Printers compared: Inkjet, laser and thermal printing

In short: Inkjet printers spray ink, laser printers fuse toner powder onto the paper, thermal printers heat special paper or ink ribbons.

In more detail: Which printer fits depends on what and how often you print. What matters is not only the purchase price but above all the cost per page, speed, print quality and how long the printer runs reliably even if it is not used for a while.

In Depth

Inkjet printers

Fine nozzles spray tiny ink droplets. Strengths: colour printing with photo quality, cheap devices, compact. Weaknesses: ink dries up if you print rarely (nozzles clog), cartridges are expensive, printouts can smudge when wet (depending on the ink). Good for occasional photos and colour documents. Tank systems (refill bottles) reduce the cost per page considerably.

Laser printers

A drum is electrically charged, exposed, wetted with toner powder, the paper is printed and the toner melted on with heat (fuser unit). Strengths: fast, sharp text, smudge- and waterproof printouts, low cost per page, no drying up. Weaknesses: device more expensive and larger, colour lasers are more complex, photo quality weaker, the formation of fine dust and ozone requires ventilation. Good for the office, school and many text pages (black-and-white laser).

Thermal printing

With direct thermal printing, heat colours special paper (receipts, labels) without ink. With thermal transfer printing a ribbon melts onto the material. Typical for receipt printers, label printers and parcel labels. Disadvantage: thermal paper fades with heat and light and used to contain bisphenol A; modern papers are mostly BPA-free.

Further notes

• Cost per page = price of the cartridge or toner divided by its yield; check before buying.
• Printers that force original cartridges and subscription models are often more expensive.
• Security: keep network printers up to date and do not expose them to the internet.
• An old inkjet that is hardly used: one test page a week keeps the nozzles free.
• For photos one uses inkjet or dye-sublimation printers, for text laser.

See also: Connecting and printing, Receipt printer, Label printers, 3D printer