Laser printers have been around for decades, but up until recently, the overwhelming cost limited their use to well-funded companies. However, the last handful of years have seen almost all major printer manufacturers release a laser model of their own. As most consumers are realizing, today’s laser printers are far superior to inkjet printers and more cost-effective.

Laser printers use toner. Toner is a dry powdered ink that resides inside a cartridge and transfers the image from your computer or memory card to a piece of paper via heat during the printing process. Unlike inkjet printer inks, which can dry up and go bad when your printer is only sporadically put to use, toner stays fresh indefinitely.

That means you can install a toner cartridge today and use the printer a year from now with no trouble. You can’t say that for any other kind of printer on the market today.

• Are Laser Printers more Cost Effective?
• What are the Pros and Cons of a Laser Printer?
• Do Laser Printers dry out?
• What is a good Laser Printer for home use?
• Which Laser Printers have the Cheapest Toner?
• How long do Laser Printers last?
• Can you print photos with Laser Printer?
• How can you Make Money from Printing?
• What are the Most Profitable Printers for your Office?
• How long can a laser printer sit unused
• Best Selling Laser Cut Products
• How to Price Laser Engraving Jobs
• How to Make Money With a Laser Engraver
• Laser Cutting Business Plan
• How to Start a Laser Engraving Business at Home
• Laser Cutting Machine
• How to Make Money With a Laser Copier
• What Does a Laser Printer Make?
• What Does a Laser Printer Use to Make a Print Job?
• Why are Color Laser Printers so Expensive?
• Does a Laser Printer Save More Money Than an Ink?
• Advantages of Laser Printers
• What is the Best Laser Printer for Home and Small Business?

Are Laser Printers more Cost Effective?

Many consumers have asked the very same question: should I get an inkjet or laser printer?  There are many factors to consider and to help you decide, it’s impossible not to talk about each one. So in order to answer your question of should you get inkjet vs laser, let’s dive right in.

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Whether or not you need an inkjet or laser printer would depend on what you print, how often you print, and how much your printing budget is.

Laser printers are machines that melt toner powder onto paper to create a print. Laser printers are more expensive than inkjet printers upfront and uses pricier toner cartridges but is still a more economical option in the long run with its overall lower cost per page, faster print speeds.

If you’re looking for a home printer for occasional printing, most people would advice you to get an inkjet printer. However, a common complaint with inkjet printers is that the ink dries up if you don’t use it often. With that said, if you have the budget for it, I strongly suggest you get an affordably priced laser printer instead; the toner used by laser printers doesn’t dry up.

But if you’ll be printing a small volume of documents and colored images regularly, inkjet printers will get the job done. Laser printers are known to be more durable and can print large quantities of monochrome and colored documents frequently.

The upfront cost of a laser printer may seem like its biggest weakness. After all, inkjet printers have a much lower upfront cost with newer models priced as low as $29.99 while laser printers are significantly more expensive with the cheaper ones priced at around $59.99–still twice the price of the cheapest inkjet.

Deciding on whether you should go with an inkjet or laser printer comes down to what you print, how much you print, and how much you’re willing to spend on printing. Inkjet printers are best suited for small, image-heavy documents, like photos and school projects. But, if you’re looking for a printer that can handle heavy volumes of text-based documents, a laser printer is the more efficient and economical choice.

It also pays to think farther down the road. Do you project your print needs to change? Will your kids be needing a more reliable laser down the road or should you stick to an inkjet printer? Our needs change and taking them into consideration can save us potentially hundreds of dollars in the future.

What are the Pros and Cons of a Laser Printer?

PROS:

• Most laser printers print much faster than inkjet printers. This isn’t and shouldn’t be a strong selling point for casual printers, but high volume users will notice a huge difference.
• Laser printers produce sharp text. If you’re a high volume printer that only requires text documents, laser is the way to go.
• Higher monthly duty cycle means they are better prepared to handle high-volume jobs.
• A price-by-price comparison favors laser printers over inkjet printers if you print on a frequent basis and aren’t producing documents that are graphically complex.
• Toner, on average, is cheaper in the long run for high volume printers because their cartridges can print out thousands of pages in comparison to ink cartridges.

CONS:

• Can handle simple graphics, but complex images and photos are a challenge.
• Although there are some compact laser printers on the market, they are generally bigger and heavier than inkjet printers.
• Laser printers can’t handle the same variety of paper that inkjets can.
• The upfront cost of a laser printer is usually more than your average inkjet printer.

Do Laser Printers dry out?

No, unlike the ink that is used on inkjet printers, toners from laser printers don’t dry up even if you leave them for a long time.

Does your inkjet printer run out of ink a lot? Cartridges dry up? Do you spend a lot on ink? Read on and find out why you should consider a laser printer.

Understand the advantages of owning a laser printer rather than an inkjet printer. Here are some of the advantages:

• A laser printer requires no ink. Laser printers use toner, which is plastic and iron particles which melt to the paper with special heated rollers called a fuser unit. No ink means nothing to “dry up”. With a laser printer, you can take that vacation knowing that you will have a working printer when you get back. You won’t need a new set of cartridges when you come back because they dried up during your absence.
• Laser printers are far cheaper to operate. It is a well known fact that vendors give inkjet printers away knowing that they will make lots of money on the ink. Laser printers may cost more up front, but the cost per page is as little as a tenth of what it is for inkjet printers.
• Laser printers offer waterproof printing. Ever had the ink smear when it got wet? Doesn’t happen with a laser printer – plastic is melted to the sheet and is completely water-proof.
• Print quality is better. You can “feel” and see the difference. Laser printers are the standard for professionally printed letters. Ever notice how nice that letter is that you got from your doctor or lawyer’s office? It was printed on a laser printer. You can really feel the difference.

Be aware that the consumables (toner) for the laser printer last a long, long time. It is common to be able to print several thousand sheets on a single toner cartridge. The bigger the model of printer, the more you can print per cartridge and lower cost per page. Average laser printers cost around 3 cents per page.

Be price savvy. Laser printers can offer outstanding color at reasonable prices. Color laser printers are widely available to the masses for as little as USD$200. Expect to have a larger printer than the inkjet, but the benefits are well worth it.

Expect reliability. Laser printers tend to be far more reliable. Many laser printers are rated for 30,000 pages a month or more! Laser printers are legendary for their service life. Some people have had experience of Laserjets that are still working fine after 15 years of daily use.

