Accounting 110 Discussion Question

There has been a heated discussion around the accounting department of Not Now Corporation on why when new printers are purchased for the sales force at $250 a piece they are capitalized and added to the fixed assets on the balance sheet of Not Now and written off over 5 years as depreciation expense. Matthew in Accounts Payable wants to know why he has to add them to the fixed assets rather then simply recording them as expensed in the current period. He argues that we don't capitalize the printer ink we buy to go in them. We expense that as we buy it. You have been drawn into this heated discussion and asked what you think. Should we capitalize as an asset or expense them as we buy them? Make sure you provide support for your argument so everyone can see you are right!