When considering what kind of printer to buy think of your printing needs. Even the home user may want a laser printer because of the speed, quality of print, and its cheaper in the long haul. Especially, since the home user can buy a laser printer for about $400.00 and save on the cost of printer consumables.
Home User
But what are your printing needs?
- Color pics
- Text and graphics
- Printing labels and envelopes
Comparisons to Make
- Make comparisons of print quality-- dpi meaning dot-per-inch or resolution
- Check out speed specifications between different laser printers
- What is the RAM of each printer and can it be expanded?
- Make comparisons of replacement drums and toner cartridges.
- Check out the printer path--90 degrees is sufficient to handle card stock, envelopes, and labels.
Will the majority of your printing be photographs? Some models are specialized for photo printing with media card reader and an LC D panel. The panel lets you look at and print a picture without the use of your computer.
Maybe your printing needs could be fulfilled with a monochrome laser printer. If you just print text it will be adequate or a cheaper color laser printer will work. A monochrome laser printer can be bought for less than $200.00 and some color laser printers run as low as $400.00. These are perfect for people printing at home.
The majority of monochrome laser printers have Ethernet ports that are used for networking. But if you only want to use it for one computer, there is no need to buy the Ethernet card.
A laser toner cartridge is less expensive than an ink jet cartridge in the long run because it prints many more pages. So on a cost-per page level it saves money. Some laser printer manufacturers offer discounts on new cartridges, if you return the old one to them. This is an environmental issue as they recycle them because the used cartridges are considered hazardous for the environment. Some office supply stores also recycle the empty toner cartridges.
Business Needs
If you are buying the laser printer for a business make these considerations.
- Number of prints each month
- The resolution sharpness
- The printing speed
- Paper size
- Different trays to have letterhead, envelopes, and plain paper setup
- Two sided printing
- Toner availability: local or not
Small businesses can meet their printing needs by buying a laser printer from a good local reseller and cut their costs.
A laser printer is just plain more economical in the long run for anyone. The initial cost is higher, though a good little laser printer can be found for $400.00. It will be great for home use. The toner cartridges are costly, though refills can be purchased for as little as $20.00. The laser toner cartridge lasts longer than the ink jet cartridge and has the advantage of being a less messy powder. The quality of the printing is excellent.
