Inexpensive laser printer for home. Review of types of printers for home use. How to choose a printer for home use

When choosing a printer for home use, the first step is to determine for what purpose it will be used. It is the printing tasks that are set that determine which printer is better to choose: inkjet or laser, color or monochrome.

Buying a printer usually does not cause any difficulties, since the choice is quite wide. Difficulties begin during operation when the printed material does not meet the required quality, there is a need to change the cartridge, or the printer prints too slowly, is noisy, or refuses to work at all. To ensure that the choice of printer is correct, and in the process of using it there is no need to purchase a new device, it is necessary to answer several questions before purchasing a device.

What documents will be printed: color or only black and white?

If you know for sure that you will print exclusively black and white business documents, then there is no point in considering color printers. But most often, monochrome printing is used in offices, and at home there is periodically the need to print abstracts, term papers with graphic images, favorite recipes with pictures, or even photographs. Therefore, it is better to choose a color printer for your home - it certainly will not be idle.

How important is print quality?

Quality depends on a number of nuances. Each printer model has its own print resolution, and accordingly, the quality of the print will be different. The quality is also affected by the ink or toner used, and it also matters which printer itself: inkjet or laser. Typically, the quality of printing text and images is better with laser printers, and the color reproduction in photographs is better with inkjet printers. Photo printing on inkjet printers is distinguished by excellent color printing with a large number of shades.

Another important point is the print’s resistance to external influences. In this regard, the inkjet printer clearly loses: its prints are smeared, “spread” under the influence of water, and over time they completely fade.

How many documents will need to be printed monthly?

Each printer has its own monthly operating life, and inkjet devices also lose in this indicator, since their printing speed is lower. Inkjet printers also have a significant drawback: ink drying out. If the printer is not used regularly, its inks may simply dry out, which will lead not only to damage to the cartridge, but also to breakdown of the printer itself. The only way out is to periodically print one or two pages to prevent the ink from drying out.

What will be the cost of one print?

The cost-effectiveness of a printer is a very important indicator. And the main thing here is not to confuse this concept with the cost of the printer or even its energy efficiency. If you pay attention to the price of the device when purchasing, you will probably go wrong. An inkjet printer is much cheaper than a laser printer, but the consumables for it will be very expensive.

The efficiency of the printer depends on the cost of consumables. The final cost per print is what really matters. Before purchasing, decide in advance where and how you will refill the cartridge and with what ink or toner. Printer manufacturers earn their main income not from the sale of the device itself, but from the sale of replacement cartridges. Therefore, modern printers are often equipped with special chips that signal the end of the toner and require the entire cartridge to be replaced. The price of a new cartridge can sometimes be more than half the cost of the printer itself. Of course, there are craftsmen who can refill even such cartridges or use CISS, but with their further use you can safely forget about the warranty on the printer.

Now that we know how to choose a printer for your home, let's take a quick look at the most popular devices produced in 2014 and 2015. And since it is better to choose color devices for home use, the review will be devoted specifically to them.

Inkjet Printer Review 2015

Since the main disadvantage of all inkjet printers is the high cost of replacement cartridges, it is worth mentioning the continuous ink supply system (CISS). Such systems can be integrated into the printer or installed as an external device (after self-installation of the CISS, the manufacturer’s warranty will be invalid). CISS reduces printing costs by up to 20-40 times, since it allows you to independently refill the installed cartridge.

Rating of inexpensive color inkjet printers 2015

Advantages:

As many as 5 cartridges for improved color rendering;
Wi-Fi support.

Flaws:

Small cartridge resource;
Long warm-up time.

The HP OfficeJet 6230 printer also demonstrates good performance.

Advantages:

High printing speed;
Built-in duplex for automatic printing on both sides of the sheet;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras;
Wi-Fi and HP ePrint support;
Convenient control panel with LED backlight;
Spacious paper tray.

Flaws:

There may be difficulties with installing CISS;
High cost of the original cartridge;
Small cartridge resource.

Rating of color inkjet printers 2015 in the mid-price category

Advantages:

High resolution allows you to get good quality;
High speed printing and photo printing;
Built-in CISS;
Possibility of printing on optical discs;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras;

Flaws:

No Wi-Fi.

The compact Canon PIXMA iP8740 pleases with the ability to print A3+ size photos at home.

Advantages:

High resolution allows you to get good quality;
As many as 6 cartridges for improved color rendering;
Possibility of printing on optical discs;

Flaws:

There may be difficulties with installing CISS;

Separately, it is necessary to say about multifunctional devices. MFPs are a 3-in-1 device: scanner, printer and copier. The device is ideal for home use: compact, functional and inexpensive (cheaper than buying a scanner and printer separately).

Rating of color inkjet MFPs 2015

Among the inexpensive MFPs, we can highlight the Epson Expression Home XP-422.

Advantages:

Scanner, printer and copier;
High resolution allows you to get good quality;
The copier can work without a PC;
Large LCD display with touch panel for easy control;
Supports Apple AirPrint, Wi-Fi and Google Cloud Print;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras.

Flaws:

There may be difficulties with installing CISS;
Small cartridge resource.

The HP Deskjet InkAdvantage 5525 has a good price-to-quality ratio.

