Choosing the Best Printer for Your Office and Home
Printers, like computers, have become an increasingly important component of a home or office electronics. As more of us are schooling or even working from home, the need for a home/office printer has grown. Their use increases by the day, either for printing images, performing official work, or even doing children’s schoolwork.
Printers also become more efficient and less expensive in past years, but before you click “purchase” on your chosen purchasing site, it’s a good idea to find out what you need. However, considering the sheer number of options available, selecting one that meets your needs and budget might be challenging.
Other printers are better suited for photo printing, others are better suited for printing documents, and also, some printers are built differently since they can have a much higher printing capacity. So let’s go through some of the options you’ll have and some of the features you’ll want to make sure you’re getting, such as inkjet vs. laser and how to choose what to buy.
INKJET PRINTERS VERSUS LASER PRINTERS
If you haven’t purchased a printer in quite a while or if you haven’t needed one until now, let me refresh your memory on the difference between inkjet and laser printers, as well as a broad understanding of how they function.
INKJET PRINTER
Microscopic droplets of ink are sprayed onto paper using inkjet printers. Inkjet printers are often less expensive and smaller, but they can print both text documents and high-quality colorful pictures, mainly photos. However, be aware of low-cost inkjet printers since they will probably end up costing you a lot in the long run.
Usually, low- to medium-priced inkjet printers uses four different cartridges carrying black, cyan, magenta, and yellow ink, and the most low-cost printers often use only two cartridges: one with black ink and one with the tricolor. However, most color inkjet printers will not print if any cartridges are empty. Still, the good thing is, few manufacturers such as Brother, Epson, and Canon sold a few inkjet printers that feature refillable tanks and cost less per page than typical ink cartridges.
PROS
An inkjet printer is ideal if you mainly want to print images. It gives better color and is less expensive, and an all-in-one inkjet printer is handier for home usage as it can also be used for scanning or photocopying.
CONS
Inkjet printers are often slower and can only hold 50–100 sheets at a time. They also have calibration difficulties, jammed nozzles, or ink leaking from cartridges, and inkjet printers have a limited life since ink dries up even when not in use.
LASER PRINTER
Businesses exclusively use laser printers nowadays because laser printers are reliable for producing high-quality print and mass production. Still, because of their low cost per page and faster printing speeds, they are a more cost-effective option in the long run.
To generate a print, laser printers melt toner powder (ink in the form of powder) onto the paper and there is no risk of ink spilling onto paper because toner is a dry powder. Lasers are also used to create static electricity on a drum inside the printer to produce high-resolution output. This indicates that the print is clear and readable.
PROS
Laser printers are designed for large-volume printing. They can print many pages without experiencing jams or other issues and are suitable for mass printing at low cost, and are known to move at a fast rate, making the printing process faster.
CONS
Laser printers are expensive to set up. A laser printer costs about three times as much as an inkjet printer. Most laser printers are incapable of producing high-quality graphics pictures and are not recommended for printing photographs, and they are also bigger, heavier, and consume more power.
SO WHICH SHOULD I BUY?
There are also a few factors to consider when ordering a new printer for your needs. You may also think, what am I using it for? Struggling to decide between a laser and an inkjet printer. If color printing isn’t important to you and you’re looking for a printer intended for high-volume printing, especially for office needs, a laser printer will be more cost-effective and faster. However, if you want to print computer artwork in color or a photograph or photos, and if you want a home printer for occasional printing, you should get an inkjet printer.
Thanks for reading! Leave a comment if you have any questions. Looking to save money on your printing projects? Check out www.compandsave.com for some great deals on printer ink and accessories! Remember to follow our blog for more interesting printing-related tips and guides.
About the Author
Jewel Cortez is a Search Engine Optimization specialist with 3 years of Customer Service Experience in CompAndSave. CompAndSave is a retailer and wholesaler of printing materials based in Union City, California.
Jewel has years of expertise in the ink industry and has extensive knowledge of printers, ink, toner cartridges, and photo papers which may help people gain a better understanding of printers and cartridges.
