For several years, people have been spending a huge amount on printer cartridges. The biggest problem is when you plan to buy an inkjet printer. With these printers, you have to choose whether you want your printer to have an ink cartridge or use an ink tank.
Earlier, manufacturers used to sell inkjet printers at a lower price because they use to make a huge profit by selling ink cartridges.
But now, several manufacturers have introduced ink tanks to be used in printers. Experts have stated that ink tanks last much longer than ink cartridges and cost much less.
Table of Contents
What is Ink Tank Printer
Ink tanks are ink printers that can be refilled. Also known as integrated ink bulk systems, you can use these in printers where an inbuilt ink cartridge is missing. The printer is supplied with ink continuously from the built-in ink tank to the printer. This replaces the requirement to change the ink cartridges. Ink tank printers also help you save a lot of money as it saves cost per page.
How does it work?
Printing is done with an airtight tube in this continuous ink system, which does not allow the ink to become dry with time. Ink tanks use a diaphragm pump that can be refilled as well as ink tanks for printing.
When the ink is low in the tanks, you can easily refill them just like how you refill gas tanks with the help of an ink bottle. From a single fill-up, the ink tanks can print at 6000 to 7000 pages which is higher than any other ink cartridges.
Cost and quality
With low cost, people are skeptical about buying them as they feel the quality will not be at par. There is no need to worry about the quality of the image printed, as the tanks have been designed that leads to the best quality of the printed image.
Every ink tank printer has its own advantages and disadvantages. Both have been listed below.
Advantages:
The advantages of ink tank printers are:
- The cost price of the refillable ink tank printers is comparatively low.
- In a single refill, ink tanks can print up to 6000-7000 pages.
- They print in better quality compared to other printers.
- You won’t have to deal with a third-party manufacturer.
Disadvantages:
Along with advantages, ink tank printers have certain disadvantages.
- The only disadvantage of ink tank printers is that the initial cost for setting up these printers is high.
- If you are not going to use the printer for a long-term purpose, then these printers will be a loss for you.
- You can only understand the value of money with these printers when you use them for more than 3 years.
What is Inkjet Printer
Inkjet printers print paper by spraying ink on the paper. These printers have a resolution of a minimum of 300 pixels per inch. They are small containers that come along with liquid ink filled in a print head that is in-built. The ink cartridges have a special compartment where you can store them and are separately manufactured.
How does it work?
The print heads of these printers come with several tiny nozzles that are also known as jets. As the paper moves past the print heads, the jets spray over the paper creating pictures as well as characters.
You can print several hundreds of pages with a single cartridge before the need to refill or change the cartridge. Most inkjet printers contain two cylinders to place the cartridge. One cylinder is meant for black ink while the other is for primary colors like yellow, cyan, and magenta.
You can either refill or change the cartridge according to your preference when they are out of ink. The cartridges are efficient and have been in use for the last decade.
Cost and quality
The cost of printer cartridges is not too high. Printer cartridges that are produced by the same firm that has manufactured the printer are of the best quality. It has been noticed that the best quality of the print can be noticed with the cartridges that were supplied along with the printer firm. They have been so in-demand for such a long time as their performance is high as well as they have a high receptacle. This makes the ultimate result flawless and creates zero mess.
Like other printers, they also have its own advantages as well as disadvantages that have been listed below.
Advantages:
The advantages of inkjet printers are listed below.
- Have been in use for more than a decade.
- The purchasing cost for these printers is low.
- Completely compatible with your printer.
- Provides flawless printing.
- Cartridges of the same manufacturer with the printer are of high quality.
Disadvantages:
Along with advantages comes disadvantages.
- The disadvantage of inkjet printers is replacing cartridges can cost quite a lot.
- If you are printing quite frequently, you will be paying a lot of money.
- But if you require to use the printer rarely, there will be a chance of the ink drying up in the cartridges.
- The ink-cartridges that are not genuine will also face some compatibility issues.
Ink Tank vs Inkjet: Comparison
It is difficult to reach a conclusion on which one is better among the two. You need to choose the printer based on your needs as well as how frequently you use them. In terms of quality of the print and the end result is quite similar for both the printers.
But, apart from quality, you also have to look at the cost attributed to each printer. If you print casually and occasionally, an inkjet printer will be a better option for you. The sole reason behind this is the initial cost behind the setup of these printers is low compared to ink tank printers.
But, if you frequently use the printers, you should go for an ink tank printer. This is because it will comparatively reduce the price per page and ultimately total cost. Though the initial setup cost is hg for ink tank printers, it will quickly not matter for frequent users.
| Basis | Ink tank | Inkjet |
|---|---|---|
| Working | Printing is done with an airtight tube in the continuous ink system | Printing is done with several tiny nozzles present in the print heads. |
| Initial cost | The purchasing cost is high. | The purchasing cost is low. |
| Quality | Not the best if compared to Inkjet printer. | The ultimate result is flawless and creates zero mess. |
| Cost of replacing cartridges or filling ink | Refilling cost is less than replacing ink cartridges. | Replacing cartridges can cost quite a lot. |
Final word
Inkjet as well as ink tank printers have their own advantages and disadvantages that have been mentioned in this article. Inkjet printers are easier to use as well as install and as a reason, it is popular in many houses. Though, in businesses and households where there is a larger use for printers, ink tank printers have gathered more attention because it saves a lot of money.
