Printers: Should You Leave The Printer On All The Time, Or Turn It Off?

Written by Lynnette on March 23, 2005 | Comments (0)

I've always wondered whether you should leave your printer "on" 24/7, or keep it "off" the majority of the time and only turn it on during the times that you actually need it.

Looks like I've finally found the answer!...

The folks at PC World (the world's BEST computer mag for experts and beginners alike!) recommend that you keep your inkjet printer powered "on" at all times. Even when you have absolutely no intention of printing anything.

Why? Because it keeps the print heads cleaner and makes them less likely to gunk up and need replacing.

The print heads are typically the first thing to go bad on a printer, so the more you can do to preserve their life, the better!

So, if you tend to turn your printer "on" each time you need to use it, then "off" again as soon as you're done... STOP.

Doing so impacts the inner workings of the print system and increases your likelihood of having to clean (or replace) the print heads sooner rather than later.

Not to mention the fact that you're wasting ink in the process, because each time you start up your printer, the print heads are forced to run through their complete cycle in preparation for printing.

Here are some other helpful tips & tricks for fixing minor printer problems, plus ways to give your inkjet printer a quick tune-up.