Understanding the Advantages of LaserJet Toner in the Modern Office

Are you having trouble deciding between inkjet toner or ink for your business? The choice can be difficult, but this article can help you decide.

Have you ever considered using a manual typewriter?

We’re asking because we know there’s a place for older technologies even in this fast-paced world.

This is why even obsolete tech is still being used today. Because sometimes, “out with the old, in with the new” just can’t compete with nostalgia and personal preference.

Of course, it’s a different story when it comes to business. At home, you can rock it with your cassette tapes and vinyl records and use beepers, fax machines, and dot matrix printers. But in business, especially your business, efficiency is everything.

That’s why we recommend LaserJet toner over ink.

LaserJet toner: what is it?

In The Ultimate Guide to Buying Ink Ribbon, we discussed the most common ink technologies namely ink cartridges, toner, and ink ribbon. To recap:

• Ink cartridges, which are used in inkjet printers, get ink onto paper by spraying liquid ink through tiny nozzles.
• Toner, which is used in laser printers, is a very fine powder. Laser printers get ink onto paper by using a static charge to map out what you are printing on a metal drum inside the printer. The laser then binds the toner to the map with heat.
• Ink ribbon, as the name implies, is a roll of material (cloth, plastic, or nylon) covered in ink. Used in impact printers, the ink-soaked strip is impacted to transfer ink to paper.

How do laser printers work?

Now, before we get to the advantages of LaserJet toner over ink, let’s take a quick look at how laser printers work.

If you read laser printing’s history, you’ll know that the very first laser printer was made using a modified Xerox 7000 copier. So there are similarities in the basic technology used.

Inside a laser printer, you have an electronic sensor that tries to make sense of the data it receives and how it will look on the page. A laser beam then creates the static electricity that will magnetically charge the fine powder (or toner). The final step is heat-binding the toner to the paper.

Sounds complicated?

Well, as technical as it all sounds, laser printing is still the best option in an office setting where people need to print documents fast. There are other advantages as well including cost-effectiveness and longer lifespan. Let’s talk about these points one by one.

When you want it fast…

You may have read about Epson’s newest inkjet printer that can print 100 pages per minute. And maybe that has got you thinking that inkjet printers are now comparable to laser printers when it comes to speed.

But you should also understand that the latest offering from Epson is a super-high-end unit. That means you’re probably going to pay more in upfront costs.

If we’re just going to compare the current inkjet and LaserJet options, you’ll still get faster speeds with the latter. You also get better text print quality and greater paper capacity.

The cost issue

Generally, inkjet printers are cheaper than LaserJet printers. But that’s just the initial cost. If you take into account the money you’ll have to pay for replacing ink cartridges, you might find that a LaserJet toner costs less in the long run.

How can laser printers be a better deal for your office?

When you buy an inkjet printer, you don’t get filled-to-the-brim cartridges.

Instead, you’ll get starter cartridges, which of course, you have to replace or refill. And as you know, official (meaning the ones that your printer manufacturer sells) do not come cheap.

And if you think you can save money by refilling an official cartridge with ink from a third-party supplier, you’ll need to think again.

How do inkjet printers make it hard to save a few bucks?

You see, a lot of manufacturers build microchips into their ink cartridges. And microchips make it impossible or super difficult for printers to use unofficial cartridges.

This means you’re going to be stuck buying official cartridges or you’ll have to pay a professional to refill your ink cartridges for you. Either way, you can expect to spend more than you initially bargained for.

For keeps or something like it

A LaserJet toner lasts longer than ink. There’s a reason why you need to use an inkjet printer at least once every week. If you don’t, the ink cartridges can dry out or become clogged.

Plus, when you compare lifespan, a typical LaserJet toner can give you 2,000 pages (at least). Ink, on the other hand, can give you around 500. That’s a difference of 1,500 pages.

Also, if you find your laser printer software saying that you’re low on toner, it may be that you need to just gently shake the cartridge a bit. This will dislodge the toner from the cartridge’s nooks and crannies.

Things to know before you buy LaserJet toner

Make sure you get the correct type of toner.

It goes without saying that it should be compatible with your printer.

Think about what you print, do you use:

• color toners
• monochrome (black)

If you’re just using black, you should buy backups so you don’t need to frequently order online or go to an office supply store.

Toner is not so easy to refill by the way.

You can also go for refill kits to save money. But the downside to refill kits is you have to have a technician on hand who knows how to properly use the kits. Someone who has no experience may make a mess.

Remember, toner is a fine powder. It can get everywhere. In some cases, it’s even messier than refilling ink cartridges.

Best laser printers

Still, shopping around for the best laser printers for your business?

You might want to check your other options. Yes, mono laser printers are great but there are also affordable color laser printers and even multi-function laser ones.

Whatever brand you go for, just make sure you get one that offers excellent print quality, good connectivity (a must if you have a lot of people using the printer), and ease of use.

Need LaserJet toner?

Feel free to browse our replacement toner cartridges. We also have ribbons, shredders, and printing calculators.

Contact Us if you need more information on these products. Feel free to call us at 267-580-2600 M-Fri 8 AM - 5 PM EST.