InkJet, Ink Efficient or Ink Tank - Which printer you should buy? What's the real Difference?

Searching for the right printer? then you must have come across many terms like inkjet, ink advantage, ink tank, ink efficient and laser printers. So, let's clear all the basic doubts before searching for a printer on Amazon.

Printers come with basically two types of Printer Technology:-

A. Inkjet Printers
B. Laser Printers

In this blog, we are going to, especially about inkjet printers. Inkjet printers are also of three subtypes:-

Inkjet
Ink Efficient / Ink Advantage
Ink Tank

1. Ink Jet Printers

These are entry-level printers and their price starts as low as ₹3000.

They use ink cartridges.
They are most commonly used for home printing.
These printers are Suitable for printing less than 100 pages a month.
Page yield is around 100-120 pages of black and 100-120 pages of colour print per cartridge
Price starts from ₹2000 and all-in-one inkjet printers price starts from ₹3000

Pros

High-quality printing due to the technology used
Low initial cost of purchase
Lightweight and compact

Cons

The highest cost of printing per page (₹7 - ₹10 per Black & White page and almost ₹20 for a colour page ) but you can refill the cartridges with the help of syringes and reduce the cost this way you will void the warranty
Slow printing speed (7-9 pages per minute)

2. Ink Advantage/ Ink Efficient Printer

'Ink advantage' is a range of printers by hp and 'Ink efficient' is a range of printers by Canon.

These printers use thermal inkjet technology that brings down the cost.

They use ink cartridges.
Commonly used for regular home printing.
Suitable for printing 100-300 pages per month.
Page yield is 400-800 pages of black & white and 150-300 pages of colour prints per cartridge.
Price starts from ₹4500

Pros

Lower cost of printing per page than entry-level inkjet printers (₹1.5 - ₹4 per page). you can also refill the old cartridges to reduce the further cost but again you will void the warranty.
High-quality printing due to the technology used

Cons

Slow printing speed (8-11 pages per minute)

3. Ink Tank Printers

These are the best printers when it comes to the cost of printing per page.

They use refillable ink instead of ink cartridges
Ideal for home, or small office.
Have different tanks to fill the ink in liquid form.
Page yield - around 7000-8000 pages of black & white, 8000 pages of colour prints
Price starts from ₹8000. all in one printer start from ₹9500

Pros

The cost per page is extremely low (around ₹0.09 for black and ₹0.21 for colour pages).
Once filled with inks they can print around 7000 pages so page yield is high.
Print speed is faster than inkjet printers (10-12 pages per minute).

Cons

The ink tank of some printers is placed outside the main body making it bulkier. however many brands have now come with printer with ink tanks inside the main body making them more compact.

My Opinion

Inkjet printers are cheaper but their cost per page makes them costlier. There is no point of buying a printer if the printing cost is costlier than taking print out from your nearest Computer shop.

So, I would recommend you buy an ink efficient/ink advantage printer or ink tank printer instead of an inkjet printer.

Ink Efficient or Ink Advantage printers have a decent cost per print and are value-for-money products. If you are some one who doesn't need to print too many pages and wants a printer for personal use then this can be the best choice for you. You can also choose the WIFI printer which you can connect with your Phone or PC wirelessly.

Ink tank printers are always the best choice. If you have the budget of buying an ink tank printer then you must go ahead for buying an ink tank printer. Ink tank printers have the lowest cost per page and require minimal maintenance. Also, you have to change the ink after printing almost 8000 black & white pages and 8000 colour pages making it the best printer for all types of uses.

So, I hope by now you are sure which type of printer is perfect for you.

Below is a list of some best printers in every category.