Last Updated on December 27, 2020 by kavin
Inkjet VS LaserJet Printer:
Do you want to know the inkjet vs. laser printer, which one is best? Then you’re in the right place. Before moving towards the comparison, let me explain what both printers are. The inkjet printer is the one that sprays the microscopic droplets of ink into the paper. However, these printers are cheap, small, and provide high-quality text and colored images on the go. The laser printer is the one that melts the powder with paper then creates a print. It is more expensive than an inkjet but considered more economical in the longer run.
Laser Vs. Inkjet? One is better
Comparison
Here are the points that differ the printers from each other:
- The inkjet printers are cheap, while laser printers are costly.
- Laser printers are good for printing documents, while inkjet is best for printing photos.
- Inkjet printers do not take much space as compared to the laser printer.
Technology
Both printers are based on the basic definition of printing, including copying text from soft copy to hard and putting images onto the paper. But these two perform their tasks through different methods and ways. Inkjet printer used liquid ink that deposits on the page with the help of micro nozzles. The nozzles drops of ink are places into the paper, and the ink could change the page color depending on the pigment utilized in it. On the other hand laser printer based on the toner is mainly a powder that melts through the laser light to generate an electrostatic charge. The toner is transferred to the paper and bonded on it according to the text through the heat. These printers are based on the above-mentioned technologies available in every printer, whether affordable or expensive.
Cost Of Printer
When it comes to the printer’s cost, the inkjet printer is less expensive than the laser printer. Due to the little complex technology used in inkjet, their cost is lower than the laser. However, printers are still cheaper to buy, but the ink cartridges cost you so much. However, the laser printer is expensive, but it is a one-time cost. You’ll not need the ink cartridges every week because toner is long-lasting.
Quality
The inkjet printers are good at handling color and perfectly print the images that required subtitles color of color handles by this printer completely. Moreover, the liquid ink can easily mix and reproduce on the inkjet compared to the laser printer. On the other hand, the laser printer definitely supports photo printing, but it is more convenient to print the colored images on inkjet. However, laser printers are best for printing documents due to the bold and sharp text that is easy to read. Moreover, the laser printer ink is smudge-proof and does not spread on the paper. But the user of the inkjet printer could face the issue of text smudging. That’s why first, you need to dry the ink then take the document from the printer.
Cost Of Printing
The next major difference between these two printers is printing costs. Liquid printer ink is considered as one of the expensive liquid due to the highly engineered manufacturing. Thus the printer owners need to buy more ink cartridges not to stop the flow of printing. Moreover, black and white ink could cost you less than the colored ones. But still, these are more expensive as compared to the toner. The laser printer toner is long-lasting and less expensive based on per page printing. As toner comes in powder former, it is easy to ship and set on the printer. However, the ink required extra care while shipping that definitely costs you more. That’s why we’ve mentioned earlier that a laser printer is expensive but costs you less in the longer run.
Printer Size
Printer varies in size, design, shape, and weight, right? However, laser printers are larger as compared to the inkjet ones. Similarly, you can easily place the inkjet printer on the desk at the small space, but it will be hard to adjust the laser printer. Laser printers add bulk to the table due to the print drum, thermal element, and laser module. Thus if you’ve tight space, then an inkjet printer is best for you.
Printing Speed
The thing that matters the most for the users that have to print the bulk of documents daily is the printing speed. Higher the speed, the more easily the tasks will be done and vice versa. One has to get the printer by keeping in mind these features as well. Obviously, if you are buying a printer to perform the tasks fast, then the printer’s speed matures for sure. The inkjet printer has the capability to print 16 pages per minute, while a laser printer can provide 15 to 100 pages per minute.
Print Volume
Print volume means how much print your printing machine can provide at a given time. The laser printer is considered the workhorse for office due to the high capability to print an excellent amount of document per minute. This printer totally aids in printing the bulk of pages within minutes. However, the inkjet printer is mainly for the small set up or home use due to the small printing volume that does not truly support the office burden.
Page Yield
The laser printer containing toner can print a superb amount of page yield than the inkjet printer with the ink cartridge. Toner cartridges can yield from2000 to 10,000, while the ink cartridge can print just 135-1000 pages. Moreover, the inkjet printer user will also face the hassle of ink drying and nozzle drying issues. Moreover, the color laser printer is good for speedy work and keeps yourself from daily issues. That’s why we recommend using a laser printer for bulky work while inkjet for the small task that does not consider a high number of pages.
