It can be tricky to know what type of color printer you want to buy. Fortunately, there are a lot of color printer reviews you can check to give you some good information to help you make a decision. Here is some information you should know about inkjet and laser printers as well as some color printer reviews to assist you in deciding which printer would be right for your home or office.
Do I Choose Inkjet or Laser Printers for Photos?
Now that the cost of laser printers has decreased considerably from their prices 10 years ago, and now that the quality of printers has increased so much, it can be really tricky to know which type of printer to choose. If you are using your printer mostly for photos, consider the following information.
Inkjets
The advantage of inkjet printers is that they are usually inexpensive to purchase, and they are able to create very high quality photos that pop off the page. The actual printers themselves cost less than laser printers, many of them being bundled for free with a new computer or other piece of office equipment.
However, there are some disadvantages to using an inkjet printer. While inkjet printers are less expensive for the initial purchase than laser printers, they are much more expensive when you consider the cost per page. You’ll want to check color printer reviews to learn more about a specific model, but know that high quality prints are expensive if you’re doing a lot on an inkjet.
Laser
Laser printers have come a long way in the last 10 years. They used to be very expensive, costing thousands of dollars and printing in only black and white, but now they are much more affordable. While laser printers have a higher initial cost than an inkjet printer, they will be able to print faster and more efficiently than inkjets. You’ll also be able to get several thousand pages out of a single cartridge, where with inkjets you’ll often only get a few hundred. If you want to print high volumes of consistently printed pages, a laser printer may be a good choice for you.
Laser printers aren’t perfect, though. In addition to their high starting cost, the cost of replacing cartridges is much higher than inkjets. Some printers can cost up to $400 for a color print cartridge. You should check laser color printer reviews to see how much individual refills will cost for a certain model of printer. The quality of photos on a laser printer will be lower than that of an inkjet as well.
The bottom line: if you are printing a small number of high quality photos, go with an inkjet printer. If you want a large number of color pages that don’t need to look pristine, then a laser printer could be the best option for you.
The Alternative
One of the things you should consider is the number of photos you’ll be printing. If you’ll be printing a lot of photos, it may be cheaper for you to take them to a professional printer. There are a lot of websites that will print your photos and mail them to you. Additionally, local businesses will print photos inexpensively for you, too.
Types of Color printers
Due to their convenience in not having to change the cartridge as often, their speed and their quality, most people prefer to use laser printers nowadays. They are much more affordable than they used to be, and their printing is more consistent than inkjets. However, inkjets are still very popular, too, and many people still use those. Here are a few of the most popular laser and inkjet printers according to color printer reviews and laser color printer reviews.
Epson WorkForce 845 Wireless Color printer
This popular all-in-one printer and scanner runs around $200 and has a very high rating for its color quality and reliability. Some of the features f this printer include two-sided printing, copying, scanning and faxing while also being able to create high quality prints. It has a 500 page capacity, so you won’t have to reload the paper tray very often.
Pros
- Very easy to use
- High quality prints
- Good copy quality as well as being a good printer
- Fast printer with good printing speed
- Inexpensive to buy, and inexpensive to refill cartridges
Cons
- Can’t easily edit scans on the printer
- Faxing is slow
- Slow scanning, too
Epson Artisan 837 Color Inkjet All-in-One with Fax
A step up from the WorkForce 845, the Epson Artisan 837 (priced around $225) provides even higher print quality and features. It is one of the world’s faster 4×6 inch photo printers, so if you want to quickly print high quality photos in your office or at home, this printer may be for you. You can also easily print from memory cards or over WiFi, meaning multiple computers can easily use the same printer.
Pros
- High print quality to ensure prints are sharp and clear
- Two sided printing and copying
- Excellent photo printing
- Separate paper trays for normal paper and photo paper
- Easy wireless connectivity to allow multiple computers to connect to the printer at once
Cons
- Uses black ink more quickly than some other printers
`Brother HL4570CDW Color Laser Printer
If you are looking for a laserjet printer to do color printing and have a little bit of cash to spend on the printer, the Brother HL4570CDW may be the choice for you. Featuring up to 30 pages per minute of color and black printing over WiFi, this is a great general use printer that will produce a lot of pages fast.
Pros
- Easy printer and wireless setup
- Fast printing speeds
- Good print quality for graphics and text
- Cheaper toner replacements than some other printers
Cons
- Photo prints are poor
- Can be somewhat loud if you have the printer in a small office.
If you are looking for a color printer, then you’ll need to check color printer reviews (including an inkjet color printers review and a color laser printer review) to see exactly what model you want to invest in. There are a lot of laser color printer reviews out there, so make sure to take the time to read as many color laser printer reviews as possible so you don’t have to end up with the wrong printer for your needs.