Is a Laser Cheaper then Compatible Cartridge Inkjet???

[itsallgood]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking of getting a laser to replace my canon inkjet -- im sick of the last 4 inkjets i've owned drying up and being usless within a year.

After a lot of research - i really like the look of the canon lbp5050n.

It's a colour laser with network connection, and im hoping its not going to be "too" bad at photos. Maybe inkjet draft quailty??? Or inkjet photos printed on plain paper???

Anyway,

The toner for this new laser is 50 each. 3 colours - 1 black, thats 200!!!

My question is --

1. at 200 to refil - will a laser workout any cheaper then say, my ip4000 inkjet - which was 3 per colour to refill.
2. is my guess at photo quality from a laser printer about right? About the same as an inkjet on plain paper? or worse???
3. Is the lbp5050n any good? What laser would you recommend for say under 500, and isnt too bad at photos.

Thanks so much guys!

 

[zxcvbnm114]

Well they say about 2000 pages from a black toner and 1000 from a colour so thats 2p and page mono or 5p a page colour.

Your ip4000 probably did around 300 pages a cartridge so about 1p a page. The laser is probably faster and quieter though but not as good on photos...

A cheap laser will always be subsidised by expensive running costs. Business's pay a fortune for a large laser that is cheap to run but you need to be doing a considerable amount of printing for it to be worth while.

People used to say buy a second hand hp laser that was meant for heavy use and slap in an expensive but huge cartridge for large amounts of cheap hassle free printing in black and white. I don't know how well that still holds up now though. They may well no longer be as bomb proof.

 

[itsallgood]

Thanks for your reply zxc

So really my inkjet would work out cheaper then a laser - if i used compatibles.

I guess i will have another look for a decent inkjet again then.

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[yupkime]

The way prices are falling, I think it is just a matter of time before laser printers make inkjets extinct.
Just like what happened to video tapes, cassettes, and dot matrix printers.

Sure there are some people still using them but less and less.

Is there a laser printer forum out there somewhere?

 

[ghwellsjr]

Is there a laser printer forum out there somewhere?

You mean besides the one you're on?

 

[yupkime]

The title of this page and the bright colored graphic at the top is misleading then ...

Inkjet Printer Forum / Ink Jet Refill Forum
Everything you need to know about inkjet printers, ink jet refills, and inkjet cartridges!

 

[ghwellsjr]

You're right.

Well, this forum started out just for inkjets but after there were so many threads about lasers, the new category was added, and admittedly, most people here use inkjets. There probably is another forum out there just as devoted to lasers as this one is devoted to inkjets. But maybe laser printers are more reliable or not user-fixable and so there is no interest in a dedicated laser printer forum. I just don't know. Here's a link that might get you started:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=886#p886

Maybe you should start a new thread asking about a laser forum.

 

[jasiiboss]

Printers are printers whether inkjets or lasers and they are all fixable subject to right instructions and avl of parts and I on my part during the short span that I have been on this forum have benefited tremendously.
Hats off ! and THANKS to everybody out there.