diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e0ccfbe..70a3d0a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ use {
 };
 
 fn main() {
-    let mut encoder = Encoder::new("Hello, World!".as_bytes(), String::new(), None, Some(76));
+    let mut encoder = Encoder::new("Hello, World!".as_bytes(), vec![], None, Some(76));
     encoder.encode().unwrap();
-    assert_eq!(encoder.output(), "SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==");
+    assert_eq!(encoder.output(), b"SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==");
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/src/decode.rs b/src/decode.rs
index 760d4ad..db2b19a 100644
--- a/src/decode.rs
+++ b/src/decode.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ pub struct Decoder<R: Read, W: Write> {
 }
 
 impl<R: Read, W: Write> Decoder<R, W> {
-    pub fn new(reader: R, writer: W, alphabet: Option<B64Alphabet>, ignore_whitespace: bool) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(
+        reader: R,
+        writer: W,
+        alphabet: Option<B64Alphabet>,
+        ignore_whitespace: bool,
+    ) -> Self {
         Self {
             reader,
             writer,
diff --git a/src/encode.rs b/src/encode.rs
index 326e866..60baf7e 100644
--- a/src/encode.rs
+++ b/src/encode.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 use {
     crate::{error::Error, B64Alphabet},
-    std::{
-        fmt::Write,
-        io::{ErrorKind, Read},
-    },
+    std::io::{ErrorKind, Read, Write},
 };
 
 /// Encodes arbitraty data as b64 encoded ASCII text
@@ -30,6 +27,10 @@ impl<R: Read, W: Write> Encoder<R, W> {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn output(self) -> W {
+        self.writer
+    }
+
     #[allow(clippy::needless_range_loop)]
     pub fn encode(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let mut total: usize = 0;
@@ -92,12 +93,6 @@ impl<R: Read, W: Write> Encoder<R, W> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<R: Read> Encoder<R, String> {
-    pub fn output(self) -> String {
-        self.writer
-    }
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -108,20 +103,20 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn encode() {
-        let mut encoder = Encoder::new("Hello, World".as_bytes(), String::new(), None, None);
+        let mut encoder = Encoder::new("Hello, World".as_bytes(), vec![], None, None);
         encoder.encode().unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(encoder.output(), "SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxk");
+        assert_eq!(encoder.writer, "SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxk".as_bytes());
         encoder = Encoder {
             reader: "Hello, World!".as_bytes(),
-            writer: String::new(),
+            writer: vec![],
             alphabet: B64Alphabet::default(),
             wrap: None,
         };
         encoder.encode().unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(encoder.output(), "SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==");
-        encoder = Encoder::new("Hello, World!\n".as_bytes(), String::new(), None, None);
+        assert_eq!(encoder.writer, "SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==".as_bytes());
+        encoder = Encoder::new("Hello, World!\n".as_bytes(), vec![], None, None);
         encoder.encode().unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(encoder.output(), "SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQo=");
+        assert_eq!(encoder.writer, "SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQo=".as_bytes());
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -129,8 +124,8 @@ mod tests {
         let infile = File::open("src/testdata/lorem.txt").unwrap();
         let reader = BufReader::new(infile);
         let outfile = fs::read_to_string("src/testdata/lorem_b64.txt").unwrap();
-        let mut encoder = Encoder::new(reader, String::new(), None, Some(76));
+        let mut encoder = Encoder::new(reader, vec![], None, Some(76));
         encoder.encode().unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(encoder.output(), outfile);
+        assert_eq!(encoder.writer, outfile.as_bytes());
     }
 }