Among the numerous modern printing technologies , it is above all the inkjet printers operated with printer cartridges and the laser printers that are always directly compared. At Industrad Group you will not only find inexpensive consumables for your printer, we also provide extensive data, such as a direct laser printer inkjet printer comparison . Other devices such as dot matrix printers or type wheel printers are usually not that important. Each technology has its individual advantages and disadvantages, which is why it is always worthwhile to compare several variants. In today’s guidebook, we will specifically address the advantages of inkjet printers and explain the reasons why this type of printer has the edge in many applications.
1. Overview: Inkjet Printers and Their Benefits
Before we take a closer look at the individual inkjet printer advantages , we have summarized for you an overview with the most important advantages of modern printers:
- Favorable acquisition costs
- Low energy consumption even during printing
- Reasonable follow-up costs if the consumables are chosen cleverly
- Insignificant maintenance costs
- Flexible multifunctional devices – scan, print and copy with one device
- High quality photo printing possible
- Compatible with various print media such as cardboard and cotton
- Operation and maintenance can be easily implemented via software
- High printing speed
- Little noise during printing
- Space-saving and compact design
- No fine dust pollution when printing
- High document authenticity with modern devices
As you can see, the list of advantages with inkjet printers is quite long. The following applies: The further the development of the devices progresses, the better their functionality and the more advantages arise.
2. Favorable acquisition costs
First and foremost, the inkjet printer convinces many consumers with its low purchase price . For little money you can get one of the coveted multifunction devices that can print, scan and copy at the same time. Such a device is perfect for home use and small offices as it is cost effective.
The print quality of normal documents is in the good to very good range. Depending on the model chosen, resolutions of 1,440 dpi and more are no problem, so you can count on razor-sharp print products without the need for immense acquisition costs. A color laser printer, on the other hand, costs more and usually doesn’t offer any additional functions in this price range.
3. Low energy consumption during printing
Compared to laser printers, the inkjet printer stands out due to its significantly lower energy consumption and offers significant advantages. A color laser printer consumes around 500 watts when it is in use. In standby mode, the energy consumption can be reduced to around 16 watts.
The operation of an inkjet printer, on the other hand, causes significantly lower energy costs, because it only requires 13 watts during printing. With frequent use, a laser printer can therefore create a rather large hole in your wallet.
4. Affordable follow-up costs with clever cartridge selection
The high follow-up costs that arise when using an inkjet printer are often cited as a disadvantage. On closer inspection, however, the follow-up costs are actually limited. Although you need new printer ink more often than a new toner is due for laser printers , the costs for the cartridges are also significantly cheaper.
If you also use XXL-size ink cartridges , you can save additional money and keep printing costs low. You can also reduce follow-up costs by buying high-quality ink tanks from alternative manufacturers or by having your cartridges recycled and refilled.
4.1. Compare the cost of printer cartridges!
With the practical selection box , you can quickly and easily buy the right ink cartridges for inkjet printers. Only manufacturer, series and model are required and you will see the right products for your printer. Simply in 3 steps to the desired cartridge:
Model selection
First select a manufacturer, then a series and finally the model for which you want to find products.
Manufacturer not on the list? You can find more manufacturers here
You will be surprised by the good prices. Check it out for yourself!
5. Low maintenance costs as an advantage
The structure of an inkjet printer is relatively simple due to the way it works. Therefore, maintenance is usually also possible without any problems, which is a significant advantage of the inkjet printer. Removing the cartridges is just as easy as installing new inks. Every now and then you need to replace the printhead or empty the waste ink tank.
The few assemblies that are also built into the inkjet printer almost never break because they are hardly affected by wear and tear . Accordingly, such devices are also uncomplicated and inexpensive to maintain.
An additional resource for those interested in managing their inkjet printing supplies sustainably is Sell Toner, where you can learn more about responsible disposal options for used cartridges and explore ways to contribute to environmentally conscious printing practices.
6. Can be used flexibly for printing, scanning and copying
Another great advantage of inkjet printers is that the devices have long since not only been able to print , but can also copy and scan at the same time . Versatile multifunction devices are already available in the lower price range. Many printers have an SD card reader so that photos and texts can be printed out directly from a storage medium.
Modern inkjet printer models are also integrated into the WLAN , so that you do not have to switch on a PC to operate the printer. You can therefore also print out photos and documents from your smartphone or tablet. These extras are often completely absent from laser printers or can only be found in devices in the upper price range.
7. Print crisp photos
One of the advantages of inkjet printers is the fact that they are able to print out crisp photos . The laser color printers in the lower price ranges are clearly inferior here, because an ink printer can mix the ink much better, so that when printing on paper, the results are much more color-fast and natural. If you use photo printing frequently, you even have the option of purchasing special photo ink and suitable photo paper.
