Summary
Highlights
Inkjet printers offer high-resolution output in both black and white and color. They are relatively inexpensive, operate quietly, and are excellent for printing graphics and photographs. However, the ink is expensive, proprietary, tends to fade over time, and frequently clogs the print nozzles.
Inkjet printers work by ejecting small drops of ink from cartridges onto paper. Most inkjet printers use four colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK). These can be in individual cartridges or combined into a single cartridge. Some printers integrate the print head directly into the ink cartridge, meaning a new print head is installed each time the cartridge is replaced. Other models have separate ink cartridges and print heads.
The print head is a delicate and small component. If integrated with the ink cartridge, replacing the cartridge also replaces the print head. Inkjet printers are compactly designed compared to laser printers. They use feed rollers to pull paper through the printer and past the print heads. Some larger inkjet printers support duplex printing, which can print on both sides of the page. Worn or dirty feed rollers can cause paper feeding issues and may need cleaning.