Inkjet Vs Laser Printer – Which One Is The Best For You

Print quality, color, speed, media, resolution, ink type, upfront cost, and printing cost are crucial factors in choosing between inkjet vs laser printers.

Are you trying to come to an end to the age-old debate of inkjet vs laser printer?

Both of these printers have particular pros and cons. You can’t get into their world if you don’t have a core idea of different aspects to differentiate these printing options. This article will support you in entering the zone of inkjet and laser printing. So, what are you waiting for? 

Let’s start. 

Inkjet Printers

This type of printer sprays microscopic droplets of ink on the paper to print documents and graphics. Being compatible with monochrome and color prints, laser printers consist of nozzles used to spray wet ink on the paper smoothly.  

Best Inkjet Printer:

• Canon Pixma MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
• Brother MFC-J1010DW Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer
• Canon PIXMA TS6420a All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer
• Epson Workforce Pro WF-4820 Wireless Color Inkjet All-In-One Printer

Laser Printer

Laser printers use laser technology to put dry ink (Tonner) on a Selenium-coated drum to portray documents or graphics. Here, electric charges are applied, and a certain amount of heat is necessary to draw data and info on paper.

Except for some high-class laser printers, these printers usually deliver Black and White prints.  

 Best Laser Printers:

• Brother HLL2305W Compact Mono Laser Printer
• HP Color LaserJet Pro M283fdw Wireless All-in-One Laser Printer
• Brother Compact Monochrome Laser Printer

Inkjet vs Laser Printer difference: A Head-to-head Comparison

Factor	Inkjet Printer	Laser Printer
Working Principle	It incorporates a nozzle and wet ink to print documents on papers	It incorporates laser and dry ink to print copies on papers
Ink Type	Wet ink	Tonner
Cartridge Type	Ink cartridges	Tonner cartridges
Printed Documents Color	Black &White, Color	Usually, Black & White
Nozzle	Mandatory	Unnecessary
Black & White Print Quality	Low	High
Tray Capacity  per Feed	50-100 sheets	250 sheets
Print Output	Low volume printing	High volume printing
Upfront cost	Reasonable	High
Print Speed	5-40 ppm	20-75 ppm
Efficiency	Moderate	Comparatively high
Printing Cost	High Cost per page	Low cost per page
Printer Size	Bulky	Light
Versatility	High	Moderate
Productivity	Comparatively low	High
Usability	High	High

What is Difference between Inkjet and Laser Printer

Printing Technology

The most fundamental difference between these two widely-used printers is how they use ink to print documents on paper. 

Laser printers use toner cartridges to fuse dry toner on paper. Here, a roller with high thermal pressure is incorporated to complete the job smoothly. 

In contrast to laser printers, Inkjet printers print via wet ink. Inkjet printers use ink cartridges and nozzles to print color or black & white stickers, photos, and documents on paper. 

But inkjet printers’ ink mechanism also has some classifications, like dye-based ink and pigment-based ink. Click here to dig deeper. 

Inkjet vs Laser Printer Paper

Inkjet printers are compatible with a wide variety of papers having glossy or semi-glossy finish. Sometimes, Matte finishes are found in inkjet print papers. These papers have a special coating to ensure better adhesion and tight weave to avoid ink splattering.

On the other hand, laser printers work through thermal pressure. So print papers need to be thermal resistant to a certain degree.

Papers made with Colorlock Technology are very popular in recent times in both laser and inkjet printers. This special paper offers firm resistance against dust and friction in laser printers. Besides, it ensures premium quality with sharpness and a more precise finish in inkjet printers.   

But you can use regular plain paper for traditional uses in both printers. Laser printers deliver better results on plain paper.    

Cost of Inkjet vs Laser Printer

The upfront cost of laser printers is higher than that of printers run through inkjet technology. As Laser technology is more complicated compared to inkjet technology, it affects the manufacturing cost to a large extent. 

But the maintenance and selling costs of inkjet printers are also high.

On the contrary,  laser printers turn into cost-effective in the long run. 

Print Quality

As inkjet printers deal with dye-based or pigment-based inks, these machines can print high-quality color photos and texts. 

But laser printers are reputable for high-volume monochrome texts and graphics. Their print quality is slightly lower than inkjet printers in the case of colorful photo printing. 

 Laser Printer vs Inkjet Cost per Page

This is another vital factor that impacts the debate about inkjet vs laser printers in the printer market. 

cost per page = cartridge price/cartridge page yield 

Laser printers use toners, which have a high upfront cost but less print-per-page cost due to their high page yield.  

Usually, high-level laser printers with standard toner cartridges offer 2.75-5 cents per print for high-volume printings. 

But inkjet printers can print almost 5-10 cents per page.

Moreover, you need to refill the ink cartridges and take measures to keep the costly ink in liquid form. You must know how to save ink when printing pictures. 

Besides, toners are easy to transport, handle, and store. You don’t need to worry about drying off toner or how to remove printer ink from skin, which are significant concerns in wet ink. 

So, in terms of printing cost, laser printers are more user-friendly. 

Printer Size

Laser printers are bulkier than their inkjet counterparts. That’s why you must consider inkjet printers if you have space constraints. Besides, some inkjet printers are lightweight enough to be portable. 

