Types of Printers and their usage

While the world is moving towards digitization where documents, photos, and information can be stored and accessed online, there is still a need for physical documents and printed copies in our day-to-day life. To fulfill this need, we use printers. There are various types of printers considering their functions and uses. In this article, we will try to give you an overview of different types of printers and the reasons for using them.

1. Inkjet printers

Inkjet printers are the most popular forms of printers for small-scale /home-based users. They’re low-priced and require liquid ink that is relatively affordable to replace. They can perform high-quality color printing or produce moderately fast black & white prints. If you are an occasional printer user and looking for a high-quality print, then inkjet printers are the best choice for you. 

The ink of the inkjet printers is available as ink cartridges. The ink cartridge may be cheaper than a laser printer’s toner, but it lacks longevity between uses. 

As inkjet printers offer a good balance of quality, speed, and price, they are the most common type of home printers for this reason. There are few issues an inkjet printer user faces now and then. For example, some printer models won’t print anything if they’re out of a certain color, whether you use that color or not. Some models won’t print unless you replace the cartridge with that of the company's own cartridges.

2. Laser printers

Laser printers, use a focused laser light to heat a toner material that transfers the text and images on the paper. Laser printers used in offices are mostly monochrome (black and white), but there are color laser printers which are often used in creative firms, marketing agencies, fashion designing houses, and architecture firms etc. 

Laser printers usually are faster than inkjet printers in terms of print speed. They also have a higher print quality compared to inkjet printers. This is why the average price of a good laser printer is higher than any good inkjet printer and a toner cartridge used in a laser printer is typically more expensive than ink cartridges which also apparently last longer.

3. All-in-one printers

All-in-one multifunction printers can be laser or inkjet. An all-in-one printer combines the functionality of a printer, a scanner, a copier and usually a fax. They can send and receive documents, save them on your computer, print and copy documents. Although all-in-ones are larger than many regular printers, they apparently take up less space and cost less than a separate printer, fax, scanner and photocopier. This is why they are ideal for small business or a small office and in some cases, for a home office.

4. Label printers

Label printers are a subcategory of dye-sublimation printers which are designed to print on specific surfaces such as self-adhesive label material, plastic tags, or paper tape.  There are usually two types of label printers: Desktop label printers for light to medium duty use and Industrial label printers for heavy duty operation used in warehouses, factories and distribution centers.  

5. Card printers

Card printers are another sub-category of dye-sublimation printers which are designed to print on specific surface such as hard plastic. They are different from label printers which have a continuous supply feed. Card printers are used to print EC-cards (used in banks), id cards, credit cards, telephone cards, and driver's licenses.

6. Dot matrix printers

Dot matrix printers are old-school printers which are typically quite big and reliable. They are needed when there is a significant amount of printing required, but the print quality is not so important. If you remember the reams of paper with tear-off perforated holes on the side, that is a result of a dot matrix printer. They are also renowned for surviving in harsher, commercial environments where more consumer-level printers would not last.

7. Large Format Printer

As their name suggests, large format printers are huge in size built for printing architectural drawings, construction plans, backdrops for media sets, posters, banners, trade show graphics, and any other large format artwork or signage.

8. 3D printers

3D printers are high-tech based printers which are becoming extremely popular among the DIYers (Do it yourself) and hobbyists who are looking to go hands-on with their own creations. Essentially, 3D printers create physical objects typically by layering down many thin layers of plastic material from three-dimensional digital models created in software.

As the technology is modernizing, printers’ quality, efficiency and performance innovation is evolving gradually. No matter how digital our life becomes, the need for physical touch will always be an important factor in our life. A printer’s contribution to keep things real will sustain its needs among its users.