Best Practices: Ten tools and tips for better (and cheaper!) printing

Topic

New Reply

Michael Lasky returns with insider information about printers, how they (mis)behave, and what you can do about it. Let me say it for you, “Hey! I didn
[See the full post at: Best Practices: Ten tools and tips for better (and cheaper!) printing]

2 users thanked author for this post.

Elly, Myst

Reply | Quote

Replies

You forgot the “best” way to reduce ink consumption:  use a laser printer.  Laser printers are far more economical over ink jet printers.  I have a $50 Brother laser printer that uses one $60  cartridge in about 18 months or more, and I print a fair amount.  Note the lack of data.  I cannot get the numbers.  Sorry.

Reply | Quote

#post-324152 raises the option to switch the printer technology. This is a change I have intended to do myself with my next printer purchase. The savings in ink/toner seem obvious. The cost of paper remains the same.

There is a compromise on time, printing single pages several minutes apart requires the laser printer to endure additional warm up cycles before proceeding with the task. This is of little importance until you need that sheet “right now” and are accustomed to immediate gratification. However, large print jobs and continuous run tilts the time factor in favor of laser easily. So this is a case of define your own use.

I encourage the thoughts of contributors who don’t have hard numbers right at hand, so I ask the room in general rather than that anonymous, what of the energy cost of operations?

I accept the variable of time, but wonder if the savings in material consumed is lost in electrical cost to affix the toner to the page. Forgive me if the subject is addressed by Michael Lasky’s article, I have not yet had access to that information. I offer appreciation to anyone who redirects to an additional source, if responding with detail is complex.

Reply | Quote

Self replying. Thank you to the AW+ newsletter team for the opportunity to read a free copy. I see now that the topic article concerned tips specifically for the inkjet format. I apologize for the off topic question. Another time.

Reply | Quote

Most offices only print on one side for office use.  I go through the recycle bins in the offices and take the non security or private one sided print outs and reuse the blank sides for my own use.  I also use any junk mail  8 by 11’s  one sided print outs sent to me and reuse them also.

Reply | Quote