Particularly when using such special inks and special paper, impressive photos are created that almost look like they were developed by a professional. Even expensive laser printers can hardly come close to this photo quality. The reason: Some inkjet printer manufacturers use more than four colors . The devices can therefore display color nuances that would not be possible in the restricted CMYK color space. Tip: Take a closer look at photo printers .
8. Advantage: Different print media possible
The list of inkjet printer advantages does not end there. The modern devices are also very flexible in terms of the possible print media. You can print on a variety of media, such as:
- Different types of paper
- Cardboard boxes
- cotton
- Coated textiles
- Cloths
- Canvases
- CDs and DVDs
Of course, it is possible to print on the various print media with both text and photos . In comparison, the paper path in laser printers is not completely straight, which makes the processing of thicker paper just as difficult as the toner transfer, which is carried out by the electrostatic charge. Therefore, you are much better off with inkjet printers if you put a lot of emphasis on using different print media .
9. Ease of use and maintenance of an inkjet printer
Another advantage of the inkjet printer is that it is easy to use and maintain . The entire operation and control is usually carried out using the supplied software, so that no expert knowledge is required. Modern devices can even be controlled from smartphones and tablets via an app. The same applies to maintenance: if a laser printer has to be serviced, manual interventions are often necessary, which often have to be carried out by professionals.
In contrast to this, the complete maintenance of modern inkjet-based multifunction printers is carried out using the associated software toolaway. A clogged printhead can be freed in a few minutes or dirty nozzles cleaned, so that streak-free and gap-free prints can be produced again.
10. High printing speeds
The question of whether an inkjet printer prints faster than a laser printer cannot be answered across the board. It depends on the device selected and the technology used, which type of printer works faster.
For example, inkjet printers print speeds based on the following considerations:
- Font quality
- Number of nozzles
- Nozzle frequency
A bubble jet printer achieves a nozzle frequency of approximately 2,000 Hertz, while with piezo printers frequencies of 20,000 to 30,000 Hertz are possible. As a result, printers using piezo technology can print up to 600 copies per second, while bubble jet printers can print up to 200 copies per second. For large print jobs with many pages, laser printers may be ahead in terms of speed.
However, if you only want to print out individual pages of paper, most inkjet printers are faster. In contrast to laser printers, the developer unit does not have to be heated up so that the printing process can start immediately. When it comes to color printing, too, inkjet printers clearly outperform their competitors, because laser printers require a single pass for each color and thus significantly more time.
11. Low noise level when printing
Another advantage that speaks in favor of purchasing an inkjet printer is the lower noise level . Laser printers are known to be very noisy because most devices are anything but quiet during the printing process. If you want to operate your new printer right next to your workplace, an inkjet printer is the better choice, because they usually work with a noise level of less than 40 decibels.
For comparison: a clattering keyboard causes a noise level of 60 decibels, while a loud argument can reach a level of 80 decibels.
Compact design for more space on your desk
Though an inkjet printer is a device that combines many functions, it is still very space-saving . This is due to its construction, which is quite compact due to the printing technology used. The situation is completely different with laser printers, which take up a lot of space depending on the printer model.
12. Printing without fine dust pollution
When buying a printer, you should definitely think about the fine dust pollution that comes with laser printers. Due to the special pressure principle, billions of small particles are emitted, which are known as nanoparticles. On the one hand, they arise as a by-product during the printing process and, on the other hand, they come directly from the cartridge in which the toner is located. Fine dust is definitely a health hazard for you. Depending on which printer model you choose, the level of fine dust pollution varies. The fact is, however, that a printer based on inkjet technology is not associated with hazardous emissions. We recommend special fine dust filters for laser printers.
13. Modern inkjet printers offer high document authenticity
If you compare the inkjet printers and their advantages and disadvantages, you will often stumble upon the statement that the printouts from inkjet printers are less document-proof than the print results from laser printers. In fact, laser printouts are very document-proof because the toner is literally burned into the paper via exposure. The heat fixes the toner powder on the paper for a long time.
But inkjet printers have also undergone enormous further development in recent years and, thanks to high-quality inks, now offer document authenticity that is as good as their competitors.
14. Conclusion: also think about the disadvantages
In summary, it can be said that the advantages of inkjet printers are very convincing. Simply because of the low acquisition costs and the low operating costs, it is worthwhile for private users to invest in an inkjet printer. But the self-employed and small companies are also using the tried and tested inkjet printers more and more frequently in their professional environment.
The practical multifunctional devices are quiet, versatile, health-friendly and easy to use. You can also minimize the follow-up costs if you buy the consumables cleverly. Even if you plan to print photos regularly, an inkjet printer is your best bet. It prints color images of a very high quality. All in all, we can only recommend modern inkjet printers to you.
Inkjet printer disadvantages include printer cartridges that can dry out and printers that smear quickly if touched immediately. Here are tips for when the print cartridge has dried out .