Are you planning to buy a printer? Are you confused about how to Choose the Best Printer according to your needs? We got you covered with all the types of printers and their uses.
With never-ending online classes and working from home, a printer has become necessary for most of us. However, there are different printers for different uses, and you need to choose a printer that matches all your requirements.
But before going ahead and buying a printer, you must note a few things.
- 1. Speed: The printing speed of something that decides the efficiency of the printer and makes sure you choose a printer that has a good printing speed which is usually measured in PPM (Pages Per Minute)
- 2. Type: Another major thing to keep in mind is the type of printer you want to buy. With the growth in technology, there are different types of printers available these days like inkjet, laser, etc. Choose a type that suits your requirements
- 3. Monochrome or Colour: Some printers have colour printing and monochrome printing options, and some printers have only monochrome that is black and white coloured prints. You can choose whichever type fits your requirements.
- 4. Additional features: Many printers these days have additional features such as fax, xerox copies, connectivity like Bluetooth, mobile apps and so on. Always look for the additional; specifications while looking for a printer.
- 5. Budget: The budget of your printer is subjective, and you can pick a budget that suits you.
Now that we have got our basics covered let’s get into the different types of printers and the things you need to know about them.
Types of Printers
1. Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers prints by spraying the ink inside the cartridge through microscopic nozzles(extremely small nozzles)onto the paper. The printhead has a lot of tiny nozzles through which the ink is sprayed onto the paper. Those tiny nozzles are called jets.
If you are looking for a printer for your home use, Inkjet printers are a great option for you as Inkjet printers are affordable and user friendly.
The cost of the ink is expensive, and the cartridges need to change frequently, which makes it not suitable for commercial purposes. Most inkjet printers come with additional features such as Scan, fax, xerox, App connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, etc..,
The average PPM of inkjet printers is between 3 to 13 ppm; however, it totally depends on the model and the brand that you opt for. And the average warranty of an inkjet printer is 1 year.
Pros:
- Affordable price with all the features you need
- Additional features like Scan, fax, xerox, App connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, etc..,
- Best suited for home use
Cons:
- The printing speed is relatively lower than Laser printers.
2. Laser Printers
The Laser printer works by scanning the laser beam back and forth onto the drum of the printer and forms static electricity. The static electricity uses a powdered ink called, and that is fused with a heating roller, and then it prints the paper.
Laser printers are majorly used for commercial purposes as they have high printing speed and are comparatively more expensive than other types of printers. It also has a low ink cost and has larger paper trays and paper input and output capacity than inkjet printers.
The high printing speed makes the laser printer worth its price and easier for commercial purposes. The laser printers also come with a lot of different features like scanning, app connectivity, etc.
The average PPM of laser printers is 12 to 20 PPM which is relatively higher than inkjet printers. And the average warranty period for laser printers is 1 year but It depends according to the brand you choose.
Pros:
- High printing speed hence suitable for office uses
- Has a lot of other features like bluetooth connectivity, app connectivity,etc..,
Cons:
- It is a little bit expensive than the inkjet printers as it has high printing speed than that.
3. All-In-One Printers
If you are searching for a multi-purpose printer for your day-to-day tasks, you can opt for All-in-one Printers. They are designed for both office uses and home uses. The printer has a lot of other features like wireless printing, xerox, scanning, and many more.
If you own a Home office and are planning to use a printer for both your uses, this could be an ideal option for you. The average PPM of an All-in-one printer is 4 to 9 PPM. The average warranty of All-in-one Printers is 1 year.
Pros:
- Suitable for both office and home uses
- Has additional features like Bluetooth, scanning, etc..,
Cons:
- It is a little bit expensive when compared to laser printers which offer almost the same features
4. Dot Matrix Printers
The old-school typewriters inspire the Dot matrix printer as it uses a printer head which marks an ink-soaked ribbon. The Dot matrix printer is not extremely popular, yet some people who only need monochrome prints find some use out for it, and it is affordable too.
It has a very simple yet effective structure, and the printer is known for its durability, which makes it perfect for industrial purposes. It does not come with additional features as it is a basic printer that is only for monochrome printing.
The average printing speed of Dot-matrix printers is around 300 CPM (Character Per Minute). In addition, the average warranty of the printer is around 2 years.
Pros:
- High printing speed
- Highly durable with around 2 years of warranty
Cons:
- It can print only monochrome images
5. Supertank Printers
The Super tank printers are a great alternative to the traditional inkjet printers that feature as they have refillable and an expanded ink tank which you need to refill.
Refilling the ink avoids the usage of single-use cartridges, and the capacity of the printer is increased with the Supertank printers.
The Ink bottles can print about 4,500 pages of black and 7,500 pages with just a single bottle, and you can imagine the amount of money you are going to save on buying single-use cartridges.
All you have to do while changing the ink is to pour more ink into the printer, and you can carry on with your printing.
Pros :
- Reduces the use of single-use cartridges
- It has a high printing speed
- One single ink bottle lasts for upto 4500 to 7500 pages
Cons:
- It is a little more expensive than inkjet and laser printers but you save a ton of money you spend on cartridges which makes it totally worth the buy
6. Thermal Printers
The features of Thermal Printers change with every product. The Thermal printers are majorly used for printing thermochromic paper that is widely used for billing purposes, ATM receipts, etc..,
The thermal printer is used for commercial purposes as it is easy to use and the maintenance is very low, and they are Eco friendly too. The thermal printers are battery-operated, Bluetooth enabled and can be paired with other devices too.
The average printing speed of thermal printers is 80-90 PPM depending on the brand and the warranty period is around 6 months to 1 year on average.
Pros:
- High ppm of 80-90
- It comes with additional features like Bluetooth, app control, etc..,
Cons:
- It can only be used for printing receipts.
Conclusion
Choosing a printer isn’t that difficult after all. Now that you have an idea about printers and their types, you can easily choose a printer for your needs.
In short, you can choose inkjet for home printing needs as they are less expensive and have a good printing speed that is sufficient for home uses.
And laser printers for Commercial needs are pretty fast and effective, and Dot Matrix for industrial purposes as they have a high printing speed and low price.
