While networkable business grade office inkjet devices have come a long way, many manufacturers have as yet failed to bring the 'software and operating platforms support' aspects of these solutions to the same level as the current state-of-the-art for laser MFPs.

With the choice of long-life office business inkjet MFP products growing--with products from players like Epson, HP, Canon and Kyocera--is it now time to ditch dirty, hungry and rather smelly laser MFPs in favor of the new kids?

The rise of business inkjet for the office

It must be galling to be an office equipment supplier in the 2000s knowing full well that the inkjet products being introduced are better for customers but much less profitable for your business.  But that's the rub; you can't hold back innovation even if, as a supplier, the business model is weaker.  Kodak tried that with digital cameras.  It didn't work out.

Many organizations today are examining the argument of whether to go inkjet or laser MFP for their office printing or to hold off for another round of Managed Print Services contracting.

The laser versus inkjet MFP debate feels rather like the 'fossil fuels versus electric' argument for cars.  We know that the new technology is quieter, cleaner, better--the future but we're still not sold on the robustness of the tech, or the ability of suppliers to embrace the new tech into their office printing ecosystems.  

Before you leap, hover over go button for a minute and read this article.

The arguments for business inkjet in the office

Laser MFPs that today rather sound like your grandad--i.e., consumes too much, smells a bit off, and is guaranteed to sit in the corner and be unnecessarily noisy.

Let's be honest, inkjet chemistry has been capable of producing high-quality images on paper for a good while and the use of print heads that span across a page, dropping their cargo as they go, makes for impressive print speeds and device productivity with almost no moving parts (are we back to the electric car debate again??).  

Chemistry has placed in the final piece of the puzzle; how to dry ink fast enough, render beautiful colors, and make black ink on a page look very pretty indeed.

Check the landing page of Epson's business inkjet range and you get all the reasons why it makes sense to ditch laser MFPs.  You don't need me to persuade you; the evidence and the stats are unquestionable: high-volume business inkjet is the better technology.  In saying so, that's not the issue is it?