Buying Printers – Inkjet vs Color Laser Printer

We all know that printing technology has come a long way and regardless of which type you choose, for most people, when you are examining your options for a printer, you’ll find yourself having to choose between a few different options. Some of the more common ones include a color laser printer and an inkjet printer.

Each has its features that make them very good options for both the home and office. However, there are key differences that you need to be aware of to ensure you pick the right one.

While laser printers tend to be much larger than inkjet alternatives, you can find different sizes of each. Certain things might influence your buying decision whether it be size or networking capabilities. Everything should be considered when making your buying decision to ensure you make a good one.

1. Cost

You’ll find that inkjet printers are typically the least expensive in the marketplace. These are the least expensive to not only buy outright but also to maintain compared to a laser printer. These printers use cheaper ink cartridges versus the toners that you use in laser printers. If you are looking to use your printer primarily for different types of print jobs and you plan on using it often, you’ll find the inkjet printer to offer fairly significant savings.

2. Print Quality

Another thing that you have to consider would be the print quality of each. The resolution that you’ll get with a colored laser printer will be far better than that of an inkjet printer. This is because an inkjet printer uses a print head that has individual nozzles that spray the ink onto the paper in a dot formation. The total number of nozzles on the print head will determine the kind of resolution you get from the printing.

The more nozzles, the more expensive the printer will be. Whereas, a colored laser printer uses toner and a drum roll to deliver the print. Therefore, it will effectively deliver a much higher resolution than an inkjet printer. Also, you’ll find that colored laser printers are capable of using virtually any kind of printing paper. The same cannot be said for inkjet printers that require specific inkjet paper for print jobs.

3. Speed

This is an area where you are getting a significant gap. If speed is your primary concern when buying a printer, you’ll want to go for a laser printer. The fact is, a laser printer is always going to print quicker than an inkjet. This is true whether you’re willing to spend a little or a lot on your next printer.

Even the most budget laser printer will deliver you 10 to 15 pages per minute. Whereas, even if you are willing to get a high-end inkjet printer, you cannot get this kind of speed. Therefore, if you’re looking for the perfect printer for your office, you would typically want to go with a laser printer. They are much better suited to high-volume printing where speed is necessary.

4. Space

While in the market, you should notice that you can find both laser printers and inkjet printers in a variety of different sizes. Whether you are looking for a small and compact printer or a large one, you can find a lot of options available. Inkjet printers are easy to find in smaller sizes.

Therefore, you certainly will have more options if you’re aiming for something compact. Generally, colored laser printers are bulkier and will require more space. Therefore, you might want to go with an inkjet if the size is a primary concern.

5. Networking Capabilities

In general, most of the colored laser printers you will find in the marketplace come with networking capabilities that allow you to connect the printer to your network directly. This alone is one of the reasons a lot of offices and even consumers opt for a laser printer over an inkjet.

An inkjet printer does have networking capabilities, but it must be hardwired through a computer and not to the network itself.

As you can see, each of these printer types has its pros and cons that must be considered. The key is choosing the printer that fits your needs the most.