When was the last time you had to wait in line to get one document printed? How much money do you spend when you want a picture printed or when you need to get a script in a paper version? If you are like many, then you need a printer in your own home. But here comes the question, are laser or ink printers better?
If you have used one in your home, then you probably know all the benefits that come with them and you know how much money and time they save you. Here we are going to talk about the different types of and how they can make a difference in your life.
If you are searching for a great new one, here is everything you need to know about laser and ink printers.
Ink
Let’s talk more about the inkjet devices now. There are so many positive sides to it and now we are going to look at the most important ones.
Pros
The inkjet type is great for photos and image-heavy documents. They do a better job of blending smooth colors than laser counterparts. So, if you plan on using it for photos, then this is the right one for you.
These have a low start-up cost. They are less expensive than laser ones and the ink cartridges are cheaper than toner cartridges. The inkjets can print on many types of paper, including textured stationery, glossy paper, and even some fabrics. If you have an Epson garment printer click here to buy ink for it.
With the inkjet printers, you won’t need to wait before printing. They need almost no warm-up time before printing. The cartridges can be refilled and reused and with that, they cut down on waste and they are saving your money.
The ones with ink tend to be lighter, smaller and easier to maintain than lasers.
Cons
Even though inkjets are great for so many things, like everything else they have some negative sides as well.
It is said that the ink is more expensive than champagne and it is water-based, so the prints may be susceptible to fading and water damage. If you purchase an inkjet printer, you should know that the cartridges will need frequent cleaning. Even though they can perform this maintenance automatically, it will waste lots of ink.
Lately, these are getting faster, but they are slow when they are compared to laser printing. If you want to print high volumes of documents or pictures, you will need a lot of time.
There are some printers that will produce fuzzy, gray text if you are printing on plain office paper, so you need to be really careful when choosing the model. The inkjet types are made for home use have low-capacity paper trays that vary between 50 and 100 sheets. The output trays are nearly nonexistent, so that might be a problem if you print a lot.
Laser
The other kind of commonly found printing devices are the ones with a laser. Let’s see what their positive sides are and why you should buy a laser printer.
Pros
One of the biggest reasons why you may want to choose it over any other is that it can print a lot faster. When you print only a few pages at a time, you won’t notice a huge difference between the two, but high-volume users will be amazed at how fast the job will be done with a laser printer.
They produce perfect sharp black text. So, if your print jobs contain text mostly, with occasional graphics, then you should choose these devices. They also handle fine lines and small fonts far better than the inkjet counterparts.
When you compare prices, the laser types are favored when it comes to documents that aren’t graphically complex. Even though they are more expensive, the toner cartridges print more sheets when compared with inkjet cartridges. Plus, they are far less wasteful.
Cons
Now let’s look at some of the downsides of the laser machines. Even though they are good for some things, you will see that they don’t work amazing for everything.
Even though these work faster, they need time to warm-up. So, you can’t really just turn it on and get the job done right away. BlueDogInk.com suggests that the toner is cheaper in the long run, but the upfront costs for laser cartridges are higher. So, you will need to get past the first shock of the bill when you buy the toner to see how many documents it can print.
Users have been known to complain about the toner leaks and they say that these leaks are a nightmare. Another negative side of laser printers is that they cannot handle a variety of printing materials or paper like the inkjets. Anything that’s heat-sensitive cannot be run through them.
When it comes to printing machines for home use, they can handle some simple graphics, but smooth photos are a challenge for them. If you want to print photographs, then you should choose the ones which use ink.
Laser printers are heavier and bigger than the inkjet ones, but if you look hard enough, you can find more compact models
Which One is Better?
There is no simple answer to this question. You will need to factor all the things and think about your budget. If you are looking for something that’s cheaper and more compact, then you should go with an inkjet. If you want to print high volumes of documents, then a laser is the right choice.
Most people don’t need to print a lot of photos, and they choose laser printers because the toner is cheaper in the long run and they can print a lot of documents. However, as we already mentioned, for home users who want to put their pictures on paper, these machines won’t do a good job.
In the end, it is your personal choice and preference depending on your needs. If you are still not sure, you can always consult the experts in the store.
Do you have any experience in using these printers? Which one do you think is better? These are different kinds that will get the job done. You now know enough about them to be able to find out which one would be better for you.
After you purchase one model, you will never have to go and wait for hours to get your hard copy of a document. Just make sure you do proper maintenance of the printers so you can enjoy them for years to come.