Advantages:

Scanner, printer and copier;
Saving images to a memory card without using a PC;
Supports ePrint, Wi-Fi and Apple AirPrint;
Large LCD display for easy control;

Flaws:

There may be difficulties with installing CISS;
I would like to have a faster printing speed.

Epson L850 photo center with integrated ink tanks:

Advantages:

Scanner, printer and copier;
Increased resource of consumables;
Printing without cartridges;
As many as 6 ink bottles for improved color rendering;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras;
Possibility of printing on optical discs;
Large LCD display for easy control.

Flaws:

Small feed tray capacity;
No Wi-Fi.

Review of laser printers for home 2015

All color laser printers for home are expensive and this is their big drawback. However, they are much cheaper to operate than inkjet ones, so even despite their high cost, they are more popular.

Rating of color laser printers 2015

Fast and reliable laser printer for home HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M553N.

Advantages:

High resolution allows you to get good quality;
The first printed page comes out in just 6 seconds;
High printing speed;
Increased cartridge resource;
Capacious feeding and dispensing trays;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras;
Large LCD display for easy control.

Flaws:

Increased dimensions and weight of the device;
No Wi-Fi.

High-performance and modern Brother HL-L8350CDW.

Advantages:

High resolution allows you to get good quality;
High printing speed;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras;
Wi-Fi support;
Built-in duplex for automatic printing on both sides of the sheet.

Flaws:

No display;

Relatively inexpensive and functional Samsung CLP-365W.

Advantages:

High resolution allows you to get good quality;
Connection via USB and Wi-Fi;
Acceptable price;
Compact.

Flaws:

No display;
There is no built-in duplex for automatic printing on both sides of the sheet;

Rating of color laser MFPs 2015

Modern laser MFPs combine not only a scanner, printer, and copier, but even fax and various technologies for remote printing, which allows them to be used for full-fledged home offices with high demands on print quality and speed.

Best value for money in the HP LaserJet Pro M277DW.

Advantages:

High resolution allows you to get good quality;
Printing via HP ePrint, NFC, Apple AirPrint and Wi-Fi;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras;
Touch LCD display.

Flaws:

Small capacity of the input and output tray.

High-performance Brother DCP-L8400CDN

Advantages:

Scanner, printer and copier;
High resolution allows you to get good quality;
High printing speed;
Possibility of double-sided printing in automatic mode;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras.

Flaws:

Lack of Wi-Fi connection;
Increased dimensions and weight of the device.

Functional Canon i-SENSYS MF628CW.

Advantages:

Scanner, printer, fax and copier;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras;
Good amount of built-in memory;
Connection via Wi-Fi.

Flaws:

Long warm-up time.

Practical color HP LaserJet Pro M477FDN

Advantages:

Scanner, printer, fax and copier;
Large color display with touch panel for easy control;
Printing via ePrint, Google Cloud Print and AirPrint;
High printing speed;
Possibility of double-sided printing in automatic mode;
Direct printing of documents from a USB drive and photos from cameras.

Flaws:

lack of Wi-Fi and NFC;
low quality up to 600x600 dpi.

Below is an interesting video

Let’s make a reservation right away: we compiled this rating solely based on customer reviews. We did not include in it those models that were reviewed either negatively or not reviewed at all. Therefore, this rating may include both expensive and sophisticated models, as well as budget ones. And in general: it cannot be considered objective - keep this in mind if you use it to select a printer.

Before we move directly to the rating, we should answer ourselves a question.

Choosing a laser printer for your home

Laser printers are good because the cost of printing is low. In addition, they are characterized by high printing speed, which makes them ideal for offices. For home use, people most often buy inkjet models with color printing technology - they are inexpensive. But a color laser printer will be very expensive, but it is preferable for home use, because... allows you to print not only documents, but also photographs.

A few words about the cost of operation. Few people understand, but this parameter is one of the most important when choosing. Usually people pay attention to the initial cost of the device and forget that further operation is the largest expense item. Usually, cheap laser printers and MFPs have a short lifespan of the cartridge and drum, therefore, they have to be changed frequently (if the cartridge can still be refilled a couple of times, the drum has to be changed completely), and this involves wasting money. By overpaying once when purchasing an expensive laser printer with a long drum and cartridge life, you can save money in the future. It turns out that expensive laser printers have a low cost of printing one document. Of course, this is more important for offices where you need to print very, very often, but it also matters when choosing.

Printer rating

1st place – HP LaserJet Pro P1102w ($160)

The HP LaserJet Pro P1102w, priced at $160, deservedly takes first place. This is a device with black and white printing technology and a fairly large resource - 5000 pages per month. Standard printing resolution is 600x600 dpi, speed 18 pages per minute.

One of the advantages is a cartridge with a yield of 1600 pages (usually it has a yield of 1000 pages), which makes the cost per print lower. There is also wi-fi, which is another advantage: you don’t have to install it near your computer.

Reviews about this printer are positive, so we put it in first place. This is a high-quality product with a high-capacity cartridge - it lasts a long time even with frequent use.

The disadvantages here are banal: price, slow wi-fi, short cable and difficulty setting up wireless printing. Actually, that's all.

