I need some printing advice - Need CRISP text

[Johnny V]

This topic was imported from the Typophile platform

I'm sick of using my cheap inkjet printer and having all of my text come out fuzzy.

What I want in my prints is dark and crisp text.

What type of printer do I need to achieve super crisp text? And what type of paper? I'm not looking to buy anything super-expensive, just the proper stuff that will meet my needs.

I'm printing mostly high school coursework. Cost-effectiveness is also a plus, I'm sick of replacing my ink so often.

[Dunwich Type]

A laser printer. They’re much less expensive to operate over time than inkjet printers. Just stay away from color lasers, as I’ve found that consumer models are prone to breakdowns.

[Nick Shinn]

If you really like to see dense, sharp text, you need a laser printer.
Toner cartridges are expensive, but if you're only printing text (no large solid areas), a cartridge should last 12 months.
You can also use less expensive paper.

[nina]

"Just stay away from color lasers"
In the budget/consumer market, color lasers also tend to have worse resolution than b/w lasers. So if you mainly need/want high quality in text, definitely go for a b/w laser.

[thranduil]

Since I also have this problem – any recommended brands? Canon, HP, or whatnot?

[dberlowgone]

A "600 dot per inch" is what you are looking for.

Cheers!

[Jackson]

I recently purchased an hp p2015 for a couple hundred bucks from newegg. It's 1200x1200 dpi and the text quality is really nice so far. My only complaint is that really thick black areas (+.5") lose density in the middle but I'm running garbage thin recycled paper through it. A smoother, brighter and more opaque paper would look great, try some Hammermill Great White if you want something decent.

[thranduil]

Thanks, will take that into account. :)

[jupiterboy]

Ricoh AP610N has been a reasonable purchase.