Which printer is better to buy for home and office

Today, the choice of printing equipment is greater than ever: different brands, hundreds of models with different parameters and a bunch of possibilities. Any destination for every taste and wallet. But which one is the best? Which printer is better to buy for home or office so that it copes well with the assigned tasks, is reliable, economical and, preferably, not too expensive? There is no definite answer - it all depends on your needs: what you are going to print, on what media and in what circulations.

Types of printers - what they are

All modern printers are complex and high-tech. They can not be put up for comparison in one common row. To determine the best, each parameter is evaluated in the context of the rest, taking into account the functionality and purpose of the device.

There are the following classifications of printers:

• by printing technology: laser, inkjet, matrix, sublimation, LED, carbide, thermal, etc .;
• by purpose: universal, intended "for everything" - photos, documents and other things, and highly specialized, for example, only for printing business cards, checks, etc .;
• by color gamut: single-color, with a limited number of colors and full-color;
• by media type: for printing on paper, on fabric, on plastic, etc .;
• by productivity (average monthly load): low-, medium- and high-performance (professional);
• according to carrier format: narrow format (maximum carrier size - A3) and widescreen (from A2 and more);
• by paper feeding method (vertical or horizontal loading, using rolls of paper);
• in terms of functionality, only printers and multifunction devices (MFPs) combine to combine a printer, scanner, copier, and fax machine.

Laser printers

Principle of operation

In laser printing toner is used - coloring powder, which is enclosed in replaceable cartridges - black and color. The process of image formation on a laser printer can be simplified as follows:

• at the first stage, the photodrum is charged - an electric field is created on it, which is able to attract the toner to itself (the photodrum is a shaft that rolls over the paper and leaves an imprint on it);
• then there is an illumination (scanning) by a laser beam of separate sections of the photodrum - precisely in those places where the dye should fall;
• due to the rotation of the magnetic shaft inside the cartridge, toner is applied to the laser-activated zones of the photodrum;
• then the toner is transferred to the paper - this is helped by another shaft, which is located under the sheet and is charged opposite to the photodrum - it contributes to the "attraction" of paint to paper;
• at the last stage of printing, the image is fixed — the sheet rolls between the two shafts of the oven, where under the influence of high temperature (from 180 to 220 ° C) and pressure, the toner is baked and adheres tightly to the paper.

Laser printer

+Benefits

The image printed on a laser printer is notable for the brightness of colors, which do not fade, spread and spread when water enters. And also - in high resolution (even very small text is well readable). In addition, a laser printer is much more economical and prints faster than inkjet, which is convenient for the circulation of printed products.

-disadvantages

• During the laser printing process, ozone is released (a gas with a characteristic odor that can be harmful to health).
• On color images there are halftone distortions.
• The date and serial number of the printer (with color printing) is put on the print - this is done so that money and securities are not forged
• High energy intensity
• The high cost of consumables (cartridges) and the device itself. Prices for color laser printers start at 4500 rubles, and black and white prices start at 2000 rubles. The upper limit of their value is not limited.

Examples of models

• Black and White: Xerox Phaser 3010, Brother HL-1110R, Canon i-Sensys LBP6020B.
• Color: Canon i-SENSYS LBP7010C, Xerox Phaser 6500N, HP LaserJet Pro Color 400 M451nw.
• Professional (A3 format, color): Xerox Phaser 7100, HP Color LaserJet Pro CP5225, Konica Minolta MagiColor 8650DN.

Inkjet printers

Principle of operation

A color printer of this type is inferior to a laser in print speed, but rather accurately and accurately transmits half tones. Therefore, inkjet printers are preferable to use for photo printing and multi-color images. The picture is created from points that leave dye micro-droplets. Liquid dye is located inside replaceable cartridges and is fed to the paper through a tiny hole (nozzle) in the print head.

