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A printer is an output device that turns digital instructions into a physical result. Most familiar printers put text or images on paper, while specialty printers can mark labels or photos, and 3D printers build objects from digital designs. The right type depends on what you print, how often you print it, and which media and functions you need.
What is a printer?
NIST defines a printer in its glossary as “a device that converts digital data to human-readable text on a paper medium.” That describes conventional paper printers; in broader use, the term also covers machines that produce images on other media and additive-manufacturing machines that build three-dimensional objects.
A printer receives digital information from a computer, phone, or other device and produces output you can see or handle. It may print a document, photograph, receipt, label, or physical object, depending on its technology and supported materials.
How does a printer work?
The details depend on the print technology, but the basic idea is consistent: the machine interprets a digital job and applies or forms material on a medium to produce the requested output.
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- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Scan & Copy Handling - Utilize the device’s integrated scanner for efficient scanning and copying operations
Inkjet printers
An inkjet printer sends liquid ink through small openings in a printhead, placing droplets onto paper or another supported medium. Inkjet models can print text as well as color images, which is why they are commonly used for home documents, photos, and graphics. Supported media varies by model.
Laser printers
A laser printer creates an electrostatic pattern on a photoreceptor drum. Toner powder adheres to the pattern, then a fuser bonds the toner to the paper. Laser printers are often selected for text-focused or higher-volume work, although speed and output quality depend on the specific model and workload.
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Thermal and specialty photo printers
Thermal printing uses heat to make marks. Direct-thermal printers create marks on heat-sensitive paper, as commonly used for receipts and some labels. In thermal-transfer printing, heat moves colorant from a ribbon to the medium. Dye-sublimation is a related thermal process used for continuous-tone photo output.
Some portable photo printers use ZINK, or “zero-ink,” technology: heat activates special paper instead of conventional liquid ink. This requires compatible paper and is not the same as an ordinary inkjet printer.
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- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Scan & Copy Handling - Utilize the device’s integrated scanner for efficient scanning and copying operations
3D printers
A 3D printer turns a digital design into a physical object by forming it in successive layers. The design is divided into cross-sections, and material is deposited, fused, or cured to build the object. In desktop material extrusion, plastic filament is heated and pushed through a nozzle; the U.S. Department of Energy describes the process as working “like a glue gun.” Other additive-manufacturing processes use methods such as resin curing, powder fusion, or binder application.
What is the difference between inkjet and laser printers?
The core difference is what each machine uses to form the image: inkjets place liquid ink on the medium, while laser printers use toner and an electrostatic process. These differences inform common use cases, but they do not guarantee that every model will perform alike.
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- AFFORDABLE ALL-IN-ONE FOR HOME AND HOME OFFICE: Print, copy, and scan on one compact wireless printer designed for everyday home office printing, schoolwork, documents, and reports. Produce beautiful prints for results that stand out.
- EASY TO USE WITH CLOUD APP CONNECTIONS: Print from and scan to popular Cloud apps(2), including Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, and more from the simple-to-use 1.8” color display on your printer.
- FULL-SIZE FEATURES IN A COMPACT DESIGN: This printer includes automatic duplex (2-sided) printing, a 20-sheet single-sided Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)(3), and a 150-sheet paper tray(3). Engineered to print at fast speeds of up to 16 pages per minute (ppm) in black and up to 9 ppm in color(4).
- MULTIPLE CONNECTION OPTIONS: Connect your way. Interface with your printer on your wireless network or via USB.
- MOBILE PRINTING MADE EASY: Go mobile with the Brother Mobile Connect app(5) that delivers easy onscreen menu navigation for printing, copying, scanning, and device management from your mobile device. Monitor your ink usage with Page Gauge to help ensure you don’t run out(6).
| Type | How it forms output | Common fit | Supplies or media to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inkjet | Liquid ink droplets are placed through printhead openings. | Home documents, photos, and graphics. | Compatible ink and supported paper or other media. |
| Laser | Toner adheres to an electrostatic image on a drum and is fused to paper. | Text-heavy or higher-volume printing. | Compatible toner and supported paper. |
| Thermal | Heat marks heat-sensitive media or transfers colorant from a ribbon. | Receipts, labels, and some photo output. | Correct thermal paper, label stock, or ribbon for the device. |
| 3D / additive | Material is deposited, fused, or cured in layers from a digital design. | Producing three-dimensional objects. | Materials and process compatible with the printer. |
There is no universal winner between inkjet and laser. Compare models against your actual workload, content, supported media, and ongoing supply needs rather than relying on the technology name alone.
Which printer features matter?
Features describe what a printer can do or how you can use it; they are separate from the print engine. An all-in-one or multifunction printer adds functions such as scanning, copying, or faxing, but the label does not tell you whether it prints with inkjet or laser technology.
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- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Seamless Multi-Page Handling - Tackle multi-page documents with ease using the Auto Document Feeder (ADF) for quick scanning and copying
- Functions: Decide whether you need print only, or scanning, copying, and faxing as well.
- Duplex printing: Check whether the model can print on both sides of a sheet and whether that capability suits your workflow.
- Connections: Look for the options you need, such as wireless or mobile printing, direct USB, or SD-card printing where supported.
- Paper handling: Consider paper trays and whether the printer supports the sizes and media you expect to use.
- Supplies: Confirm the exact ink, toner, ribbon, or specialized media required. Ink and toner are not interchangeable, and compatibility depends on the model.
How to choose a printer for your work
- Estimate your workload. Consider how many pages you expect to print in a typical day, week, or month. A light home workload and frequent office printing may call for different priorities.
- Identify what you print. If you mostly print documents, assess text-focused options; if photos and graphics are important, consider models suited to that output. Inkjet is commonly used for home and photo or graphics work, while laser is often chosen for text-heavy or higher-volume printing.
- List the functions you need. Decide whether you need scanning, copying, or faxing in addition to printing, and whether duplex or phone-based printing would be useful.
- Check the media specifications. Verify support for the paper, photo paper, labels, or other materials you plan to use. A technology category alone does not establish compatibility.
- Check ongoing supplies. Find the compatible supplies for the specific model and consider their availability and cost for your expected use. There is no single cost-per-page comparison that applies to every printer.
For receipts, labels, portable photos, large-format output, or 3D objects, a specialty printer may be more appropriate than a conventional document printer. Confirm the individual model’s supported media, supplies, and performance before choosing it.
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