2nd place – HP LaserJet Pro P1102 ($120)

A good printer for a small office or home with b/w laser printing technology. Unlike the previous one, this model connects exclusively via the USB interface.

However, the rest of the parameters are similar:

resolution: 600x600 dpi;
cartridge resource: 1600 pages;
print speed: 16 pages;
productivity: 5000 pages per month.

This is a compact device that is easy and quick to set up. It is convenient and resource-intensive; due to the high-capacity cartridge, the cost of printing is reduced, which cannot but please the owner.

There are also disadvantages, but the most important of them is the cartridge, which after refilling either prints very dimly or “swears” due to a lack of toner. However, the cartridges are not intended for refilling. It is believed that they need to be changed completely after using up the entire resource.

3rd place – Panasonic KX-MB1500 ($130)

A slightly more expensive printer with black and white printing speeds of up to 18 pages per minute. Unlike previous models, this is not just a printer, but an MFP - a multifunctional device that also includes a scanner and a copier.

Its productivity is also 5000 pages per month, the standard resolution is 600x600 dpi (like a copier). Productivity claims that the kit includes a cartridge designed for 2500 pages, which is much more than the resource of cartridges of previous models in the rating.

The device collects positive customer reviews, and this is quite logical: it is an excellent and inexpensive MFP that works quietly and quickly. The device is reliable and thanks to the high-capacity cartridge, printing is cheap.

As for the disadvantages, we can highlight: a weak scanner, bad software for the scanner and the fact that it sometimes jams sheets at the output. Overall, this is an almost ideal and cheap MFP for the home or even a small office.

4th place – Brother DCP-7057R ($160)

Another representative of the MFP family, which is also equipped with one of the best printers. It is inexpensive, practical and fully meets the criteria of our current rating, which is why we included it in this rating.

Let's talk about the main thing right away: the productivity is 10,000 pages per month, which allows you to print about 300 pages per day. The device has a resolution of 2400x600, and its speed is 20 pages per minute.

The cartridge, however, is a weak point - its resource is only 1000 pages, and with such high productivity this is very little. However, based on customer reviews, it is quick and easy to refill, the toner counter is easy to reset, and this allows you to continue printing pages after refilling. This significantly reduces operating costs and makes this model one of the best among black and white MFPs.

The rest is also good: speed, print quality, convenient and simple software - everything is excellent. We recommend.

5th place – HP LaserJet Pro MFP M125rnw ($195)

And again an MFP with black and white printing technology. This model is equipped with an Ethernet and Wi-fi port, which allows you to make it a network device. This alone suggests that the device is primarily intended for offices, but judging by customer reviews, it is also convenient to use at home.

The main thing:

productivity: 8000 pages per month;
resolution: 600x600 dpi;
cartridge with a resource of 1500 pages.

Despite the presence of Wi-fi, the device does not have any unique features. In general, it is good: it prints quickly, and does it efficiently, it is quick and easy to set up, the cartridge has a fairly good resource, and after it runs out of toner, it is quite easy to refill and use again. This is one of the main advantages, so we can recommend this model with a clear conscience.

6th place – Kyocera FS-1040 ($110)

Inexpensive laser printer with black and white printing technology Kyocera FS-1040. According to the manufacturer, the device is designed for a small office, which is quite consistent with its characteristics.

Productivity is 10,000 pages per month, resolution 600x600 dpi, print speed up to 20 sheets per minute, and comes with a cartridge with a resource of 2,500 pages. Even the drum resource is indicated - 100,000 prints, which is a very respectable figure.

In their reviews, buyers characterize this model as a “workhorse for the office,” however, given its possible price, this is one of the best options for the home. The cartridge is refillable, which is an advantage.

As for the shortcomings, we first highlight the design: everything is assembled with latches, without any reliable fasteners. Therefore, it should be used very, very carefully. Also, some buyers indicate “buggy” software, but such reviews are rare.

7th place – Ricoh SP 111SU ($130)

MFP from a little-known manufacturer with black and white laser printing technology. The model is intended for a small office, but is also suitable for home use.

If you skip the copier and scanner and stop only at the printer, then the model turns out to be very successful:

productivity: 10,000 pages per month;
resolution: 600x600 dpi;
cartridge resource: up to 2000 pages.

One of the main advantages is the refillable cartridges. The manufacturer is not against users refilling the cartridges themselves and even sells a special toner. It works well: it doesn’t jam the paper, the print quality is good. He earns his money 100%, as the users themselves say.

8th place – Ricoh SP 111 ($70-75)

Again a model from the manufacturer Ricoh, which is ideal for the home. This is one of the cheapest printers, costing only $75 (perhaps the cheapest in this rating).

Productivity is 10,000 pages per month, print resolution is 1200x600 dpi, a cartridge for 2000 prints is included, which makes the cost of printing very cheap. In addition, the original cartridge can be refilled, which is a big plus.

Reviews about the device are positive, but some buyers respond negatively. One of the main disadvantages is that it only works with Windows OS; the model does not support MacOS. The unknown nature of the brand also causes distrust, at a minimum.

Overall, a decent cheap printer that costs much less than similar models from other manufacturers with the same capabilities.

