Ink jet printers are popular in today's world. They are unique in how they work. Thousands of ink droplets are expelled onto the paper to create the image. A variety of styles are available, so you can choose one that will most suit your printing needs.
As with any product, there are advantages and disadvantages to ink jet printers. It is always good to have knowledge of these issues before making your final purchase. They do have many compelling benefits.
- A Low Price Point
- High Quality Images
- Easy to Operate
- Quieter Than Other Options
- Fast With No Warm Up Time
That said, there are some serious disadvantages that have to be weighed into your final decision of which printer to buy; print speed is slow, ink cartridges are expensive to replace, and they don't work well in high volume situations. The following information will give you some in depth information that can help you decide if an ink jet printer is right for your needs.
Advantages
The low cost is a huge advantage when it comes to selecting a printer. Of all the printers available, ink jet printers are the least expensive. Keep in mind that quality equals price. The cheapest ones produce the lowest quality images, but even an expensive ink jet printer is more affordable than other printer options. That said, recent ink jet technology is allowing the cheaper versions to still create decent images.
These printers have high quality output, printing fine and smooth details. They can create documents or images that are top notch. Modern technology lets you create effects that make the images more vivid than on other printers. In addition, ink jet printers are capable of printing in vivid color, good for printing pictures.
The key advantage of an this type of printer for many is that it is so easy to use. It is also reasonably fast to run. There is a shorter time delay between each document that is sent to an ink jet printer than with a laser printer. There is also a shorter delay in the beginning of the process of printing. There is no warm up time, not requiring time to heat up like a laser printer would.
Many people choose these printers for the mere fact that they are quieter than a dot matrix printer. If space is an issue, ink jet printers will take up less desk top area than a laser printer.
Disadvantages
On an inkjet printer, the print head is less durable. They are prone to clogging and damage. This could lead to Ink Jet Printer Repairs. They are not good for high volume printing either.
The big disadvantage to an ink jet printer is that it's expensive to replace ink cartridges. Cartridge costs can actually exceed the cost of the machine over time. What you save on the initial investment is lost when you consider cartridge replacement expenses.
Replacing cartridges may bring on additional problems. The printer may become clogged with ink, a common issue. They have cleaning cycles, but you still need to replace the cartridge after several uses. There are companies that will refill and service the cartridge through Ink Jet Printer Maintenance Plans so you don't have to replace them. It saves money, but it takes extra time.
Printing speed is not as fast with this printer as it is with a laser printer. They are generally printers that are only good for small volumes of printed documents.
Be aware that with this type of printer there are problems that may arise from the ink. Ink bleeding is a common complaint. Ink can be carried sideways, causing a bleeding effect on some papers. If using the documents and images you print for business presentations, know that you cannot use highlighter marker on ink jet printouts.
These printers use an Aqueous ink that is sensitive to water. Even a small drop of water can cause blurring. Once a document or image has been created, it needs time to dry. This will delay the delivery process. There is a risk of smudging until it completely dries.
