Choosing Between Inkjet And Laser Printers

Choosing Between Inkjet And Laser Printers

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When it comes to choosing printers, weighing up all the factors to decide which will be right for the purpose can be daunting. The first thing to decide is whether it should be laser or inkjet and then if printing is all that's needed or would a multi-functional model be more appropriate.

The final decision will be made easier if the end result required is taken into consideration at the outset. It's important to know if the main use will be for reproducing images, text or a combination. A need to produce a lot of print-outs, quickly and cost-effectively, requires a different train of thought than if the top priority is quality of image and the ability to use a range of stock.

Inkjet printers offer the best solution when the quality of image is all-important. Laser images, though good, can look lifeless in comparison. Lasers also tend to only print onto laser paper, unlike inkjets which have a variety of stock choices available.

Laser printers are better for larger volume printing. They're faster and cheaper to run than inkjet and good for printing professional looking documents. Lasers are generally more bulky than inkjets as they have more capacity built in for volume printing.

Where space is an issue, multi-functional inkjet printers are a good buy. They may be a bit bigger than average inkjet printers but this is compensated by the fact that they have built-in scan and copying capabilities and some are able to send faxes too. Laser versions are too big for most home uses and more costly too.

The price of the printer is important but not as relevant as the cost of the consumables to keep the printer running. It's often the case that the cheapest printers to buy are the most expensive to run. How many prints you can expect to get from a single set of ink or toner cartridge is usually a lot less than advertised and, similarly, print speeds are much slower, which just adds to the confusion.

Once a decision has been made about whether the inkjet or laser is the most suitable, it's possible to look more closely at individual brands to see what is available and compare prices. All lasers are not created equal and neither are inkjets. The biggest brands aren't necessarily the best choice and each manufacturer will produce several similar models, with a variety of modifications, in an attempt to suit most users.

Someone focusing on quality of image may not be too concerned about print speed. Their interest may lean towards the sizes, different weights and textures of stock. If that's the case, they will be attracted to inkjet solutions but will still need to examine the various models more closely. Similarly, if the priority is to print out numerous documents on a regular basis then they will want to look at laser options in more detail to see which model within that category is the best fit.

Compatibility is something that needs to be considered too, especially when printers are going to be connected to Macs or even older style PCs. Before making the purchase it's worth checking that the printer is going to work with the existing operating system. If not, it should be possible to download and install the appropriate driver form the manufacturer's site.

About the Author:
I have more reviews and information about printers at my Web site.



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