Inkjet vs Laser Printers: Printer Types, Explained
Inkjet printers spray liquid ink and suit photos and light use; laser printers fuse toner powder and suit fast, high-volume text printing.
By Antonio SmithamContributing writer.
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The short answer
The two main printer types put marks on paper in different ways. An inkjet sprays tiny droplets of liquid ink from nozzles. A laser printer charges a light-sensitive drum so that it picks up toner powder, then transfers the toner to the page and fixes it with heat.
Brother, which makes both kinds, sums up the trade-off: inkjets cost less to buy and handle bright color and photos well, while laser printers are faster, print sharp text and suit offices that print a lot, with lower long-term costs.
On Wiki Shopping, 633 of the 828 printers listed on October 26, 2026 state a type. Inkjet and laser are tied at 201 printers each.
Inkjet vs laser at a glance
| Inkjet | Laser | |
|---|---|---|
| What it uses | Liquid ink cartridges or tanks | Toner powder cartridges |
| Strong at | Color photos and graphics | Crisp text, fast runs |
| Price to buy | Usually lower | Usually higher |
| Fits | Low-volume home and small office use | High-volume offices |
| Size | Usually smaller | Usually larger |
Ink tank printers are inkjets that you refill from bottles instead of swapping cartridges. Photo printers are inkjets built for picture quality.
Printer types on Wiki Shopping
How many printers on Wiki Shopping list each type, on October 26, 2026. Each type links to its filter page.
Among laser printers, color and black-only models both appear: we list 64 color laser printers and 100 monochrome laser printers.
What does ppm mean on a printer?
Ppm means pages per minute (some makers write ipm, images per minute). Most makers now measure it with the ISO/IEC 24734 test. Lexmark explains how it works: the printer runs in its default mode on plain paper and prints set four-page files from Adobe Reader, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. The test reports the time to the first finished set and the steady speed after that, and makers usually advertise the steady single-sided figure.
Real speed at home can be lower. Lexmark lists the computer, driver, connection type (USB, Ethernet or wireless), color versus black, two-sided printing, quality setting, paper and the content of the document as factors that change it. Compare ppm figures only when both use the same ISO test and the same mode.
How long does a printer last?
No standard sets a printer lifespan; it depends on how much you print and how the printer is looked after. Two figures in the maker's specifications help you compare: the warranty length and the recommended monthly page volume.
How to choose
- Mostly documents, many pages: look at laser printers, and a monochrome laser if you never need color.
- Photos and occasional printing: look at inkjet and photo printers.
- Several devices at home: the wireless printers page filters for that.
How we count
Each printer on Wiki Shopping has its type read from the store listing. Printers whose listing gives no type are counted as "Not stated". The counts change as listings are added or removed.
Shop by spec
Printers
Inkjet, Color
- High-speed printing, PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology delivers high-speed, high-volume printing with 25 black/12 color ISO ppm and fast first-page-out.
- High-precision printing, accurate dot placement and DURABrite Ultra instant-dry pigment inks for professional-quality prints.
- High-volume reliability for heavy workloads, innovative heat-free technology designed for reliability and reduced downtime.
- Easy to use, 4.3" color touchscreen for quick navigation and control, plus all-new Epson Smart Panel App (1) for enhanced connectivity and productivity from your mobile device.
- Designed for productivity, auto 2-sided printing and 1-sided, 35-page ADF streamline workflow.
- Maximize efficiency, with large, 250-sheet paper capacity.
- Convenient, wireless setup, using a smartphone or mobile device (2) with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE); also includes built-in wireless, Wi-Fi Direct (3) and Ethernet networking.
- Seamless scanning, Epson ScanSmart supports easy scanning and editing with a user-friendly interface.
- Comprehensive security features, including secure wireless and Secure Data Erase.
Laser, Color
- COMPACT. Compact color printer fits almost anywhere(9. 6 x 16. 2 x 15. 5 inches / 243. 7 x 411. 2 x 394. 1 mm).
- EASY TO USE. Plug it in and go. Setup is fast and easy. Standard Wi-Fi makes it easy to print from mobile devices.
- INTERACTIVE. A 2. 8-inch color touch screen enables convenient interaction with essential system functions and task information.
- CONNECTED. Securely access files from popular cloud services Box, DropBox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive.
- LONGER PRINT RUNS. With replacement Extra High Yield Unison toner providing up to 4, 500 pages of output, you can print more and stop less.
- DURABLE. Steel frame and long-life imaging components mean it’s built to last.
- SOLID PERFORMANCE. Get things done with a 1-GHz dual-core processor and output up to 26 letter ppm.
- OUTSTANDING PRINT QUALITY. UnisonTM Toner delivers rich, vibrant color with crisp details.
- MEDIA FLEXIBILITY. Get universal media handing from A6 to legal, support for specialty media like envelopes and optional input expandable up to 751 pages.
- Form Factor: Print Only
Laser, Monochrome
- Monochrome Wireless, Duplex 4-in-1: Print, Scan, Copy, Fax
- Print up to 42 ppm
- Easy Wireless Setup
- 5-inch Touchscreen
- Mobile Device Printing
Ink tank
- SET IT UP ONCE AND PRINT WITH CONFIDENCE. No complicated maintenance. Just easy, reliable printing you can count on.
- INK FOR YEARS. NOT MONTHS. Up to 2 years of ink included. Get thousands of pages of cartridge-free printing. More pages, less hassle
- KEEPS PRINTING WELL AFTER COMPETITORS HAVE QUIT. No complex maintenance. Sharper text, richer colors.[2] Only with HP Smart Tank
- INNOVATION YOU CAN TRUST. Cartridge-free printing that keeps you printing longer with fewer interruptions, powered by the trusted HP innovation you rely on today
- THE LAST PRINTER YOU'LL EVER NEED. Enjoy years of refillable, cartridge-free printing.[
- MESS-FREE REFILL – Replenish ink with HP's easy-access, mess-free refill system. Simply plug the ink bottles into this cartridge-free ink tank and let them drain-no squeezing, no spilling
- PERFECTLY FORMATTED PRINTS WITH HP AI – Print web pages and emails with precision-no wasted pages or awkward layouts; HP AI easily removes unwanted content, so your prints are just the way you want
- KEY FEATURES – Print, copy and scan, plus borderless prints, mobile and wireless printing
- FULLY LOADED WITH SAVINGS – Best for low-cost, high-volume printing-2 years of Original HP Ink included; get up to 8,000 color pages or 6,000 black pages right out of the box