Multifunction inkjet printer

Today there are 3 methods of inkjet printing:

• piezoelectric ink supply on demand (used in Epson, Brother and some other printers);
• thermal or bubble with ink supply on demand (developed by Canon and used on almost all of its models, as well as on HP);
• continuous ink supply system (CISS).

Piezoelectric technology allows you to change the volume of the dye micro-droplet and thereby affect the quality and speed of printing. The ejection of ink occurs under the action of electricity. In the thermal method, the dye in the area of ​​the outlet of the print head is heated to 500 ° C, from which bubbles form in it, which throw it out. Frequent heating and cooling accelerate the wear of the head, so during the operation of the printer you have to change it several times. The piezoelectric head is devoid of this disadvantage - it is non-replaceable and serves as much as the device itself.

The system of continuous ink supply consists of hermetically sealed paint tanks, connected by means of tube vessels with cartridges and as they fill them. For desktop printers, CISS is sold separately, and professional printing equipment is usually completed with it initially.

Inkjet Continuous Ink System

The main advantage of CISS is to significantly reduce the cost of printing and increase printer productivity. Usually this system is acquired by enterprises where there is a great need for printed products. It is also useful for home use, but not for everyone.

+Benefits of Inkjet Printers

• The low cost of replaceable cartridges and the devices themselves.
• Relative harmlessness of ink and lack of formation of ozone when printing.
• Good transfer of halftones.
• Inkjet printers are easier to use and cheaper to maintain than others.

-disadvantages

• Low print speed (with the exception of a very limited number of models of special design).
• Image instability - rather fast wear, blanching, spreading paint when wet. In addition, not completely dried ink can be smeared and smudged.
• The possibility of drying ink in the nozzle of the print head. In some cases, after that the cartridges cannot be restored.

Examples of models

• A4 format: HP OfficeJet Pro X551, Epson M105, Canon Pixma IP100.
• A3 format: Canon Pixma Pro 100, Epson A3 Stylus Photo 1410 U, HP OfficeJet 7110 WF ePrinter H812a.

LED printers

Principle of operation

LED or LED printers are very similar to laser printers, but they have some differences in printing technology. In them, as well as in laser ones, there is a photodrum, which transfers powdered toner to paper, but instead of a beam, a fixed LED line, equal in width to the drum, is used here.The more LEDs in this line (they can be from 2,500 to 10,000), the higher the maximum print resolution and the more expensive the printer.

LED printer

+Benefits

• The LED scanning system is much smaller than the laser one, therefore the cases of this type of printers are more compact.
• The LED system is more durable, as there are fewer moving parts.
• The color and resolution of printed images is comparable to the quality of laser and often surpasses it.
• No ozone formation.
• Higher security of transmitted information from unauthorized interception.

-disadvantages

• Print speed is about 2 times lower than that of laser printers.
• The cost of printed products, consumables and the LED printer itself is higher than the laser one.
• Some models are equipped with custom-designed cartridges and shapes that are difficult to buy and have nothing to replace.

Examples of models

OKI C110 and other representatives of the brand OKI, Xerox Phaser 6000, Brother HL-3140CW, Toshiba e-STUDIO263CP.

Sublimation Printers

Principle of operation

The sublimation technology consists in the use of a solid dye, which is transferred onto paper by evaporation (sublimation). Printers of this class work as follows: a heater is placed inside the apparatus, which transfers heat to a nearby polymer film coated with colored dye. The film is in contact with the paper. In the process of printing, the ink evaporates from the heated film, the vapor penetrates into the paper and is fixed in it. A transparent polymeric layer is additionally applied on top - to fix the image.

Sublimation printer

This technology allows to obtain prints of the highest quality and durability, especially on photo paper. Sublimation - today the best printer for printing photos.

+Benefits

• The highest quality print image, clarity in semitones, high resolution.
• Uniform application of the dye - in contrast to the jet, with the sublimation technology in the picture it is impossible to distinguish individual pixels.
• It is possible to transfer the print from photo paper to other surfaces (fabric, ceramics, plastic, etc.), which is successfully used in the production of souvenirs.

