this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2024
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After switching to laser, I truly don't understand how inkjets still sell. Is it purely for photo printing at home? Because outside of that specific use case, laser is far superior on every axis.
A toner cartridge lasts for years and years, even with limited use, and it nets you thousands of pages. Laser printers aren't even that expensive anymore, and I'd argue they're cheaper than inkjet after having to refill the latter just a single time.
Edit: and something I didn't know until I got one: toner doesn't run if pages get wet. There have been a few times where that has been handy.
My wife has a cricut. It’s a little CNC plotter table that can make custom stickers, signs, and whatnot with a very clean UI. They are pretty popular with the stay-at-home mom crowd. If you know a better way to high quality color prints on specialty papers I’d love to hear it. I know that sounds sarcastic, but I mean that with absolutely zero sarcasm. Please tell me.
That sounds like a legitimate use case, tbh.
Sometimes the complexity of a "better" system isn't worth it when a "lesser"-but-easier system exists that produces satisfactory results.
I know PCB etching enthusiasts have developed a way to transfer laser toner onto copper PCBs.
I wonder if there is a similar system that could be done, but between print paper and product paper.
The transfer is done because it's really hard to feed a PCB into a printer.
Color is the main concern.
Ah, right enough. I remember destroying a $20 inkjet so I could feed PCBs through it.
I stopped prototyping my own PCBs before I got into UV transfer or toner transfer. Its been a good many years
One lab I was in used a CNC mill to route boards. It was pretty effective, and really great for custom geometry like encoders formed to the back of motors or boards doubling as structural components.
I bought a 3d printer with an eye to get back into PCB fab... Either by swapping to a CNC head, or by printing plastic onto PCB.
I just don't make enough PCBs these days to justify the FAFF of making it work. Which is a shame. I bet if have a lot of fun
A color laser printer costs $400+ where I live. That's why people still but inkjet, Cause you can buy those for $50.
To poorer people, that's always the grind. You know you're gonna pay more in the long run, but you can't afford the initial investment in order to make those savings
Laser printers are literally the same price most likely. In the us market (atleast) you can get them for $60 from Dell / etc. you don’t have to spend $200+ on a laser typically.
Most people don’t need color. Monochrome lasers are dirt cheap.
That is of course unless there’s some issue with availability wherever you are
The cheapest Dell laser printer where I live is $200 and that's a black and white, the color ones are $300 for the cheapest
Color laser printers basically need a full printer assembly for each color, which drives up the cost. I believe there's LED laser printers that can do everything in a single assembly so they're typically cheaper
When I was in college I just bought new printers on sale when I ran out of ink because it was cheaper than buying refills.
I bought my color laser printer from the local university surplus store for $20...
Congrats! That's not the standard, though.
I agree
I can't imagine anywhere I could buy a laser printer in my city for $20 unless it was from an old lady at a garage sale that is selling random shit. Can't even buy a meal for $20 around here. University stores are also a place you go when you want to get gouged.
University bookstore =/= University surplus store
You do get gouged to shit at the former though
Those aren't a thing where I live
University surplus is where they sell any and all items no longer needed by the school.
Though, I have also had some really good luck on govdeals for some stuff
There's no such store in my city. They just sell all the surplus on marketplace at crazy prices. Just saw a used laser printer on there for like $300
Because on a shelf with inkjet printers, lasers cost 5* the upfront cost. Of course you make that back by not buying 50€ cartridges everytime you print because the ink is dry, but consumers don't think about the type of printer they're buying.
https://www.theprinterpros.com/HP-Color-LaserJet-CP1518ni-Printer-Refurbished-p/ypc-cp1518ni-hp.htm
600 DPI and the toner refills are cheap as fuck. I have had 2 of these and they work great.
I don't doubt it. But in a Walmart these are next to $50 inkjets and guess what people are going to pick.
My dad prints a lot of schematics and diagrams on 11x17 to mark up and edit for his job, but color laserjets that can handle 11x17 don't seem to exist outside of the humongous office printers with 5 1000-sheet paper drawers. Probably because the toner cartridges need to be bigger.
He's got a Brother ink tank inkjet, though, which is pretty much the next best thing.
Tabloid.
I freaking LOVE tabloid printers. Its such a niche printing need tho.
Yeah I've been using laser printers for years, fuck inkjet. I'm still on the starter cartridges from my current one and it's pushing 5 years old. Though I print very little. Unlike ink that dries out, toner is fine for a very long time.
I'm more confused by the fact that anyone owns a printer at home tbh.