Laser Jet Printers vs Laser vs Inkjet

[Saylo1234]

Dear all:

I have a cheapo lexmark printer that is an inkjet printer. I am
so displeased with the way that the ink dries up after a few months
that I would like to consider other alternatives.

Do LaserJet printers have ink that dries up just like InkJets? I
am not familiar with why thinks are called lasterJet and Inkjet. Not
sure what the difference is btw the two. The bottom line is that I
would like a printer which does not dry up even when there is plenty of
ink left in the cartridges.

Therefore, I guess my question is: Do Laser Jet cartridges dry
up? And if I want to have Cartridges that do not dry up, do I have to
buy a Laser printer or are Laser Jets good enough.

One last question: What about color LaserJet vs. Color Laser?
(ie: same question: do the color ink cartridges dry up?)

thx in advance
signed: FrustratedWith-InkJet.

 

[Ben Wylie]

A laserjet is a laser printer, so it uses toner and there is no ink to dry
up.
Obviously there are other things which can go wrong, but there is no sense
in which the ink is drying up.

Ben

 

[Kurt]

The first senence in your post should give you a clue. Never buy a "cheapo"
printer. HP inkjets have very long-lived cartridges. For home use, I go
through about 1 black a year and a color every year and a half to two years.
The main reason for the inkjet is that it prints color. At the office we
have lasers for black & white and inkjets (and a color laser) for the color
jobs. In the long run lasers cost-per-page is quite a bit lower than inkjets
if you do enough printing to overcome the initial cost (especially for a
color laser).

....kurt

 

[Shub]

I've been using a colour laser over the past 2 years, managed to put 300,000
copies through before
it became uneconomical to further service or repair.

On my calculations even including toner paper and printer, each full colour
copy worked out at less than 5p UK .

An inkjet perhaps 50p for full cover coverage

laser about £1700
inkjet £30

You pays your money and ya makes ya choice!