Which laser printers are best?
Laser printers can save you space and money, especially if you purchase an all-in-one that can scan and copy. And laser printers use toner, which lasts longer and needs to be replaced less frequently than ink. If you’re looking for a powerful, fast and high-quality printer, the Brother INKvestment Tank All-in-One Printer is a great choice.
What to know before you buy a laser printer
Consider the materials you print on
It’s important to consider the kinds of material that you usually print on before deciding to purchase a laser printer. For example, some laser printer devices won’t accept envelopes or cards, while others ask you to feed these non-standard sizes by hand rather than automatically. Keep this in mind before purchasing a laser printer if you usually print on a variety of different materials.
Think about the duty cycle and team size
Laser printer manufacturers usually use phrases like “team size” and “duty cycle” to give you a sense of how hard their devices can work. For example, if you usually crank out 150,000 pages per month and the device has a recommended duty cycle of only 1,500 per month, then the machine will probably not last very long. On the flip side, the device should be an excellent choice for an office environment if it has a team rating of four or five.
Decide between monochrome and color
It’s important to decide whether you need a color printer or if you can get by with a monochrome printer. Most basic home printing can be accomplished with a budget-friendly monochrome laser printer, but if you are buying a laser printer for an office, then a color laser printer that can fax, scan and copy is probably a good bet.
What to look for in a quality laser printer
Print speed
Keep in mind that color laser printer devices tend to be slower. Excellent color printers print at least 15 pages per minute, while the fastest monochrome laser printers boast rates of 25 to 30 pages per minute.
Print and scan resolution
Look at the print and scan resolution before making your purchase. A print resolution of 600 by 1200 dots per inch is considered a superb resolution for both monochrome and color laser printers. A resolution of 600 by 2400 dots per inch offers the best quality black and white text and line work.
Paper tray capacity
You definitely don’t want to continue re-filling the paper tray every five minutes, especially if you are purchasing a device for high volumes of printing. Laser printer manufacturers usually quote the paper tray capacity in the product details, and some of the top laser printers feature a paper tray capacity of 150 to 250 sheets.
How much you can expect to spend on a laser printer
You usually have two separate expenses when you purchase and own a laser printer: the cost of the device and the recurring cost of the replacement toner. A budget monochrome laser printer can cost $100 or less, while a high-end wireless color printer can cost $300 or more.
Laser printer FAQ
How do you decide between an inkjet printer and a laser printer?
A. The best printer comes down to your individual needs. Purchasing an inkjet printer is a good idea if you usually print a lot of photos and a low volume of documents. You should buy a laser printer if you typically print a high volume of reports, text and documents.
Are remanufactured laser toner cartridges a good way to save money?
A. Some remanufactured laser toner cartridges are okay, but it’s hard to know which cartridges are acceptable to use and which are not. There is usually much less toner in the cheap remanufactured versions, so you typically are not saving much money, if any.
You also need to consider the quality of the cartridges. For example, if the ink leaks from the cartridges, it can be very difficult to clean. And if the cartridge damages something in your printer, your warranty could be invalidated.
What are the best laser printers to buy?
Top laser printer
Brother INKvestment Tank All-in-One Printer
What you need to know: This all-in-one printer provides powerful functionality and user-friendly features with an large sheet tray and a wireless connection.
What you’ll love: This laser printer features LED control that enables users to customize their own settings and connects with a mobile app to securely print from several different devices.
What you should consider: Keep in mind that this laser printer only offers monochrome printing.
Worth checking out
Xerox B210DNI Monochrome Laser Printer
What you need to know: This compact, monochrome printer features a 250-sheet paper tray, duplex printing and wireless connectivity.
What you’ll love: This affordable laser printer supports wireless connections, including AirPrint and Google Cloud Print. The printer also handles duplex printing and prints 31 pages per minute at a resolution of 600 by 600 dots per inch.
What you should consider: One drawback of this laser printer is that it’s single-function only.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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