Are you in the market for the best printers for your home or the best printers for your small business? Still can’t decide whether to go for the good old inkjet printers or to future-proof your printing capabilities with the best modern laser printers? Both printers have their pros and cons, and each type of printer works best for specific types of users and tasks. This article will talk about why choosing this very type of printer can be the best choice among printers for you. More importantly, this post will help you choose the laser printers that would best fit your needs. Consider the best features of printers below.
Understanding The Laser Printing Process
Laser printers convert digital images into hard copies of paper. Their mechanism is comparable to that of photocopying machines. The latter uses a beam of light to create images on a sheet of paper, while the former uses a laser beam. Unlike inkjets, the laser beam moves at a very fast rate. It is equipped with dozens of nozzles that move side to side over the paper, all while spraying extremely fine and tiny droplets of ink onto the paper to produce text or images.
Laser Printer: The Best For Quality And Efficiency
Inkjets blend cyan, magenta, and yellow or use pigment-based ink at different levels to produce images. This is why the best laser printers tend to have rapid speeds or faster speeds, making them excellent for workplaces and businesses that require large jobs. Aside from speed, this type of printer is also known for precision and great print quality. If print quality is imperative to you, especially if it’s in your line of work, then this best printer is your perfect choice. Whether you are looking to print black and white documents or print color documents, you get excellent quality print documents. More importantly, it has more affordable running costs.
While this type tends to be more expensive than inkjets, the print cost (more affordable cost per page) will pay dividends over time, making the former the more practical choice for some occasions. Besides, most laser printers, in general, have become much more affordable in the past decade. Today, you can get a basic one with all-in-one capabilities (print copy scan), a flatbed scanner with quality scan resolutions, four regular toner cartridges and even touchscreen displays for an affordable price.
Features To Consider When Choosing The Best Laser Printers
We’re going to look at the top-tier options on the market currently that print how many pages. But before we do that, let’s look at some of the things you should know about before you choose the right one for your home.
What Should I Consider When Buying The Best Laser Printer?
It’s tough to know what kind of features to look for when you might be trying something new for a document feeder. These days, there are so many products from different manufacturers that the choice can be overwhelming in some cases. Here’s a list of features and other factors you should consider before deciding on getting the right one for your home.
Buying this type of printer can be a significant investment, so it’s essential to consider a few key factors before making a purchase. Here are some useful tips to guide you in buying the right laser printer:
Best Laser Printer Feature: Use
Determine your needs, considering the volume and type of printing you’ll be doing. Also, determine whether you need it primarily for text documents, graphics, or both. This will help you choose a machine with the appropriate specifications for your needs.
Try to get an idea of how much use you’ll need your printer for. If it’s going to be used frequently, then you need a printer with a heavy-duty cycle to keep up with the workload.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Type
You have to decide what you want your printer to do. Are you going to want to duplex scanning on things, make copies, and print pictures on your printer? If so, you have to choose a color AIO model that works with an automatic duplexer.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Speed
If you require a high volume of prints in a short period, look for a printer with a faster printing speed (pages per minute). Consider how quickly the printer can produce both black-and-white and color prints.
The speed at which the machine can produce your two-sided documents will be higher than that of an ink printer. It takes a lot more time for the sprayer to distribute the droplets on the paper that will make up your text or picture. The sprayer arm has to go all the way across the page and back over and over again to lay the ink droplets. It is capable of laying down toner so much more quickly, so you don’t have to wait as long.
Speed varies widely and depends on many factors, including the graphic intensity being printed. Some of the top-tier ones can print 200 monochrome pages per minute.
The easy way to figure out the print speed is to do a test page if you can. The printer speed will be indicated, though, by the number of pages per minute or ppm. Many of us are working from home now and may need to print things quickly. Or, we may just prefer not to wait for things we don’t have to.
