What differentiates one inkjet printer from another? It has to be the quality which is a byproduct of the underlying technology. Epson boasts of the Micro Piezo technology while Canon and HP use Thermal technology.

The Micro Piezo printer head consists of several tiny nozzles and is controlled by a piezoelectric crystal that rapidly flexes when current is applied. This pushes the ink droplets through the nozzle, thereby creating the image. Epson claims that this technology is much more precise than the Thermal technology as the amount of droplets can be intricately managed.

The thermal heads also has several nozzles but the flow of ink is controlled by Thermal heads. The ink reaches a boiling point rapidly and the expanding bubble forces ink out of the nozzles.

The MP technology can print on many surfaces which is a disadvantage with Thermal printers as it is limited a few types of paper. But, Thermal heads are relatively economical than its counterpart. Thermal heads needs to be replaced on a regular basis but the MP heads lasts longer than the printer itself.

In terms of quality, it is extremely hard to spot differences between the two technologies, hence both exist simultaneously. But, if you are looking for a long lasting printer, Epson is your babe.

via Epson Corporate