-disadvantages

• The high cost of the apparatus and consumables for it.
• The high cost of printed products.
• Low speed

Examples of models

• Desktop (for home): Samsung SPP-2040, Epson L110, Canon SELPHY CP810.
• Professional (for production): Fujifilm ASK-2500, Mitsubishi Electric CP-D70DW, DNP DS-RX1.

Video: sublimation printer device

Hard ink printers

Principle of operation

Devices of this class are designed for continuous printing of large quantities. The technology is maximally simplified: solid wax dye is produced in briquettes that can be loaded into the printer during the printing process. Before transferring to paper, the ink is melted to a liquid state. The stationary printhead applies a layer of dye to the roll that rolls over slightly heated paper. The remains of the melted, but not consumed ink merge in the special container.

Solid ink Xerox ColorQube 8570DN printer

+Benefits

• Very high print speed - the image is applied quickly and in one layer.
• Simple and durable mechanism with a minimum of moving parts. The printing shaft is calculated on service about 5 years.
• Wax ink is saturated with color and durability.
• Low production cost. Color and monochrome images cost almost the same price.
• The possibility of long non-stop work.
• In addition to a large number of types of paper, it is possible to print on other types of media - film, plastic, etc.

-disadvantages

• To avoid overruns of the dye, it must be kept molten, that is, the printer must be constantly turned on, even when not in use. Because of this, power consumption rises.
• The high price of the device, which pays off only at a constant workload of his work.
• The scope of use is limited to industrial applications, such as home printers are not used.

Examples of models

Available under the brand name Xerox: representatives of the ColorQube and Phaser model series. For example, XEROX ColorQube 8570DN, XEROX Phaser 8870DN.

Dot matrix printers

Principle of operation

Matrix - this is the oldest of all existing printers. The printing technology consists in drawing on paper an image consisting of dots in a percussive manner. Ink is used ink ribbon, as in typewriters. The method of application is also very similar: the print head is attached to a carriage that moves across a sheet of paper - line by line.

Among the printers of this type there are not only black and white, but also color, capable of printing up to 7 colors. This feature depends on the color of the ribbon being loaded into the device. There may be 4 such tapes (CMYK palette). 7 colors are obtained by imposing prints of different shades on each other.

Today, matrix printers are used to print forms, receipts, tickets, etc., where simplicity and accuracy are needed. The most popular of them are devices with a 9-needle print head, as the fastest.

+Benefits

• Low price, cheap consumables.
• Long non-stop work.

-disadvantages

• Outdated technology with disabilities.
• Noise during operation.
• Low print speed.

Examples of models

OKI MICROLINE 6300FB-SC, Epson FX-2190, Printronix T5204r ES, Jolimark DP550.

Specialty Printers

To the group of specialized, we attributed the printing devices of narrow purpose, for example, such:

• for printing labels, labels and price tags;
• for business cards;
• for checks;
• for drawing a picture on the fabric;
• for printing on CDs;
• for printing banners and advertising stretch marks (widescreen);
• for plastic cards, etc.

The list is far from complete, since there are a lot of varieties of such printers. This necessary and useful technique is used exclusively in its field, therefore, not everyone knows about it. So, for example, no store can do without a label printer, because it is inconvenient and expensive to use an ordinary printer for such purposes.

Label printers print on a small format media - narrow paper tape. As a rule, they are equipped with various "chips": cutters, ready-made labels accumulators, counters, etc. There are models for color and black-and-white printing, working in different technologies, using thermal printing or ink, which differ in average monthly load and other parameters.

Label printer

The same can be said about other narrow-purpose printers: only one thing unites them - the area of ​​use, and technologies and everything else can be completely different.

Large format printing

We should also mention wide format printers or plotters, as they are used not only in printing houses, but also bought for the office in order to print documents of A2 format and higher. The maximum width of the carrier for individual devices of this class is 5 meters.