PROS & CONS Of Inkjet Printer
Here are the pros and cons of inkjet printer
PROS
- They are smaller in size and lighter in weight.
- This printer has the capability to produce high-quality photos.
- They can produce vibrant colors on pages more perfectly as compared to the laser printer.
- It does not require any warm up time.
- The printer can accommodate larger papers easily.
- This printer can easily print multiple paper types on the go.
CONS
- The ink cartridges are expensive, and those who have to print so many documents daily will not meet the ink’s costs due to a high rate. Moreover, the ink cartridges are required almost every week, putting the user in a higher expense burden.
- The paper tray has a low capacity, including 50 to 100 sheets that is quite frustrating and irritating for those who need to print a lot.
- The monthly duty cycle is low.
- The speed of this printer is slower than the laser.
PROS & CONS Of Laser Printer
Following are the PROS & CONS Of Laser Printer
PROS
- The laser printer has the fastest speed. Those users who need to print a lot per day must consider it. Moreover, this printer has a high volume as compared to the inkjet printer.
- They have a high monthly duty cycle that means the printer can easily handle the high volume jobs and print the number of documents without delaying or making your irritate.
- Suppose you talk about toner price than this one if best compared to the inkjet that costs you more while buying the ink cartridges. However, the toner in a laser printer lasts longer as compared to the ink cartridges.
- It has excellent speed and helps you to print more than 50 pages per minute. That truly means you can take out the print of multiple documents per day.
CONS
- It does not work well for printing complex photos.
- The printer can’t handle the variety of paper as compared to the inkjet printer.
- The upfront costs of this printer are more than the laser.
- It occupies more space than the laser printer.
How to choose?
Well, one has to choose the one that goes with your needs, budget, and requirements.
Budget
If you have a low upfront budget, then go for the inkjet printer. But if you want to make a time purchase and do not want to pay more afterward, then a laser printer is a better option.
Printing requirement
Those who need to deal with the high-end tasks, including printing of bulk of documents daily, must go for the laser printer. On the other hand, if you need to print a small amount of documents, then an inkjet printer will be a better option. Furthermore, the inkjet printer is time-consuming as compared to the laser printer. So it would help if you chose wisely by keeping in mind the time you have per task and documents you need to print daily.
Printing Type
If your work consists of the texting documents, then go for the laser printer because it supports the texts and avoids the alphabets’ smudging on paper. Furthermore, the printer provides bold text that is sharp and easy to read. Moreover, the inkjet printer provides an issue of ink smudging right after the print, so you need to make it dry before putting it into a file. However, if you are looking for the printer to take out the print of photos, then an inkjet printer is the best option because it supports multiple colors and various page types.
Printing Speed
One has to check the printing speed before buying. Those who need to deal with the bundle of documents per day should not choose an inkjet printer because it has low speed compared to the laser. However, the laser printer helps to take out 50 to 100 pages per minute that is quite impressive.
FAQS
1. Which printer is better inkjet or laser?
An inkjet printer is best to print photos or colored documents but choosing it for the black and white texts paper is not a good option. It has ink smudging issues and takes a lot of time while printing the papers. In contrast with inkjet, the laser printer steals the spotlight due to the fast speed, high page volume, smudging issues, and excellent text quality.
2. What is the difference between laser and inkjet printer?
The main difference is that an inkjet printer uses ink to print the documents while a laser printer requires a long-lasting toner to print the papers. Moreover, both printers have different speeds, functions, volume, and quality due to different printing processes.
3. Which is the cheaper printer?
When it comes to the upfront cost inkjet printer is affordable while the laser printer is quite expensive. But if you put some light on the costs you’ll face in the longer run, the laser printer is economical while inkjet is expensive. That means ink cartridges will cost you more, but toner is affordable and long-lasting.
4. Do laser printer worth it?
Laser printer worth every penny if you need to deal with so many documents daily and need some high-speed printer. Moreover, it supports you to complete the tasks within hours instead of spending the whole day in printing. However, it takes more space as compared to the inkjet printer.
5. What are the benefits of a laser printer over an inkjet printer?
The main advantages of a laser printer are high speed, affordability, precision, and long-lasting toner.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve compared inkjet vs. laser printer and compare their features. Furthermore, we’ve mentioned the pros and cons of both printers. However, we’d suggest our customers go for a laser printer due to excellent speed, high paper capacity, good paper volume, and superb text quality; moreover, if you need to deal with a small task or need to print out colored documents or images then choosing the inkjet will be better.