Inkjet and laser printers have strengths and weaknesses that mark each as best for specific situations. The picture is less clear when we look at ink tank printers versus laser printers, as ink tank printers offer much higher page yields at a lower cost than traditional inkjet printers. Ink tank and laser printers still have key differences and unique strengths and weaknesses, but it's a complicated distinction.

We found that both printers offer a lower cost per page than traditional inkjet printers, and both perform well in high-volume print environments. The tanks in ink tank printers have much higher volumes than traditional ink cartridges, allowing them to print many more pages between refills compared to traditional inkjet printers. Laser printers are in the same ballpark, as their cartridges often hold enough toner to print thousands of pages.

Laser printers are generally more expensive than tank printers, but both categories are more expensive than traditional inkjet printers. Laser printers have lower average running costs due to lower maintenance and slightly higher page yields, and they also print faster and require less maintenance.

Ink tank printers excel at printing photos and are more flexible in terms of the types of paper they can use. Color laser printers can print photos and color documents, but they are not as good as ink tank printers in that department.