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Does a laser printer need "refills"? - wgh I'm planning on investing in a new printer as the old one cannot print properly. I know laser printers are the best at quality printing so would like to invest in one. I've been using ink-jet printers all my life and hated how often I need to replace cartridges and to put up with blocked nozzles on the printer head. What are the long term costs of owning a laser printer? Do I need to "refill" a laser "cartridge" like those ink-jet one? How often would it last and would it deteriorate even if I don't use it again like those ink-jet printers? Any other things I need to know about them with reference to ink-jet? Thanks a bunch. (Best answer gets full stars!)

Best Answer: For domestic use I think it only worthwhile to buy a black and white laser printer if you want to print lots of letters or back and white documents. I've had an HP laserjet 1000 printer since about 2003. It still has its original cartridge. I don't think they "go off" like inkjet cartridges do because they contain powder rather than liquid ink. You can get colour laser printers, but they need four separate cartridges, which cost quite a bit to replace even though they do last a long time. For printing photos a good inkjet printer is much beter than a laser printer. - Martin B

you need to replace the toner cartridge when it runs out and the drum when it get scratched I can't ell how long it will print using a cartridge as it depends on what you print - trevbrat03

well we use a lot of laser printers, they are good quality printer, faster than inkjet, and sharper pics, but main problem is they are black and white(colour is available but you need to pay through nose for that.).Yes you can get refills for laser toners. but its a very messy job, and needs to be done properly. One toner i think can print about 300pages avg(i think). No there is no problem with dry nozzle or nozzle block for not using it for a long time, but you do get problems with dust. But all printers have problems with dust. - Nikhil S

I use a Laser printer at work, black and white only, they take refills like all printers do, but they are much larger and cost about £80 each but do last a long time. Unlike InkJet that use ink, Laser printers use toner similar to old fashioned photo copiers. Although my machine is an office type (copy/print/Fax) and larger than a home machine there are smaller models around suitable for home use but I cannot say how much the refill cartridges are. Do a search for laser printer toners and see what you can find on the web. - MellowMan

Yes, laser printers do need to be "re-filled". but instead of buying an ink cartridge, you buy a replacement toner cartridge. Depending on the model of printer, they can run around $100 but you wont have to replace it near as often. most lasers will print several thousand pages (of course, this depends on what your printing, text or graphics). The per page cost for lasers is cheaper than inkjets. If you want to print pictures, an inkjet is still better than lasers. I have an HP 5550 deskjet inkjet for printing pictures and an HP 2605dn color laser for printing everything else. - Jeff C

Laser-jet printers have cartridges too. They are much different, long/plastic, look like copy toner. Print much faster, good for documents. - KonaRiley

Most laser printers take different "cartridges" of magenta, yellow, and cyan color (essentially a powder), as well as toner. Depending on the model you get, each one is about $30-$70. It's a large initial investment, but the cartridges last quite a long time. Again, it varies, but I've had my printer for almost 2 years and have not had to replace any of them. Do your research though. Sometimes getting an older model is cheaper, though the cartridges are harder to find or more expensive. hope this helps! - Sarah M

you have to replace the toner cartridge, but it lasts much longer than an ink tank. - tnuc_denots_gnikcuf

not sure about refill, i'm sure they have to be replaced. - Derran G

You do have to buy cartridges, but generally they last MUCH longer than an ink jet (at least 10 times longer). Cartridges tend to be more expensive, but over the long run, you will save money. - Benjamin P

yes - R.T.

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