How Printers Are Evolving To Use Less Printer Ink

2011-08-08

The printing industry has gone through a number of changes over the years, and while some of those changes have caused prices to increase, others have caused prices to drop. There are a number of different options when it comes to printers nowadays, and it depends on the type of printing you do and the amount of printing that's done. It's been interesting to see the prices for printers drop in the last few years while the cost for printer ink cartridges has gone up. Part of the reason is that some printers simply use up a lot of printer ink, forcing consumers to go out and purchase cartridge replacements. The other part is that companies have noticed that printer ink cartridges make up the bulk of their revenue and not the printers, and have subsequently raised prices on printer ink cartridges. But the new printer evolution is changing the industry once again.

The use of inkjet printers has been on the rise for some time now because of their efficiency and ability to print high quality images and text. Many computers use inkjet printers, yet they are more widely used by individual consumers or small companies that do small amounts of printing with high quality materials. The inkjet printer is revolutionary in a sense since it functions differently than the standard laser printer. Inkjet printers create digital images by essentially shooting droplets of ink directly onto paper. Although this may produce brighter colors, the process uses up a lot of ink and can sometimes use more than needed, which ultimately causes spotting.

On the side of the printer evolution is the laser printers, which seem antiquated but are actually quite resourceful. The toner drum in these types of printers is essentially used to print the image onto the paper using heat and contact. As a result, laser printers use up much less ink and can actually print a lot faster and more efficiently than inkjet printers. Only what is needed is printed which allows consumers to cut back on the cost of restocking cartridges. They are able to print more often without the fear of the cartridge running low.

Printers are now able to accept remanufactured printer ink cartridges as well as the new ink refill systems. Both of these new changes in the industry allow for more ink efficiency and less cost overall. Purchasing any of these types of ink, combined with using printers only when needed, combine to make printers more efficient. Making sure to print in black when only printing text and using the color ink only when absolutely necessary, can also save ink in the long run.