Printer Buying Guide: How to choose a printer that best fits your needs - Inkjet or laser?

Inkjet or laser?

The first question all printer buyers must tackle comes down to a simple matter of what and how much you plan on printing. Inkjet printers use cartridges of ink that are applied wet to paper and rapidly dry, while laser printers use toner, a type of ink dust that bonds to paper for fast results and efficient resource use.

Color inkjet printers comprise the bulk of the market simply because they can print just about anything: Essays, pie charts, glossy photos, you name it. And today’s inkjet printers and all-in-ones are fast, often with print speeds that rival or surpass their laser counterparts.

Laser printers are still a good bet for office settings when most of the printing that you need to do is in monochrome. For the most part, monochrome laser printers can be purchased at affordable prices, offer good print speed, and provide prints at a lower cost per page than a color inkjet. But you have to decide whether to give up the flexibility that a color inkjet printer offers. Color laser printers are another option, but they generally have a higher cost per page printed than a color inkjet.

Laser printers tend to have excellent page yields; their long-lasting toner cartridges can last between 3,000 and 20,000 pages before they need to be replaced. Inkjet cartridges tend to last for up to 2,000 to 2,500 on average. That’s less important if you don’t print much or often, but for prolific printers or those buying for an office, it can make a real difference.