Expect minor repairs. Most repairs are just a matter of changing parts available in a standard “maintenance kit”.

What is a good Laser Printer for home use?

Printers are annoying. All of them. But if you want to keep your annoyance to a minimum, we recommend a laser printer: Not only do laser models print sharp text and crisp graphics, but they also run more reliably than inkjets and won’t clog if they sit unused for weeks between jobs. The best laser printer is the powerful, versatile HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw. It’s easy to set up and simple to use, and it produces great-looking results, both in color and in black and white.

If you’re looking for a laser printer that can handle everything from book reports to corporate reports without driving you crazy in the process, the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is the one to get. It stands out from the competition with an easy-to-use, smartphone-style touch interface and 21st-century mobile and PC software that makes daily use far less frustrating than on other printers we’ve tried.

In our tests, it produced sharp black text, vibrant full-color graphics, and even photos good enough for a school report. It’s fast, topping out at around 17 pages per minute, and it can print on envelopes, labels, and other odd-size media thanks to a handy bypass slot.

Brother HL-L2350DW

Some people just need a cheap laser printer for occasional black-and-white print jobs. For them, we recommend the Brother HL-L2350DW. Setup is painless, and the machine is compatible with all major platforms, including Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Its cost per page is a reasonable 3.3¢, it sticks to Wi-Fi like glue, and its price generally hovers around $100.

Its print quality is merely adequate right out of the box, but you can improve that with a simple tweak to the toner density setting. Just be aware that the HL-L2350DW can’t scan or copy; if you need that functionality, look to our monochrome all-in-one pick.

Brother MFC-L2750DW

If you like the sound of our budget pick but want the ability to scan and copy documents and photos too, the Brother MFC-L2750DW should fit the bill. At its core it’s a very similar printer—and it’s just as easy to set up—but it also has a flatbed scanner and a fast, single-pass duplexing automatic document feeder on top.

Its print quality is slightly better out of the box, and you get the same operating costs, the same print speed, and the same connectivity options as you do with the HL-L2350DW. For home offices this model is a great do-it-all option—as long as you don’t need color.

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw

For a small business with more serious productivity needs, the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw is a worthwhile upgrade over our other picks. It prints and scans more quickly and more reliably than inkjet alternatives, produces sharper results, and includes robust admin and security settings designed for situations that may involve sensitive data.

All-in-one color lasers like the M479fdw cost more and are more expensive to operate than inkjet printers with comparable features, but they deliver high-quality color prints, copies, and scans at a quicker pace than cheaper models. They’re also sturdier and more reliable than inkjets.

Which Laser Printers have the Cheapest Toner?

If you’re looking for a new laser printer for the office or home if you want to find the right one you should take some time to get it right.

Buying a cheap inexpensive laser printer might look good in the short term. However, if you haven’t done your research on your printer toner cartridges it could turn out not to be very costly with your toner supplies. Basically, it will cost you or your business more money in the long term.

Samsung Xpress SL-M2026

Toner Cartridges – Samsung MLT-D111S Toner Cartridges

Currently between the £40-60 marks these Samsung laser printers take the new Samsung MLT-D111S toner cartridges. These printers offer a single slot and just need the black cartridge, this laser printer offers some great printing on both normal documents, invoices, photos and offers a great value cost per print if you just need black and white printing with no frills.

Original toner cartridges vs compatible toner cartridges is around £16-20 for a single black toner cartridge in the compatible toner for the M2026 and £46-£50 for the genuine Samsung toner cartridges. So by purchasing compatible cartridges for the laser printer you’re saving a lot!!! (around £30 per purchase).

Ok let’s put this in context your laser printer may last minimum 5 years say you purchase 2 orders per year as a minimum. Although some companies may purchase 5-10 toners per month for their business we will do this in a separate list. So for the home or small office user: (based on 2 toners per year)

Original toner cost – £92 per Year – £460 over 5 Years

Compatible toner cost – £32 per Year – £160 over 5 Years

If this was money saver expert this would save you £60 per year and £300 over 5 years , think of what you could do with this extra savings and this is a minimum spend!

For a business ordering 10-15 toners a month original toner cost would save a lot more to be used in other areas of business costs and developments: (based on 10 toners per month)

Original toner cost – £5520 per Year – £27600 over 5 Years

Compatible toner cost – £1920 per Year – £9600 over 5 Years

If this was money saver expert for business customers this would save you a massive £3600 per year and £18000 over 5 years! Wow! Think of what you could do with these extra savings and this is a minimum spend!

Brother HL-L8260CDW

Toner Cartridges – Brother TN423 Toner Cartridges

Being a multifunction colour printer this price is between the £180-200 marks these Brother laser printers take the Brother TN421 and TN423 toner cartridges.

These printers have 4 slots for one black and each of the colours and just need replacing when the toner cartridge is low, this laser printer offers some great printing on both normal documents, invoices, photos and offers a great value cost per print if you just print a lot of colour documents. This printer doesn’t have a scanning function. So if you need to scan documents. You may need to find an alternative printer.

Original toner cartridges vs compatible toner cartridges is around £28-32 for a single black toner cartridge and the same for each of the colours in the compatible toner for the L8260CDW and £125-£135 for the genuine Brother toner cartridges. So by purchasing compatible cartridges for the laser printer you’re saving a lot!!! (around £100 per purchase).

Ok let’s put this in context your laser printer may last minimum 5 years say you purchase 2 orders per year as a minimum. Although some companies may purchase 5-10 toners per month for their business we will do this in a separate list. So for the home or small office user: (based on 2 toner packs per year 8 cartridges)

Original toner cost – £520 per Year – £2600 over 5 Years

Compatible toner cost – £140 per Year – £700 over 5 Years

If this was money saver expert this would save you £380 per year and £1900 over 5 years , think of what you could do with this extra savings and this is a minimum spend!

For a business ordering 10-15 toners a month original toner cost would save a lot more to be used in other areas of business costs and developments: (based on 10 toners per month)

Original toner cost – £1950 per Year – £9750 over 5 Years

Compatible toner cost – £420 per Year – £2100 over 5 Years

If this was money saver expert for business customers this would save you a massive £1530 per year and £7650 over 5 years! Wow! Think of what you could do with these extra savings and this is a minimum spend!

How long do Laser Printers last?

As a small business owner, you want to get the most out of your investment in computer equipment, including the laser printer you use for reports, correspondence and business forms. The printer’s lifetime depends on the model, level of use and operating conditions.

