Until the 1960s, people used dot-matrix printers to print sheets of paper; before them, old-style typewriters were the norm. While the typewriters offered better print quality, the dot-matrix had the ability to print at a faster speed. Thus, choosing one option meant forgoing the characteristics of the other. This resulted in a rising need for such devices which could offer the defining characteristics of both these devices combined; the print quality of a typewriter and the print speed of dot-matrix printers. Therefore, in the late 1960s, Laser printers were invented.
Laser printers are of many types. The most commonly used laser printers include A3 laser printers, HP Office Jet printers, and color printers. Though there are many benefits of using a laser printer instead of any other type, it has some downsides. The pros and cons of using laser printers have been discussed below.
Pros of Using Laser Printers
Printout Quality:
Laser printers offer better printout quality than inkjet and dot matrix printers. Laser printers offer high-quality printouts, which rarely any other printer type can produce.
Speed of Printing:
Laser printers print pages at a very fast speed which makes them really useful for commercial uses. A black-and-white laser printer can print approximately 200 pages per minute (PPM), whereas a color laser printer can print 100 pages per minute (PPM).
Increases Work Place Productivity:
Since laser printers have a fast printing speed, they increase productivity in the workplace by reducing the time taken to print official reports and documents.
Input Capacity:
Laser printers have a greater paper input capacity than inkjet and dot matrices.
Cost Per Page:
Although laser printers are generally more expensive than other types, they prove their cost efficiency over the course of time. In the long term, laser printers prove to be a very cost-efficient solution compared to dot matrix or inkjet. The cost per page printed is relatively low, thus making them a cheap yet highly useful printer.
No Noise:
As the title reads, laser printers do not make any noise while printing compared to dot matrix printers, which make huge screech-like sounds while printing.
Expandable Printer Parts:
Laser printers come with easily adjustable parts, such as trays, etc., to adjust the papers and their dimensions.
Cons of Using Laser Printers
Price:
The leading downside of laser printers to date is the cost associated with their purchase. Laser printers are by far the most expensive printers of all types, especially when it comes down to buying a colored laser printer.
Refilling Toners:
Refilling a laser printer toner becomes quite a hassle because of its availability and price. Refilling toner costs twice as much as replenishing inkjet cartridges.
Damage and Repair:
Laser printers have very delicate systems inside them. In case a laser printer needs a part replaced or repaired, such a drum, this again becomes a load on the pocket since all the parts of a laser printer are expensive to begin with. Alternatively, these parts, if not repairable at all, might lead to either getting the whole unit replaced or being thrown in the junk, then again, causing a huge monetary loss.
Size of the Printer:
Laserjet printers are larger than inkjets, making their storage questionable, especially in home settings. This is one of the disadvantages of purchasing high-priced laser printers.
Continuous Use:
Laser printers cannot be used continuously. They need to be used in intervals since they warm up quickly. Otherwise, they might end up getting damaged due to increased temperature. On the other hand, dot matrix printers could be used nonstop.
Not so Environment-Friendly:
Since laser printers use high voltage to function, they do release small amounts of carbon emissions. This makes them a not so environment-friendly printer.
Safety/Health Hazards:
It has been already mentioned that laser printers are not environmentally friendly. This characteristic leads to another downside associated with their use: the safety and health hazards caused by them. The most common safety hazards caused by laser printers include fire breaking out due to the printing technology used in the printers, which causes them to heat up unusually. Secondly, the carbon emissions from these printers can cause respiratory problems in those near or close to these printers. Thus making laser printers a not-so-good choice regarding health and safety concerns too.
Dealing with Complex Content:
The last cons of using a laser printer on this list are that laser printers are not very good at handling complex images and photos. For printing those graphics, it is best to use inkjet printers since they can handle all kinds of images with precision.
Conclusion
Given their nature and size, laser printers are the best option for official use. Even though home users can buy them if they want too but the truth is home users rarely have bulk printing needs. They can fulfill their needs with other home printers instead of investing in such a hefty device that is also delicate to handle and may malfunction if not stored properly. On the other hand, Office users can completely reap the benefits of using laser printers to save time and energy and generate good-quality prints.
Additionally, the health and safety concerns raised by the use of these printers are another reason home users must avoid using them as their printing choice. These printers can cause respiratory problems in children and adults alike and can also catch fire, which is quite unsafe.
Although the challenges remain the same for office users also, office users can still get away with at least fire hazards by keeping the printer in a more airy or air-conditioned place. However, home users can not afford to install air conditioners to keep their printers cooled at all times and prevent fire hazards, thus, proving that laser printers work better in official settings.
