Black and White Laser Printer With Scanner

When the first laser and inkjet
printers
meant for PCs became bachelor—at well-nigh the same time, in the middle of the 1980s—each was limited to monochrome printing only, and the advantages for each were obvious. Lasers were far faster and delivered much better text quality at a lower cost per page, while inkjets were cheaper to buy. Today, the capabilities for both overlap more, making the advantages for either more nuanced.

Some things remain the aforementioned, though. Laser printers however offer some obvious strengths: fast print speeds and reasonable costs per page (peculiarly for text output); crisper edges than inkjets, giving a cleaner, more professional look to text and line graphics; more than saturated, vibrant color than most inkjets when both are printing on obviously paper; resistance to fading; and smudge-proof output. On the downside, lasers are nowhere near as capable as inkjets for producing fine gradients in color graphics and photos.

And then, who would find a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation printer preferable to an inkjet? Definitely not a home user looking to
print photos, much less a photograph enthusiast or professional person photographer, and non someone looking for a
portable printer. Just lasers are a good fit for text and graphic output, especially in bulk: long research papers, book drafts, contracts in law offices, monthly invoices, and the like. And for printing boardroom-quality reports on plainly newspaper, they do much better than inkjets at producing well-baked, professional person looking text and eye-communicable colour business graphics. If you print a lot of large jobs, stick mostly to text and graphics, and don’t need loftier quality for photos, a laser printer is likely the best match.

Lasers are too a good choice if loftier-quality, stable text printing matters most. Indeed, certain types of
businesses, such as medical and police offices, may mandate laser press for archival tasks and record keeping. And although inkjet text output is often close to light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation quality at signal sizes of ten or 12 points, most lasers produce much more readable text at small sizes than almost any inkjet. If y’all need to print at 4 or 6 points, lasers are still the style to go. It can also exist cheaper to impress marketing materials with photos, including tri-fold brochures or 1-page handouts, using a color light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation that offers business organisation-quality photo output than to pay for small impress jobs at a print shop.

Innovations in laser press in recent years include the refillable toner on the HP Neverstop Laser line.

Also consider how oft you lot print. Conventional wisdom says that inkjets are the best selection for home utilize. But if you don’t print photos, there’s a strong argument for considering a laser for lite-duty dwelling house use, equally well, peculiarly if you lot leave your printer off for long stretches. Dissimilar ink in inkjets, laser-printer toner doesn’t dry out or clog nozzles. Indeed laser printers have no nozzles to clog. Even if you leave a laser printer idle for months, information technology will impress without issues when you turn it on once again. Aside from the added convenience, eliminating the cost of wasted ink on nozzle-cleaning routines might save you more than than a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation printer’s actress cost compared with a less expensive inkjet.

What Kind of Laser Do You Demand: Print Only, or AIO?

As with any printer technology, lasers can be either unmarried-part or multifunction printers (MFPs), aka
all-in-ones (AIOs), which is to say they can be express to printing only, or they can add together scanning at a minimum, normally copying, and often faxing as well. Either type can be a mono-merely printer, or can impress in color also.

In a lot of scenarios, it makes practiced sense to pick a single-part laser printer rather than spend more coin to get what is sometimes the same printer with a scanner added. Consider whether you lot need heavier-duty scanning (including scans for copying and faxing) than an AIO can handle. If so, you’ll demand a separate scanner, anyway, which will likely brand the extra functions of an AIO superfluous. Similarly, if you already have another AIO (or a copier and a fax machine), consider whether getting a 2nd AIO will add any convenience or capability.

At the other farthermost, you may scan and then picayune that you tin take intendance of the occasional capture with a browse app on your telephone or just take photos. Unless you lot need to scan files to PDF format or utilise optical character recognition (OCR) to turn the scans into text files, you’ll probably be scanning to the aforementioned JPG format that photos use, anyhow.

Printer-only models are available in the entire range from inexpensive monochrome units meant for home-office, micro-office, or educatee employ to floor-standing printers (mono and color) that hold thousands of sheets of paper in multiple paper drawers at once. (The latter are suitable for big workgroups or entire departments.) In between are mono and color models designed for habitation and micro offices, too as models for pocket-sized offices and workgroups.

The added functions in light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation AIOs are the same as in inkjet AIOs, with the aforementioned potential variations. Almost all print, re-create, and scan. Many fax, as well, and browse-to-email features are common. The copying, faxing, and emailing tin be express to standalone adequacy, through the computer simply, or both. And and so on. (For more variations run into
The Best All-in-Ane Printers for 2022.)

