Printing technologies available today
Traditional cartridge inkjet
The lifelong one. Cheap printer ($40-80), small cartridges ($15-30 each) lasting 200-400 pages. Worst cost-per-page on the market (US$ 0.10-0.30 B&W, much more in color). Only justified for under 50 pages/month with no upfront budget.
Continuous-ink inkjet (EcoTank, MegaTank, InkTank)
The quiet revolution of the last decade. Epson EcoTank, Canon MegaTank, HP Smart Tank and Brother InkBenefit come with large refillable tanks pre-filled for 4,000-7,000 pages. Higher upfront cost (US$ 180-400) but cost-per-page drops to US$ 0.005-0.01. If you print color and need decent photo quality, it's the best value in 2026.
Monochrome laser (B&W)
The office workhorse. Brother HL-L2370DW, HP LaserJet M209, Canon i-SENSYS. Toner lasting 1,500-3,000 pages, cost-per-page US$ 0.02-0.04. Speed 30-40 ppm, perfect text quality, doesn't dry up after weeks of inactivity. The best choice for B&W office volume.
Color laser
For offices needing frequent color (reports, presentations, marketing). HP Color LaserJet, Brother HL-L3270CDW, Xerox C230. US$ 380-770 upfront. Cost B&W US$ 0.04, color US$ 0.15-0.25. Regular photo quality but perfect color text.
Dot-matrix (impact)
Yes, still around. Epson LX-350, FX-890. Purpose: continuous-form printing on chemical paper (triplicate invoices, warehouse slips, pre-printed forms). Still required in industrial, transport and some government sectors. Slow, noisy and cheap to operate.
Thermal (POS, labels)
No ink — heats thermal paper. POS tickets, shipping labels, retail scales. Epson TM-T20, Bixolon, Zebra ZD220. Cheap consumables (paper only), very fast, but paper fades with time and heat — not for legal archive.
Industrial label printers (thermal transfer)
Zebra ZT231, Honeywell PC42. For inventory labels, barcodes, pharmaceuticals. Print on plastic or paper adhesive labels using thermal transfer ribbon. Resistant to humidity and UV.
Multifunction (MFP)
Printer + scanner + copier (sometimes fax). Almost every office printer today is multifunction. The right question isn't "MFP yes or no?" — it's which base technology (continuous ink, mono laser, color laser) and which features (ADF, auto duplex, scan-to-network, scan-to-email, fax).
Plotter / large format
For blueprints, posters and graphic arts. HP DesignJet, Canon imagePROGRAF, Epson SureColor. Use specialized ink, up to 60" wide. Only justified for architecture/engineering blueprints or large-format graphic production.
3D printer
Not an alternative to the above — separate category. For prototyping, parts and crafts. Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality dominate. From US$ 380.
Technology comparison
| Tech | Unit cost | Cost per page | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartridge inkjet | US$ 40-80 | US$ 0.10-0.30 | Slow | Very occasional use |
| Continuous-ink inkjet | US$ 180-400 | US$ 0.005-0.01 | Medium | Home + small office with color |
| Mono laser | US$ 115-230 | US$ 0.02-0.04 | High (30-40 ppm) | Office with B&W volume |
| Color laser | US$ 380-770 | US$ 0.04 / 0.15-0.25 | Med-high | Office with frequent color |
| Dot-matrix | US$ 180-380 | Very low | Very slow | Continuous forms, copies |
| Thermal POS | US$ 50-130 | Paper only | Very high | Tickets, receipts |
| Label printer | US$ 200-500 | Label + ribbon | High | Inventory, barcodes |
| Plotter | US$ 1,200+ | High | Variable | Blueprints, large formats |
Recommendations by scenario
Home with low volume (under 30 pages/month)
Any cartridge inkjet works, but an entry EcoTank (Epson L3250, Canon G3170) saves you over 2 years. If you print very little, a small mono laser (US$ 100) also doesn't dry up like inkjet.
Home / family with school work and occasional photos
Epson EcoTank L3250 / L4260 or Canon Pixma G3170. Decent photo quality, ink for years, marginal cost per page.
Small office (1-5 people, 500-1,500 pg/month mostly B&W)
Brother HL-L2370DW or HP LaserJet M209dw mono, with auto duplex and WiFi. For scanning add a Brother MFC-L2750DW. If you need occasional color, complement with a basic EcoTank just for those few pages.
Medium office (10-30 people, mixed volume)
Combination: a color laser MFP for the department (Brother MFC-L8900CDW, HP M479) and 1-2 mono laser auxiliaries in high-volume zones. With print server or shared queue on Windows Server / NAS.
Small in-house printing, marketing, agency
Professional pigment inkjet (Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850, Canon MAXIFY) for photo quality with low cost-per-page. If volume increases, consider a compact plotter.
Retail with POS
Thermal POS (Epson TM-T20III, Bixolon SRP-330II) with USB or LAN, integrated with billing software. Auto-cutter is essential.
Warehouse or production with barcodes
Thermal-transfer label printer (Zebra ZD220T / ZT231). Buy compatible ribbon and labels — don't improvise with cheap ribbon or you'll damage the print head.
Notary, transport, sectors requiring copies
Dot-matrix Epson FX-890 or LX-350 with continuous chemical paper. Keep stock of fabric ribbon.
The cost-per-page trap: how to avoid it
When you buy, ask the salesperson the questions they don't want to hear:
- How many pages does the included cartridge/bottle yield at 5% coverage?
- How much does the replacement cartridge/toner/bottle cost (color and B&W)?
- What's the real cost per B&W and color page?
- Does the printer block third-party or generic cartridges via chip or firmware? (HP is notorious for this)
- How much does the drum cost, not just the toner? Some cheap lasers have expensive short-lived drums.
- Is there authorized service in my area? (Critical for medium-volume office)
Calculate 3-year cost: printer price + (pages/month × 36 months × cost/page). A "cheap" printer with expensive consumables costs more over 3 years than an "expensive" one with cheap consumables. The math gets clearer the more you print.
Connectivity that actually matters
- WiFi and Ethernet: almost all have it now. Ethernet better for shared printers — more stable.
- Auto duplex: prints double-sided without flipping. Saves paper, time, and ergonomics.
- ADF (automatic document feeder): for multi-page scanning. Critical in offices that digitize.
- AirPrint / Mopria: direct printing from iPhone/Android without vendor app.
- Scan-to-email or scan-to-network folder: useful for office flow without an intermediary computer.
- Vendor app: useful for remote toner management and basic diagnostics.
What I DON'T recommend
- HP Instant Ink and other monthly subscriptions for home. Fine print locks you in; you cancel and the printer blocks cartridges.
- Unknown-brand "all-in-one" cheap printers from marketplaces. No service, no parts, no updated drivers after 2 years.
- Local-shop cartridge refills on new chip-equipped printers. Voids warranty, often damages the head with bad ink. If you need economy, get an EcoTank/MegaTank from day one.
- DIY continuous-ink systems added to cartridge printers. Buy factory EcoTank/MegaTank — they're designed for it.
Need help choosing or setting up?
If you're going to buy printers for your office, home or business and want correct sizing (real volume, color or B&W, 3-year budget), tell me what and how much you print and I'll recommend the model with the best cost/use ratio. I install, network-configure and leave the scan/print flow working.