9th place – Brother HL-1112R ($85)

A slightly more expensive printer, but from an already proven and well-known manufacturer. This is a simple device with a print resolution of 2400x600 dpi and a speed of up to 20 pages. However, its cartridge is designed for only 1000 pages, the drum - for 10,000.

Reviews about the model are positive. Primarily due to the low cost of ownership: the cartridge can be refilled many times, which makes the cost of one page print low. The printer works properly and without any problems, and considering the cost of the device itself, you really want to go to the store right now and buy one for yourself.

10th place – Ricoh SP 111SF ($125)

Today's rating ends with the Ricoh SP 111SF, priced at $125. This is a small office printer that also has a scanner and copier included (MFP). The printing speed is 16 pages per minute, and overall productivity is up to 10,000 prints per month.

Print resolution 1200x600 dpi, included cartridge for 2000 sheets. In general, these are standard characteristics for a mid-range MFP.

The model is made in a strong and high-quality case and does not smell at all. As buyers note, the toner for it is inexpensive, and the cartridge can be refilled yourself. In any case, this MFP is worth the money, but we can only recommend it if the above models are not available to you for some reason.

When choosing a good laser or LED printer for a small office, buyers are often faced with the wide range of models available in stores. Such variety can confuse even an experienced user, which can lead to the purchase of a low-quality model. In order to make it easier for our readers to choose a reliable and functional device, we have compiled a review of the best laser printers for home or office for 2018 – 2019. The list includes not only expensive models with extensive capabilities for the office, but also more affordable solutions of excellent quality for the home.

Xerox Phaser 3020BI

Our review opens with a budget printer model for home use from the Xerox brand. The Phaser 3020BI is an excellent choice for those buyers looking for an inexpensive, but well-made and functional device. In this case, the manufacturer managed to offer users an economical and compact black-and-white printer for home and small offices, the cartridge resource of which is an impressive 1500 pages. Moreover, within a month, without compromising the performance of the device, it is allowed to print up to 15 thousand pages, which will be enough for most everyday tasks. As for the resolution and print speed, in the productive Phaser 3020BI printer these parameters are at the level of 1200x1200 dpi and 20 ppm. Among the useful auxiliary features of the device, it is worth noting the presence of a Wi-Fi module and support for AirPrint printing.

Advantages:

high-quality assembly
functionality
printed resource
good print speed for its price
ease of setup
low cost

Flaws:

high price for cartridges

Ricoh SP 150w

One of the best manufacturers of laser printers, the Ricoh brand offers customers an excellent device called SP 150w. This is a stylish, compact and high-quality device that will be an ideal assistant for the home. The height of this model is only slightly more than 10 cm, and the width and depth fall within the limits of 36 and 27 cm. Of course, an inexpensive printer with excellent print quality and small dimensions does not make it possible to “stuff” it with a lot of auxiliary functions. However, there is a USB input and Wi-Fi support, and the SP 150w's print speed is 22 ppm. Due to the size, we also had to sacrifice the capacity of the cartridge, which is enough for 700 pages completely filled with text. But the lack of support for AirPrint with Wi-Fi in the budget SP 150w printer looks very strange. An alternative to this function is the proprietary application for iOS and Android, but it, completely ridiculously, only allows you to print images.

Advantages:

weight and dimensions of the device
combination of cost and quality
presence of Wi-Fi module
great build
quiet operation
long warranty period

Flaws:

no AirPrint support
small cartridge resource

Canon i-SENSYS LBP6030w

The third position is occupied by an inexpensive, but high-quality device model from the Canon brand – i-SENSYS LBP6030w. This printer has Wi-Fi connectivity and supports AirPrint. The resolution and print speed in this model are average: 600x600 dpi and 18 ppm. The capacity of one cartridge will be enough to print over one and a half thousand pages. Their total volume per month, which is supported by the LBP6030w black-and-white laser printer, is 5000. As for the shortcomings, taking into account the price tag, the device simply does not have them.

Advantages:

Wi-Fi connection
print quality
reliability of assembly
stylish appearance
affordable price of replacement cartridges

Flaws:

not found at this price

HP LaserJet Ultra M106w

We also couldn’t ignore the popular LaserJet Ultra M106w model from HP. This printer is great for small office environments. Every month it allows you to print up to 20 thousand pages without increased wear of parts. The device has a Wi-Fi module and AirPrint support. The device has a printing speed of 22 ppm and an excellent cartridge resource capacity of 2300 pages. The device also has a section for a photodrum for 9200 pages. One of these comes complete with 3 toners, which can be called an important advantage of this model. Otherwise, we have before us simply a high-quality and stylish device for home or office use.

Advantages:

drum/toner life
contents of delivery
Availability of Wi-Fi and over-the-air printing
support for all possible OS
good page printing speed
build quality
weight only 4.7 kg

Flaws:

no Ethernet output

Kyocera ECOSYS P2040dn

Next up is the best black and white laser printer for medium and large offices from the Kyocera brand. The ECOSYS P2040dn model is capable of printing up to 50 thousand pages monthly without excessive wear. At the same time, the printing speed is an impressive 40 sheets per minute, and the resource of one toner is 7200 pages, which is one of the best indicators for models of this class. Additionally, this productive printer boasts a drum capacity of 100 thousand pages and an excellent set of interfaces, including a memory card slot, direct printing, Wi-Fi with AirPrint, USB and Ethernet, thanks to which you can add the printer to a local network in the office.