Most desktop laser printers have an expected lifetime of about five years. In most cases, a laser printer allows for replacement of major components when they wear out, so you can keep the unit going long after its warranty expires.

Duty Cycle and Operating Conditions

How often you use your printer affects its lifetime. A printer that prints reports all day wears out sooner than one you use only a few times a month. Printer makers rate their products using a figure called the duty cycle, a number expressed in pages per month. Personal printers typically handle a few thousand pages a month; workgroup and enterprise-class models go past 100,000 pages per month. Buy a printer than you know will be able to handle your company’s needs.

Environmental factors such as heat, humidity, dust and vibration also play an important role in a printer’s longevity — a laser printer will last longer in a quiet office than in a hot warehouse.

Replacement Parts

The items most replaced in a laser printer are the toner cartridges. These contain mechanical parts as well as the toner used to print pages, so when you replace the cartridge, you renew high-wear items in the print mechanism. The toner runs out well before the moving parts do, so when you put a new cartridge in, you ensure the printer’s reliable operation.

A device called a fuser is another common replacement part, though these typically last for years. The fuser is a pair of rollers, one of which becomes hot. The hot roller melts the toner, and the backup roller provides pressure which bonds the toner to the paper. The laser printer has a metal drum that has a coating of a light-sensitive material — but this eventually wears out. For desktop units, you typically replace the drum after about 6,000 pages; workgroup and larger printers have more durable drums that last tens of thousands of pages.

Monitoring the Printer

The earliest laser printers ran until they developed problems, then you called a technician. Modern units keep track of how many pages they’ve printed, toner consumption and other statistics. By pressing a few buttons on the control panel, you can print a summary report of these statistics. A good laser printer will automatically indicate when toner is running low or when you need to replace the drum or other maintenance parts.

Long-Term Maintenance

Desktop and workgroup laser printers are relatively easy to maintain; you can replace drums and other parts in less than 10 minutes by following the instructions supplied with the printer. HP, Brother and other major laser printer manufacturers do a good job of providing toner and other items years after they discontinue a model. Because laser printers are so widely used, many third-party organizations offer service and replacement parts for older models.

Can you print photos with Laser Printer?

With advancements in laser printing technology, laser printers have begun to rival and even surpass the photo printing quality of their inkjet counterparts.

Modern laser printers offer clear, vivid photo prints making them the perfect choice for those wanting to produce high volume photo prints.

Can Laser Printers use Photo Paper?

But what about using photo paper with laser printers? Modern laser printers are designed to print using a variety of media and this increasingly includes glossy photo paper.

Glossy media provides the best results when printing photos. The gloss emulsion which coats the media allows the printed photos to reach greater levels of richness and image depth something that is not possible with conventional uncoated media.

However, when printing glossy photos with laser printers it is essential to use laser compatible glossy media.

Laser compatible glossy media is specifically designed to withstand the higher temperatures used in laser printing.

When compared to inkjet printing which revolves around tiny ink droplets being absorbed into the paper, laser printing relies on heat to physically fuse microscopic toner particles onto the page.

The much higher temperatures used in laser printing means that conventional glossy inkjet media is not suitable.

It is for this reason that choosing laser compatible glossy media when using a laser printer is critical.

Best Laser Printers for Photo Printing

However, even the highest quality of photo printing media is worthless without the right printer, so, here are our best choices when it comes to choosing a laser printer for printing photos;

The Xerox VersaLink C600DN A4 Colour Laser Printer produces eye catching photo prints with consistent results.

With a high resolution and benchmark security features, the C600DN also positions itself as a competent all-rounder which is at home in any office or home environment.

When it comes to creating A3 photos using a laser printer, the Xerox VersaLink C9000DT A3 Colour Laser Printer produces outstanding results.

With a resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi, the C9000DT allows for the clarity required to produce detailed photo prints.

For the most faithful photo recreations possible, the C9000DT incorporates PANTONE calibration designed to work alongside true Adobe Postscript 3 and Xerox Colour Correction technology to deliver the truest to life photos possible.

How can you Make Money from Printing?

Printing is still a growing industry and with more people discovering its unique uses maybe you have wondered to yourself. How can I get started and how can I use printing to start up my own business? We are here to give you a few pointers to get yourself started. After reading this, you will have the knowledge necessary to be able to use printing to your advantage.

Create and sell designs

Printing is versatile in the way that it allows you think up and make your own designed cards, posters and a plethora of many other things without spending too much money or taking too much time. If you have that creative flair, take advantage of it and sell your own custom made cards and other printables.

Self-Publishing

Self-publishing allows anyone to write a book and put it into print. With this, you can create or acquire content that you format into book form. Once formatted you can complete a small press run with the printer. Many online services that have a print-on-demand feature, which allows you to order and print books after you have sold them.

Business branding

Businesses everywhere are in a constantly trying to separate themselves from the rest of their competitors. One particular way they work to achieve this is through their business branding. Many starting businesses know they need to put a brand on themselves through logos and methods.

However, they lack the artistic prowess needed to make their brand stand out. This is where you come in. If you have that skill and are able to use a desktop publishing software, you can create branding designs for clients and send them to a print shop.

Training manuals

Lastly, many business owners cannot be bothered to make training manuals. This creates a good opportunity to create the training manuals that allow employees to get the information they need to work safely and efficiently. You will not need many skills to do this. Except patience and the ability to sift through boring technical material.

What are the Most Profitable Printers for your Office?

If you’re looking to sell unused cartridges, chances are you may be in the market for a new printer. But it’s a wide world out there when looking through all the printer supply places.

That’s why we’ve created this best laser printer 2016 list. Each office laser printer below was chosen for high ratings from both industry magazines and internet reviewers.  

The printers below range from multi-functionality color printers to a basic black and white printer that could qualify for the best laser printer under $100.
 
So whether you need a machine that can do everything for the whole office or a compact machine for just one limited area, this list has you covered.
   
These printers also have fast print times, many boast energy-saving modes, there are duplex options and these machines offer other features to save you time and office supplies. Which ultimately boosts your bottom line.   

1. Canon ImageClass MF249dw, $209.00

For small office environments, this machine is one of the best laser printer all in one devices you can find. It prints, faxes, copies and scans, so it’s good if you want to pare down the amount of gadgets in a small office.

The print speeds on this machine run at 28 pages per minute in black and white, and it produces a first print time of six seconds or less.

