Inkjet printers have a lower initial purchase cost but cost more to run because the ink is more expensive when measured on a per page basis. Laser printers cost more but their running costs are lower and they have a better print quality because in general they have a higher resolution (expressed in dots per inch - dpi).
If you want to print photos at home however, you are best to choose a photo quality inkjet printer.
Inkjets are great for home use and for photo printing. Lasers are good for high-volume applications, like offices, or for applications that need high print quality.
Inkjet printers transfer tiny droplets of ink directly to the page. A laser printer creates an electrostatic pattern on a drum that attracts ink powder that is subsequently fused onto the paper. This is more complex technology so means a higher price than for an inkjet printer.
If you examine the same page printed on both a laser printer and an inkjet, you will be able to see that the characters on the laser printer produced page are sharper. That said however, inkjet printers are getting better all the time in terms of the sharpness of printed characters.
Another aspect to consider is how heavily you will be using a printer. Printer manufacturers express the durability of a printer in terms of duty cycle in pages per month.
For example, a typical laser printer will be capable of a duty cycle up to 7,000 pages a month while a typical entry level inkjet printer is capable of up to 500 pages per month.
Some of the more recent inkjets provide excellent color clarity and brightness, and are very well suited for printing photographs.
While inkjet printers themselves are cheaper, their ink is more expensive per page printed. Ink cartridges need to be replaced fairly often if you print a lot, especially if you're printing pictures or photos.
The manufacturer's stated pages per cartridge measurements are very much dependent on what you printing. They are based on only a small percentage of the page actually being covered in ink.
Toner cartridges for laser printers have a higher unit price than inkjet cartridges, but have a higher capacity so that the cost per page is lower for lasers.
You must remember that the Inkjet printers must be chosen with due care and diligence as they cost a good amount and bad Inkjet printers can restrict the overall performance of the printing solutions.
When buying a printer you must take care of the following features before heading to your nearest dealer:
Printer speed: If the speed of the printer is critical to your needs, the low-end colour printers are simply not for you. Try a mid-range printer capable of printing 15-20 pages per minute (ppm) or a high-range printer that can easily come out with a print speed of 26-30 ppm. The important questions here are the volume of print speed and the budget for the printer.
Print quality: Some of the in the market are not capable of delivering high-class print solutions. So, it is imperative that you chose a printer with a good print quality. A high-range printer, normally, offers a better print quality than a low-range printer.
Printer resolution: A printer is as good as its dpi (dots per inch). The higher the dpi is, higher the print quality. Remember, the standard resolution for a normal inkjet printer is 600 x 600 dpi. Some printers also offer a variety of print resolutions, go for them.
Printer reliability: It is always better to purchase a colour printer from a reliable source than from fraudulent dealers who sell their printer at throwaway prices.
Cost of printer accessories: The cost of printer accessories such as toner and cartridges must also be considered as without them your printer will not be delivering the same performance as you expect.
And, do not forget to test the colour inkjet printers after reading the specifications and also see if the printer scores on performance as much as on the paper.
Both David Haysom & Raisa Raima are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
David Haysom has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sell Home, Guide Guitar and computers and the internet. Article by David Haysom. David is the eCommerce Manager for OfficeRocket, . OfficeRocket is an online store that specializes in providing. David Haysom's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.
Raisa Raima has sinced written about articles on various topics from Keyboard Synthesizer, Computers and The Internet and Diamonds. The author is a specialist in retail writing. Her writing skills reflect the outcome of years of exposure to the retail industry. Working with retail giants as a consultant has enriched her knowledge base and her passion for writing got fire. She ca. Raisa Raima's top article generates over 673000 views. to your Favourites.