One common misunderstanding almost mono light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation AIOs is to retrieve that the scanning they can do is
also
monochrome only. In truth, with a theoretical exception of some oddball model nosotros haven’t seen, the scanners on any AIO today can browse in colour.

Compared with inkjet AIOs, the advantages of laser AIOs include higher quality text, nigh noticeable at small font sizes, and smudge-proof output. Colour laser AIOs besides offering more vibrant color when printing on plain paper. Still, know that although mono light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation AIOs tin can handle schematics and other simple line drawings well, their output quality for graphics otherwise is generally no ameliorate than serviceable.

Some color inkjet models take a built-in automatic document feeder for easy scanning.

Whether single-function or multifunction, the range of monochrome lasers runs from small inexpensive models with pocket-size paper handling suitable for personal desktop printing in whatsoever size function, all the way upward to multi-grand-dollar models offering speed, durability, and paper handling meant for high-volume printing in a decorated large role. Colour lasers add vibrant color graphics. And, every bit already mentioned, in addition to their loftier-quality text and graphics, many color lasers can print photos well plenty for brochures and other marketing materials, allowing many companies to take such printing in-house.

Will a Laser Cost More than Than a Comparable Inkjet, or Less?

Every bit surprising equally it may seem, a laser printer tin be less expensive in the long run than a comparable inkjet. You really have to
wait at the full cost of ownership
to effigy that out, though.

A mutual complaint about lasers is that laser toner cartridges are expensive compared with inkjet cartridges. For inexpensive models, the cost tin even exceed the cost of the printer, particularly for color lasers if you need to replace a full gear up of cartridges (black, cyan, magenta, and yellow toners). Just if you compare the toll per folio, rather than the price per cartridge, yous’ll notice the running cost for cartridge-based lasers is really
less
than for comparable cartridge-based inkjets. In addition, most lasers are designed to last longer than most inkjets, so you tin can amortize the initial cost of the printer over more than pages as well.

Be aware that tank-based inkjets tin can trounce lasers on running toll, which complicates any broad-brushstroke comparison of costs between the two technologies. The tank-based models cost more equivalent inkjets that apply cartridges, but they let yous utilise far cheaper ink, which you typically cascade from bottles into large tanks in the printer. There are too a few lasers, notably the
HP Neverstop Laser 1001nw
and the
HP Neverstop Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation MFP 1202w, that accept a similar approach, selling toner in bulk “injectors” rather than in cartridges.

Ultimately, focusing on initial price only or on running costs simply when comparing printers is probable to lead to the wrong conclusion about which will be cheaper. Yous need to take both into account past estimating the total cost of ownership over the printers’ lifetimes.
How to Salve Money on Your Side by side Printer: Weighing the Cost of Tank vs. Cartridge Ink
gives a pace-by-pace example of how to compare tank and cartridge inkjets. The same approach will work with any two printers. And don’t forget to cistron in the possible savings from
ink subscription plans
if any are available for a printer you’re considering.

Understanding Laser Printer Connectivity

Almost any printer volition include a USB Type-B connector for a direct wired connection to a single PC. And even if that’s the only connector, Windows will let you share the printer on a network. Merely the easiest, and most efficient, selection for connecting to a network is an Ethernet port, which all just the least-expensive lasers by and large include as well. Connecting with Ethernet is usually every bit simple as plugging in the cable.

Well-nigh lasers today also offer Wi-Fi for network connection, either as an alternative to Ethernet or as the only option. Wi-Fi lets you lot put the printer anywhere without having to worry about stringing cables, but is
sometimes tricky to set up. AIOs with fax functionality will add together a telephone-line interface (RJ-45), unless they apply deject-based faxing.

Control panels vary widely from i laser printer to the next. Make certain yous become one with the walk-up features you need.

Back up for Wi-Fi Straight is also mutual, though sometimes that feature comes under a different name. Information technology lets you lot plant a directly peer-to-peer connectedness betwixt the printer and a calculator or mobile device. Nevertheless, you don’t really need Wi-Fi Direct to print wirelessly. If the printer is attached to a network, using either a wired or wireless connection, and you can connect to the network by Wi-Fi from a reckoner, telephone, or tablet, you can print over the network. Just bank check to be certain that the manufacturer offers a gratis downloadable app for printing (too as for scanning, for an AIO) that your telephone or tablet can use. Another option that is less common is support for Near-Field Communication (NFC), which lets y’all initiate the wireless connection to a mobile device past simply borer the device on a specific spot on the printer.

Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation Printer Output Speeds: Where Testing Matters

Speed ratings are determined differently for laser printers than for inkjets, which is why an inkjet and laser with the same rating in pages per infinitesimal (ppm) can come in at significantly unlike speeds on functioning tests. The vast majority of inkjets impress by moving a printhead back and along across the page. (The best-known exception:
HP’due south PageWide
inkjet printers churn out pages at laser-similar speeds by making the inkjet printhead a non-moving array.) And although inkjet ratings are given in ppm, they’re actually based on how fast they can print a folio’south worth of private lines. They’re also oft based on a impress mode that favors speed over quality.

Lasers are as well known equally “page printers,” which means they impress an entire folio at in one case. The laser draws the paradigm of the page equally an electrostatic charge on photosensitive material. The charged areas pick upwards toner particles to form the prototype for the entire page, and and so the particles are fused to the paper. The procedure takes essentially as long to print a blank page every bit a page total of text.

For ane- or 2-page documents, a given inkjet may beat an otherwise faster laser, because lasers accept longer to print the get-go page than afterwards pages, and the ppm rating is based on the printing speed starting with the 2d folio. Most light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation printers’ specs include the much slower first-folio-out (FPO) time separately. If you lot print a lot of longer documents, even so, the faster speed starting with page 2 is more important; that is where a laser’s speed makes a difference.

With either kind of printer, graphics and photos add processing time. This extra time isn’t accounted for in ppm ratings. Information technology varies from printer to printer, and it can depend on either your computer or a processer in the printer itself. What this adds up to is that vendor ratings aren’t as useful every bit comparative reviews for judging speeds. Ours offer cross-model print-speed comparisons with unlike kinds of real-globe documents, using the same documents for each printer. (Come across how we examination printers.)

Text and Color Quality Considerations

Laser printers don’t have the problems with output quality that ink causes for printing on plainly paper. Toner particles, ofttimes chemically grown to compatible size and shape, are tiny $.25 of plastic. Unlike ink, they can’t bleed into the newspaper to soften sharp edges for lines and graphics. Precisely positioned by the electrostatic accuse drawn by the laser axle on photosensitive cloth, they’re then fused in place. The precise positioning ensures professional person-looking documents, an advantage that may be subtle for 10- or 12-point text, simply makes a big difference in readability at 4 and six points. And considering the fused toner sits on the surface of the folio, rather than being absorbed into it, colors in graphics remain vibrant and saturated, instead of having the faded look that’s typical for inkjet color printing on apparently paper.

Fifty-fifty a meaty laser such as this Xerox model tin can plow out some very overnice blackness-and-white prints.

Fusing toner also has an advantage for duplex printing (press on both sizes of a page). Some inkjets volition stop momentarily subsequently printing ane side to give the page a chance to dry before running the page through the printer again for the second side. Fused toner doesn’t need drying fourth dimension. This is an important factor for whatsoever business that needs cleanly printed double-sided output at pinnacle speed. Even more important is that toner won’t smudge if you spill a few drops of water on information technology later. Most inks will.

Mind the Stock: Newspaper Handling and Duty Cycles

You’ll want to appraise the paper trays in any laser model (AIO or single-function) that you lot’re because: Will the chapters encounter your needs? A expert rule of thumb is that y’all probably don’t desire to reload newspaper more almost one time a week.

Paper-tray capacities tend to scale upwardly or down with the duty bike of the printer (more on this before long). The key things to look for: adequate capacity, multiple trays (in models that offer optional additional trays, the additions are typically added below the printer’s body), and a multipurpose tray, or at least a one-sheet bypass tray, for easy printing on newspaper yous don’t normally keep loaded. The output tray, meanwhile, should be big enough for the biggest document you lot’ll typically print.

“Duty bicycle” is a specification for the monthly page count a printer is rated for. Some printers don’t offer one, which is not an issue if y’all don’t print much. If yous print enough to wonder if you might overtax the printer, however, don’t buy one that doesn’t offering the spec.

The HP Neverstop Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation MFP 1202w all-in-ane saves money and reduces its ecological footprint with refillable toner.

