You are planning to buy printers either for your home or for the office. Browsing pages to pages. Every page is giving you better results.
Some of them show the eye-catching benefits of trending brands. Seeing this, you started to puzzle. One question is spinning in your mind now: “Inkjet Vs Laser – Which One Should I Buy?”
Congratulations! You are on our team. We faced the same problem while buying our first printer. Our team struggled hard to find the right one.
We learned a lot of stuff while choosing the suitable printers at that time. You will know the learning outcome here.
Not only that but also there will be one hidden fact that 70% of people miss while choosing Inkjet vs. laser printers. Glue up your eyes in this article. We will share the secret!
How Do Laser and Inkjet Printers Work?
Before picking the right printer, you need to know how each printer works. Here is an overview of that.
Inkjet Printer:
An inkjet printer sprays ink droplets through tiny nozzles over the paper. Then the roller moves that paper in a dryer fuse to settle the ink combination. Finally, the feedback glows.
Laser Printer:
The laser beam reflects the idea first on the photosensitive drum. It draws the idea then on the paper. Toner (powdered ink) sprinkles simultaneously while the idea is drawing.
When the process is done, the paper goes under the fuse. It settles the ink by drying up. This is how it works.
We covered how inkjet and laser printers work in two different articles briefly here. If the overview seems confusing to you, please check the link.
What Is The Difference Between Inkjet and Laser Printers?
The major difference between the Laser and inkjet printer is quality vs. quantity. What is that?
Quality Vs. Quantity:
Inkjet printers make the graphical illustration more vivid than laser printers. It takes time; maybe it works slow for that.
But the laser printer is different. It focuses on quality. A laser printer can print huge amounts of papers within a minute.
Inkjet vs. Laser Printers – Explained
We hope the major difference makes sense to you. Let’s break it down in-depth. You can take this as your buying guide. We will cover essential considerations below.
1. Printing Technology
Both laser and inkjet printers use non-impact technology. Non-impact technology means: the ink does not contact the paper. It indirectly prints the idea over the paper.
Now you might have a question: what is the difference then? Well, laser printers use specialized laser beams.
On the other hand, Inkjet uses either thermal or piezoelectric technology. The thermal technology is also called a “bubble jet.”
It vaporizes the ink through heat. Then the ink forms into a tiny droplet and falls over the paper. It later mixes up with other color combinations to create a better image.
Piezoelectric technology is slightly different from bubble jets. It does not heat, instead vibrates the ink to go through the nozzle. Overall, technologies are decent, but in Inkjet, thermal technology creates a better illustration.
2. Print Quality:
Definitely, Inkjet serves the best printing quality. To test this, we printed two business cards. One card we printed from Canon inkjet.
The second piece we printed from HP. Wow! Canon served us the best experience. It imitated the exact image we designed in our digital box.
There were no single color drawbacks in any image. We were also satisfied with the text quality. It was bright and sharp.
The same satisfaction worked for laser printers. But the image quality was not satisfying enough. If we rate the image quality between Inkjet and Laser, our rating will be 5 stars for Inkjet, 3.5 for Laser.
3. Printer Speed:
In speed, Laser is the winner. A laser printer can print 21 to 26 pages per minute: this count is for home users.
The count is higher in commercial use. It is around 100 pages per minute for high-end laser printers.
However, Inkjet compromises the speed. It can print 13 to 15 pages per minute for home use. Commercial usage might be higher. The reason for this slow speed is the ink processing time. This is why it can produce high-quality images.
4. Cost
Now let’s check out the average cost of each printer. We listed three major areas. Let’s take a look.
Initial costs: Initial cost for an inkjet printer is slower than a laser printer. For example, the minimum price of an inkjet printer is around $30. But laser printers cost a minimum $60
Ongoing costs: The laser printer is the winner in this case. The ongoing cost for a laser printer is lower than an inkjet printer.
