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 |  | Low: $70-$200 |  | Medium: $200-$800 |  | High: $800-$3,000 |
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Laser printers are good for printing text documents frequently. Black-and-white laser printers are faster, offer better print quality and can handle higher volume outputs than inkjet printers. Color laser printers are ideal for fast output of graphics as well as text but fall short of inkjet printers on photo quality (See: How Much Does an Inkjet Printer Cost for more details). Laser printers designed specifically for small business use can print more pages per month and can easily be upgraded and networked (meaning the printer can be accessed by multiple computers).
Typical costs: | - Entry-level black and white laser printers cost from $70 to $200. These are ideal for general home use, printing up to about 1,000 pages per month. Expect a compact, space-saving device that delivers print speeds up to about 20 ppm (pages per minute). The HP P1006[1] is about $130; it's Energy Star qualified and prints 17 ppm.
- Mid-range black-and-white laser printers cost $200 to $500. These offer faster print speeds, higher capacity paper trays and usually include features such as networking and duplex/double-sided printing, making them ideal for higher volume print jobs in a home or small office. The Brother HL-5370DWT[2] costs about $300, offers double-sided printing, a 250-sheet drawer, the option to add an additional tray, print up to 40 ppm and offers wireless networking.
- Premium black and white laser printers cost $500 to $1,500 and are designed for use in small offices by multiple users. Expect built-in networking, high-capacity paper trays and a high-volume duty cycle (the rated capacity to continuously perform work under normal conditions), to easily handle printing jobs of 5,000 to 10,000 pages or more per month. An example of this type of printer is the HP LaserJet P4014n[3] , about $870. It prints at speeds of up to 45ppm, features built-in Ethernet connectivity and offers a maximum monthly duty cycle of 175,000 sheets.
- Entry-level color laser printers cost $120 to $300 and are designed for low- to moderate-volume home use. The speed of color printing tends to be slower than black-and-white, especially in budget-priced models. The Konica magicolor 1600W[4] costs about $150 and prints color at 5 ppm. Mid-level color laser printers range in price from about $300 to $800. These offer faster print speeds and can accommodate higher volume jobs, making them suitable for a home office or small office. The Dell 3130cn costs about $420. It can handle duty cycles of up to 70,000 pages per month and prints at speeds of up to 26 ppm in color, 31 ppm in black-and-white.
- Premium color laser printers are ideal for high volume use in a home or small business. Expect to pay $800 to $3,000 for a printer that is network-ready, expandable and offers faster print speeds. For example, the HP Color LaserJet CP4025dn[5] , costing about $1,200, prints up to 35 ppm in color and black-and-white, includes built-in duplex/double-sided printing and has a maximum monthly duty cycle of up to 100,000 pages.
- Additional features such as scanning, copying and faxing are found on multifunction laser printers, which sell for $120 to $3,000 or more. For details, see How Much Does a Multifunction Laser printer Cost.
Related articles: Multifunction Laser Printer, Inkjet Printer, Multifunction Inkjet Printer
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What should be included: | - Starter toner cartridges.
- Printer driver software.
- Most laser printers also include a USB cable.
Additional costs: | - Replacement toner cartridges cost $20 to $250 or more, depending on brand, yield and color. Users will get approximately 2,500 pages for a regular black cartridge, 2,000 sheets for color toner and 5,000 to 10,000 or more for a black high-capacity toner cartridge. Buying a black toner cartridge with 2,500-page yield, for example, may cost $70 while a cartridge with a 5,000-page yield for the same printer may cost $120. Similarly, a cartridge for the same printer with a yield of 10,000 pages may cost $200 or more. Generic brand or refurbished replacement toner cartridges can be found at a discount. A replacement drum unit costs $30 to $450 or more, depending on brand and yield.
- Optional duplex units are available for some models for two-sided/duplex printing; prices start at about $50. Additional paper trays to improve paper capacity start at about $35.
- A USB printer cable to connect the printer to the computer costs about $10.
- Vendors that offer a wide variety of laser printer supplies include 123Inkjets[6] and Amazon[7] .
Discounts: | - Sales and specials are common at electronics discount stores. One-generation-old models may be sold at a substantial discount compared to the latest model printers.
- Some manufacturers such as HP[8] offer refurbished laser printers at a discount.
Shopping for a laser printer: | - Check the price of replacement toner cartridges for a specific laser printer before buying. The lowest-cost printer might be the most expensive to maintain.
- Consumer Reports[9] offers a printer buying guide while Cnet[10] provides reviews on different models.
- Compare online prices from sites such as Amazon[11] or JR.com[12] with those from national retails chains such as Best Buy[13] .
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
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External Resources: | - www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/-/-/CB411A%23ABA
- www.brother-usa.com/Printer/ModelDetail/1/hl5370dwt/Overview
- www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/-/-/CB507A%23ABA?aoid=20715
- kmbs.konicaminolta.us/wps/portal/web/home/products/printers/magicolor/magicolor-1600w
- www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/Printers/HP-LaserJet/CC490A;pgid=...
- www.123inkjets.com
- www.amazon.com/s/ref=amb_link_84564611_29?ie=UTF8&rs=172636&bbn=172636&rh=n%3A5419...
- www.shopping.hp.com/
- www.consumerreports.org/cro/printers/buying-guide.htm?pn=0
- reviews.cnet.com/laser-printers/
- www.amazon.com/Laser-Printers-Office-Electronics/b?ie=UTF8&node=172648
- www.jr.com/category/computers/printers/laser-printers
- www.bestbuy.com/site/Printers/Laser-Printers/abcat0511003.c?id=abcat0511003
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