Though we live in a world where digital media is far more frequently used as a means of communication, there will always be a demand for the printed word. In an office environment where potentially thousands of print-offs are made every day, speed is everything and as such, laser printing has only really taken off in earnest in the business sector. Laser printers are also more expensive than their ink based counterparts and require more complicated maintenance. However all desirable technologies get more affordable over time and so whilst all laser printers were once beyond the financial reach of the masses (which meant that whilst home users were once almost forced to use ink based printers), there are now hundreds of laser models available at surprisingly comparable costs.
History
The idea of laser printing has been around since the late 60′s, when a recent American University graduate named Gary Starkweather (who had been working for the Xerox Company) decided to implement laser technology in his new range of printers. Though his bosses found the idea preposterous, after a decade of persistence the first commercial laser printers went on sale in the early 80s. Of course back then they were the size of a sofa and as heavy as a large van so it wasn’t until the late 90′s that the size of laser printers was reduced to help them make a sizeable dent in the market.
An Impression of Colour
Whilst it can’t be denied that laser printers are capable of producing far sharper and more defined black text than ink printers, it has long been a myth that the opposite is true when it comes to colour. Although colour laser printers were once merely the stuff of optimistic speculation, thanks to the recent affordable availability of colour toner cartridges from established brands such as Samsung, HP and Brother, most modern laser printers now support the option to print in full colour. The resultant prints will also dry quicker and will produce more ‘professional’ looking pictures than ink prints. There is also no chance of the ‘bleed’ that you might occasionally get with cheaper ink models. Of course a colour model will also require extra toner cartridges which are sadly not cheap, so if you intend on printing only text, a monochrome laser printer should prove more than satisfactory.
Value for Money
Whilst on the surface an ink printer might appear a far more cost-effective solution, ink cartridges tend to run out with far greater frequency than toner cartridges. Toner cartridges enjoy much more efficient print cycles so will save you money in the long run. The average price per page when using an ink printer, works out at around 5p, whereas with a laser printer it works out at 3p which is almost half the price. Most basic, monochrome laser printers can now be purchased for less than £100, with colour versions often clocking in at around double that price. If you’re looking for models that work wirelessly through a Wi-Fi network you might be looking at around £300 or £400. The price of the printer itself isn’t where most potential buyers will have reservations though.
Toner
Standard laser toner cartridges will generally not be combination efforts so for full colour printing most printers will require four cartridges to be purchased separately. These are namely a cyan cartridge, a magenta cartridge, a yellow cartridge and a black cartridge. Toner cartridges are far more elaborate and intricate than their ink based counterparts so are significantly more expensive. Whether you go for top of the range Samsung cartridges or bottom of the barrel no-name brand cartridges, your total toner bill for a full print cycle could be as much as £400. Whilst this might sound steep on the surface though, take into account how many pages that £400 worth of toner will offer you; significantly more than a comparable amount of ink and with far crisper and more professional results. Plus toner very rarely needs to be changed.
Overall it appears that colour laser printing is still very much a niche concern in the home market that will only appeal financially to professional printers and artists who use colour printing on a daily basis. For the rest of us, a laser printer with just a black toner cartridge that can knock out around 3,000 pages should prove a wise investment. The days of the ink printer are slowly coming to an end. It’s taken almost 50 years but Mr Starkweather’s dream might finally soon become a reality!
Jann Webb is a blogger who believes that inventions like toner cartridges have revolutionised not just the office space but our home lives too. When looking for Samsung toner cartridges, she recommends comparing prices online to get the best deal.
