Although the world is headed towards digitisation, the need for printing and keeping hard copies of essential documents is still relevant. It may sound simple that the printing of digital documents can be done by any printer out there in the market.
Although that is partly true, there are myriad factors one needs to consider before making a purchase. Based on one’s requirements, it is very easy to get confused with thousands of available options in the market.
Factors to Consider While Buying Inkjet or Ink Tank Printer
1) Weight
The weight of inkjet printers is way less than that of ink tank printers. The internal mechanism of an inkjet printer is different from that of an ink tank printer. As the name suggests, ink tank printers consist of a tank comprised of four storages or sections for other colours like black, cyan, magenta and yellow.
Each section’s capacity is 70 to 80 ml which increases the overall weight of the printer by 240 to 270 grams approx.
2) Cost
The initial cost of inkjet printers is far less than that of ink tank printers. Companies sell inkjet printers at a price lower than they incurred while manufacturing them, with the sole intention of retrieving the money by selling the costly cartridges.
3) Maintenance
Both types of printers require relatively low maintenance. Inkjet printers comparatively require a little more care, considering the ink in the cartridges tends to dry out quickly if not used frequently.
4) Cartridges
Inkjet printers come with two types of cartridges. One is black, and the other is a coloured cartridge. They are always filled with colours. Whereas ink tank printers come with empty print heads connected to four colour storages using four pipes.
5) Printing capacity
The printing capacity of an inkjet printer is far less than that of ink tank printers. Inkjet printers with a new cartridge can print up to 300 pages. Whereas ink tank printers can print up to 10,000 pages without any refilling.
6) Wireless mechanisms
Both types of printers support wireless printing technology. Both inkjets and ink tank printers come in two types of series where we can choose between a wired printer and a wireless one.
7) Installation
Both the printers come with installation CDs where detailed step by step processes are given on how to set up printers. So one does not have to worry about hiring a professional to help out with the installation process.
8) Portability
Ink tank printers contain liquid ink that may spill and spoil the ink and the machine on vigorous shaking. Hence, ink tank printers are difficult to carry around. Whereas inkjet printers contain ink in cartridges and are portable.
Conclusion
Whether it be inkjet or ink tank printers, one has to look into one’s requirements as a consumer. There are various reasons why a person might want to go for inkjets rather than ink tanks and vice versa. As a person willing to spend some money on a new printer, one has to look into the cost and the usage type apart from the other various reasons.
It’s cardinal for an individual to do research before spending some money. It’s very easy to get lost in today’s day and age as the options are too many to choose from. If one does not feel comfortable doing one’s research on various websites.
I would suggest going to the nearby electronic store and going through multiple types of printers along with asking the sales guy questions about the features of each and every printer.
