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Examine Six Types of Printers
The printer manufacturers (OEM’s) release new printer models every few months.
With so many options available, each with their own specialties, how do you know what to choose? In this article, we break down the six most common types of printers on the market, so you have a clear understanding of your options before you buy.
Click one of the links below to jump to a particular printer type, or keep reading to learn about all six.
Inkjet Printers
1. Single-function Inkjet Printers
Single-function Inkjets Printers are designed for doing only one thing, that is printing. If you need to fax or scan, skip ahead to the multi-function printers below. These printers typically have the least expensive upfront cost and the majority can handle basic black and color printing duties for your everyday printing needs, including color photos. Customers that use a single-function machine appreciate their simplicity. With less features, they are easier to use.
Key Features
- Uses ink cartridges
- Prints in black and color (text, color images and photos are all taken care of!)
- Perfect for casual home printer users that aren’t looking for extra features
Operating Costs
Single-function Inkjet Printers are cheap to buy, but the cartridges can get pricey if you pick an inefficient printer. To avoid high printing costs, be sure to pay attention to the cartridge costs and their respective page yield. Often times the least expensive printer will use high priced cartridges, so a price comparison of our compatible cartridges is essential if you are looking to keep the printing costs low.
Recommended Printer Models
- Canon®PIXMA TS702
- Canon®PIXMA TS202
- Epson®Workforce WF-110
2. Multi-Function orAll-In-One Printers
Multi-Function Inkjet Printers (also called “all-in-ones” by some printer manufacturers) are by far the most prevalent printer models available. Multi-function means the printer offers print, scan and fax options, making them a smart choice for home offices. There are dozens of multi-function printers on the market, each with slightly different features, cartridge pricing and page yields. To ensure you have the right one for your needs, pay special attention to the page yields and specifications of each model you are considering. If you are looking for the most cost effective model, check out our prices for the compatible cartridges.
Key Features
- Uses ink cartridges
- Prints in black and color (text, color images and photos are all taken care of!)
- Print, scan and copy capabilities
- Ideal for everyday home printer users and casual home office/small business users
Operating Costs
The initial cost of a multi-function printer varies considerably across printer manufacturers. But here’s something worth bringing up, as it’s a very common scenario you’re sure to come across. All too often, you will find printers–like the HP® Deskjet 2755 for instance–that are so cheap that a set of replacement cartridges costs about the same as the cost of the printer. For such printers, it’s like you’re buying a new printer every time you replace a cartridge.
Setting cost expectations before you buy is a smart way to start your printer search. You’ll likely find a better deal with a printer that costs a little bit more upfront and uses more economical cartridges. The Brother MFC-J805DW, a pricier printer, for example, uses LC3033 cartridges that print more than 3,000 pages at a cost of less than $35 for black and color cartridges that print up to 1,500 pages for around around $23 each. The higher initial printer cost might seem daunting at first but you’ll find you’re saving much more in the long run.
Our compatible ink cartridges bring costs down even more. No matter what multi-function you decide on, be sure that you are comfortable with the total cost of operation. Factor in the price of the printer, the cost of replacement cartridges and cartridge page yield to paint an overall picture of your operating costs.
Recommended Printer Models
- Canon Maxify MB2720
- Canon PIXMA TR-8620
- Brother®MFC-J805DW
3. Photo Inkjet Printers
Although you can print color photos using any of the multi-function machines (see above), professional photographers will want a printer with a finer detail and a little more finesse to bring their photos to life. To get those vivid prints, Photo Inkjet Printers require many more ink cartridges than a typical inkjet printer. The cartridges are either pigment based, dye based, or a combination of both, depending on the printer manufacturer. Printers are designed to work with a variety of photo papers and print sizes, with many offering wide format printing.
Key Features
- Uses ink cartridges (pigment-based, dye-based, or both)
- Best quality prints in black and color (for text, color images and of course, photos)
- Commonly used by professional photographers
Operating Costs
Photo Inkjet Printers are costly, but for a good reason. Lower priced inkjet printers simply cannot compete with the quality and detail of a reputable photo printer, and if you have a photography or advertising business, they are obviously worth the investment. Most printers uses anywhere between 6 and 12 ink cartridges to produce a print, making cartridge replacement equally expensive. To keep costs low, consider our compatible cartridges.
