Laser printers used to be expensive, but now you can pick them up for the same price as a low-end inkjet. On top of that, you rarely have to replace toner and even the low-to-mid-range models come with nice features such as Wi-Fi and duplex printing.
On the other hand, you can’t print vibrant colour on a monotone laser printer, which means no photos or other creative projects. So which do you prefer? Which is the better buy? Or have you moved past printing altogether? Tell us in the comments.
Comments
16 responses to “Do You Prefer Laser Or Inkjet Printers?”
I find I very seldom have a need to print colour images at all. So my cheap and cheerful little brother laser printer, costs me bugger all to run or maintain.
Ditto, but it’s nice to have colour when you need it.. My cheap and cheerful 300N Samsung Colour Laser is still going strong on the original toner cartridges 6 years after buying it for $200 (after $100 cashback)
Yeah I’ve got a little BW brother laser that I use for most things.
Even though I basically never use my colour printer, it still seems to go through ink at an alarming rate.
There is no question. Laser is the only way to go. InkJets are just way too expensive to run and will never give as good a quality print.
I have neither – I just don’t have the space for a printer – but my mother has both. The laser for text – the ink jet for photos. She used to print a lot of both. I’m slowly pushing her into the paperless age and her printing on both printers has slowed to a trickle.
So in answer to the question – it’s simply a question of usage – If you’re text heavy go laser – if you’re printing photos (or hi-res colour images) then go ink jet.
I prefer Inkjets for the home, they just have better functionality, touch screen, Wifi etc.
Thats also because I don’t print very often. If I did I would go for laser.
Edit: Forgot to mention the most important use I use the inkjet is actually for the scanner.
If you don’t print much, then laser is the way to go.. no dried ink cartridges!
Brodiek,
You do know that laser printers have scanners, faxes, WI-FI, etc, don’t you? They’ve had them for around 10 years (maybe longer).
I prefer ink jets though, because I love throwing money away by the bucket. Not only are inkjet cartridges more expensive than some “laser printers”, the ink dries out if you don’t use them often – so you get to use even less of them…
Seriously LifeHacker? This is a Dorothy Dixer if i’ve ever seen one.
Ha ha, I dont even have a home printer, no way I would pay for them cartridges.
Just saying, the tech I normally see inside the inkjets is normally superior and nicer looking or has better functionality at a lower cost (because they make it back with the price of the ink ha).
Although last I saw there was about a x4 difference in pricing but as this article suggests they are now about the same.
I do hate coloured laser printed photos though 😛
With inkjets you run the head cleaning monthly to stop them drying out.
Yeah, so even if I’m not using the printer, I have to turn it on and do that every month?
I swear I use my inkjet so infrequent I get like 2 a4 colour pictures per complete refill.
Yes, the ink does its drying all the time
as a uni student the better quality of a laser printer wins out everytime. i have a small brother laser printer that is currently getting plenty of use and hasn’t skipped a beat. i buy toner on special and always have at least 1 box on standby so operating costs are cheap as hell
My priorities include wireless printing, quality prints, being able to scan on the same platform footprint, reliability, etc.. I’ve had both laser and inkjet printers. Lasers aren’t anywhere near as expensive as they used to be, either regarding initial cost or maintenance. All things being equal, and being able to meet my priorities, If I had the opportunity, and could afford it, I think that I’d go with a laser every time.
I tried a laser for a while was good fast printing until the cartridge ran out that costed 3 times the price of the printer. After that I went back to my inkjet I used it previously for colour but use it for everything now. As for heads drying up. Never had that issue myself.
i Work in tech, if you need all functions a printer can offer and yet gives you the ink capacity of laser……go for HP 8600 or plus…. you get 2500+ pages out of a single black cartridge or brother A3 j6510 or next series…. u will be happy there.