So what exactly is the difference between laser printers and inkjet printers
?
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to inkjet printers vs. laser printers. Many people understand that there are toner cartridges and ink cartridges, but they aren't quite sure how toner is different from ink or if ther two are interchangeable all together. (They aren't.)
Who knew there was so much to know about inkjet printers?!
Inkjet printers are presently the most popular computer printer on the market and they can vary from very small inexpensive units to very large industrial printers. An inkjet printer creates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink in a controlled fashion onto a page. Essentially there are two types of inkjet printers to consider: continuous inkjets (CIJ) and Drop-on-Demand inkjets (DOD). Essentially, both CIJ and DOD inkjets require printer ink cartridges and rely on changes in pressure in order to propel that ink onto page... but they arrive at that change in pressure through two different ways.
Continuous inkjet technology was first development in the 50's (though it was conceptualized first way back in the 19th century!) CIJ inkjets rely on a high-pressure pump that drives ink through a tiny nozzle, creating a continuous flow of ink hence the name "continuous" inkjets.
DOD inkjets (aka thermal inkjets) use heat to induce slight evaporation, which increases pressure in the container and this pressure propels the ink outward.
OK Inkjet printers propel ink onto the page, but how is that different from a laser printer?
A laser printer is an "electrostatic" printer, meaning that it uses a laser beam to transfer toner particles onto paper in text and image formations. Put simply, there is an internal rotating drum that is both electrically charged and coated with photoconductor. A laser beam projects the text and/or images onto the page, and the drum - this is when toner finally comes into the picture attracts toner particles to the page. Those particles are then fused into place with heat. Laser printers require laser toner cartridges, are very fast and produce very high quality images.