Laser Printer vs. Inkjet Printer - Which is Best for your Business?

You have a need for a new printer for your business, but with all of the brands and options out there how do you decide which is best for you? Your first decision, which is an easy one, will help narrow your options. Do you choose laser or inkjet? For most, laser printers will better support your typical business printing needs; the functions, maintenance and costs of laser printers are suited for efficiency, productivity and business workflow.

What type of documents or projects will you print most often?
How often are you printing in a typical day?
Are you printing large quantity documents or frequent single page letters?
What type of paper will you need to print on?
Are you printing primarily in black and white or color?

After answering these questions and reading the rest of this article, you will understand why a laser printer is most often your best choice for your business.

Type of Printing

Laser printers are often considered the standard for business environments because they are quick and produce high quality text. This makes them ideal for printing proposals, contracts, newsletters, spreadsheets, meeting minutes and other typical office documents.

Inkjet printers are more ideal for home environments and work best for printing photos and small print jobs.

Printing Volume

Laser printers handle high volume printing very easily. Their paper trays are capable of holding large quantities so you’re not constantly refilling. On the low end laser printer paper trays hold 150-200 pages and many are capable of holding an entire ream of paper (about 500 pages). Large laser machines have multiple trays for additional and varied size paper storage as well.

Inkjet printers, on the other hand, usually only hold between 50-100 pages, which make them more appropriate for small office and home printing purposes.

Costs to Consider

Inkjet printers seem inexpensive because the initial equipment costs are lower than laser printers. However, inkjet printers have significantly higher supply costs that can easily add up over the life of the printer. With an inkjet printer you will be replacing ink cartridges fairly frequently, especially if you are using the printer to produce the specialized projects it handles best. Additionally, inkjet printers need to be used on a regular basis to ensure their ink nozzles don’t clog, requiring premature cartridge replacement. All of these costs combined result in an average cost per page of approximately 13-15 cents for inkjet printers.

In a laser printer, instead of ink, you are using high capacity toner cartridges which only have to be replaced every 1000-2000 pages. The average cost per print of a laser printer typically runs 3-5 cents based on the amount of page coverage, volume and if your typical document is full color vs. black and white.

Hopefully this information explains the primary differences between laser and inkjet printers and helps determine which is right for you.

Now that you understand a laser printer will most likely be your best business solution, there are several other considerations that need to be taken into account when selecting from the many laser options available. A Marco technology advisor can help you determine which device is best for your business.