Types of Printers and What They're Best For

Modern technology has created many types of printers. Choosing among the different types of printers is a balancing act between price, performance and functionality.

Types Of Printers

• Dot Matrix/Impact: These dinosaurs of printing technology manage to hang on because they can do something no other printers can: impact printers excel at printing multi-sheet forms that generate carbon copies. Although this is certainly a razor-thin market, if you need this capability, you have few other options.
• Inkjet: By spraying tiny drops of ink on the page, inkjet printers are able to create high-resolution images in a wide range of colors. Although inkjet printers are cheap, replacement ink cartridges can be expensive, especially for medium- to large-sized print runs. Third-party inkjet cartridges and refill kits are available to offset the cost of supplies, but you need to be carful that using these less-expensive options won't void your printer's warranty.

  
  Inkjet printers generate their large color range by mixing basic colors as they are delivered to the page. Inkjet printers that use primary colors (red, green blue) are called RGB printers. RGB printers are fine for basic color image, business reports and charts. Other inkjets use a system called CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). CMYK printers use technology similar to commercial printers and are perfect for high-resolution photo printing. The newest models add additional shades of ink, which provides a better range of colors and cuts down on overall ink consumption.

• Laser: A laser printer's print method mimics the photocopier: an electrostatic drum transfers toner onto the page where it is fused at high temperature. Laser printers are capable of generating crisp, high-resolution text, making them perfect for business applications. Although laser printers can be more expensive to purchase, they are more cost effective than inkjets for medium to large printing runs.

  
  Laser printers are available in black and white and color. Color laser printers can be expensive to operate, but are good for printing reports and marketing materials. Color lasers are not appropriate for photo printing, however.

• Multifunction: Inkjet and laser printers are available in multifunction versions that add fax, copier and scanner capability. The added capability of multifunction printers does little to reduce printing speeds and adds extra capabilities for only a slight bump in price. If you need these capabilities or are space constrained, a multifunction printer can be a great choice.
• Photo: If you print lots of photos, a specialty photo printer can be a good investment. Designed to print high-quality 4x6 or 5x7 prints, photo printers can often print directly from your camera's memory card.
• Mobile: Mobile printers are smaller versions of inkjet printers that are designed to fit in a backpack or briefcase. Mobile printers are often battery operated and can print from memory cards or USB drives, removing the need to carry cables with the printer.