Advantages:

reliability of assembly
very high printing speed
resource capabilities
appearance
double-sided printing capability
good performance and versatility

Flaws:

not found

HP Color LaserJet Professional CP5225 (CE710A)

The presented model of the Color LaserJet Pro CP5225 printer from the HP brand is also one of the best laser MFPs. The workmanship of this device is at a very good level, so there are no shortcomings in it. As for the high cost, it is fully explained by the characteristics of the device. Among other things, this model boasts a resource capacity of each cartridge of over 7 thousand pages, as well as the ability to print up to 75 thousand sheets monthly without compromising the performance of the device. The print resolution in each case is 600x600 pixels, which will be sufficient for most tasks. Thanks to the printer's support for A3 format, the Color LaserJet Professional CP5225 is simply perfect for creating small advertising banners. Otherwise, this is a good device for the average office.

Advantages:

great build
resource consumption of toners
A3 size support
clarity of printouts
possibility of refilling cartridges
quite economical

Flaws:

high price
heavy weight
no Wi-Fi support

OKI C712dn

Next up is a good OKI LED color printer. The C712dn is an inexpensive device for large offices that can print up to 100,000 pages every month without compromising performance. Based on user reviews of the printer, you can understand that it copes with any everyday tasks. The available color/black and white toner resources, image drum and developer resources are all at one of the best levels among similar devices. It is noteworthy that the most functional OKI LED printer is inexpensive, about 40 thousand rubles.

Advantages:

great build
printing capabilities
decent cartridge life
automatic two-sided printing capability
Possibility of printing from USB media
a lot of useful software

Flaws:

no option to print borderless
high printing costs

Ricoh SP C440DN

Next up is a color laser printer with high-quality printing, which is suitable for a large office with a large number of employees. The characteristics of this device are truly impressive. The ability to print up to 150 thousand pages monthly without wearing out the device components is an extremely important argument in favor of purchasing the SP C440DN. This A4 office printer is no less surprising with its toner resource of 21 and 24 thousand pages for black and white and color printing, respectively. The interfaces of the SP C440DN will be sufficient for the most demanding buyer: USB standard 2.0, LAN, SD memory card reader and direct printing capabilities. But that’s not all that the product from the Ricoh brand can surprise you with. We are pleased with the best printer in terms of operational reliability and high printing speed of 40 ppm for all documents, as well as the presence of a web interface and PostScript support.

Advantages:

flawless assembly
printout speed
cartridge resource
monthly print volume
interface kit
direct printing capability

Flaws:

high cost of components
no Wi-Fi support

Canon i-SENSYS LBP710Cx

The LBP710Cx model from Canon's i-SENSYS line is one of the best color printers for the home and small office. With a reasonable price tag, the device is ready to offer a monthly printing resource of 80 thousand pages, as well as a supply of toners of 6300 for black and white documents and 5400 for color ones. The maximum print resolution for each mode, respectively, is 600x600 and 9600x600 pixels. With an excellent price-quality ratio, the printer can offer a good range of interfaces, including LAN and USB, PostScript support and a decent printing speed of 33 pages per minute. The key disadvantages of this universal printer for medium and large offices include high noise and noticeable energy consumption during operation.

Advantages:

cartridge capacity
good print resolution
set of interfaces
printing speed
high operational reliability
build quality
easy to maintain
does not cause any difficulties with setup and management

Flaws:

noise at work
power consumption

Xerox Phaser 7100N

Another device manufactured by Xerox has received the right to close our TOP. The Phaser 7100N is a very capable large format color laser printer. The device works with 4 colors and offers a maximum print resolution of 1200x1200 dpi. The Phaser 7100N desktop laser printer is capable of printing black and white and color pages at a speed of 30 pages per minute. For the maximum A3 format available here, the speed is already 17 pages. Also, this high-speed laser printer with support for A3 format stands out among competing products with its capabilities. So in a month the user can print up to 55,000 pages without wearing out the device. At the same time, the toner reserve for color/black and white printing is an impressive 4500/10000 pages. Considering its capabilities, the device consumes quite little energy, only 600 W during operation and 75 in standby mode. Among the disadvantages of a printer with A3 support from the Xerox brand, perhaps only expensive consumables and replacement components can be identified.

Advantages:

print format and speed
a high resolution
cartridge resource
workmanship
versatility
best price and functionality

Flaws:

high cost of consumables
long warm-up before printing
To replace the cartridge you need to tinker a little

Which laser printer is better to buy?

Still haven't decided which laser printer is best to buy for use at home or in the office? Then you shouldn’t waste time reviewing hundreds of models from dozens of popular manufacturers presented in online stores. Our rating of the best laser printers will help you choose a truly high-quality and reliable assistant that can please you with a reasonable price and impeccable work.

Read also:

Inkjet or laser? You have already faced this question if you decided to buy a printer. Or you will collide when the time comes to choose.

