Ink Toner or Ink Cartridge- What's the Difference?
Do you use ink toner or an ink cartridge for your home printer? If you're like most home computer users, you probably have an inkjet printer and are familiar with using an ink cartridge. Ink toner, used in laser printers, is more commonly associated with large business offices. Laser printers have come a long way in the past few years however, and are smaller and more economical than ever before. In fact, you can now fit a laser printer right on your desk, just like your inkjet model. So, are you ready to make the switch from your ink cartridge to ink toner and change the way you print at home?
When you use an ink cartridge, you are using a liquid pigment, actual ink that is dispersed onto your page in the appropriate pattern, creating text and graphics that are bright, bold and professional looking. Ink cartridges sell for anywhere from $10-$20 apiece, depending on printer brand and ink color.
Ink toner, on the other hand, is a powder-type substance. Ink toner is actually bonded with the paper fibers during printing, creating an extremely clean, precise hard copy. It is particularly well-suited to text, although you can print images and graphics with ink toner as well. For years, ink toner was only available in black, however, due to the growing popularity of laser printers for a variety of printing needs, it is now much easier to find color ink toner as well. Ink toner costs a little more at purchase, often ranging from $50 and up, but a single ink toner purchase will print far more than the average ink cartridge.
When you purchase a printer, the type of ink you need will be printed right in the documentation. Many people base their printer choice strictly on the cost of the printer and that can be a deceiving criteria. Inkjet printers are often very inexpensive and one reason for that is because manufactures know they will recoup the cost in ink cartridge purchases. While a laser printer costs more than an inkjet printer at purchase, the ongoing ink toner cost is much lower than ink cartridges, saving money over the life of the printer. In addition to comparing printer costs, it is also important to consider whether you will be using an ink cartridge or ink toner for your ink supply. The difference in continuing costs is significant, especially if you print a lot of documents. Ink cartridge costs will add up much faster than ink toner costs.