So, inkjet printers are more effective than laser printers in small offices and domestic uses. 

Inkjet vs Laser Printer for Stickers

As stickers require an amalgamation of various colors, dye and pigment-based inkjet printers are more suitable in this case. 

But you can consider toner-based laser printers as the best printers for making stickers and labels. 

Inkjet vs Laser Printer for Photos

What is the difference between inkjet and laser printer- Photo printing quality is a crucial differentiating factor. 

Inkjet technology is preferable to users for maintaining color quality and sharpness in photo printing. 

But laser printers are not as reputable as inkjet printers in this sector.  

Inkjet vs Laser Printer for Occasional Use

Are you a hobbyist or an occasional user?

Then inkjet printers will be more viable and supportive of you because these printers have a lower upfront cost and a less complicated printing process. Besides, you can learn to handle liquid ink profoundly. 

In the case of laser printers, you must maintain heat and laser perfectly. Otherwise, it will be a great mess. 

So, inkjet printers are more suitable for occasional and low-volume printings for their budget-friendly nature and print quality. 

But if you don’t want to get into the hassle of ink management and have no budget constraint, laser printers are also undoubtedly good options. 

Ink Durability

In this case, laser printers are almost unbeatable. They offer premium ink durability and smudge resistance while printing business documents on paper.

Moreover, you can store these documents published via laser printers for an extended period in the gloomy environment of the office and library. Isn’t it amazing? 

Inkjet printers can’t ensure such high archival value for the documents. But pigment-based inkjet printers add sufficient robustness and resistance against smudge.

You can archive a document for almost 50-60 years easily. 

Printing Efficiency

Who doesn’t want a printer with higher efficiency? 

Professionals are usually keenly interested in laser printers for their high page yield and compatibility with various print volumes. 

Inkjet printers can deliver commendable efficiency if the refillable ink tanks are filled upto the top. But handling ink tanks and refilling seems hectic to many users, especially for freshers. That’s why most users prefer toner cartridges of laser printers to ink cartridge types of inkjet printers for higher efficiency. 

Versatility

As laser printers use controlled heat to fuse toner on papers, these printers have some constraints in terms of print media. Usually, laser printers do a fabulous job of printing mono and colorful documents.

On the contrary, Inkjet printers are comparatively more versatile than its opponent. There is no thermal restriction on these printers. So, you can use Inkjet printers of different series to print colorful and monochrome documents or photos on coated photo papers. These are compatible with glossy, matte, craft papers, semi-glossy photo papers for decorative features, etc. 

Productivity 

High print speed and page yield are core reasons to improve the productivity of laser printers compared to Inkjet printers. 

If you think about duplex printing, laser printers can render you the best output. It happens due to the dry toner of laser printers. 

Inkjet printers suffer greatly in duplex printing for ink splattering on the second page. Recently, dye-based Inkjet printers have shown better performance in drying out the ink and decreasing ink density on the second page. 

So, you can rely on laser printers for improved productivity.  

Easiness of Use

Inkjet printers are comparatively easy to use because of their less-complicated mechanism. But to handle liquid ink, you have to suffer a lot. 

On the contrary, laser printers are free from splattering and drying out of liquid ink. But these printers are a little bit more complex to use. 

Print Speed

Laser printers offer higher print speed (20-75ppm) than inkjet printers (5-20ppm). 

So, if you are looking for a high-speed printer for your office or personal work, laser printers are the best option. 

Print Resolution

Most inkjet printers now have a maximum of around 5,000 DPI, higher than regular laser printers (2400 DPI). 

Usually, CANON IP110 printers deliver 9600 x 2400 DPI. 

Epson photo printers offer 5760 x 1440 DPI print resolution, whereas most CANON PIXMA printers offer 4800 x 1200 DPI. 

Now, HP color laserjet Pro M479FDW, high-class laser printers can ensure high print resolution like 38400 x 600 DPI, which is enormous.  

X-Factor: Drum Unit

Laser printers come with a drum unit with toner cartridges, which is not seen in ink-based printers. You have to ensure this drum unit is accustomed to toner or separate. This factor becomes vital when you want to replace the toner cartridge. 

In the case of a separate drum unit, it is a must to match the model and functionality. 

There is no such hassle in inkjet printers.  

FAQs

Which Lasts Longer Inkjet or Laser?

Laser Printers last for a long time. Different HP, CANON, and Epson series laser printers consist of high-class toner cartridges that help increase ink durability to a large extent. 

Is Laser Toner Cheaper than Ink? 

The upfront cost of laser toner is higher than ink. But toner becomes cost-effective and affordable over time in the long run due to easy ink management. 

Can Laser Printers Print Photos?

 Yes. But laser printers have a firm reputation for text printing. 

 Final Words

It is clear that laser printers beat their inkjet counterparts in terms of print speed, resolution, printing cost, and durability. But inkjet printers are preferable for their color variation and low manufacturing cost in Inkjet vs Laser printer debate. 

You must need a clear concept of the printers’ ins and outs that you have already read in this article. For more queries, comment with us. That’s all for now.
Happy Printing.