Tell ink from toner
Tell which kind of printer you own, and see why the refills cost what they do.
Inkjet printers spray liquid ink. Laser printers fuse a dry powder, toner, onto the page with heat.
Ink costs less and empties sooner. Toner costs more and lasts for thousands of pages.
Key points
- Inkjets spray liquid ink; lasers fuse dry toner with heat
- The price on the box means little until you divide it by the pages
What to remember
- The number that matters is the cost per page.
- Divide the price by the pages. That is the real cost.
Try this
Find the model name on your own printer and search it with the word cartridge.
Practice: Tell ink from toner. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.