Cost per page: An average inkjet printer costs 20 cents per page. But a Laser printer costs 5 to 7 cents. A laser printer can save 70% of your monthly paper budget.
5. Printer Size:
The size depends on the brand. So far, the Inkjet is larger than a laser printer. We compared Brother laser and inkjet printers. TheirLaser printer seems smaller than Inkjet.
6. Lifespan:
The average lifetime of an inkjet printer is about 3 years. Laser printer is larger than this. It has been almost 5 years.
7. Operation
Laser printer operation seems easy for us. We don’t know about your comfort zone. Some users claimed their flexibility on Inkjet. They said it is easier than a laser. However, current inkjet printers are easy to operate.
Choosing an Inkjet Printer:
Pros
- High-quality image
- Clear details
- Professional visual.
Cons
- It is slow.
- The ink dries up.
Choosing a Laser Printer:
Pros
- Prints huge paper in a minute
- Toner lasts longer.
- It takes more petit palace to accommodate.
Cons
- Image quality is not satisfying
Which Printer is Right for You?
If your concern is quantity, Laser printer could be a better choice. Same idea is for quality. But here is the thing we found: Inkjet serves better image and graphical illustration.
What Will You Be Printing?
Choosing the right printer takes time. You have to decide what you are going to print first. So, for business cards, brochure posters, and graphical illustrations, Inkjet is perfect. Other than this, laser printers are better.
FAQ:
How long does Toner last in a laser printer?
Toner lasts 2 years without opening the seal. After opening, it lasts more than 6 months. We are not saying this exact. It depends on the brand. We shared the average time here.
Do Laser Printers Ink Dry Up?
No. Laser printer ink does not dry up. It uses Toner. Toner is a powdered form of ink. It is made from ground plastic.
There are more ingredients in it. For example, Silica makes the particle lose flexibility. Like this, you will find iron-chromium in it. All of them are formed in powder. So, there is no chance to get dried.
Which is Cheaper to Run an Inkjet or laser Printer?
Laser printers are cheaper to run, though the initial cost is a bit high. Still, this investment is feasible. It will save almost 50% of the budget.
Can You Print Stickers With a Laser Printer?
It depends on the paper coating. Inkjet paper coating will definitely harm the laser printer. Your device can suffer from this.
Many experts suggest using inkjet printers to print quality stickers. Laser printer is preferable if there is no inkjet printer. The quality might be compromised.
Can I Use Inkjet Paper in a Laser Printer?
No. using inkjet paper in laser printers can damage the printer. Inkjet printing paper is made of absorbing ink drop.
Their thickness is not the same as laser printing paper. So, it can damage the fuse or photosensitive drum of the laser printer.
Which is Better for Home Office Use: A Laser Printer or Inkjet Printer?
Once again, this is depending on the demand. If your maximum work is on graphical illustration, go for Inkjet. Or else, a laser printer is good to go.
Do Laser Printers Clog Up Like Inkjets?
No. since it uses powdered ink, it does not clog up. Sometimes debris build-up can reduce the print quality. It is wise to clean up two in 15 days.
Can You Make Archival Quality Art Prints With a Laser Printer vs. an Inkjet Printer?
You do the archival print in a laser and inkjet printer. Only the printing quality will differ. Laser printers may not produce the same feedback as Inkjet in this case. We recommend you use Inkjet for archival printing.
What Happens if You Use Laser Paper in An Inkjet Printer?
We don’t prefer to print laser paper with an inkjet printer. The print quality will severely damage your text and image. Laser printing paper has a special coating. It can only handle powdered ink. Spraying ink droplets on it can cause smearing the paper after printing.
70% People Missed This 1 Hidden Fact:
70% of people confuse the purpose. This is the single fact everyone misses. Fixing the purpose can reduce the investment hassle.
So, if your purpose is to create high-quality images and text, Inkjet is a wise decision. Otherwise, a laser printer can save your average monthly budget. We know the initial cost is high, yet, you are getting a high life span with 50% annual cost savings.