The monthly duty cycle of a printer is generally higher than that of an inkjet printer. What do we mean by duty cycle? This is the workload the manufacturer will indicate as the maximum you should put on the printer in a month so as to maintain it in good working order. They have a higher print workload capacity in their maximum duty cycle, so you can get more pages from this type of printer.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Toner Capacity
Look into how much toner different printers can hold. If you’re printing a high volume, it’s more economical to go with the one that has a high capacity for four-toner cartridges.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Interface
There are some that work strictly from the pushing of buttons. The more recent and advanced machines include a touchscreen interface with more extensive options to choose from and multiple menus.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Connectivity
Consider the machine’s connectivity options. USB connectivity is standard, but if you need to connect multiple devices or require wireless printing, look for those with Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity. Some devices also support mobile printing options, such as AirPrint or Google Cloud Print.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Functions
A great laser printer has more than one print job function. Others prefer to get an all-in-one printer with improved optical character recognition for better scan quality (able to scan through a scan app), copying, fax functionality or fax capability, and even more tasks in the same machine.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Resolution
The resolution determines the sharpness and clarity of the prints. Higher resolution is essential for detailed graphics and images. Look for a machine with a resolution of at least 1200 x 1200 dots per inch (dpi) for crisp text and quality graphics.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Energy Efficiency
Look for energy-saving features such as sleep mode or automatic power-off. Energy-efficient ones can help reduce electricity consumption and save on utility bills.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Reliability
Research and learn more about the device you plan to get. Read reviews from reputable sources or user reviews to get an idea of the printer’s reliability, performance, and overall customer satisfaction. Also, make sure to pay attention to feedback on factors such as print quality, durability, and customer support.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Price
Always compare prices when you’re shopping for a new electronic device or any other consumer products like this. You’ll want to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples, though, not apples to oranges. Look for models in the same range of functionality when you’re comparison shopping so you narrow down to the greatest value.
Best Laser Printer Feature: Paper Trays
Evaluate the machine’s paper handling capabilities, such as input and output tray capacity and the supported paper sizes and types. Ensure that the machine can handle your desired paper size and has sufficient capacity to meet your requirements.
If you often print pages in different sizes, you may want to look into a printer that includes different paper handling trays to store various paper sizes.
Best Laser Printers
Laser Printers: Best Brand
Brother MFCL2700DW With Wireless Networking and Duplex Printing
The Brother MFCL2700DW is a very reliable printer compared to its competitors. It can print at a rate of 27 ppm. The print quality of this Brother MFC L2700DW is 600 x 2400 dpi, so you get clear text on every page. The reliable paper handling tray has a 250-page capacity, too, so you don’t have to keep refilling it. It is also a multifunction laser printer, as it can scan and copy.
Pros:
- One of the Low laser printer cost
- Automatic duplex printing capability
- Included high-speed USB cable for easy connection options
- Straight-through paper path
- With toner save mode
- Mobile printing feature from a computer or mobile device
- With a print speed of up to 27 pages per minute
Cons:
- This Brother HL series has ho Wi-Fi integration
- Paper guides can shift
- No color
Laser Printers: Best Brand
Brother Compact Monochrome HL-L2350DW
It has a small footprint and prints very economically. It can be used with the Brother high-yield toner option so you get good value for money. The good part? You can print from the comfort of your mobile device because this compact machine is Wi-Fi-capable. You can also use different types of paper and different sizes in this printer. And this Brother HL prints at a rate of up to 32 ppm. You can choose to print from the paper waste tray or manually feed sheets so you can print on any size sheet you’d like.
Pros:
- Wireless connection or mobile printing capability from a laptop or mobile device
- High quality yet very affordable
- Automatic document feeder duplex printing to save on paper
- Toner save mode (no waste toner)
- LCD display and interface
- USB connection included
- Super fast print speed
- With 250 sheets of paper capacity
- Can do up to 32 pages per minute
Cons:
- Connecting to Wi-Fi can be tricky
- Manual feed documents can get wrinkled
- Deep sleep mode causes some issues
Laser Printers: Best Brand
HP M281fdw All-in-One (Best Wireless Color Laser)
This HP laserjet is one of the better color laser printers on our list. The HP Color Jet Pro costs about $100 more than either of the ones listed above, but you get the color pages and printing along with wireless capability. You can also download the HP Smart app and control panel to connect the machine to your mobile device. There is an ethernet port, too, if your home is wired with ethernet already. The print speed is at a rate of 22 ppm and with auto duplex printing. The Jet Pro color printer has built-in security features, too, so you can connect your devices without any worry. The versatility of this machine allows you to print documents of all sorts of different sizes and on different types of paper.
Pros:
- Can print photos with colored
- Easy setup and operation
- Features duplex printing
- Small footprint
- Mobile device printing
- Features Google Cloud Print
- This M281fdw has built-in security
Cons:
- Power save mode has a flashing LED light
- Loud operation
- Small interface screen
Laser Printers: Best Brand
HP M404dn Monochrome with Built-in Ethernet & Double-Sided Printing
Unlike the LaserJet Pro above, this mono laser printer prints in black, with no color. It’s intended to be a home or office printer for those who need to print many documents full of text. It has a print speed of up to 40 ppm. The main paper tray has a capacity of 350 sheets, while the output tray can hold up to 150 pages. There is a small 2-line LCD display screen for viewing settings. This machine comes with a black toner cartridge or refillable toner tank, a starting guide, and a power cord. There is a USB port, but no cable is provided.
