Types of Printers: 4 Common Types of Printer You Should Know

4 Types of Printers You Should Know

1. Inkjet Printers

First on our list is the Inkjet printer, the world’s most common printer design for home and office use. The Inkjet technology allows for high-resolution colour printing, making Inkjets an excellent choice for printing photos and detailed graphics. They work by spraying tiny droplets of ink onto paper to create high-quality vivid images and texts. Compared to other types of printers, Inkjets are more affordable, easy to use and wise investments for quiet environments as they are not noisy.

An inkjet printer can produce from 100 to several hundred pages, depending on the nature of the hard copy, before the ink cartridges must be replaced. Usually, the printer has one black ink cartridge and one colour inkjet cartridge containing ink in primary pigments (cyan, magenta, and yellow). Some inkjet printers, however, use a single cartridge with cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink. A few models require separate cartridges for each primary pigment, along with a black ink cartridge.

Pros

High-Quality Colour Printing: Ideal for printing vibrant photos and vivid detailed images.

Versatility: Capable of handling a variety of paper types and sizes.

Compact Size: Small footprint, ideal for offices and small workspaces.

Initial Cost: ‌General lower upfront cost compared to laser printers.

Cons

Ink Costs: Ink cartridges can be expensive overtime, and printing costs per page are higher compared to laser printers.

Print Speed: Often slower compared to laser printers.

Maintenance: Ink in the Inkjet heads may get thicker than usual, leading to clog if not used regularly.

Recommended For:

Home-based users who print photos and documents occasionally.

Small businesses with moderate printing needs.

SOHO (Small office/Home Office). 

2. Laser Printers

Laser printers are known for their blazing printing speed in terms of quick job delivery. As the name suggests, it uses a laser beam to produce a high-quality image and text on a drum, which then transfers toner (powdered ink) onto paper. A laser printer works by using a combination of electrostatically charged toner and a heated fuser to transfer the toner onto the paper. Laser printers usually deliver an optimal level of efficiency required for high-volume printing tasks, thus making it ideal for use in busy office environments. Laser printers are particularly effective for printing text-heavy documents and monochrome prints, although colour laser printers are also available.

Furthermore, laser printers are easy to manage as it works well with a variety of paper types, including recycled, plain and specialty papers. However, using papers that are specially designed for laser printing will provide a more excellent printing result. Moreover, they are eco-friendly and support easy printing via USB, web and wireless sharing from mobile devices.

Pros

Fast Printing: High-speed printing, perfect for large volumes.

Cost-Effective Per Page: Toner is more economical, costing less to maintain than ink cartridges over time.

Sharp Text: Produces crisp, clear text and is ideal for professional documents.

Durability: Built to handle large print volumes without frequent maintenance.

Cons

Initial Cost: Higher upfront cost, especially for colour laser printers.

Limited Colour Quality: Not as vibrant or detailed for photo printing compared to inkjets.

Size: Typically larger and bulkier, making them less suitable for small spaces.

Recommended For:

Busy office environments with a large amount of printing jobs.

3. Dot Matrix Printers

Dot matrix printers, similar to typewriter or line printer's print mechanism, is a type of impact printer that prints using a print head that strikes an inked-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper, forming characters and images through a matrix of tiny dots.

Although this type of printer is somewhat outdated compared to inkjet and laser printers, it has its specific use cases.

Pros

Durability: Robust and reliable for continuous use.

Multi-Part Forms: Capable of printing on multi-part forms (e.g. invoices and receipts) using carbon copies.

Low Operating Costs: Inexpensive ribbons and long-lasting hardware, just like a typical typewriter.

Cons

Print Quality: Often lower resolution compared to modern printers, with noticeable noise during operation.

Speed: Slower printing speed compared to laser and inkjet printers.

Limited Colour Options: Generally available in only black and white.

Recommended For:

Specialised environments (e.g. Industrial, Retail, etc.) where multi-part forms are needed.

Logistics (e.g. warehouses, shipping departments, etc.) for continuous printing of labels and documentation. 

Industrial or business settings that require durability and low operational costs.

4. Thermal Printers

Thermal printers use heat to transfer ink from a ribbon onto paper or directly onto thermal paper. They are fast, quiet, compact, with no ink or toner required. Mostly used in POS (Point of Sale) businesses, this printer type is relatively small and compact, thus fitting on any desk, occupying minimal space. They are used for printing order or transaction receipts, labels and barcodes in retail and logistics. 

Pros

High-Speed Printing: Excellent for fast and efficient printing of receipts and labels.

Low Maintenance: Unlike bigger or bulkier printer sizes, thermal printers feature a compact size with fewer moving parts.

Quiet Operation: Produces minimal noise during printing.

Cons

Limited Paper Types: Typically used with specific thermal or label papers.

Cost: Direct thermal printers require special thermal paper, which can be expensive.

Durability: Thermal prints can fade over time, especially if exposed to heat or sunlight.

Recommended For:

Retail environments for receipt printing.

Warehouses and logistics for barcode and label printing.

Conclusion

Understanding the four basic printer types and the technology behind each type of printer is profitable. This is because not only are you armed with beneficial knowledge, but you also get to make well-informed printing decisions based on your specific printing needs. 

Have further questions or need help in making a printer-related decision? Contact us via hello@paykobo.com or reach out to us via phone: 02012708800.