I was surprised to see no reviews on this subject. So, decided to give it a shot. I should warn readers before they proceed on the fact that this is not a juicy review - so dont think of savoring the cream.
Requirements for a printer is acute in every Indian’s life now-a-days. If not, it’ll be in the later years to come. ;-)
Gone are the days when people used dot-matrix printers. Although they are not endangered and are widely used in banks and for billing purposes. Now people are bent on buying inkjet or laser printers.
It has always been clear in the competition between inkjet printer vs. laser printer that home users prefer the inkjet family while those in the business community prefer laser jets. Prominent reasoning is assumed to be issues with regard to speed of output and higher costs associated with laser printers and of course higher quality output at a more affordable price in the inkjet group. The reality of these aspects however is skewed and there are many misconceptions believed on both sides of the rRajeev_Vermactive camps. Taking a closer look at some of the issues which surround both devices can provide a more accurate portrait of both methods of printing and dispel some of the most commonly noted falsities and help a prospective person to make a just choice..
Even All-in-Ones are available in the markets today which prints, scans and copies. Some reputed brands available in the market are HP, Canon, Samsung, Epson, Lexmark etc.
Dot-Matrix Printers
Recommended ones - TVS, Epson
Inkjet Printers
Most entry level (I mean basic) deskjet printers are available in the range Rs.1500 – Rs.4000. They are well suited for personal or home use. Although the average printing cost is not that economical and cartridge costs are high, yet you cannot ask for more at this price.
Things to consider before you buy
->Pages per minute (ppm)
->Supports low-cost, high yield inks
->USB
->Wi-Fi Compatible(if u require)
->dpi (Depth Per Inch)
->Cartridge can be Refilled
->After Sales Service
Recommended models – HP Deskjet D2600 Printer series, Epson Stylus C110, Canon PIXMA iP4870
Laser printers vs Inkjet
The cost of laser printing equipment would be quite high but the average running cost is lower than common inkjet printers. When buying one of these type of printers, check for its
->monthly duty cycle
-> types of paper handling
->capacity (pages-per-cartridge)
-> Check if the toner cartridge can be refilled, though it is not recommended and in some cases, it’s not possible.
-> pages per minute
->cost and availability of toner cartridges
-> After Sales Service
Cartridges
Laser
The cartridges are quite expensive, at around, Rs 3, 000 - 4, 000, but the cost per page dips to around Rs 1 per page (inkjet printers have a cost of approximately Rs. 2.5 per page).
Inkjet
Varies from brand to brand but cheap as compared to laser ones.
Cons @ Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers are prone to multiple problems in the long run, for example, smudged prints, clogging or drying up of the print heads, etc because they use liquid ink. But myth says print quality is best found only on these types of printers. :S
Some Valuable Information – Buying Guide for Printers
If you are into photo printing as a hobby, opt for printers like Epson or HP inkjet, which make use of Durabrite and Vivera inks rRajeev_Vermactively. These inks give brilliant print quality, they help keep your photos safe from water hazards and the prints can last for as long as 100 years.
Look out for printers that can print on various types of printable media, like recycled paper, photo glossy and matt finish papers, transparencies and inkjet printable CD/DVD’s to suit future needs. Also look out for printers that have individual tanks for colors—Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, so you can change only the colors that have exhausted. Some printers have a larger black ink tank for higher quantity black prints. Canon and Epson have separate print heads and are costly when damaged due to dry or clogged nozzles. Prefer printers like HP which have ink cartridges combined with the ink tank and the print head so whenever you run out of ink, you replace the ink tank and the head completely at one go.
My personal Choice when buying an inkjet
If your priority is normal document printing go for - HP, Epson
If your priority is photo printing go for - Canon
P.S. HP cartridges are easy to refill. Go and pick your poison. Happy Buying. ;-)
~Somjeet Roy~