There is also wireless connectivity, so you can print from anywhere in the office, leading to greater workflow efficiency. The machine’s Wi-Fi® Direct capability allows direct connection to the printer without needing a router.  
The printer can work with mobile services like Apple® AirPrint®, Mopria™ Print Service and Google Cloud Print™.  

An energy-saver mode also helps you save on energy costs around the office.       

2. Dell Smart Printer S5830dn, $999.99

If you’re looking for a monochromatic high-volume office laser printer, this is your machine. This printer has First Page Out Time as fast as 4.4 seconds and can print up to 63 pages per minute.

A notable feature is the USB port that allows for straight printing from a flash drive. Or you can print from the Microsoft SharePoint On-Premise folders.

The machine is also optimized for LCD screen prompts to clear up errors quickly, and a paper handling mechanism helps prevent printer jams.  

There is also an optional Extra High-Yield Toner Cartridge that can handle 45,000 pages.  

3. Dell Smart Printer S2830dn, $279.99

If you need a more compact version of the Dell Smart Printer, this is your machine. It weighs about 30 pounds and has dimensions of 15.7 inches x 15 inches x 10.3 inches.

This is a monochromatic laser printer option, so it’s a good basic workhorse machine if you just need some black and white documents printed around a smaller office.  

The machine still prints pretty fast, at 40 pages per minute and a first page out rate as fast as 6.5 seconds.  

Printer mechanisms and algorithms are in place to prevent jams.

The printer comes with the ability to add two optional trays that can hold 250 sheets. It’s good for specialty settings like letterhead or certain forms.

4. Dell Color Smart Printer S5840cdn, $999.99

This machine is great if you prefer or need color printing around the office. Yet the machine doesn’t sacrifice power, with its 1.2GHz quad print processer.

The printer also doesn’t sacrifice speed. It has a First Page Out Time as fast as 5.5 seconds.  

If you’re looking to save energy costs in the office, this printer also has a typical energy consumption rating of 2.3kwh/week.

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This machine also boasts access to SharePoint on Premise folders for access to the most up-to-date documents.  

You can also use a flash drive to print directly from the USB port on the printer itself.  

5. Brother HL-L5200DW, $229.99

This machine also features wireless networking so you can print from mobile devices. The machine works with AirPrint®, Google Cloud Print™ 2.0, Mopria®, Brother iPrint&Scan, Cortado Workplace and Wi-Fi Direct®.

This office laser printer also boasts high-yield duplex printing, thanks to an 8,000-page replacement toner cartridge, meaning fewer trips to a printer supply store.
    
The speed on this machine sits at a solid 42 pages per minute.

There is also a 250-sheet paper tray and 50-sheet multi-purpose tray. Added optional trays allow for up to a 1,340-sheet capacity.  

How long can a laser printer sit unused

You may have heard about laser printers being used as a way to print documents from computers. But did you know that they also work great as a backup printing device? Laser printers are inexpensive and easy to use, but they’re not always reliable. They can jam, run out of ink, or stop working altogether. The good news is that most models will last for years without maintenance.

• Here’s how long you should leave them sitting unused

If you plan to keep using your printer, make sure you store it somewhere safe and dry. It’s recommended that you store it away from heat sources, such as radiators, and direct sunlight. Make sure you clean the machine regularly with an anti-static cloth. The first thing you need to consider when buying a printer is whether it will be used primarily for home or office use. Home printers tend to be cheaper than office models, but they’re usually less powerful and don’t offer many features. Office printers are more expensive, but they provide better quality output and often include additional functions

If you decide to buy a new printer, you should think carefully about how much space you’ll need to store it. Most printers take up quite a bit of room, so you’ll probably want to find a place where you won’t have to move them very often. If you do need to move your printer, make sure it’s well protected against damage.

• Here’s how long you can expect them to last before needing replacement

Printers are designed to use toner cartridges, which contain tiny particles of ink that stick to paper when exposed to light. As the cartridge runs out of ink, the printer will stop producing clear text and start making blurry images. It might even produce blank pages. Eventually, the cartridge will run dry and no longer function properly.

• The average lifespan of a laser printer is 3 years

If you need to print something urgently, you can still use a laser printer. However, you should only do so if you have an extra cartridge available. Otherwise, you’ll just end up wasting money on a new cartridge.

• Printers with an inkjet cartridge will last longer than those with toner cartridges

In addition to using a laser printer as a backup, there are other reasons why you might want to consider one. First, laser printers are more expensive than inkjet printers. Second, laser printers tend to produce better quality prints. Third, laser printers are generally faster at producing pages than inkjet printers. Fourth, laser printers are easier to maintain because they don’t require any special cleaning supplies. Finally, laser printers are quieter than inkjet printers.

Best Selling Laser Cut Products

Below, we’re sharing some products that have been transformed into priceless products by a laser cutting machine.

Personalized Groomsman Gift Box

Weddings are a once-in-a-lifetime event that brides and grooms spend BIG bucks on. When it comes to giving thanks to those who stand up for the newlyweds, a personalized gift is where it’s at.

Laser Cut Custom Wood Word Art

With the cost of plywood being so reasonable, it’s no wonder people with laser cutting machines are cranking out beautiful woodcut art. For less than $20, you can purchase a 4″ x 8″ piece of 1/4″ plywood. You can create at least sixteen 2′ x 1′ laser cut names or words out of one sheet.

The going rate for one of these is right around $40. Now let’s do some simple math. $20 x 16 = $320. You can make a profit of over $300 from one sheet of plywood, a little bit of creativity, and a laser cutting machine.

Laser Engraved Hammer

How much does a basic hammer cost? This one on Amazon sells for under $7. How much does a laser engraved hammer sell for? $30! Adding a personalized engraving to a simple product increases the value by four times. A hammer isn’t the only thing you can charge four times more for either.

Personalized Cutting Board

This cutting board is another prime example of the value a laser cutting machine can add to an ordinary product. Purchase a plain cutting board for less than $10 then just add a bit of personalization to sell it for nearly $50! That is a 400% mark up. We’ve said it before and we’ll repeat it – people pay for personalization! A cutting board like this could easily become a family heirloom.

Personalized Wooden Clock

Ignite the “maker” in yourself by offering uncommon goods like this personalized clock. This clock was created with a piece of oak, (a laser cutting machine will cut up to 1/2″ thick oak) a bit of stain, and a set of clock hands. Simple enough, right? This 11″ clock is going for $80 and makes for a one of a kind, timeless gift.

