Choosing Between an Inkjet and Laser Printer

Choosing a reliable and robust printer with maximum benefits or features can be a complex and tedious task. The best printer is the one that fulfills your business requirements and needs. You can compare various printers to find the best one. Both inkjet printers and laser printers have their advantages and benefits. It's advisable to choose a printer that offers multiple features at reasonable prices. Laser ink printers are currently trending and popular among various advertising agencies and shop owners.

What is an inkjet printer?

Inkjet printers use microscopic droplets of ink on printing paper. They are cheap, small, and print the text with high-quality coloured photos. You should be cautious while purchasing inkjet printers as the ink gets dry if you don't use them regularly.

Does a laser printer need ink?

No. Laser printers melt toner powder on the printing paper for printing. It is expensive, large, and economical for a long run in business. It has a fast printing speed and uses low cost to print per page.

Differences between inkjet and laser printer

There are multiple aspects where both the printers differ from each other. Here are some pointers that can be considered and help you make a correct purchase decision.

Technology and working process

The inkjet printer uses ink, and the laser printer uses powder. There are chances of smudging ink from inkjet printers. The powder form of print and the inkjet printers using pigment-based ink doesn’t get smudge. Inkjet printers take a long time for the ink to dry, so you can use papers that absorb ink quickly. To understand the process more easily, you should know how a laser printer works. A laser printer has a drum unit that melts toner powder resulting in print with the help of heat. Inkjet printers spray ink from microscopic nozzles on paper for printing.

Print quality or resolution

Print quality differs because of the features of the printer you use. If you want high-resolution images or photos, you can use inkjet printers. Laser printers can be used where sharp text and coloured documents are required for your business presentations or reports. You can choose the one as per your business need and requirement.

Printing speed

The laser printers are designed to accommodate the workplace and can print around 15 to 100 pages per minute. Inkjet printers take time to print and have 16 ppm. If you are in a large-scale advertising or media business, ensure you have a laser printer. In terms of speed, laser printers prove to be a perfect choice.

Print volume

Print volume refers to the number of prints a printer can print at one-time usage. Laser printers are efficient enough to support a workplace where large amounts of documents are printed daily. Inkjet printers can print a limited volume and are perfect for small businesses. The purpose and the type of business decide the printer you choose for the efficiency of your business. The print volume of laser printers is 35 ppm, and inkjet printers' print volume can be measured at around 15 ppm. A print volume can be calculated based on the printer's duty cycle. It means the capacity of a printer to print without causing any harm or damage to the internal parts of the printer. You can keep the printer working usually at optimal running conditions by printing at the recommended duty cycle of the printer.

Page yield

The printer with toner cartridges can print more pages than the ink cartridges. Toners last longer as they are in powdered form and can be used more slowly than ink cartridges. The usual ink cartridge volume can print around 135 - 1000 pages. Toner cartridge printers' page yield is 2000 - 10000 pages. The inkjet printers are made usable and beneficial by providing a higher volume of ink for the printers. Ink tank printers can print about 7000 pages which frees you from continuously replacing the ink cartridges. Large ink tank printers are helpful if you print daily, as the inks have the risk of getting dry early. If you require more page yields, laser printers are the best as they use toner cartridges that can be used for a much longer time.

Where to buy printers?

You can choose online platforms to buy printers for sale as they can provide printers at discounted prices. It is best to get the product delivered using cash during the payment process. Be wary of fraudulent websites and purchase from a trusted website. You can choose the printer as per your business and personal requirements. For large businesses, you should search commercial printers for sale for accurate results and heavy discounts.