Here we look at the types of printing: each solution has obvious advantages and hidden disadvantages, undeniable advantages and debatable disadvantages.

Choosing a printer using the example of a company Epson, which has options for home and office use: long-life black and white, four-color and multifunctional devices, photo printers and so on.

Two different printing principles:

How laser printers work

The laser beam creates areas with an electrical charge on the surface of a rotating photodrum filled with a special powder.

It is these areas that attract toner, which acts as paint.

A sheet of paper is pulled through the printer shaft, to which the toner collected into a specific image is attached. And a special oven bakes the powder at a temperature of 200 degrees so that it simply does not crumble.

How do inkjet printers work?

Inkjet printers print using ink, which can be applied to paper, fabric, film, or other surfaces.

This happens using a special print head that moves across the material. On its surface there are microscopic holes (nozzles), through which the paint enters the paper and is absorbed into its top layer.

The role of paint is special ink, which today is available in cartridges, bottles and other containers.

Which is cheaper?

Printers

Today there is not much difference between the cost of laser and inkjet printers. The price of the device itself depends only on the brand and set of technical characteristics. Of course, laser color devices are many times more expensive than inkjet ones.

By the way, only in 2009 the Supreme Court abolished the mandatory registration of color copiers and printers with the police. Did not know? In 1994, Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin signed a decree to combat counterfeiters and other scammers.

Interestingly, the owners of color printing devices were required to keep records of all copies and printouts indicating their brief content. And the police could freely enter even residential premises where “dangerous equipment” was located.

Therefore, in addition to the high cost, purchasing a color printer was associated with additional difficulties.

Paint and consumables

Most modern printers (both inkjet and laser) are sold with installation cartridges. The resource of such a cartridge is strikingly different from those sold separately.

It is assumed that the resource of such a cartridge is quite enough to show the quality of printing. But an additional set of cartridges will definitely cost a pretty penny. It is not for nothing that ink for inkjet printers was considered one of the most expensive liquids in the world. Moreover, even a “full-size” cartridge was enough for a couple of hundred pages.

This was the case until large companies began to equip CISS inkjet printers instead of conventional cartridges. A continuous ink supply system is a container into which ink is poured, and through a system of loops it reaches the print head. Epson was the first to release such a solution in 2011 and called these printers “Print Factory”.

“Print Factories” are sold complete with a set of full-size ink bottles – 70 ml each. By the way, the average volume of a standard cartridge is about 7 ml.

At a cost of 989 rubles (per jar for the 6-color “Factory”) and 495 rubles. (for a 4-color “Factory”) for 70 ml - one ml of ink costs 14 and 7 rubles. respectively. The price for 1 ml of ink in cartridges ranges from 195 to 268 rubles. These 70 ml are enough for 11 thousand pages.

Consumables for laser printers are a little more complicated: a toner cartridge for a laser printer lasts from 1500 to 3-4 thousand copies. And although this is also not small, in addition to the toner cartridge, you need to periodically change the expensive photoconductor, oven, etc.

Officially, toner cartridges are not refilled, but a couple of times craftsmen can do this using a makeshift method. After this, you will still have to buy a new entire cartridge or at least a drum to replace the worn one.

Result: Since inkjet printers do not have photoconductors or other expensive components, their maintenance will cost up to two times less than laser solutions. Of course, only if we are talking about devices with CISS.

Who is faster and who has better quality?

Speed: marketing versus reality

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question - which printer prints faster: laser or inkjet.

The fact is that the direct printing process is faster with laser printers. However, they take a very long time to “start” - to do this, they first need to preheat the toner baking oven.

Statistics say that most documents when printed do not exceed three pages. An inkjet solution can handle this amount faster. If more - laser.

Quality: text, pictures and photographs

If we are talking about printing diagrams and drawings, both laser and inkjet solutions can handle them equally well.

It's more difficult with black and white and color images. For laser printers, the resolution does not exceed 2400 DPI, while for inkjet printers it reaches 5760 DPI and higher.

On the left is a laser. On the right is inkjet.

Moreover, the former usually use only four colors (don’t forget about the cost of consumables for laser printing and their service life), while the latter can have six or more - this affects the quality of the rendering of shades and halftones.

You should also note that standard photo paper for printing pictures, which is sold on almost every corner, is not suitable for laser printers. Due to the high heat, it will simply melt. Therefore, you need to look for a special one.

Does it dry or not?

It's no secret that one of the main concerns when buying an inkjet printer is the drying of ink on the print head. Fortunately, as with cell phones, today's inkjet printers are not what they were a decade ago. Down with the wires, give us a touch screen.

The same applies to the technology itself - if light stripes appear on the print, in printers of the “Print Factory” series, just run “Print Head Cleaning” through the menu, the printer itself will perform the necessary procedures.

Although still: placing the printer near the battery is not recommended. But printing one page at least once a month is really necessary.

Say a word about the benefits and harm!

When using laser printers, many users experience an unpleasant odor because harmful substances are released into the air when the toner bakes on the paper.

If you print rarely, then there is nothing wrong with that. But in order to avoid nausea, dizziness and other negative consequences for the body, it is better to work with laser printers in well-ventilated office areas.