Wide oriented printer

There are several technologies used in large format printing:

• inkjet, using aqueous, solvent (solvent-based) and ultraviolet (polymerizing under the action of UV rays) ink;
• laser - electrographic (similar to the technology of a conventional laser printer) and thermal transfer (transfer of paint from film carrier to paper);
• sublimation (akin to conventional sublimation printers).

There are also printers cutters that do not print, and cut the image along the contour.

Large-format printer is indispensable for printing large-scale advertising products, posters, decorative elements for interiors, geographical maps, engineering, geological and architectural projects, and others.

Examples of models

• UV printer: HP Scitex XP5500.
• Solvent: Roland BN2.
• Sublimation: Epson SureColor SC-F6000 / F7000.
• Printers cutter: GCC JC-240E.

Multifunction devices

A multifunction device or an MFP is called a printer combined with a scanner, a copier module, and sometimes a fax machine in one package.

Xerox WorkCentre MFP

There are advantages and disadvantages to using multifunctional devices. From the positive sides can be noted:

• convenience of working with the device, where there is "everything";
• saving space at home or in the office due to the compactness of the MFP;
• that the purchase of each of the devices separately would cost about 2 times more expensive;
• lower unit cost of printed products in comparison with printed on a separate printer of the same class.

From minuses it is necessary to say about the fact that in case of a breakdown of the MFP, both the printer, the scanner, and the copier stop working at the same time. In addition, low-cost multifunction devices often have low rates in all respects, so if at least one component has high requirements, it is better to buy everything separately.

• See also:We buy the MFP: which manufacturer is better

Which printer is better: laser or inkjet

And yet, what to choose from this variety? Which is better to buy a printer home or office? The widest choice is presented by models of two classes - laser and jet.

You are more suitable laser printer, if:

• need to quickly print large quantities of products;
• you place higher demands on the readability of the print than on a good color rendition;
• the printer will be installed in a room with good ventilation;
• you are going to print only black and white documents.

Inkjet printer will justify your costs if:

• you do not want to spend too much on the purchase of a printer and consumables for it;
• you need inexpensive color and black-and-white printing, and high performance and speed are not important;
• you need the most simple to use device;
• high resolution of the picture does not play a decisive role for you, much more important is a good color rendition;
• you are going to print photos.

Video: which printer to choose - laser or inkjet

Decide which printer is better: Epson, Canon or HP

Having decided on the type of printer, it remains to choose the right make and model. Epson traditionally has the widest assortment, followed by Canon and HP on equal terms. Xerox specializes in high-performance professional models, Samsung and Brother produce a bit of everything. The Lexmark brand is popular in America and Europe as reliable and economical.

In our country, the highest demand is for Canon, HP and Epson, so we will try to figure out which of these three is better and by what parameters.

Epson

• Inkjet printers of this brand use "robust" piezoelectric technology - their print heads are much more reliable than the thermal type. But replacing them in case of problems is quite expensive.
• The movable mechanical parts of this brand of inkjet and laser printers are more reliable and resistant to wear than HP and Canon.
• Epson printers are the most functional.
• Epson cartridges are the smallest and can not be refilled.

HP

• Choose an HP printer to choose the best balance between quality and price: they are inexpensive, but they print pretty well.
• HP inkjet printers have removable thermal printheads that serve as much as cartridges. The change of the one and the other occurs simultaneously. Cartridge total 2 - black and combined color.
• HP cartridges withstand several refills.

Canon

• The quality of mechanical parts, range, inkjet technology, Canon printers closest to HP and cost, on average, the same.
• Canon replaceable cartridges, unlike HP - are divided into all four colors and withstand several refills. Cost cheaper than HP.
• The print head, like the HP - interchangeable.

The result is this: despite the manufacturability and variety of Epson, consumables and maintenance of these printers is more expensive than HP and Canon. The use of Canon least hits the pocket of the owner. And HP in the comparative tests of these three printers shows the highest print quality.