Printers have become a must-have computer peripheral in offices and homes. If you’re planning on buying one for yourself, you might be confused between the two most common forms of printers – Inkjet and Laser. Not many people are aware of the differences between the two printers in detail. All they know, that the printing quality differs in both the cases and that difference is hard to interpret. But when it comes to cost and quality, there’s actually a lot of difference between both types. So how would you make the final choice? In this article, we’ve weighed out some pros and cons of inkjet vs laser printers. This brief comparison will help you find out the best printer for you.

Inkjet Printers

Inkjet printers work differently from laser ones. They work by propelling droplets of ink onto the paper. The ink is gradually released from small ink cartridges. The inkjet printers are normally used for black and white printing, but they’re also available in three different colored cartridges. You can choose a specific refill kit as per your needs and requirements.

Inkjet Advantages

Inkjet printers are significantly cheaper than other printers. High end Inkjet printers can produce good quality images when used with high-quality paper. Most models of this kind of printer are relatively lightweight and portable. They don’t take too much space on the desk. You don’t have to compromise on space of your disk at all.

Inkjet Disadvantages

Running an inkjet printer for a longer time is relatively expensive because of the cost of the printer ink. The output is slightly wet initially. So, the paper often needs a few seconds to dry. The printing mechanism is also a bit slower and therefore they are not great at supporting high volume printing.

Laser Printers

Laser printers incorporate a laser beam for image processing. These kinds of printers use toner instead of ink. Toner is a dry plastic powder combined with coloring agents or carbon black. The consumable part of the laser printer needs to be replaced from time to time.

Laser Printer Advantages  

Laser printers are capable of delivering very high quality and accurate prints. Laser printers are considered appropriate for high volume printing. They are relatively cheaper to run. Printing is considerably fast and easy. Due to advanced technology used in the manufacturing, the prints emerge dry and accurate.

Laser Printer Disadvantages 

Laser printers are expensive as compared to inkjet. Color laser printers are considerably more expensive. Laser printers are large and heavy, which may not be suitable for all places. Due to easy availability and low startup costs, people prefer investing in inkjet printers for home and home office use. However, laser printers are now becoming increasingly popular at home as well. It is important to analyze your printer usage when making the decision.

Deciding between inkjet vs. laser printing will become easier if you are aware of your usage. What do you want to print and how much of it? Small workloads like photo printing, school projects and so on are best suited for inkjet printers, while for heavy volume, a laser printer is a more economical choice.