Pros:
- Prints fast
- 250 sheet paper capacity in its input paper tray
- JetIntelligence for efficient toner use
- Strong security
- High Capacity
- ENERGY STAR certified
Cons:
- No wireless printing
- Pricey
- No USB cable included
- Replacement toner is expensive
Conclusion
Laser printers are fast, convenient, and multifunctional, give lower cost or low operating costs, print the type of documents or pictures you need them to, and are priced to fit your budget. Look at the specs of the device to see what ppm rate they print at, if they print with a color laser printer, how much space they need, what their capacity is, and what kind of recommended duty cycle they have. The top-tier ones can make your work, small office, school, and personal printing much faster, more economical, and more efficient.
The Takeaway
We hope this list helped you find the perfect printer for your home! Don’t forget to check out the Amazon links so that you can peruse the products and their reviews. If you found this list useful, make sure to leave a comment down below and stay tuned for more information on laser printers here on Family Hype! We hope to help you again soon!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Laser Printer Is Best For Private Use?
The top overall laser printer for home use is the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw.
Is A Laser Printer Worth It?
Most are worth it. As long as you choose the type that will give you the most use. If you want to print photos, you can use a color printer to do so. However, an inkjet may be a better option. Overall, they are great for value for money.
Which Is The Best Laser Printer Brand?
The best laser printer brand often varies based on specific needs and preferences; however, brands like Brother and HP are frequently praised for their reliability and range of options suitable for both home and office use.
What Laser Printer Brand Is The Best For Processing Pictures?
For processing pictures, Canon is highly recommended due to its superior color accuracy and image clarity, making them ideal for high-quality photo prints.
Which Laser Printer Is Best To Buy: HP Or Brother?
HP is better for ease of use and low maintenance. Brother costs more upfront but isn’t as expensive in the long run. You can check the HP Neverstop MFP. This features high-volume printing and large print-only jobs compared to its competitors.
Is Brother Among The Best Laser Printer Brands?
Brother is a very reputable company and one of the top brands in the market. Although its initial cost is higher than some other brands, it is one of the better budget laser options in the long run because the laser toner cartridges cost less.
Does A Laser Printer Use A Lot Of Electricity?
Different brands, types, and models consume varying amounts of electricity. Generally, they consume more power than their inkjet counterparts since the former uses heating and fusing processes. However, newer models today come with improved energy efficiency and energy-saving features (sleep mode, automatic power-off, etc.) to help reduce the electricity consumption when the machine is idle.
Do The Best Laser Printers Dry?
This type of printer does not dry out. The toner is technically already dry, so there is no risk of toner drying out like ink does.
Which Are The Best When It Comes To Print Quality? Laser or Inkjet Printers?
There are certainly some things monochrome laser printers do better than inkjets. First, they print using a toner, not ink. That means your text will show up crisp and clear with no color bleed.
A former printer will typically provide more printed pages per color toner cartridge than an ink-only printer will, too. The reason is that the toner is more of dust that gets laid on the plain paper by the laser, while the ink has to be sprayed in minuscule droplets. It takes more black and white ink to print the text than toner, too. Also, while the ink is prone to drying up, toner is not.
Those who have owned inkjets know that if you leave them sitting for weeks at a time, you will lose ink through drying. You may then have clogged sprayers. Some replacement toners don’t dry out like that. You can go weeks or months without printing anything, and you shouldn’t have any issues with your next automatic document feeder with a two-sided printing job.
Does The Ink Of Laser Printers Fade?
Laserjets don’t use ink; rather, they use toner, which resembles dry powder. Unlike their inkjet counterparts, their work is far more resistant to fading. This is because the ink fuses into the paper through a heating process, creating a more durable and long-lasting print that can last even more than a decade. This makes them the preferred choice for monochrome documents and marketing materials that require archival quality.
Which Laser Printer Uses The Cheapest Toner Cartridges?
If you are looking for cheap toner cartridges, the Brother HL—L2300D Monochrome is one of the cheapest options. They offer lower costs.
Are Laser Printers Cheaper To Maintain?
Yes, they are cheaper to maintain than their inkjet counterparts. This is due to their efficient use of toner cartridges, which have a higher page yield and result in less frequent cartridge replacements. Moreover, they tend to have fewer issues with printhead clogging or damage, thus minimizing the need for maintenance and potential repairs or replacements.
What Are The Disadvantages of Laser Printers?
The biggest problem is that they aren’t a good choice for photo-quality. They don’t produce bright and vibrant colors graphics like those from an inkjet.
Which Color LaserJet Printer Has The Cheapest Toner?
Canon image CLASS MF743Cdw has the cheapest toner for color printing, while Brother MFC-L2750DW has the most affordable toner for monochrome printing.
Last Updated on May 13, 2023 by Bernadine Racoma
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