We use phones to store documents digitally, but we need to print some, occasionally at printing shops. Things have changed. Printers once only seen at printing shops and offices, are seen in households. The market is full of printers, suited for different needs. The most economical ones are laser printers. They are designed for bulk printing and are known for their speed, precision and low running cost. Let’s take a closer look at laser printers and why you should consider buying one.
Laser printers tend to be multi-functional, which means they can print, copy, scan, fax and even send e-mails. Some laser printers also support Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing wireless printing from phones, tablets or laptops. There are two types of laser printers – colour and monochrome. Colour laser printers are ideal for photography and creative needs, whereas monochrome ones are affordable, simpler and reliable options for every day printing. Laser printers use photographic drums, which use heated rollers to melt ink and transfer it on the paper. This mechanism has been around for more than a decade now, and it is still considered to be the best for its speed, quality and low printing cost. The ink used in laser printers is in a powdered form, so it lasts longer. Toner cartridges are better than ink cartridges, because liquid ink dries up quickly and there is no way of reusing it. Toner cartridges are costlier upfront, but economical than inkjet printers in the long run. It’s why offices prefer laser printers.
Laser printers are faster than inkjet printers too. Print speeds are denoted in pages-per-minute (PPM). Laser printers have print speeds of 14 PPM and higher. The basic laser printer can print about 30 to 40 pages per minute, whereas high-end models churn out more. You will also come across the term, dots per inch (dpi), which indicates the printing resolution. It is the number of dots a printer can print in a square inch of the paper. Laser printers use toner cartridges with powered ink in them.
Printing cost should not be neglected, while choosing a printer. It determines the running cost, calculated by the cartridge price / page yield + cost of paper. Cartridge prices depend on the brand and printer model. Page yield is number of pages a printer can churn out using a single cartridge. You can check the page yield details on the cartridge box. Most toner cartridge specify this to be approximately 2,000 to 4,000 pages. The printing cost of inkjet printers is higher than laser printers, because ink cartridges yield less.
Most laser printers use large paper trays for uninterrupted high-volume printing. Thankfully, many printers today include feed trays. They are of different sizes and weights where you can stack reams of standard A4, legal and letter size papers. There are models with optional paper trays, which can hold around 500 sheets of papers of different sizes. This lets you select the paper size during printing. These printers also indicate the paper availability, so you know when to stock up the paper tray. Some of the high-end, multi-functional printers come with duplex automatic document feeders (ADF). This feature is also called duplexing. This not only saves paper, but also the efforts of feeding the paper back into the printer for two-sided prints.
The most obvious specifications while choosing a printer, are the print speed, ink cost and reliability. Most laser printers support Wi-Fi that let you print using your phone, tablet or laptop, remotely. The added benefit of using a Wi-Fi enabled printer is being able to place it anywhere, cable-free. Small home-offices and residences can have laser printers in different rooms, easily interconnected. Another interesting thing about network printers is being able to remotely print to your home or office printers, from just about anywhere. A mobile or tablet app is all you need to get started. Most multi-functional printers are easy to operate. Some multi-functional printers have a tablet-like interface that lets you touch, swipe and scroll, like a smartphone.
Laser printer maintenance is as important as any other appliance. A well-maintained printer gives better and faster output, while serving you for many years. Laser printers have few components that need care. There are rollers with soft rubber coating that needs occasional cleaning. You can use a piece of damp cloth or use a low-pressure vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to remove loose toner particles. We recommend using a printer maintenance kit.
Once you start looking beyond basic laser printers, there are other features worth considering, such as duty cycle, USB connections, Bluetooth connectivity, LED interface, memory card slot and touchscreen controls. Make sure thoroughly research the topic and evaluate features you need. Lastly, check the warranty terms and details. Some brands may offer warranty on printer parts and replacement, while others might only include on-site services. Come explore laser printers at your nearest Reliance Digital store or click here to browse through the collection online.