Recommended Printer Models
- Epson Expression Photo XP-6100 (uses pigment black & dye-based color inks)
- Canon PIXMA Pro-100 (uses dye-based inks)
- Canon PIXMA Pro-10 (uses pigment based inks)
4. Ink Tank Printers
Ink Tank Printers have grown in popularity over the last couple of years thanks to new printer options like the Epson Ecotank. Instead of buying new cartridges, you buy ink bottles which supply ink to the printer. Designed for heavy-duty printing needs, ink tank machines use super high capacity ink tanks to produce a print, offering thousands of prints at a very affordable cost per page. The printers themselves can be expensive, however, so keep that in mind when mapping out your printing budget.
Key Features
- Uses ink bottles and super high capacity ink tanks
- Prints in black and color (text, color images and photos are all taken care of!)
- Great for heavy duty printer users
Operating Costs
Ink Tank Printers are worth considering if you frequently print at a high volume but their expensive initial price point make them hard to justify for many consumers. Printer price varies depending on which model you go with – Epson, Canon and Brother all offer quality options. The printer’s ink bottles are where you will find the most value, for example, our Epson’s 502 black cartridge prints 7,500 pages for just $20.29 and it’s color ink bottles print 6,000 pages for $12.99. That’s a whole lot of prints for the price, but if you don’t print often, the cost savings may not be worth it. It all depends on your printing frequency.
Recommended Printer Models
- Epson Ecotank ET-2720
- Canon Pixma G4210
- Brother MFC-J995DW
Laser Printers
5.Monochrome Laser Printers
Monochrome Laser Printers are a cost effective, speedy option preferred by businesses with heavy-duty printing needs that print strictly text-based documents, such as law offices. These printers only print in black and white, so if color prints aren’t a necessity, they are your best bet. With only one toner cartridge to replace, it’s easy to keep your printing costs low. Toner cartridge yield and monthly duty cycle varies across machines, so make sure you choose a printer that meets your office’s monthly printing needs.
Key Features
- Uses a black toner cartridge
- Prints in black
- Perfect for business users that print a lot of documents and don’t need color.
Operating Costs
Monochrome Laser Printers are optimized for the office, giving you high volume prints at a low operating cost. Look for a printer that uses high yield or extra high yield toner cartridges for the best overall value. They may cost a little bit more, but the savings pay off in the long term. To cut down printing costs even more, shop our compatible toner cartridges.
Recommended Printer Models
- HPLaserjet Pro M15W
- BrotherHL-L2350DW
- Brother HL-L6200DW
6. Color Laser Printers
Need to add a little color to your next business report? Color Laser Printers are great for small to medium businesses, offering more flexibility and a significant cost savings compared to the typical Color Inkjet Printer. These machines use four separate toner cartridges, making cartridge replacements expensive, but you’ll only need to replace each cartridge as needed. If your business needs to print color photos, you might consider buying a Photo Inkjet Printer (see above). Color Laser Printers are not designed for photo printing, and typically work best on graphics or illustrations.
Key Features
- Uses four toner cartridges (black, cyan magenta and yellow)
- Prints in black and color
- Commonly used by businesses that need the flexibility of a color printer
Operating Costs
Color laser printers usually start around $150 and can go up considerably from there depending on how many extra features you need. With four cartridges, new cartridge replacements can add up quickly. However, their high page yield more than makes up for the higher price tag, with most offering thousands of prints per cartridge. Like the monochrome laser printer, our high yield or extra high yield cartridges are your best bet.
Recommended Printer Models
- Brother HL-L3210CW
- Xerox®VersaLink B400
- Brother HL-L8360CDW
Understanding of what printer options are available to you is the first step to finding the right printer for your home or office. Now that you know what options are available to you, you can learn more about specific printer models and pricing. Then compare cartridge costs on our Discount Copier website (https://discountcopier.com) to find perfect match for your needs and your budget.
*Savings based on price comparison between compatible cartridge prices on www.discountcopier.com and OEM cartridge and printer prices from Amazon and Staples.
OEM names are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with, and do not endorse Discount Copier products.
| Thank you for reading this post. This article was written by a team of ink experts at Discount Copier Supply, a North Carolina based company that specializes in compatible inks and toners. With over 20 years of printing expertise, we’re committed to helping you save money on the printer ink cartridges without sacrificing quality. If you found this content helpful, we’d be grateful if you supported us by visiting https://discountcopier.com for all of your ink and toner needs. We appreciate your support! |