Heirloom Recipe Box

For right around $50, this custom made recipe box would make any foodie a happy camper. A blank wooden recipe box will cost you under $8 on Amazon, and with a little laser cutting machine magic, you’re on your way to making quite a profit on a special (yet simple) product. Here’s to hoping the foodie in your life is planning on sharing all of those yummy creations with you!

How to Price Laser Engraving Jobs

Setting the price on this is pretty standard – it will depend on the overall time machine was working. The “industry standard”, or should I say the most common number that gets quoted is $1 per minute (obviously this can be $0.5 or $2 and more depending on location, product, industry, etc).

But, unless you run a makerspace and quite literally rent time on your laser cutter, this is not a good way to do it. You will quickly realize that some jobs take very short time on the laser but a long time to prepare (for example engraving pens can take 10 seconds of laser time but can take a lot longer to set it up correctly), while other jobs require some post-processing (sanding, assembling, etc) that you will also need to spend your time on.

Instead of setting fixed costs for laser time, try to come up with an hourly rate you are trying to make. If you are also doing design work your hourly rate should not include designing time because that should be quoted separately. You don’t have to disclose your hourly rate to the customer (and its better if you don’t) but you should use this to determine how much you should charge for a specific job.

This way you set a value for your time and not just the machine time. Just figure out how much you need to earn to make it worthwhile. This can range from “cover my expenses” if you do this for fun to “full-time hourly rate” if it’s your primary source of income.

LaserHint: when trying to come up with an hourly rate ask yourself these questions:

1.  How much can I make per hour if I find a regular job for my current skill level
2.  How much per hour would it take to pay back the machine if I took one year loan from a bank to buy it
3.  How much it costs you to own and operate a laser cutting business (this includes taxes, utilities, expendable materials, parts, etc)

Here is an oversimplified, easy to calculate example:
Say that you can find a job that pays $10 per hour (McDonald’s hourly rate).
If machine costs $15 000, divide that by about 1500 working hours/year (40-hour work with without vacations, sick days, lunch hours, etc) in a year and you get $10 per hour you will need to pay back for the loan (these imaginary banks don’t like interests ? ). 
Add another $10 for all other expenses of owning a business (taxes, electricity, etc).

This will get you at a rate of $30 per hour.

Now you have an absolute minimum hourly rate under which you shouldn’t go. Your hourly rate should be higher than this. For anything below that it’s more (economically) feasible for you to go and get a regular job with a pension, insurance, paid vacation, fixed working hours, etc. 

Hourly rate is only supposed to serve as a base on which you build on. There will often be a reason for a price to go above your hourly rate and even some situations when you should go bellow it.

You should charge above your hourly rate if:

• You are too busy. If you have more work than you can handle it usually means that you are underpricing your service. But before you do, make sure that you are not too busy because you are not managing your time correctly.
• You are the one providing materials. This should not only factor the cost of the materials but also the cost of resources and the time it took for you to go and get the materials.
• You can finish your work faster or offer higher quality compared to the competition.

You should offer discounts if:

• Its high volume order (what exactly qualifies as high depends on where your business is at). It’s much easier to make additional 10 items on top of the original 100 for a single customer then it is to get another customer for those 10 items. This is why it’s a good idea to offer volume discounts (110 at a price of a 100 for example) especially for small items like key chains where the cost of the material stays almost the same but you provide additional value to your customer.
• This job is good for your “portfolio”. Lowering your rate to make sure that you get a job for a famous brand will increase credibility and reach for your brand. Maybe you can even make a deal with them to promote you on their social media accounts.

How to Make Money With a Laser Engraver

There are two main ways of making money with a laser engraving:

• By offering laser engraving services
• By selling engraved products

The difference between the two is this — in the former, you receive orders from customers on how they want their products to be engraved.

In the latter, you offer readily engraved products for customers to choose.

Laser Engraving Services

When deciding which laser engraving services to offer, think about your target market.

For example:

• Corporate
• Commercial

If you choose to provide corporate services, you’ll be looking at engraving bulk orders such as plaques, medals, awards and stationeries.

On the other hand, commercial laser engraving services include personalized jewellery, like engraved rings and necklaces, as well as unique gifts such as engraved photos, mobile phone cases and rustic welcome signs.

Selling Engraved Products

If you choose to sell engraved products, then you wouldn’t need to invest in a laser engraver.

Generally, an order is placed for specified engraved products such as keychains, coasters and rubber stamps. These products are usually not personalized compared to if you offer engraving services.

Once ready, a price is set and these products will be sold commercially. Examples are engraved souvenirs from a particular city like coasters and keychains, as well as rubber stamps with generic engraving for regular office use.

Once you learn how to make money with a laser engraver, the possibilities are endless. Which makes you wonder, what can you make with a laser engraver?

There’s a long list of things you can engrave with a laser cutter, but here are some of the lucrative options that you can consider:

• Personalized Gifts – For Birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s, Anniversaries etc

• Wedding Favours – If you prefer large scale projects, selling engraved wedding favours is a good option.
• Household Products – Because there is always someone looking for a touch of personalization to spruce up their home, like cutting boards and bottle openers

Laser Cutting Business Plan

If you want to start a laser engraving business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Below we detail the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your laser engraving business plan. 

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of laser engraving business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a laser engraving business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of laser engraving businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. 

• Give a brief overview of the laser engraving industry. 
• Discuss the type of laser engraving business you are operating. 
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. 
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team. 
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of laser engraving business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of laser engraving businesses:

1. Bulk/corporate engraving: This type of laser engraving business sells all kinds of products in bulk, often to corporate clients. Examples of these products include keychains or mugs engraved with the company logo. 
2. Glass engraving: This type of laser engraving business specializes in creating and selling engraved glass products. Examples of these products include wine glasses, champagne bottles, and glass plates. 
3. Metal engraving: This type of laser engraving business creates and sells engraved metal products, usually consisting of either stainless steel or coated metals. Coated metal cups and bottles are examples of metal engraved products. 
4. Niche/high-end engraving: This type of laser engraving business specializes in fine materials and intricate, one-of-a-kind designs. Examples of these products include artist rendered figurines or laser engraved luxury gifts. 
5. Wood engraving: This type of laser engraving business focuses on creating and selling engraved products made from wood. Examples of wood engraved products include puzzles, plaques, and ornaments. 

