When it comes to standard document printing for your home, office, class or project, generally any type of ink your printer comes with, will do. But when it comes to printing on specialized surfaces like glossy paper, fabrics, metals or surfaces that require your ink to be water proof, it is good to use the best ink for the task at hand, taking care so you do not end up with a poor quality print or a smeared mess. Take a look at some of the different printing projects to get an idea on the best types of inks to use for your varying tasks.

Black & White, High Volume or Occasional Document Printing

If you are printing more than 10 sheets of paper a day or print less than once a month, it might be wise to invest in a laser printer. Laser printers require an investment up front compared to standard inkjet printers but use toner which is often less expensive to purchase per printed page compared to ink cartridges, thusly saving you a decent amount of money over the life of your printer. If you have a standard inkjet printer and do not print that often, you might want to consider switching to a toner based printer as well. Toner doesn’t “dry out” if you don’t use it for an extended period of time, like ink does. Have you ever replaced the ink in your printer, then leave the printer idle for an extended period of time, come back to print again and realize that the printer says it is out of ink already? Well this is a common occurrence, because once you open up an ink cartridge, it has an expiration date and will dry on you. You have to use it, or lose it. This is why laser printers that use toner are ideal. Toner does not “dry out” (it is already a powder) and does not have a short shelf life like ink does when used.

Retail Store Receipt Printing

No ribbon, no ink, no toner, no hassle. Thermal receipt printers have come to age in the retail world for their ease of use, cost savings over time, low maintenance and speed. Like laser printers, thermal printers require an investment up front that generally pays off in long term ink, maintenance and paper savings. If you are printing receipts for a retail location and do not require a full page of paper to print your receipt on, thermal printing is certainly the way to go. Thermal printers use heat to print on special thermal paper. There is nothing to replace in the printer except the paper when it runs low. Thermal printers print quickly and save you time and money when processing multiple orders over time.

Photo Printing

Deciding on what type of ink to use when printing photos requires you to consider three different things. What type of paper are you printing on? Are you looking for the best possible photo quality? And lastly, are you concerned how long the print will last before the colors start to fade or smear?

Dye-based inks dry almost immediately and provide a rich color which makes this ink choice great for photographs that will be handled and distributed. Colors with dye-based inks do fade and sometimes absorb into the material that they are being printed on causing some color to overlap into others. Most importantly, dye-based inks are susceptible to running and smearing in humidity as well as any contact with moisture.

Pigment-based inks are more expensive than dye-based inks but provides further protection against oxidation, fading and moisture. This type of ink generally does not get absorbed by the material it is printed on, so colors do not run into others. So if you need a company logo or color to match perfectly, this is a great ink choice for you. Point of note: colors may not be as vibrant as dye-based inks when first printed.

Solid-inks are ideal for printing. They provide you the maximum protection against fading and moisture, while providing the most vibrant and vivid colors of all the other ink choices. The only downside to Solid- based ink printing is the availability of ink and the cost of the printer required to use the ink.

Fabric Based Printing

Dye-sublimation inks are the best types of inks to use when trying to transfer ink to fabric. The dye is heated directly on to the fabric for a good look that is machine washable.

Outdoor Banner & Sign Printing

Solvent inks become waterproof after being treated with heat and are great for outdoor signs, billboards and designs on plastics.

Raw Material Printing

UV-curable inks are waterproof and stick to stainless steel, wood, glass and ceramics. These inks are color-rich and get the job done. If you have ink needs and are looking to buy new, refill your ink cartridges or other have printing questions, it’s best to talk to an ink professional like those at Macroenter, your online printer supply center.