Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Cookie Policy
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    Facebook Twitter Reddit YouTube
    TechSips TechSips
    Subscribe
    • Home
    • How To
    • News
    • Views
    • Reviews
    • Gadgets
    • Insights
    • Write For Us
    TechSips TechSips
    Home»Gadgets»What Is the Difference Between Toner and Ink?
    Gadgets

    What Is the Difference Between Toner and Ink?

    JohnBy JohnSeptember 15, 2022Updated:November 3, 2022No Comments3 Mins Read
    The Difference Between Ink Cartridges
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email

    You might have heard the words “toner” and “ink” with respect to printers. Both of them are printer cartridges and it’s important to know which one to use for your printer since they are two completely different types. In general, ink is a liquid and is used with an inkjet printer, while laser printers use a powdery substance called “toner”. Sounds simple, right?

    Powders Versus Liquids – The Magic Behind the Print

    An ink cartridge contains liquid ink that can either be dye-based or pigment-based. The ink is filled in a single unit container (the cartridge) and comes in a variety of colors. The most common colors are black (made using carbon black), yellow, cyan, and magenta. Using these four colors, the device prints all the colors in the spectrum. As a result, they are great at producing high-quality images.

    According to PrinterHeadlines.com, Inkjet printers are more frequently used in homes due to their cost efficiency. The ink cartridges that they use contain a small sponge that becomes soaked with liquid ink. When the printer is given the command to print, tiny droplets of ink are squirted onto the paper from equally tiny nozzles in the print head. All the nozzles are controlled by printer software, ensuring that they spray the ink in the pattern of your text or your photograph. Ink does not last forever. Since it is a liquid, it tends to dry out over time, especially if you don’t use your printer frequently. Ink is also very expensive- it costs more than fine vintage champagne and human blood! Insider.com had a great video covering the actual cost, you can watch it below:

    Unlike ink, toner is a powdery substance and is used in laser printers. Toner is made by finely grounding polyester, which means it is essentially plastic dust. It bonds with the paper when it is heated using an electrostatic charge. If you own polyester pants, you may be familiar with this since they tend to stick to your legs.

    The Printing Process

    The printing process in a laser printer is very different from that of an inkjet printer. Laser printers have a rotating drum (also known as a drum unit). When the command to print is given, the document is projected onto the drum and an electrostatic template is created.

    Now, the toner is dispensed onto the drum and sticks to the places where the electric charge is altered. The toner prints the given text or image into the paper using heat. The heat is essentially melting the polyester powder on the paper and fusing it in place.

    Some toner cartridges come with a built-in drum. These tend to be more expensive because you don’t have to worry about replacing the drum. Others come with separate drum units.

    Since toner is a powder, it doesn’t dry out. So, it has a long shelf life. It also allows for faster printing. However, colored laser printers tend to have high upfront costs.

    How Do the Two Compare?

     

    Ink Toner
    Dries out, expires, or gets clogged due to infrequent use Doesn’t dry out, expire, or get clogged
    Inkjet printers cost less Laser printers are costly
    Runs out of ink more frequently Toner lasts longer, and gives a higher page yield than ink
    More suitable for homes or small business that don’t print large volumes every day More suitable for businesses that print in large volumes
    Prints a little more slowly than toner Prints more quickly than ink

     

    Previous ArticleHow To Get Free Instagram Followers Easily
    Next Article The 10 Most Interesting Instagram Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
    John

    Contributing writer and senior columnist at TechSips.com, John has been spending his career surrounded by hardware and software, balancing gaming on both PC and consoles, with his latest endeavor being esports.

    Related Posts

    8 Common & Irreversible Signs Of A Dying Phone

    November 8, 2022

    How to Install Blink Outdoor Camera in 5 Minutes

    November 14, 2021

    Secret iOS 15 Tricks to Enhance Your Experience

    October 27, 2021
    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    Recent Posts
    • 10 Interesting Facts About Tiktok You Didn’t Know Before
    • Why Is My Phone Battery Dying So Fast All of A Sudden
    • 8 Common & Irreversible Signs Of A Dying Phone
    • TikTok Slang: What Does Acronyms Mean On TikTok
    • How To Fix Lagging PC Issue
    Facebook Twitter Reddit YouTube
    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Cookie Policy
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    TechSips - All Rights Reserved © 2022

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.