In addition to explaining the type of laser engraving business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of customers served, the number of products sold, or reaching $X amount in revenue, etc. 
• Your legal business structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the laser engraving industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the laser engraving industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your laser engraving business plan:

• How big is the laser engraving industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your laser engraving business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your laser engraving business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, schools, families, and corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of laser engraving business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other laser engraving businesses. 

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes manufacturers and retailers of other types of personalized gifts, online custom engraving services, and do-it-yourself engraving products. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of laser engraving business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you make it easier for customers to obtain your product or service?
• Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan. 

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a laser engraving business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product: In the product section, you should reiterate the type of laser engraving company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide engraved mugs, puzzles, keychains, business cards, or wine glasses?  

Price: Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place: Place refers to the site of your laser engraving company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your laser engraving business located in a busy retail district, a business district, a standalone office, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions: The final part of your laser engraving marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites 
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your laser engraving business, including answering calls, taking orders, negotiating with suppliers, and collecting payments from customers, etc. 

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to acquire yoru Xth customer, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your laser engraving business to a new city. 

Management Team

To demonstrate your laser engraving business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company. 

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing laser engraving businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a laser engraving business.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

• Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you expect to fill 20 orders per day, and will you charge by the minute for laser engraving services? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

• Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your laser engraving business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

• Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. 

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a laser engraving business:

• Cost of laser engraving equipment and office supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Appendix

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or photos of completed projects. 

Writing a business plan for your laser engraving business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the laser engraving industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful laser engraving business.

How to Start a Laser Engraving Business at Home

Step One: Create a Plan for Your Business Venture

While it’s understandable that you’re excited and want to get started as a laser engraving maestro as soon as possible, never skip creating a business plan. Keep in mind that a large proportion of businesses don’t experience long-term success, but this is usually because they haven’t planned carefully enough.

Start off by doing a deep dive into laser engraving technology and the industry as a whole. Decide on the structure of your laser engraving business and mention which laser products you plan to create and who you’re going to sell them to. Finally, you need to create a short-, medium- and long-term plan of how you’re going to make money, from acquiring equipment to marketing and pricing.

Step Two: Marketing as a Laser Engraver

While marketing might sound like something fancy people starting up trendy businesses do, it’s actually essential for everyone. If you want people to buy your laser engraving, you’ll need to find out what they want and devise a strategy to let them know you exist.

Market analysis involves looking into demand in the industry in your local area and beyond. Keep in mind that because of the internet, you’re no longer limited to selling in your local area. As such, you’ll need to choose a market segment and learn the market forces driving that niche. Think about the following questions:

• How do you plan on differentiating your laser engraving business?
• How do you plan on adding value to your customers’ lives?
• How are you going to deliver an exceptional customer experience?

Now that you know who you’re marketing yourself to, it’s time to create a brand that bridges the gap between what your potential customers want and what your company delivers. Key components of brand identity include:

• Business name
• Mission statement
• Logo
• Fonts, colors and imagery associated with your company

Step Three: Pricing Your Laser Engraving Business

Marketing is only half the battle. As with any industry, laser engraving pricing is a key driving force for your business. For example, when it comes to creating gifts and trophies, many consumers are focused solely on price when they choose a custom laser engraver. If you plan on entering this sector, you’ll need to find a way to ensure your prices are lower than competitors while still offering a high-quality service.

On the other hand, corporate and industrial clients might perceive low prices as a sign of poor quality. They’ll likely be looking at quality, track record and accuracy. When you’re starting out, you can demonstrate the level of quality you offer in your website, communication and samples.

Step Four: Get Laser Engraver Equipment

Now that you’ve got a plan in place, it’s time to take action. You can find laser engraving machines for a small percentage of the price they once were. Pay close attention to the size of the engraving bed, as this dictates what you can make. Some laser cutters come with an adjustable bed, which can offer additional flexibility. Laser power and wattage also play a role in how quickly and efficiently you can work

You’ll need to find out which materials you can use with your laser, and raw materials are your other main costs. Other items you’ll need when starting out are a computer, photo editing software, a content management system, web hosting and office materials.

Step Five: Register Your Laser Engravers Business

If you’re planning on becoming a high-flying laser engraving expert, you should register your business as soon as possible. If something goes wrong and a customer sues you, you could be personally liable if you’re not registered as a company. Getting registered also makes it possible to fulfill other legal requirements such as setting up for taxes, opening a business bank account and applying for credit.

Step Six: Build a Laser Business Website

Now it’s time to use your branding and marketing strategy to create a website. Lots of people settle for setting up social media pages or write themselves off as not being technically savvy enough to take this step. This is a huge mistake in today’s marketplace, where you can set up a website for your laser engraving business with minimal knowledge of coding or website building. There are lots of CMSs to choose from, making setting up your website as simple as using MS Word.

Step Seven: Start Creating Custom Engraving Pieces

You’ve made it. Becoming a laser engraving entrepreneur is not that difficult, but it takes hard work. However, in return for that effort, you get to work on your own terms, create the items of your choosing and make a ton of cash!

Laser Cutting Machine

While laser cutters are much cheaper and more accessible than they used to be, they still represent a significant financial investment, so it pays to do your research and land on the right one. Availability of laser cutters can also vary between countries. Below are some of the best options.

1. Ten-High Upgraded Version CO2

Highly capable and relatively straightforward to use, the Ten-High Upgraded Version CO2 is going to be the best laser cutter for the majority of users – in the US, at least. It can slice through a wide variety of materials, including wood, leather, plywood, acrylic, density board, bamboo, cloth, double colour plate and glass.

Note that it won’t cut through metal, so if you’re aiming to do some metal laser cutting, you’ll want to skip down to the Triumph Fiber Laser Cutting Machine at #3, which is specifically designed for that purpose. 

Lining up your materials for cutting is made easier with the Ten-High Upgraded Version CO2 thanks to a clever red light positioning system, and for safety, there’s a suspension system that immediately shuts off the laser the moment the doors are opened.

With a generous amount of space for your engravings, and a ventilation fan to keep the exhaust smoke moving, the Ten-High Upgraded Version CO2 has been comprehensively equipped. It’s also compatible with CorelDRAW, and connection is easily achieved via the USB port.

2. 130W Reci W4 Co2 laser tube engraver and cutter

Fair warning, this is not a laser cutter to choose if you working in a small space. The 130W Reci W4 Co2 is a big beast with an engraving area of 1300 x 900mm, offering engraving speeds of up to 600 mm/sec and cutting speeds of up to 300 mm/s. If you have a feeling you’re going to be tearing through a lot of laser cutting projects, and have plenty of space to be doing it, this may be the machine for you.