“Maximum duty bike” is the well-nigh yous tin can print in a given calendar month without shortening the printer’s life, equally defined past the maximum number of pages it tin can print in its lifetime. “Recommended duty cycle” is a suggested maximum, sometimes based at to the lowest degree in part on how many pages per calendar month you can conveniently print. For example, a printer limited to a 250-sheet paper tray with no additional tray options wouldn’t merit a x,000-page recommended duty bike no matter how rugged it is. In full general, you’ll want the recommend duty cycle to at least match your typical monthly needs. The maximum duty cycle should exist well above the maximum you lot actually look to impress in any month. You tin can as well apply information technology to judge ruggedness.

Speak My Language? PCL and PostScript

Do you need PCL and PostScript? Support for i or both of these two page-description languages (PDLs) is critical for those who demand it, simply otherwise irrelevant. PCL was once standard for business users, and is still required in some cases, but not commonly needed. PostScript can be essential for pre-proofing commercial print jobs, peculiarly in concert with desktop-publishing applications that won’t piece of work without it. Information technology also guarantees that when printing a document, page breaks and line breaks will be the same when printing on any PostScript printer, and also the same as you saw on screen, bold the program was fix to utilize a PostScript driver. (Converting information technology to PDF format serves the same purpose.)

Generally speaking, if you’re in a position to buy a printer for your business concern, you lot should already know if y’all demand ane or the other of these PDLs. If y’alldon’tneed them, you can often find an identical or similar model for less from the same manufacturer, minus merely the PCL or PostScript support. Don’t pay extra for it if you don’t need it.

Farther Features to Wait For

Most lasers today have an automatic duplexer for printing on both sides of a sail of newspaper, and all but the least-expensive AIO models supplement their flatbed with an automatic document feeder (ADF), which is essential unless y’all rarely scan, copy, or fax multipage documents.

Machines like this Lexmark model can be expanded with boosted paper trays that stack on.

Duplex scanning, the ability to scan both sides of a page, is available in many ADFs, with three variations on the feature. The about mutual choice is a reversing ADF (RADF), which scans one side of the page, flips the folio over, and scans the other side. The most convenient (and most expensive) scans both sides in one pass, using scanning sensors both above and below the page. Bold the same speed for simplex (one-sided) scanning, an ADF that scans both sides at once is more than twice as fast for duplex scans than an RADF, making it the preferred choice if you lot need to scan in duplex on a regular basis. The third approach to duplex scanning, which is nearly suitable if you need the feature only occasionally, is a simplex ADF paired with built-in firmware or with software for your PC that volition permit you scan ane side, wait for you to flip the stack over, scan the other side, and automatically interfile the pages in the right order.

Finally, note that some models of both single- and multi-role printers support office-axial security and convenience features that may or may non exist useful for whatsoever given office. Amongst these are support for controlling settings and monitoring status over a network; private printing, which lets you ship a file with sensitive data to the printer and hold the print job in memory until you enter a Pivot code at the printer’s front console; and, for those printers that include a built-in hard drive, hard drive encryption and the ability to wipe the drive clean when decommissioning the printer.

The Blood brother HL-L9310CDW color laser printer has a multifariousness of communication options and fifty-fifty supports tapping ID cards for access.

Also in this category are print-volume tracking and access controls that might, for instance, allow you to limit who is immune to print in color (the aim being to lower press costs). For more of these business-focused features, run into
our guide to the best business printers, which covers both laser- and inkjet-based models.

LED Versus Laser: Does It Matter?

LED printers are lasers printers’ fraternal twins. Both are electrophotographic printers, which means they print by using light to describe images to be printed on photoelectric fabric, which attracts particles of toner to be transferred to newspaper. The but departure is the light source: LED or laser. LED models tend to be somewhat smaller than directly comparable laser printers, which makes them especially suitable where space is at a premium. Only for purposes of comparison, they are essentially variations on a theme, a stardom with little to no real-world difference.

Central printer players that offer LED-based models (every bit well as laser ones) include Brother and Xerox. At this writing, you can also still find OKI Information LED models for auction, but OKI no longer distributes printers in either North or South America.

So, Which Laser Printer Should You Purchase?

Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation printers have much to offer businesses of all sizes, from sole proprietorships to large corporations, and are worth considering, for some, for dwelling use as well. Have a expect below at our list of best lasers nosotros’ve tested, which span a broad range of prices and capabilities.

Nosotros update these picks ofttimes, only also cheque out ourprinter category page for the very latest reviews we’ve posted, including many models that didn’t make the cut here but are as well worth considering. And for more printer buying advice and reviews, check outour height printer picks overall, thebest inkjet printers, and our picks for
best all-in-i printers.