Making the decision between an inkjet and a laser printer can be confusing. Before you make a choice, consider the volume of printing your business will do on a daily basis, whether print speed is important, and how much graphic detail your printing jobs require. These considerations will help you make an educated decision.

In the past, the inkjet was reserved for home office use, while the laser printer dominated small- and medium-sized business offices. With improved technology, inkjet has made an entrance into the business office and may be a good choice for your next printer upgrade.

The Benefits of an Inkjet Printer

Inkjet printers will cost less and are usually smaller in size when compared to a laser printer. Also, the ink cartridges will cost less than the toner required with a laser printer—even though you will get less printed pages, so factor in the cost of color and black and white cartridge replacements. Interestingly, even at the lower price point, you get a better color depth from inkjet. This makes them a better choice for offices that must print high quality, color images. If print speed is important, inkjet print about 16 pages per minute while laser technology print up to 100 pages.

Consider these factors when thinking about buying an inkjet:

  • More brilliant, photo-quality reproductions
  • Affordable for small businesses or home office needs
  • A cheaper initial cost for a printer that will last up to 3 years on average

Where Does a Laser Printer Excel?

Laser printers are workhorses that can handle massive amounts of printing. Depending on the style you choose, they can easily handle production runs of up to 20,000 copies per month. You will pay more upfront for a laser printer, but you won’t be spending as much on ink cartridges since a laser toner cartridge can print thousands of documents and last up to 2 years.

For businesses that are document-heavy, the laser printer is the better choice. Lawyers, medical, and government offices print the most, so these offices should consider a laser printer for their workplace. The benefits include:

  • Can print large amounts of black and white documents
  • Fast printing of up to 100 pages per minute
  • Can produce over 6,000 pages on a single toner cartridge
  • Typically last longer

If you need help selecting the right printer for your workflow, contact Golden Gate Office Solutions today to speak to one of our office technology to help you choose.