Published on February 1st, 2019 | by Sunit Nandi

Thinking of Buying a Laser Printer? Here’s all the Help you Need!

A laser printer is basically that genre of printers that uses a laser and electric charge process. It’s quite different to the process of traditional printers, which print ink onto the paper. Laser printers are basically the new generation of printers that have increased the neatness factor manifold. They have a resolution of around 600 dots per inch, or maybe even higher. One of the ground-breaking differences between a laser printer and others is that these printers use powdered toner instead of liquid ink, for printing.

Source — https://pixabay.com/en/printer-ink-toner-technology-print-933098/

These printers are of the advanced versions and can literally multitask. Yes, along with laser printing, they can fulfil the responsibilities of a scanner, copier, fax machine etc. But, along with such advancements, there’s also the factor of costly maintenance and operations. And even among the category of laser printers, no two models are the same. Needless to say, some of them have greater power, while some are designed for small scale tasks. But, do remember that no matter which make or model you have, servicing and subsequent repairing your printer is a must. ePrint Digital is your saviour in just that — with over 25 years of experience, they provide exceptional customer service when it comes to the repairs and maintenance of laser printers, photocopiers, fax machines, scanners etc.

Basic features of a laser printer that you should look out for

Now, shopping for the best laser printer isn’t a piece of cake. There are many factors which need to be considered before you make the purchase. Whether it’s for home or for a small business, printers are quite essential equipment, and you can’t go wrong with it. So, here we are, happy to help you with some basic laser printer terms and technology. You can then know for yourself, what are the functionalities, features, pros, cons of each printer. And you can finally make the decision regarding which machine is the best for you.

Monthly duty cycle

Printers have a particular printing capability. You need to match your monthly printing volume along with the printer’s monthly capacity. This is how you avoid the chances of your printer conking out unexpectedly. Manufacturers now include the monthly duty cycle as a part of the printer specifications. So, it will help you choose a printer that’s designed to meet your needs.

Pages per minute (PPM)

The printing speed, better known as PPM, is quite different between various models of laser printers. Most businesses can make do with printers that have a PPM of about 25 to 50. And then there are the higher end models which have a PPM of about 100. So, you can assess the level of output you need and get yourself the model with the respective speed.

Cost per page

This is an important factor to consider when you are going for the printer purchase. It will help you set your budget for the toner cartridges in the long run. A cost-effective laser printer is one that has a low cost per page. Toner cartridges are of various types, with different rates and different page yields. Page yields are basically the number of pages you can get printed out of a single toner cartridge. And in order to calculate the printer’s cost per page, all you have to do is divide the page yield by the cost of the cartridge. Then, depending on that, choose your printer accordingly.

Paper size

Not all printers accept papers of all size. Laser printers are generally used in offices and so are designed to handle the average paper size. But, some more compact models, designed for personal or domestic use, may not. So, make sure you do the research well, regarding the paper size specifications.

Duplex printing

The technique that printers use to arrange and print on both the sides of the sheet is known as duplex printing. Double sided printing not only saves you money, but also makes the documents look for crisp and professional. Just select the print-on-both-the-sides option when you are putting in your printing preferences, and you are sorted.

Paper Handling

This is one of the most important qualities to note for. It basically talks about the smoothness, consistency, and efficiency of your printer when it moves the paper from the loading tray on to your hands. Better paper handling implies better inner functioning of the printer with lesser paper jams.

Monochrome/colour

Earlier, laser printers only used to print in monochrome. They have been famous for printing texts, but not for great quality images. Nowadays however, laser printer models come with single-pass colour printing. This ensures that you can add a pop of colour to the graphs, tables etc. in your presentations.

Wi-Fi

A wireless connection is a god-gifted feature if you want to connect the printer to multiple devices amongst multiple individuals. A lot of the newer laser printed models come equipped with features like the Wi-Fi and the Bluetooth. But, a drawback is that the Wi-Fi slashes down the speed at which your printer can print. So, it’s up to you to decide what you need more, speed, or versatility.

Printer size

Whether you need a printer for your home, dorm, office etc. is what determines the size of it. Some of the models are of a compact size while others are designed to be of a bigger size. LED laser printers have recently been launched, which have even smaller dimensions than standard laser models. So, consider the amount of space you have, and take your pick.

Additional features

These features are meant to make your printing life quite easier. Some of the models may come with an in-built scanner so that you don’t have to switch between printers and scanners. You can even get yourself a printer that comes with LED interfaces to help you manage your printing line.

Warranty

And last, but not the least, you should look out for the warranty. Some model warranties cover parts and replacement costs, while others involve only on-site servicing. And needless to say, some warranties are for a longer period of time than others. So, look into your warranty terms and conditions thoroughly before the purchase.

So, these were the basic printer terms that you need to get familiar with. These will help you make a well-informed decision regarding which printer you should invest in. And of course, needless to say, an informed buying shall prevent a lot of unnecessary hassle and headaches down the road.

Tags: buying, guide, help, laser printer

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.