When selecting a printer, you want to ensure you choose the right one for your home, office or home office. On the market, there are a wide variety of printers, styles, technology and colors to choose from. The choice alone can be dizzying at best. That’s why, you want to do your research beforehand. This includes understanding the three most popular types of printers that many consumers currently purchase today.
Laser printers
Laser printers are quite popular because they have a tendency to print very accurate black-and-white text, as well as color images. Laser printers are a toner-based computer printer that, as the name suggests, utilizes a laser beam to set the image on a drum. That then electrically attracts powdered toner to your paper, which results in your image. When you purchase a black and white laser printer, you only have to worry about using one toner cartridge. However, black and white isn’t as fun as color.
With a color laser printer, you can use either one cartridge for all colors or separate cartridges for every color. You would then replace each printer ink cartridge as needed. Normally, you will get a low-ink alert. You will also notice when the color starts fading on your prints. Resolution for laser printers can be higher than those of ink jet printers. They range from around 1200 DPI to 2400 DPI. When it comes to photographs, laser printers produce a smooth and lifelike finish.
Dot matrix printers
What makes dot matrix printers so consumer friendly is the fact that they are quite affordable, dependable and durable. They are also one of the older model types when it comes to personal and office printers. The images come out when the print head strikes the paper through a ribbon that is filled with ink. This is similar to how an old-fashioned typewriter would work. The print head then transfers one line of text or a sliver of a graphic at a time using a conglomerate of tiny dots.
You’ll notice the print head moving back-and-forth across the page continuously until the print is made. Dot matrix printers usually come with paper that has perforated and removable edges. The good news is the most recent dot matrix printers offer very crisp and clean finishes despite the fact that they can be a little noisy. Nonetheless, the noise won’t matter as long as you have savings in your pocket.
Inkjet printers
The type of printer most commonly find in homes is the inkjet printer. They are plentiful and affordable. The inkjet prints images by spraying tiny drops of liquid ink right onto the paper. Ink cartridges are easy to replace whether you use one cartridge for all of the inks or separate cartridges for each color such as cyan, yellow, magenta and black. What makes inkjet printers appealing is the fact that they are also fairly quiet, do not take too long to warm up and are easy on your pocketbook. The majority of inkjet printers usually have a resolution of 300 DPI.
Now you understand the differences between some of the more common types of printers. You can be certain that your favorite brands: Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, Kodak, Samsung and Xerox all carry the above types of printers and more!