The Difference Between Inkjet and Laser Printers

By The Clinton Courier | June 3, 2021 |

People on the market for a printer usually first need to understand the difference between inkjet and laser printers. To the untrained eye, they may look very similar. But a closer look will reveal the differences in their compositions, capabilities, and costs.

How They Work

As you might imagine, an inkjet printer prints with ink, and a laser printer prints with lasers. But the specifics of what that means are far more complicated.

Inkjet printers spray ink from hundreds of electrically heated nozzles onto a surface as it passes under the device. The heat from the electricity expands the ink until it becomes a bubble and falls as a droplet onto the intended surface. A printhead holds the nozzles and moves them left to right along the page.

Laser printers operate using very small powder ink particles collectively called toner. A fuser unit heats and melts the toner. The melted toner then fuses with the printing surface to create the intended picture.

What People Use Them For

Inkjet printers can print on a greater variety of surfaces. This is why people often use them for packaging. Laser printers create too much heat to print on surfaces like plastic or cardboard. Another advantage of inkjet printers is that they tend to create much better color images.

Laser printers can print much faster, though they’re best for printing black and white documents. People often use them in offices where they need to print lots of documents quickly. Laser printers can produce color photos, but inkjet printers are far better at accomplishing this task.

What They Cost

For many people, the difference between inkjet and laser printers will boil down to cost. Laser printers tend to be the more expensive purchase. However, they’re not as costly to maintain. Inkjet printers need their ink changed more frequently. If you’re printing a lot, that could make them the less economical choice. But, on the other hand, if you have plenty of inks, you can sell them to Sell Toner and earn cash online.