Sam's Club Laser Printers (2024)

FAQs

Are laser printers being phased out? ›

So you may have seen that Epson plans to discontinue manufacturing laser printers and will eventually only carry inkjet printers. The company explained that its decision is based on sustainability concerns, and it'll fully transition to inkjet printers by 2026 to give customers time to adjust.

Every model we review is tested for speed, print quality, usability, and more. Our current top picks for mainstream users are from Brother: the color MFC-L3780CDW and the monochrome HL-L2460DW.

As print quality goes down over time, this will be a reason to replace the color printer. We find a black and white printer can sometimes last 10 years or more and most color laser printers are replaced every 3 to 5 years.

Printer Shortages

There is a shortage of computer chips as well as pandemic-related slow-downs in Southeast Asia where most consumer printers are manufactured. Because of this, retailers are having a hard time keeping printers in stock.

Laser printers carry a steeper up-front cost, making them a pricier investment all in one span of time. The required toner used for printing with laser printers is more expensive than the standard replacement inkjet cartridges, and a color laser printer can add to that expense.

If you need a printer for your office or business that can efficiently/quickly print and copy a high volume of documents, a laser printer will be the best option. It will last you a longer time and cost less per page.

The life of a toner cartridge depends on its size and how much you print in total. The average small-sized cartridge lasts for around 2,000 pages, whereas a full-sized printer cartridge can last for up to 8,000 pages.

If you want to print a lot of text, a laser printer might be better. If you want clear, high-quality images, go with an inkjet. Overall, you should consider your space and money constraints, as well as other aspects like noise, whether you'll want to use photo paper, and how much time it takes to print a job.

Brother printers typically have better print quality; however, HP has a wider range of printers, including portable printers and laser printers with a refillable toner tank, similar to supertank inkjet models.

Laser printers use toner powder which doesn't dry out the same way an ink cartridge does. Unlike an inkjet cartridge, which is liquid-based, toner is composed of plastic components. It's already dry, so it won't dry out further. When stored properly, a sealed printer toner cartridge can technically last for years.

Do laser printers clog up like inkjets? ›

Winner: Laser printers, since inkjet nozzles can clog and ink can run. Toner is dry and does not run or bleed.

While ink is standard in most conventional inkjet home printers, laser printers depend on toner and lasers for their output. Given that they're based on their own unique technology, you'll find that they also have their own unique advantages and disadvantages.

The printers use 85 per cent more energy than their inkjet counterparts. Epson has announced that it will completely halt the sale and distribution of laser printers by 2026 due to environmental concerns.

Avoid exposing the imaging cartridge to light, and never open the drum's protective cover as this may damage the light sensitive drum. Overexposure of the drum may cause very dark or light areas to appear on printed documents and reduce its functional life.

One of the most common laser printer maintenance tasks that you'll perform is replacing the toner cartridge. First, the toner cartridge will become low, and then eventually you'll run out of toner completely.

Larger businesses and busy offices with high print volumes often opt for laser printers due to their business-focused features, such as optional trays for additional capacity, large replacement supply yields, and advanced security features.

Epson's announcement said that its decision to focus completely on inkjet printers over laser ones is about the planet. And this is largely based on how laser printers work compared to inkjet. Laser printers rely on a laser, drum, toner, and heat to print an image.

They also produce sharp, high-quality text output. In fact, laser printers are the workhorse for many offices precisely because they're capable of printing large amounts of documents quickly. Typically, an inkjet is meant for the home office or personal use; their print volume is much smaller.