It’ll cut just about anything except for metal, so if you’re working with wood, plastic, plexiglass, crystal, leather, rubber, marble, ceramics or whatever else, you should be fine. It’s also got wide digital compatibility, accepting a range of file formats and working with AutoCAD and CorelDRAW.

Again, though we really can’t stress enough, this thing is big. Its footprint is about 1829 x 1422 x 1041mm, so you’re not going to be tucking it into the corner of a cupboard. 

3. Triumph Fiber Laser Cutting Machine

Need to work with metal? The Triumph Fiber Laser Cutting Machine is made for it, making it the ideal choice for engraving. You can cut aluminium, stainless steel, copper, gold and silver without shadowing thanks to a high-speed galvanometer. 

It’s not cheap, but overall, this is a very capable system that allows you to cut on a work area up to 200 x 200mm and at a rate of 9,000mm/s. The interface is relatively simple to use with a touchscreen and support for CorelDraw, AutoCad, and Photoshop format files. And best of all, it comes with software pre-installed, so you can get right to work. 

4. ORTUR Laser Master 2

This cheap laser cutter may seem like a bit of an intimidating prospect at first, arriving as a pile of parts that may have you wondering what on earth you’ve got yourself into. However, once you get through the easy assembly process, you’ll quickly discover you have a solidly capable cutter on your hands, and a great one for the price you paid. 

The ORTUR Laser Master 2 has no interface to speak of, so needs to be wired up to computer at all times for programming in your cuts. You may find you want to have some excess of your materials available, as there can sometimes be some fine-tuning and trial/error involved in getting the settings right for your particular designs – though once you manage it, the results are reliably pretty good across the board.

There are also some handy safety features that will ease any worries about how open and exposed the design is – the Laser Master will cut out if knocked or moved, or if the USB cable is knocked out.

There is an ORTUR Laser Master 3 available, however it is considerably more expensive, and we love the affordable versatility of the Laser Master 2, so are sticking with it as our recommendation for now. 

5. AtomStack Portable Mini Laser Engraver

If you’re a beginner or hobbyist, you’re probably looking for something cheap and lower powered than the laser cutters we’ve mentioned so far. In which case, let us point you to the AtomStack Portable Mini Laser Engraver.

While it’s nice and portable, its 5W laser power can cut cardboard, non-woven fabric, veneer, acrylic, some thin plastic board, sponge, MDF and leather, and engrave materials like wood, bamboo, cardboard, plastic, leather, MDF, slate, lacquered metal and stainless steel. 

A great little machine for home projects, this machine comes 85% assembled, which may sound like a strange brag but it’s actually very welcome when dealing with laser cutters. Its all-aluminum alloy anodized structure design makes it impressively durable, and it can cut and engrave most small items you’d want to use it with, from glasses to leather bags and picture frames. 

How to Make Money With a Laser Copier

Besides personal use, your laser printer or copier can be a legit money-making machine. Here, we discuss how you can make money with a laser copier or printer. Let’s get started.

1. Start a 3D Printing Service

If you’re looking for a way to make money with 3D printing, one option is to start a 3D printing service. This type of business allows people to send their 3D files or design them using a web-based interface and then have the items printed and shipped to them.

The great thing about this business model is that it’s relatively low-cost, and you can begin with any 3D printer. Plus, you can Print on Demand (POD) which means that you only print items when someone orders them, so there’s no need to keep inventory on hand.

Whether you’re starting a 3D printing service from scratch or partnering with an existing company, there are a few things you’ll need to do to get started.

• First, you’ll need to choose the right software and hardware for your business. There are many different 3D printing technologies available, so it’s essential to do your research and select the best option for your needs.
• You’ll also need to determine how to source your 3D files or create them yourself.
• Finally, you’ll need to create marketing materials and develop a pricing strategy.

2. 3D Print and Make Your Own Products

With the right CAD software and printer, you can make money by 3D printing products for customers. Here are a few tips to get started:

• Find a niche market: There are endless possibilities for 3D printing, so you must find a niche market you can serve. Whether you make customized products or print in bulk, focus on a specific area in which you can excel. A good example is 3D printing customized rings and other jewelry.
• Invest in a good printer: You’ll need an excellent 3D printer to produce high-quality products. Research different types of printers and get one that suits your needs.
• Create detailed designs: Your product’s quality will depend on your design’s quality. Make sure to create intricate designs considering the final product’s size and shape.
• Pricing your products: When pricing your products, make sure to factor in the cost of materials, printer, and time. Looking at what your competition charges for similar products would be ideal.

3. Sell and Rent Out Laser Copier or Printers

There is a growing market for 3D printers, and people are willing to pay good money to access one. So, if you’re looking to make some extra cash, renting your 3D printer when you’re not using it could be an excellent option.

There are a good number of websites where you can list your 3D printer and get some gigs. An excellent example of such platforms is Hubs. You can also sell your 3D printer outright and get a new model! Sellers on online marketplaces like eBay or Craigslist will pay top dollar for used equipment.

4. Offer 3D Design Services for 3D Printing Projects

Designing 3D models for 3D printing can be a great way to make money. You can sell your designs online through a marketplace like Shapeways or Cults 3D or work with a 3D printing service like Sculpteo.

Of course, you can also set up your own business if you don’t want to rely on a marketplace. Whatever route you choose, there’s money to make in 3D printing.

5. 3D Printing Training and Education

Many institutions and individuals are interested in learning what 3D printing is and how it works. By becoming an expert in this field, you could help others learn this technology while earning extra income at home or online!

While it may take some time to get started, once you have built up a clientele, you can charge hourly rates or package deals for your services. In addition, you can also offer your services as a consultant to businesses looking to implement 3D printing into their operations.

By sharing your expertise, you can make a real difference in the world of 3D printing while also earning some solid profits.

What Does a Laser Printer Make?

They work by using a heated wire to positively charge a drum, which is then passed over by a laser that reverses the charge in the areas that it hits. The now-negatively charged areas of the drum represents the image or text that is to be printed.

A toner roller is passed over the drum, and toner particles stick to the negatively charged areas. A sheet of paper is then fed underneath the toner-coated drum and the toner is passed onto its surface, creating a printer copy of a digital document or image.

