Static, powder and heat

Laser printers

Fast, crisp text and a low cost per page. The workhorse for documents.

Upfront cost: Medium
Running cost: Low
Speed: High
Color: Some models

Independent guide — not affiliated with any manufacturer. For warranty or official support, contact the maker of your printer.

Overview

A laser printer does not spray anything. It draws your page as a pattern of static electricity on a rotating drum, lets fine powder called toner cling to that pattern, transfers it onto paper, and melts it in place with heat. The result is sharp text that does not smear, delivered quickly.

Monochrome laser printers are the classic choice for anyone who prints a lot of documents. Color laser models exist too; they cost more to buy and are great for charts and business graphics, though photo printing is not their strength.

How it works

Diagram is illustrative, not to scale.

The drum is charged

A light-sensitive drum receives an even electrostatic charge as it turns.
A laser draws the page

A laser beam, steered by a spinning mirror, discharges the drum wherever text or images should appear.
Toner sticks to the image

Charged toner powder is attracted only to the drawn areas, then transferred to the paper as it rolls past.
Heat fuses it

The page passes between hot fuser rollers that melt the toner into the fibers, which is why pages come out warm.

Pros and cons

Advantages and drawbacks of laser printers
Pros	Cons
Low cost per page for text	Higher upfront price, particularly for color models
Fast, especially on long documents	Not ideal for photos or glossy paper
Sharp text that does not smudge when wet	Larger and heavier than most inkjets
Toner does not dry out between uses	Toner and drum replacements cost more each time, though they last much longer

Best for

Document-heavy households

Contracts, school reports, recipes, tickets: lots of black text.
Home offices

Steady weekly volume where speed and reliability matter.
Occasional users

People who print rarely and are tired of dried-out ink.

What it costs to run

Toner cartridges cost more than ink cartridges but print many more pages, so the cost per page for black text is usually among the lowest of any printer type.

Some models use a separate drum unit that is replaced less often than toner. Factor both into your comparison when the printer uses them.

Color laser printers need four toners. Their cost per color page is typically lower than a cartridge inkjet but higher than an ink-tank printer.

Prices and page yields vary by model and change over time, so we do not quote figures here. Our guide to calculating cost per page shows how to compare any two printers yourself.