Choosing the best printer for your office is not an easy decision. Shopping for a new unit may be a daunting experience, what with the complicated technical specs and so many models to choose from.
While getting a good fit for your needs is crucial, taking the time to do some more research can save you money on the printer itself and consumables and maintenance throughout the printer’s life span. Here are a few factors to keep in mind as you get started.
Black and White or Colour Printers
The first choice you’ll need to make is if colour printing is truly necessary. The majority of business printing is black and white, which is why laser printers are so popular. If you’re primarily publishing text documents, laser printers are faster and more affordable per print than inkjet printers in black and white.
This is especially accurate if you’re searching for a low-cost, low-volume printer. Keep in mind that cheap inkjet printers use more ink, which rapidly adds up if you print frequently.
If you frequently print colour graphs and booklets, the best solution is a colour laser printer. While colour laser printers may not generate photographic-quality pictures, they are quick and efficient. Inkjet printers are ideal for photographers and small companies that print infrequently. They produce high-quality photos at a lower cost than laser printers.
Printing Speed
Waiting for office printers to complete a task is inefficient. Choosing a printer that can meet your demands is critical, even more so if you have many employees networked through the same machine.
Manufacturers will provide the pages per minute of each model in the specs to indicate how rapidly they print. Laser printers operate at or near double the speed of inkjet printers. However, this disparity is narrowing as technology advances.
Ink Cost
The less expensive your printer is at the checkout, the more money you’ll spend on ink. Inexpensive printers are intended for people who print infrequently. As a result, purchasing the cheapest printer is sometimes not the most economical option if you print frequently.
The majority of printer manufacturers offer a price per page in their list of printer specs. Comparing your monthly printing requirements and the printer’s duty cycle to the cost per page is an invaluable tool for selecting the best printer for your needs.
Laser printers, on average, print more pages per ink cartridge and cost less than inkjet printers. Toner cartridges may retain enough ink for 1000 pages or more, but even high-yield XL inkjet cartridges often run out of ink after about 600 or 700 pages.
