Laser printers have advanced significantly over the past few years, much like many other aspects of the printing industry. They are now available for $100 for a home user after previously being found nearly exclusively in offices. Many people prefer laser printers, but some find it difficult to picture themselves investing in one for their house. Many people believe that laser printers are simply the large, bulky devices found in businesses where the toner cartridges are exorbitantly priced. However, if you are someone who prints out a large amount of documents and is tired of always having to buy new black inkjet cartridges, laser printers can be the solution. Once you get past the initial sticker shock of buying laser toner cartridges, you will realize the numbers for an entry level laser printer versus an inkjet printer look something like this:
Typical toner cartridge – $50-$60
Page yield – 2,000-3,000 pages
Average cost per page – 2-2.5 cents per page
Typical inkjet cartridge – $20-$30
Page yield – 400-500 pages
Average cost per page – 4-6 cents per page
Although these are merely averages and may not seem all that different, generally speaking, running an inkjet printer will cost you twice as much as running a laser printer if you are printing documents. When it comes to laser printers, it is preferable to consider the long term because only then will you be able to fully comprehend their value. When purchasing a laser printer and a backup toner cartridge at the same time, you will have used approximately 10 inkjet cartridges by the time the second cartridge is done.
Therefore, a laser printer is usually preferable than a regular inkjet printer if you don’t print in color. A laser printer’s speed and ease of upkeep will be appreciated, and you’ll end up spending less money on ink over time.