- The most basic difference between laser and inkjet is the material they use to print. Laser printers use toner, a dry, powdery substance that is fused onto the paper to produce images. Inkjet uses ink, obviously a liquid, which is dispersed onto the paper with a print head. This difference in materials itself really doesn't affect the end user, but it affects many other factors that will come into play when choosing between the two.
- For basic monochrome printing--like homework, household documents and e-mails--ultra-high quality may not be much of an issue. But when you start to print things like photos, some significant differences come into play. Inkjet produces higher-quality photo prints, and printers designated specifically as photo printers are usually inkjet printers. Inkjet prints higher resolution images, and the glossy papers usually used in photo printing are not appropriate for use in laser printers (the heat of the fusing process can create a mess).
- Laser printers have typically been much faster than inkjet printers, which is another one of their advantages in the business environment. With speeds in the 30-40 page-per-minute range, though, some inkjets are catching up. Photos, of course, print much more slowly; and in fact overall speed depends on the amount of ink or toner being placed on the page (between 5 and 10 percent page coverage is considered average).
- Traditionally, inkjet printers are less expensive than laser, and this has been the reason inkjet printers are generally considered a "home" product while lasers have been primarily for the office. However the price of some monochrome laser printers has gone down considerably over the years, and it's not uncommon to see a laser printer selling for less than $80 (all amounts estimated as of 2009). Still, there are other factors to take into consideration besides the basic cost of the printer.
- The up-front cost of most laser toner cartridges is considerably higher than that of inkjet cartridges -- often $100 for a monochrome toner cartridge versus $20 for a black inkjet cartridge. However, toner cartridges generally last much longer than inkjet cartridges; according to printer comparison website Printer.com, a toner cartridge can produce five times as many pages per month than an inkjet printer, meaning the cost per page for a laser printer may be much lower than that of an inkjet printer. All of these variables factor into the total cost of ownership (TCO).
- Depending on how much printing is done, the TCO of a monochrome laser printer can be much less than that of an inkjet printer, especially when applying cost-saving methods such as purchasing aftermarket cartridges (usually, toner cartridges that have been cleaned, refurbished and refilled). Color laser, however, still tends to be a bit more expensive, often ranging in the thousands of dollars, although sub-$500 color laser is becoming more common, and while comparing models on sites such as PCWorld's Printer Reviews site, it's not impossible to find a color laser printer for less than $100. The cost of supplies, though, can drive the TCO of such printers back up.
- Because it simply has more moving parts than an inkjet printer, more can go wrong with a laser printer. The upside to this, though, is that generally replacement parts are available and cost-effective. Many offices have service contracts on laser printers, and many laser printer and cartridge suppliers offer service as part of their package offerings. When an inkjet printer breaks, often the most economical solution is to throw it out and buy a new one, due to the low cost of the printers. The downside to this is added e-waste in the world's landfills.