But if there are schoolchildren and students in the family who often have to print, it is better to choose an inkjet printer with environmentally friendly ink. The only danger here is in their use - if you drink them, you may experience an upset stomach with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, it is better to keep them out of the reach of children and not experiment with them yourself.

Choosing a printer for home and...office

I advise you to throw away prejudices from the past and look at inkjet printers...

Why inkjet printers with CISS are better:

service price is up to two times lower
safe to use
you can print photos (resolution 5760 DPI versus 2400 DPI)
The first page prints faster
versatility: text, pictures, photos and so on

...or the same multifunctional devices (printer-scanner-copier).

So, if you are not going to print photos or are simply choosing an assistant for the office, take a closer look at monochrome "Factory". The starter ink set is enough for 11,000 pages. And if necessary, the black and white photos on it will turn out quite good, the print resolution is not bad.

If you choose only color solutions, the “Print Factory” series has 4 and 6 color printers. Four-color ones are suitable for printing documents and photographs; six-color ones are better for printing halftones and shades in photographs.

All owners of a desktop computer or laptop eventually have the idea of purchasing another printer, scanner, and maybe even an MFP (a multifunctional device that combines a printer, storage device and scanner). After all, schoolchildren and students constantly have to print out abstracts and coursework. But working people also need a printer to print lesson plans, payment receipts or money orders. But there are still people who are passionate about photography, because it’s not enough to take a photo - you also need to print it!

Today we will talk about what is a printer? How to choose a printer for your home, so that it meets all your requirements. Which printer is better to buy: expensive or budget option, branded or unknown brand, what is better to buy a color printer or subsequently install a CISS (continuous ink supply system). And finally, we’ll find out which printer is better: laser or inkjet, discuss the advantages and disadvantages and make a verdict.

What is a printer and what is it for?

So, what is a printer? This is a computer peripheral device (i.e. not located in), which is designed for printing illustrations, text, photographs on paper from an electronic form. The process of transferring information from a PC to a hard medium (paper) is called printing, and the resulting document itself is called a printout. Imagine that you urgently need to print out any application, complaint, appeal, invoice, abstract, or just the necessary illustration. It is in such situations that it becomes clear what is a printer for?. Agree, it’s unpleasant to leave the house and go somewhere 2 blocks away just to print out one page. Therefore, if you have a computer in your home, a printer is a must!

Having asked the question - how to choose a printer for your home, some consult with friends, some with consultants in specialized stores, and some compare models and read reviews on the Internet. Printers are dot matrix, laser, inkjet and sublimation (thermal printers). They differ in cost, printing speed, size and color (that is, the printer will print only black (monochrome) or will be multicolor). Which printer is better to buy? only you can determine. After all, if in a computer store they tell you about a certain model, you purchase it, and later it turns out that you needed a completely different printer, then this will not be very pleasant. Let's say they sold you an expensive inkjet photo printer Epson Stylus Photo R2000,

This is good. The bad thing is that you are not into photography, but you needed a simple laser printer, for example HP LaserJet P2035

since you print once a month, and only half a page.

So, which printer to choose? First you need to decide for what purpose you need it. If you are a schoolchild or student and print quite a lot of documents, it makes sense to purchase a laser or inkjet printer. It should be noted that you can use a laser printer occasionally, but in an inkjet printer the ink dries out due to long periods of inactivity. If you are engaged in or decide to engage in photo printing, then you should definitely purchase an inkjet printer; printing on original cartridges is quite expensive, so experts recommend installing a CISS.

But here again the question of ink arises; with CISS installed, it is recommended to print a test page of the printer once a week, unless of course you have not printed anything else this week.

What is CISS and what are its advantages?

I would like to talk about it in even more detail. The continuous ink supply system successfully replaces the cartridge, making the printer more efficient. Ink is automatically supplied through special tubes, which has a positive effect on print quality and saves you money. To work with CISS, you need to purchase paint on time, which is much cheaper than buying new cartridges, and pour the paint into special containers. You can install and refuel the CISS yourself, but I recommend inviting a specialist in the first few steps. It should be noted that CISS may not work with all inkjet printers, since it is more profitable for manufacturers to sell original expensive cartridges.

The cartridge is a special plastic box. It stores ink (for an inkjet printer) or powder (for a laser printer). Manufacturers produce cartridges so that they fit only a certain printer model. The price category is quite broad and is formed depending on functionality, size, and capacity of consumables.

Dot matrix printers are too noisy and their print speed is much lower than laser and inkjet printers.

Of course, at the moment new, faster and quieter models have appeared, but they are unreasonably expensive. They are used mainly in banks, government and educational institutions.

Sublimation printers are used mainly for printing on DVDs, CDs and plastic cards, although thermal printers print higher quality images; they are rarely used for home printing because the consumables are too expensive.

These printers are also used to print images on T-shirts, mugs, etc.

Another disadvantage of this printer is the extremely slow output of the photo; it takes about 3 minutes to print a photo of 10 x 15 cm, but the advantage is the long-lasting image due to the protective layer that prevents the ink from evaporating.

Models Epson Stylus Photo 1410, Epson Stylus Photo P50, Sony DPP-FP55, Canon SELPHY CP730, Xerox ColorQube 8570N, Canon Selphy CP800 and Epson Stylus S22, Epson Stylus Office T1100 have proven themselves to be the most optimal in terms of price and quality.

