Although inkjet printers have several benefits, laser printers have been able to hold onto their market share by capitalizing on their unique advantages. For laser printers, the price per page is very reasonable, and the final output is not easily smudged or faded. Printing is rapid and the pages appear tidy. Of course, there are drawbacks as well. Due to their ability to create subtle gradients, inkjet printers are preferable to laser printers when printing in color. Additionally, the printer’s initial cost is substantially higher. Although there hasn’t been much progress, there have been some intriguing new products, such as the HP never stop Laser 1001nw, which has refillable toner.

Here are some points to consider when buying a new laser printer or laser-based multifunction device, ranging from what features you should be looking at to the total cost of ownership.

• Color or black and white?

Your primary consideration should be your immediate requirement; to choose the right kind of printer for you, consider the types of documents you will be printing. A monochrome laser printer is all you need if all you require is the ability to print, and if all you print are bills or other monochromatic documents. If you will also need to regularly print colored documents, invest in a color laser printer.

• Functional Categories:

Consider a multifunction laser printer that can do all of these things if you need to scan documents, make copies, and send and receive faxes, among other things. Additionally, you might want to consider other features like the ability to scan to USB sticks and network locations, print from USB sticks (file support can vary, so verify the specs), and print from cloud-based apps.

• Handling of Paper:

If you want to be able to print papers on A3-sized paper as well, you will need to hunt for a specific kind of printer because most printers can only handle paper up to the A4 size. If the printer has a multi-purpose tray, items like envelopes and heavier paper can be printed; however, you must verify the printer’s specifications to determine the precise weight of paper (in gsm) and the maximum number of envelopes that can be added. Look for additional paper handling traits that can worry you at the same time. This can include the printer’s automated duplex printing capability (provided by a built-in duplex unit) and the capacity to scan or copy multi-page documents using an automatic document feeder (ADF).

• The simplicity of Use:

Most likely, you’re accustomed to using the touch screen on your phone, tablet, or even laptop. Therefore, why not get a touch screen printer? When a printer includes built-in access to apps that require the user to enter their login information, a touch screen can make navigating the printer’s menu system easier. The speed with which the paper tray can be accessed and loaded as well as how the toner cartridges may be replaced are all examples of ease of use.

• Cost per toner and TCO:

Some kinds of laser printers today may have extremely low initial costs, but you need to be conscious of the total cost of ownership. This covers items like the price of new toner (for each color), the yield of the toner (the number of pages it can print), and the price of any additional consumables connected to the printer, like a fuser (the component that adheres the toner to the paper) or drum unit (which transfers the toner onto the paper). These days, toner is frequently the only consumable for laser printers.

• The cycle of Work:

The duty cycle is the maximum number of prints that a printer can be expected to produce per month. If you plan to perform a lot of printing on a regular basis, you should have a look at this rating. This rating ranges from 1000 to 5000 pages and even tens of thousands.

• Memory and a Processor:

The reported speed in megahertz might be a good indicator of the power the printer has to process tasks and execute its internal functions, even though it’s difficult to compare processors between laser printers. Additionally, if you plan to print from graphics and design software, the memory capacity (and a printer with upgradeable memory) is crucial, especially if you plan to print using PCL or PostScript languages, for which space is needed to hold the print information as it is converted.

• Size in general and simplicity of installation:

A standard office printer might be heavy and possibly difficult to move around without assistance. When making your purchase, think about the printer’s size and the location in your setting where it will be installed. You can decide that a smaller printer with comparable capability would be more suited to your workplace environment. In order to reduce maintenance time, you should also consider how simple it is to load paper and install toner cartridges.

Common errors you could make when selecting a laser printer?

Falling for Marketing Gimmicks: The product’s capabilities may occasionally be overstated in marketing by the maker. Therefore, it is advisable to contrast their data with that found in test results using ISO references.

Relying on reviews: If the review is not from a real customer, it can just be a publicity gimmick. It is best to physically purchase or test equipment like printers before making any decisions.

Concentrating on the cost of the toner: A laser printer also has additional consumable components like separate drums and fusers. All of these have a major impact on operating expenses.

Thinking new is best: Compared to newer models, older ones typically offer higher longevity. Due to the emphasis on reducing manufacturing costs by employing recycled material, the latter is frequently of lesser quality.

Final Words

Typically, buying a device, appliance, or piece of equipment is a significant investment that should yield efficiency and ease. The majority of the time, quality is expensive. However, you may purchase a device that performs equally well without spending a fortune. Therefore, before purchasing any product, it is essential to conduct some research to assure the best prices. You should be able to select the ideal laser printer for you, using the information provided above.