications suggest economical operation. Low per-page costs from refills. Reduced waste from longevity. Those factors matter to both individual users and organizations tracking environmental impact.
The printer won’t replace high-volume office fleets anytime soon. Its compact size and focus on flexibility suit creative workspaces, home offices, and maker labs better. Still, its existence raises questions for incumbents. What happens when customers demand repair rights and open designs? How long can lock-in strategies persist?
Open Tools offers one answer. Build it open. Make it last. Give control back. The coming months will test whether enough people agree to push the project from prototype to production reality. For an industry long defined by frustration, that represents real progress.
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