How to choose a printer for your home? Which is better?

Which printer is best for home? It should be a relatively inexpensive, high-quality, economical printer that does not take up much space. I think you will agree that with all the positive qualities (high-quality double-sided printing, a large number of printed sheets per month, more than 100 thousand and the ability to print in A3 format), the HP LaserJet 5200DTN office printer with dimensions of 140 cm by 1 meter and weighing more than 50 kg you won't need it anyway. For your home, you need to purchase a high-quality printer that is easy and inexpensive to use. Only laser printers meet these requirements. Inkjet printers are much cheaper, but here's the catch: these printers are too expensive to operate.

Laser printer.

So, what is a laser printer? This is one type of printer that allows you to quickly produce high-quality prints on plain paper. Prints of text and graphics are resistant to fading and abrasion, and are not afraid of moisture. The quality of such images is high. The basic principle of operation is the process of laser scanning, then applying and transferring toner, and then fixing it.

How to choose a laser printer so that you can subsequently enjoy printing and not scold yourself (for the purchase), consultants (for advice), friends (for help in choosing). Selecting a manufacturer (brand). When you buy a printer, you are not only paying for the product itself, but also for the brand. And this is fair, since branded items have an excellent service system. The availability of spare original and compatible parts and consumables is worth paying a certain amount for the brand. In my opinion, the best are HP, Canon, Xerox, Samsung.

Next you need to select a printer model. First, decide on your monthly load, that is, how many pages you will print every month. Please note that if the recommended print volume is 6,500 pages per month, your printer will not work longer than the stated period (since the load will be exceeded). In other words, if you need to print 5,000 thousand pages per month, buy a printer with a recommended print volume of 6,500-7,000 thousand pages.

The printer's configuration depends on your needs: duplex (double-sided printing, additional trays and memory, finishing devices and built-in hard drives).

It is very important to find out before purchasing a printer whether you can refill it; some manufacturers put a chip on the cartridge to prevent refilling and force the consumer to buy new cartridges.

Jet printer.

Now we will answer the question what is an inkjet printer. This is a peripheral device designed for printing not only documents, but also photographs, color diagrams, and graphs. The image on special paper is formed from dots; inkjet printers use a matrix that prints with liquid dyes. In order to reduce the cost of printing and improve the characteristics of the printer, CISS is used.

Now we will look in more detail, Which printer is better, laser or inkjet?? As mentioned above, many consider an inkjet printer to be the best choice for the home, supposedly it is 2-3 times cheaper than a laser printer, and it is easy to refill and the ink is inexpensive. But let's look at this statement from the other side. Since inkjet printers are often purchased for multi-color printing, you can refill the ink 1-2 times, and then you will have to buy a new original cartridge, which costs the same as a new printer. A laser printer costs much more than an inkjet printer, but at the same time, it is much cheaper to maintain, since the toner for it costs between $2-7 and you can refill it yourself. In terms of printing speed, laser printers are much superior to inkjet printers; for comparison, 17 pages per minute for a laser printer and 7-9 for an inkjet printer. At the same time, the laser makes less noise, you don’t need to worry about dried ink, and the toner in the cartridge can be stored for up to a year. In an inkjet printer, you will have to constantly print a test page or clean the print head (if the CISS is installed, you will have to clean the nozzles).

The print quality of both printers is the same, but it should be noted that high-quality printing on an inkjet printer is only possible when using paper with a special coating; on regular paper, the design or edges of the letters become “shaggy.” Please also note that inkjet printouts are susceptible to fading, smearing, and exposure to water.

In defense of the inkjet printer, I would like to say that it is much more environmentally friendly than a laser printer, since ozone is released when printing on a laser printer.

Advantages and disadvantages of inkjet and azure printers.

Advantages and disadvantages monochrome laser printer:

Plus: high printing speed, low cost of consumables, ideal for printing large and small volumes of text, designed for high printing load.
Disadvantage: not suitable for printing images, photographs.

Advantages and disadvantages color laser printer:

Plus: high printing speed, printing images, color diagrams.
Disadvantage: high price, not suitable for printing photos, presence of elements with high power consumption

Advantages and disadvantages inkjet printer:

Plus: low price, modern (and, as a result, more expensive models) have high printing speed, excellent color printing, low price for a set of cartridges.
Disadvantage: high cost per print, intensive replacement of cartridges, ink dries out if not used.

Laser printers of the following models: HP LaserJet Pro 400 M451dn, Lexmark T650n, Xerox Phaser 4600N, Canon LBP-7750CDN undoubtedly deserve your attention. Which inkjet printer is better? It’s up to you to decide, the main thing you should pay attention to is the quality and speed of printing, price, ease of use, here are several models that combine all of the above: Canon Pixma iP-4200, Epson L-800, Canon Pixma iX-6540, HP OfficeJet Pro K8600dn.

This is the end of the educational tour of another one - a printing device. I hope that now you can easily navigate and not confuse inkjet, matrix and laser printers, and CISS will no longer be an incomprehensible abbreviation for you. Good luck!