HP vs. Canon Printer Ink Cartridges – Comparison Guide

Many printer brands are available in the market today. When looking for the perfect printer to use for your home or business, the process might be overwhelmingly confusing because it is cumbersome to compare every feature of each brand and evaluate performance to see if you are getting value for money.

Canon and HP printers are similar in so many different ways, from print quality, warranty terms and conditions to the price of cartridge replacement.

Therefore, the two brands are popular and have spent millions inventing better, reliable, and efficient printers that produce high-quality and detailed printouts without needing a lot of ink.

One important feature to examine is the replacement ink cartridges. Most printers have their ink cartridge that is specific to a particular printer type. There are two types of printers:

1. 
   

   Fixed-Head printers

These printers have four different cartridges with different colors in each: yellow, black, magenta or cyan. Replacing the colors is when needed.

In other words, if you have used up yellow, you do not have to replace the different colors. This printer feature helps you save on cost because it is less wasteful, especially if the project you are working on requires one color.

However, if not used often, the ink will dry up on the printer head. This type of printer type is used in Dymo labels printers. The structure makes it easier to print the label easily for business uses.

2.  

   Disposable head printers

This type has a double cartridge system. One compartment has black ink while the other has yellow, cyan, and magenta.

This printer can sometimes be wasteful because once one color runs out, you will need to replace them even though only a little is used in one compartment.

However, the cartridge system allows for easy ink replacement since the printer head is attached to the cartridge system and not the printer.

Furthermore, with each new cartridge, you continue working with a new printer head.

Further classification of printers

The two printers can further be divided into two: inkjet and laser printers. The main difference between the two is that the inkjet uses a liquid while the laser uses a powder toner to fuse onto the paper.

Canon is famous for LaserJet printers, while HP is known for inkjet printers. However, the two brands produce both types of printers.

The three pros of an inkjet printer are:

•         The initial cost upfront
•         The quality of the image: If you want to do a large print, quality in ink would be your best choice.
•         You can print on media types: Inkjet printers work on paper, denim, canvas or vinyl. 

The cons to using an inkjet printer include:

•         The cost of replacing the ink cartridge is higher.
•         Inkjet printers are not usually ideal for high-volume print jobs.
•         If you are not using the cartridge every day, then they tend to dry up quickly.

The pros to using a laser printer would be:

•         The print cartridge is much lower in cost.
•         The ability to use the printer for high-volume prints.
•         The ability to produce high-quality text documents in the office environment.

The cons to using a laser printer are:

•         The initial startup price is usually high
•         You can only print on paper.
•         You are unable to print high-quality colored laser prints.

The Difference Between The Two Brands

In the past, Canon specialized in making laser printers while HP made inkjet printers. However, at the moment, the two brands make both types of cartridges.

For example, when you consider the Canon CLI-221 cartridges, you work with different colors. These cartridges are perfect for specific Canon printers such as the PIXMA MP560.

However, the Canon CL-241 cartridges contain only one color and are ideal for printers like the PIXMA MX512.

Examples of HP cartridges include the HP 940 set, which contains four different colors and is perfect for printers such as the HP Officejet Pro 8500A.

Alternatively, the HP 61 ink cartridge stores a single color and can work with the Deskjet 1000-J110a, among other printers.

Both Canon and HP are among the best printers in the world. When choosing between the two, it all depends on your preferences and the type of work you are doing.

Consider your budget and evaluate how much it will cost you to complete your project using one kind of printer compared to the other before buying printer ink online.