With the first laser printers being made commercially available in 1976, laser printing has proved itself as a reliable and effective printing solution.

Incorporating laser beam technology in order to provide high precision outputs, laser printers are the perfect choice for offices and busy workplaces.

What Does a Laser Printer Use to Make a Print Job?

A modern-day laser printer comprises of 8 main components, each essential in producing the superb print quality we are used to today. The anatomy of a printer includes:

Power supply

Requiring a high voltage in order to charge the drum, the power supply works to convert AC current into higher voltages needed for the transfer process.

Photosensitive drum

The role of the drum unit is to attract positively charged toner particles onto its surface. In order to achieve this, laser printers usually use a corona wire which carries a high voltage. Once the drum is adequately charged, the laser beam is guided onto the surface of the drum via mirrors which precisely scans the images onto the surface of the drum.

Toner cartridges

Laser printers use microscopic ink particles in a powdered form known as toner. Once heated by the fuser unit, the toner melts allowing it to be fused to the paper fibres under pressure.

Like inkjet cartridges, toner is most commonly used in the CMYK colours. Combined, these colours can recreate any colour palette.

Corona wires

The primary corona wire is responsible for positively charging the drum unit in order for the drum unit to be able to draw the toner particles onto its surface.

The transfer corona wire is given a negative charge in order to negatively charge the paper and draw the toner particles from the surface of the drum onto the sheet.

Both of these wires require high voltages in order to create adequate charge, this is supplied by the high voltage power supply.

Fuser unit

The fuser unit comprises of two heated rollers used to physically fuse the toner particles onto the paper.

Using high levels of heat and pressure, the powdered toner particles are melted and form a strong bond with the fabric of the paper.

Given the high speed that the fuser unit operates, the sheet has as little contact with the paper as possible which avoids the risk of fire.

Waste Toner Bottle

The waste toner bottle is used to collect excess toner from the photosensitive drum that is unused during the printing process. Excess toner is deposited in a reservoir and once full, the waste toner bottle must be replaced.

Why are Color Laser Printers so Expensive?

There are several good reasons including the extraordinary difficulty of precision registration of 4 colours.

But we should not ignore commercial factors too.

People buy mono and colour lasers because they are looking for a reliable, high throughput, device that will last for years. So they are better built, documented, and supported.

It would be possible to make inkjets like that, and (perhaps) pocket money lasers. But the printer market is small, and reducing, and with only limited R&D resources, a natural bifurcation has arisen, where inkjets are cheap, disposable, crap and lasers are serious industrial things that last a decade.

You hardly ever see inkjets with multiple paper trays, job queuing, security card readers, etc. Because those have gravitated to the big business side of the divide.

Yes, there are technical reasons for a fundamental price split. But that has been accompanied by market specialization, where the technical differences neatly align with market specialization.

It’s like the way motorized transport has specializations — motorbikes address a different market than lorries. And some features of the two markets mean we see petrol motorbikes and diesel lorries. There are, or have been, diesel motorbikes, but there is no compelling reason to break that mould.

Does a Laser Printer Save More Money Than an Ink?

Laser printers have been around for decades, but up until recently, the overwhelming cost limited their use to well-funded companies. However, the last handful of years have seen almost all major printer manufacturers release a laser model of their own. As most consumers are realizing, today’s laser printers are far superior to inkjet printers and more cost-effective.

Laser printers use toner. Toner is a dry powdered ink that resides inside a cartridge and transfers the image from your computer or memory card to a piece of paper via heat during the printing process.

Unlike inkjet printer inks, which can dry up and go bad when your printer is only sporadically put to use, toner stays fresh indefinitely. That means you can install a toner cartridge today and use the printer a year from now with no trouble. You can’t say that for any other kind of printer on the market today.

Advantages of Laser Printers

The main advantages of laser printers are speed, precision and economy. A laser can move very quickly, so it can “write” with much greater speed than an ink jet. And because the laser beam has an unvarying diameter, it can draw more precisely, without spilling any excess ink.

Laser printers tend to be more expensive than inkjet printers, but it doesn’t cost as much to keep them running — toner powder is cheap and lasts a long time, while you can use up expensive ink cartridges very quickly.

This is why offices typically use a laser printer as their “work horse,” their machine for printing long text documents. In most models, this mechanical efficiency is complemented by advanced processing efficiency. A typical laser-printer controller can serve everybody in a small office.

When they were first introduced, laser printers were too expensive to use as a personal printer. Since that time, however, laser printers have gotten much more affordable. Now you can pick up a basic model for just a little bit more than a nice inkjet printer.

As technology advances, laser-printer prices should continue to drop, while performance improves. We’ll also see a number of innovative design variations, and possibly brand-new applications of electrostatic printing. Many inventors believe we’ve only scratched the surface of what we can do with simple static electricity!

What is the Best Laser Printer for Home and Small Business?

If you need to print out flyers, process office work claims, or produce hard-copy documents, having a printer that can multitask different jobs is invaluable for a small business. Since there may be a few employees who may need to share this printer, the best small business printer can handle a high amount of pages at an affordable cost and without constantly running out of ink.

Pages should print quickly, and these printers should have additional features like duplex printing or an automatic document feeder that can help simplify your workload.

The best printer for small business use is the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw. This bulky but well-built laser all-in-one printer has nearly every feature you’d need for your business. It has plenty of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet, and it’s compatible with Canon’s mobile app. Its high-resolution scanner has an automatic feeder to scan long, multi-page documents and can perform duplex scanning in a single pass.

Although it takes a little longer than most printers to warm up, this model can complete large print jobs quickly, churning out 29 black or color pages per minute. Its toner cartridges yield around 3000 black and 2000 color prints, and you can further increase the yield with XL cartridges.

It has decent color accuracy and isn’t terrible for photo printing; however, if you need to print posters or photos and want the best quality, you’re still better off with an inkjet model, and to that end, we recommend getting the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850.

The Epson is an inkjet all-in-one, and as its name suggests, it has refillable ink tanks instead of cartridges. A full tank yields around 4900 black and 2500 color pages, making it a great choice for high-volume printing. Plus, the ink bottles are cheap, so your maintenance cost will remain low even if you print a lot. It prints around 25 black or color pages per minute and has a large 550-sheet input tray capacity.

It doesn’t have the best color accuracy, but printed photos still look good. The downside is that it requires more maintenance as the printheads can clog after extended use. Also, this model is significantly more expensive than the Canon.