Inkjet vs laser printers: Which one is right for you? This is the most basic and most essential question in printer shopping. You've no doubt wondered what differentiates the two technologies and the top models in either category. We're here to clear up the confusion.

Although both print technologies have their place in homes and offices, there's a good chance that one will be better at meeting your needs than the other. In the question of inkjet vs. laser printers, it's all about what you want to do, and which technology is better suited to those needs.

Inkjet vs Laser printers: The key takeaways
The basic distinctions in the inkjet vs. laser printers question boil down to how each technology prints. This, in turn, has an impact on what a printer will do well, how expensive it is to print documents and photos, and how much you'll pay upfront.

Inkjet printers are cheaper to buy. If you don't print much, an inexpensive inkjet can be had for $100 or less. But be aware that ink costs can make those more affordable inkjet printers more expensive to operate.

Laser printers are better for text and documents. If you are printing a lot of basic documents, a laser printer – even a monochrome laser printer – can churn out page after page with better quality than an inkjet. But inkjets are better at printing photos.

Laser printers usually have the lowest cost per page. Toner is incredibly cheap on a per-page basis, and won't dry out like old ink cartridges might. However, there are more and more inkjet printers being sold with refillable tanks that can offer similarly affordable printing, provided you're willing to pay more upfront.

Inkjet printers are more compact. Without the need for various internal drums and rollers, inkjet printers can offer full-page printing with a much smaller footprint than most laser printers, even while offering copy and scanning capabilities. 

Printing technology basics: Inkjet vs laser
While the most basic definition of printing is the same across both inkjet and laser printers – putting letters and images onto paper – the two methods achieve this result in very different ways.

Inkjets rely on liquid ink, deposited onto the page through a print head that uses dozens of micro-nozzles. It prints by putting microscopic drops of ink onto the paper. Depending upon whether that ink is dye or pigment-based, the ink may change the color of the paper, or simply dry as a deposit on the surface of the paper.

Laser printers, on the other hand, rely on toner, which is a powder. The "laser" in laser printing is used to generate an electrostatic charge, which is used to transfer the toner to the paper, which is then bonded to the surface of the page using heat.

These two approaches will affect everything from how big a printer is to how expensive a single printed page is. Both technologies can be found in single-function, or all-in-one, printers, alongside scanning, copying and fax capability. Either one can be a good fit, so long as you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Inkjet vs Laser printers: Upfront costs
When it comes to buying a printer, the cost of the printer is a big factor in the decision. Sure, you want certain features, but your budget will often make the decision for you.

Inkjet printers tend to be much less expensive than laser printers. The technology is slightly less complex, and therefore less costly to manufacture. Besides this, most manufacturers sell inkjet printers at a loss, knowing that they can make up the difference in ink sales down the road. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a new printer than to buy a full set of new ink cartridges!

Laser printers, on the other hand, will rarely be sold for less than $200, and even the most budget-friendly models sell for $150 or more.
Now, the cost of printing should definitely factor into your thinking, but if you barely print, or if you're more likely to make use of the printer's scan and fax functions than the actual printing, you can find some very affordable options for as little as $50.

Takeaway: Inkjets cost less to buy, but you may pay more in the long run.

Inkjet vs Laser printers: Cost of printing
Another major difference is the cost of ink and toner. Liquid printer ink has been identified as one of the most expensive liquids on the planet, and is a highly engineered product. Designed to provide precise flow rates, to mix and bleed with predictable consistency and to dry within moments, all while providing colours that look just right – there's a lot involved in printer ink. Because it provides a high-margin product that printer owners will have to buy again and again only encourages printer companies to keep you coming back for more.
Inkjet printers vary in the cost-per-page, but tend to fall within the same general range. Black-and-white text will usually run at 5-10 cents per page, and colour printing will run between 15 and 25 cents per page.

A new trend in inkjet printing takes aim at ink costs by replacing expensive plastic cartridges with refillable tanks and inexpensive bottles of ink. The result is dropping printing costs down to less than a cent per page.

Toner, on the other hand, tends to be less expensive on a per-page basis for laser printers. Though no less carefully made, the fact that toner comes in powder form makes it a much simpler substance to ship, store and use.

While individual toner cartridges are more expensive than ink cartridges, they print hundreds of pages, far exceeding the print yields offered on inkjet printers. As a result, plain-text printing costs dip below the 5-cent per-page mark, and colour printing sits right around 15 cents.

Toner also stores better over the long term. Ink cartridges can be stored for months if kept properly, but if you're an infrequent printer, the liquids that fill your ink cartridge can dry out, leaving you with a useless cartridge that has printed only a fraction of the pages it was meant to. Since toner starts off as a powder, there's no need to worry about itlosing its liquidity.

Takeaway: Laser printers offer cheaper prints per page, but toner is more expensive upfront. Toner is also the better choice for long-term use, since it stores better than liquid-filled ink cartridges.