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Home printer ink vs laser

M

MorgothPl

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Oct 13, 2008
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I need to replace my old xerox laser printer, which died. Usually, as I don't print a lot, and mostly text, the laser one was the only choice. However, I was told in the shop, that now ink is much better choice - the ink cartridges don't run dry, when you don't print a lot, and catridges' price went down.

As I look at the sellers' ideas with a grain of salt, can anyone confirm, that even, when you don't print much, the ink printers won't break, and they are now as reliable as lasers?
 
I've never had anything but trouble with ink jet printers. I've given up on printers, period. If mostly what you need to print are documents or other monochrome stuff, go laser. Even color laser is affordable now. I don't think color lasers are good for photos compared to ink jet, though.
 
Laser is still tops for text. If you only print a few pages a week though, inkjet is serviceable.
 
I use an inkjet all the time for college, seems to work just fine. If you're not printing that often it would probably make sense to buy a cheaper printer, which usually means you're going to want an inkjet.
 
screw inkjets, and their ink which costs more than gold per weight. not like $80 every few years is a big deal. maybe the inkjets won't dry out, maybe they will. lasers are just as cheap anyway. IMO they are superior in every way (except color, and as for color again, screw inkjets)
 
I bought a laser printer 10 years ago and it still works great. Had to replace the toner cartridge once.
 
If you only plan to print black, then laser is the way to go. You can buy a nice home laser printer for $100-150 at Staples. Even the toners are only $20-30 online for some. Plus you get many more prints than ink and absolutely zero chance of 'running dry'.
 
I agree with everyone else - I went laser about 5 years ago and I'd never go back. Fast, good quality, no worries about running dry (or the inevitable "head cleaning") and when you count consumables, I think cheaper in the long run.
 
I haven't used an inkjet printer for about 8 years now.

In that time, I had a laser that somebody threw out cause they had gotten a transparency stuck in it... I fixed it and used it till it wouldn't pick up paper anymore. Laster about a year at college.

Then i went to a Konica Minolta Laser printer which I bought new. I bought a 2-pack toner refill kit for it, but only ever had to refill it once before it started streaking and not wanting to pick up paper... I used that printer for around 5 years, which I printed tons and tons of stuff at college for a lot of people in my dorm and some friends in different dorms...

Now i have a Dell laser that I picked up at a thrift store more then a year ago and still have not had to put toner in it.. and it gets used quite a lot.
 
I bought a Brother 2170w laser printer 2-3 years ago. Did a fair bit of printing in that time, the "starter" toner is about due to be replaced. I have a 2600 page replacement I got on a Newegg sale 6+ months ago, but even though the toner light is on, the other one is still going. If all you print is text or even are content with b&w images, laser is definitely the way to go.
 
MorgothPl said:
As I look at the sellers' ideas with a grain of salt, can anyone confirm, that even, when you don't print much, the ink printers won't break, and they are now as reliable as lasers?
Click to expand...

The ink printer won't break, but if you let the printer sit for about a month without printing, in my experience, you will get about 100 pages out of it, then you'll need to replace the cartridge.

From everyone else's experience, if the printer is going to sit for any length of time, go laser. The price difference in toner vs ink will more than make up the up front cost in a very short period of time.
 
Xonim said:
I bought a Brother 2170w laser printer 2-3 years ago. Did a fair bit of printing in that time, the "starter" toner is about due to be replaced. I have a 2600 page replacement I got on a Newegg sale 6+ months ago, but even though the toner light is on, the other one is still going. If all you print is text or even are content with b&w images, laser is definitely the way to go.
Click to expand...

You know you can put a piece of tape over the sensor window on those cartridges, and keep using it for quite a while after it would normally stop working. I got about 6 extra months out of my starter cartridge that way.
 
I had a couple of all-in-one printers from Lexmark but got tiered of the ink screwing up since I didn't print much so I bought my first laser a color HP 2600n, never been happier.

So in your case I would get another laser.
 
I'd have to see evidence of this reduced cost inkjet cartridges. Seeing as they're ridiculously overpriced to begin with, saying they're cheaper isn't saying much.

For your preferences, a laser printer is the better choice.
 
H.Emmerich said:
I'd have to see evidence of this reduced cost inkjet cartridges. Seeing as they're ridiculously overpriced to begin with, saying they're cheaper isn't saying much.

For your preferences, a laser printer is the better choice.
Click to expand...

HP 950XL black - $36.99 and 2300 pages per cartridge
HP 78A - $70 each and 2100 pages per cartridge

The aftermarket stuff does not always work well, lower yields, poor quality, etc.
 
yeah the Officejet 8500 and 8600(uses the 950) seem to be the only inkjets we recommend at my OfficeMax even someone needs to print any color what so ever. But yeah other than those printers the black lasers will be better.

the 940 cartridges were rated at 2100 for 34.99 before
 
I agree with the recommendation of a laser printer, especially if you don't print much and have no specific needs (like the ability to print photos). Many of the inkjet printers that I've heard of, including (and especially) the older HP Officejet 8500 series (though, admittedly, I don't know much about the newer 8500/8600 models), perform a lot of self-cleaning that uses up a lot of ink over time.
 
brother b&w network lasers, my favorite cheap and reliable printer ever

bought one for $90 and it lasted 4 years of college before needing first toner change, its going on 6yrs old now printing fine
 
I once took apart an inkjet printer. It had a sponge where the print head would rest. Below was a reservoir for ink to drip into. And if you powered down before the printer head would park you would be guaranteed a dead cartridge after only a few weeks.
 
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