When it comes to getting premium quality printed labels you need to know what type of printer to use. As it can be difficult to choose whether a laser or an inkjet printer would be a better option, we cover the basic information about the two types including their pros and cons to help you decide.
Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers use ink that is sprayed onto a piece of paper or a label in a series of tiny dots. Quality paper must be used for printing with inkjet printers because if the paper is low quality it might absorb more than the necessary amount so the images might appear blurry. It is better to use smoother paper because you will have sharper images as a result since the ink soaks in just enough and dries fast.
In addition, the brighter the paper, the better quality the image will have when printed with an inkjet printer. Plus, the coated paper allows for two layers of ink to be applied which can give a much higher resolution image.
The labels you can print with the inkjet printer are standard labels on sheets, fluorescent labels, and removable labels. Generally you need stock with a matt finish to it, as a gloss stock will actually make the ink smudge as it cannot penetrate into the paper deep enough. If printing onto a gloss finish, you need a stock specifically designed for this printer.
The Pros of an Inkjet Printer
They are an excellent solution for photos and image-heavy documents as they blend smooth colours better than the laser printers. Also, inkjet printers don’t cost too much and the inkjet ink cartridges are cheaper initially than toner cartridges. Inkjet printers start printing at the moment the button is pressed, so no warm-up time is needed. Moreover, they are cheaper to maintain and to refill wasted ink cartridges.
The Cons of an Inkjet Printer
There are inkjet ink cartridges that are water-based, so the prints can fade easily if they come in contact with water. Also, frequent cleaning is a must and while it is an automated process it still wastes a lot of ink in the process. Finally, inkjet printers are used more in the homes as they have low capacity paper trays of around50-100 sheets. This can be an issue if you are planning on printing a greater number of sheets. Also, the ink cartridges run out very quickly, so if you are printing larger volumes of sheets then they become very expensive on a per sheet basis, as you have to replace them much more regularly.
Laser Printers
The greatest difference between the two types is that inkjet printers use ink for printing while laser printers use toner. The toner is an electrically charged powder which under heat from the printer’s head is fused to paper fibres. The way it works is with static electricity and a “drum”. The printer drum is very similar in looks with a thick rolling pin. With the use of electric charges, the laser draws images on the drum which is coated in the toner. The image is transferred when the toner sticks to the charges. Finally, the paper passes through heated rollers(fusers) which fuse the tones to the paper fibres.
What you get at the end is an image that won’t smudge or blur and there is no need for drying. The labels that work in a laser printer are standard labels on sheets, fluorescent labels, gloss labels, removable labels, clear labels, and synthetic labels.
Pros of a Laser Printer
They are faster than the inkjet printer and you can really see the difference in time spent if you are producing a high volume of prints. In addition, the laser printers will produce a perfect sharp black text as well as small fonts and fine lines way better than the inkjet printer. Furthermore, their intended use is to handle high-volume print jobs. They can print onto almost any substrate and the toner won’t bleed or smudge.
Cons of a Laser Printer
They need some warm-up time and cost more than the inkjet printers. Also, toner leaks are hard to clean, so if something like this happens in the process of printing, the print will be damaged. Finally, laser printers are bigger and weigh more so they are harder to move around.