Laser Printer Vs. Inkjet Printer, which one is best? Shopping for a personal or commercial printer is a rather tricky task. The most challenging part of the process is the fact there are various options, hence the dilemma.
In both Inkjet and laser printer types, brands offer products with extraordinary qualities and features. Of all the printers available globally, each falls under one of the two basic configurations; either laser or Inkjet.
Choosing between the two categories is a case debatable. However, some people have varied preferences, while others know nothing about Inkjet or laser printers. Gladly, this article focuses on must-know factors that can guide your decision to pick the right printer. Read more to understand the various overwhelming similarities and differences of a laser printer vs. an inkjet printer.
What is an inkjet printer? As the name suggests, this machine uses water-based ink to print or recreate images on paper. The device usually sprays ink droplets on the paper and uses the droplets to print.
What is a laser printer? This printer category melts toners powder on the paper at high temperatures. The heat charges the paper, which attracts and then applies the toner. It uses the laser to recreate or print images on paper.
Laser Printer Vs Inkjet Printer: Comparison Table
| Inkjet printers | Laser printers | |
| Working technology | Spraying ink drops on the paper | Melt toner cartridges on the paper |
| Black printing quality | Sometimes produces gray or fuzzy text, particularly on small font | Prints precise black text irrespective of the font |
| Color print quality | Prints excellent colored images and all varied texts | Limited to black and white texts |
| Cartridges | Ink cartridges | Toner cartridges |
| Use recommendation | Home | office |
| Printing speed | Only faster in high end and costly printers | Fast a crosses all prices ranges printers |
| Print quality | Ideal for a photo, but the lower quality on a small font text document | Perfect for text documents and a lower rate on photo printing |
| Purchasing costs | Lower | High |
| Printing costs | High apart from ink tank printer | Low |
| Size | Small and portable | Heavy and bulky |
| Printing paper support | Supports a wide range of paper media | Limited paper types |
| Warranty on machines | Usually comes with over 2 years warranty | Machines commonly have a 1-year warranty |
| Reliability | Not very reliable | Most reliable |
Laser Printer Vs Inkjet Printer Absolute Comparison
Performance, durability, and other features of the two categories of printers are neck-to-neck. Thus your decision on which option to buy is subjective to your print needs. In both cases, there are various advantages and limitations. Read this comparison to get more clarity about each type of printer.
Printing Speed
Many users, especially business owners, value the speed of the printer. In essence, if you are after a fast printing machine for commercial reasons, then your preference will defer with someone who wants one for home use. over the years, ink printers have been slower than laser printers when considering their speed.
For this reason, manufacturers invested time and money. Nowadays, there are inkjet printers that perform at a very high rate. However, high-speed inkjets are costly compared to laser counterparts.
On the other hand, laser printers are generally faster. Even the cheaper option is faster than some high-end inkjets. It, therefore, means if you want specifically inkjet printer, then you must pay more. Laser printers are preferable for commercial requirements, where bulky output is necessary.
Overall Cost
Initially, owning a laser printer was less costly than an inkjet in the long run. However, with modern technology and advancements, the assumption does not hold in for some inkjets. Usually, laser printers are costly in their purchase price compared to inkjets.
Many people who use printers for office or commercial reasons consider buying laser printers as investments that will pay later due to lower printing and maintenance costs.
What made inkjet printers a lesser option is that they came with replacement cartridges. Ink cartridges could print only a few papers than a toner cartridge before there is a need for replacing, thus increasing printing costs.
The system made laser printers lesser costly with timeAfter realizing the market inclination, inkjet manufacturers designed high-end printers that can produce larger volumes cost-effectively. Hence, the latest inkjets come with ink tanks instead of costly cartridges that you only need to refill, and additionally, the brands offer reefing cost discounts.
In essence, some quality inkjets have beaten the laser in the cost of production. Still, laser printers are ahead in the race of who is better in the overall cost. The quality inkjets are advantageous to only those printing large volumes regularly.
Energy consumption is another factor that hikes the running costs of laser printers which users heat to operate. Without overlooking electricity bills, overall production cost favors the inkjet printers.
Design and Durability Consideration
Some people consider the aesthetic of the workplace. While others have a confined workspace and therefore regard compact size as better for their available space to fit. If you have space limitations, Inkjet is preferable, as it uses compact cartridges compared to toner cartridges in laser printers.
Durability quality depends on how regularly you use the printer, operation mode, and manufacturer. A machine from a reputable manufacturer built of quality materials can last longer while performing great. When printing, inkjet printers vibrate and shake as they move back and forth to print every line of a page.
This constant vibration of the machine makes the chassis loosen the grips with time, thus reducing durability. Finally, compact and lesser sharp printers can serve longer as they fit in most workspaces without unnecessary blows on their edges.
Printing Noise
Inkjet printers are usually noisy compared to the laser option. The printing mechanism of an inkjet printer, where the cartridge has to move multiple times to print a sheet of paper, produces nagging sounds.
For laser printers, it melts toner over a sheet of paper. In the process, the toner cartridge is rolled over a sheet of paper, making a shallow sound. Since laser produces lesser sound when printing, it is more recommendable.
Blockage Issues
All inkjets, whether they use ink-tank or ink cartridges, utilizes head nozzles. The nozzles have the problem of getting blocked by dry ink. Nozzle blocking may happen if you don’t use your inkjet printer for a long time or continuously use the printer without regular cleaning.
Therefore, you need the skills or service of skilled personnel is required to restore operation. The laser option does not have a blockage problem. However, after sometimes toner cleaning is necessary, it is less demanding than unblocking an inkjet printer.
Print Quality
Print quality is something to disregard when comparing two printers. In short, if you compare two pages printed out of two printers at the same configuration, resolution, and technology may appear different. These factors can help you pick out the most quality printer alternative.
- Color printing. Initially, people and businesses preferred black and white printers because they were less costly. However, nowadays, home and offices are going for a more versatile option to print what they wish as color printers are affordable. In this case, inkjet printers are ideal options as inkjet cartridges produce more vibrant colors than laser toner cartridges.
- Print resolution. When it comes to this sense, inkjet printers offer higher print resolution than laser printers. Therefore, inkjet has printing capabilities that you can get from laser types.
Conclusion
If you read through this article and understood much about laser printers vs. inkjet printers, there are things you should always keep in mind. Practically, inkjet printers are compact, more affordable, and versatile in the quality printing of images. This means inkjet is more dynamic when it comes to photos and text-based printing.
On the other hand, buying laser printers upfront is costly than purchasing inkjet; however, printing on the laser is less pricey in the long run. Thus if you print frequently or need bulky printing, laser printers can help you save more.
Do for speed and volumes; laser beats inkjet. Ultimately, the best printer to invest in is the one that fits your budget and meets specific needs.