Inkjet or Laser Printer...Which is right for me?

Deciding to purchase printing equipment can be a big decision. You expect that whatever device you purchase will last a certain amount of time and perform to certain standards. When it comes to choosing whether to invest in an inkjet or laser printer, the two main considerations to think about are purpose and price.

source: inksell.com

Purpose

Are you using the printer for home or business? Do you plan to do a lot of printing? Do you need to print in color as well as black and white? Is printing on two sides of the sheet important to you? These are just some of the questions that fall under the purpose category. The most important one to start with though is going to be what your required output is. If you do a lot of printing, and need a printer to operate quickly, you’ll probably be looking at laser printers. Most other features can be found in both sorts of printers.

How do you know what your output is? Well, you might not have an exact number, and that’s okay. Try to estimate. Are you printing out a recipe a week to try some new cooking, or are you writing a novel and need to print out samples to give to people to critique? The latter would have very different output requirements than the former. When it comes to business, is most of your business done in a paperless setting or are you required either by regulation or business practice to keep paper files? Likewise, the latter would require a much greater output from a printer, and would likely do best with a laser printer.

Price

Price can be a major factor in deciding whether to invest in a laser printer or not. Inkjet printers are typically cheaper at the outset, but you’ll find more savings in laser printer ink and toner cartridges. If you’re buying for a business, consider the budget. If you have enough in your budget now to afford a laser printer, or if you have a deal with a manufacturer that allows you to buy on an installment plan, it may suit you best to spring for the laser printer because you can’t know what your budget will be in future. The difference between laser toner cartridges and inkjet ink cartridges may seem small when you’re just looking to buy one, but over the course of a year, these can impact an office supplies budget considerably.

It’s not all about the printer itself, or even the ink. It’s about maintenance too. Laser printers can be more costly to maintain, and so the potential there should be considered as well. Does your business have in-house information technology support, or do you hire that work out on an as-needed basis? If the latter, a laser printer may prove too costly to maintain.

Of course, it’s likely you’ll be somewhere in the middle. As with most decisions, it’s unlikely this one will be cut and dry right at the start. However, hopefully by understanding the price and purpose guidelines set out above, you can make the choice that’s right for your home or business.

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