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Picking The Best Printer For Your Home Office
The biggest obstacle that most of you face is simply not being sure where to start. There's so many types of printers and brands to choose from.
So how many types of printers are available? There are 3 basic types - laser, inkjet and dot matrix.
Let's have a look at each type of printer in turn and then we'll discuss branding once you're more clear on the pros and cons of each type of printer and how each type may or may not fit your business requirements.
Dot Matrix
The oldest type of printer available on the market today. These printers are very similar to typewriters in that they use an inked ribbon that's struck by a printhead to produce the print on the paper. Dot matrix printers were once on the cutting edge of print technology but are now in the dinosaur category as far as modern printer technology is concerned.
These printers are still used in many companies today however. Why? Because they're the only printer capable of being used with carbon copy paper so banks and payrolls departments in many companies still have to use these noisy beasts.
Unless you have a specific need for a dot matrix printer you'd do well to consider other printer options.
Dot Matrix Printer Pros
Can print on multipart forms (carbon copy type)
Very cheap to buy
Dot Matrix Printer Cons
Very noisy
Poor quality output
Inkjet
The firm favourite of many small businesses and home office workers. Inkjet printers work by squirting thousands of tiny drops of ink onto the paper. The technology for doing this differs from one company to the next but the end result is the same - quiet, crisp printing at low costs.
Most new computers sold today have an inkjet printer bundled with them. Be careful of this option however. Often the printer is provided free of charge but the cost of the ink cartridges afterwards more than makes up for this - yes that means the cartridges can cost an absolute fortune (sometimes more than the printer itself). That's how most printer companies now operate - they keep the cost of the printers very low but then bump up their profits by selling you expensive printer ink afterwards. Did you know that it would be cheaper to fill a swimming pool with vintage champagne than printer ink?
The resolution (quality of print) for inkjet printers is measued in dpi (dots per inch). The higher this number is then the more impressive the quality of the output from the printer will be. Inkjet printers also come in color and photorealistic models. Unless you expect to be doing highend graphic work or printing a lot of family holiday snaps then you'll have no real need for a photo inkjet printer - the standard model will be more than capable of fulfilling your printing needs.
When buying an inkjet printer don't go for the cheapest model on the market as I guarantee that you'll be disappointed by the quality and performance of the printer itself. Aim at spending between $85 and $200 on a really good inkjet printer. That price range will provide you with a balance of quality and performance without ruining your bank balance. With printers you truly get what you pay for.
Inkjet Printer Pros
Quiet operation
High quality output
Inkjet Printer Cons
Ink can smudge
Some cartridges can be very expensive to replace
Laser
This type of printer technology has been around for quite some time. Laser printers are quite complex when it comes down to it. When you print a page the paper is passed through the printer. The paper is given a negative charge and the toner (a kind of powdered ink) is given a positive charge. This literally attracts the toner to the paper where it's then heated to make it stick to the page.
The laser part itself comes into play when it "draws" out which parts of the page should be positively or negatively charged - depending on what's being printed.
Laser printers produce truly fantastic text output at speeds that only the most expensive inkjet printers can match. Because the "ink" is heated onto the paper there's no fear of it smudging and laser printers are also available in color models. There's a downside right? Yup. Laser printers are more expensive than either inkjet or laser printers and the cost of consumables (toner, fusing drum etc) can be far higher than you'd expect.
A simple tip for buying a laser printer is to ask the sales rep for information on the first 12 months of running costs for the printer itself. If he/she doesn't know then find somebody who does. If nobody in the store knows then either research online yourself or shop elsewhere. DO NOT purchase a laser printer without knowing what your year one costs are going to be.
Laser Printer Pros
Extremely fast
Very high black and color quality
Laser Printer Cons
High running costs
Repairs can be expensive
So what is the best home office or small office printer? It's going to depend on what you *need*. The vast majority of home officers are going to do quite well with a mid-range HP, Lexmark, Epson or Canon inkjet printer. This will produce professional text and graphical output without putting a dent in your bank account and still allow you to present a professional image to your customers.
For those with higher output requirements then either a mid/high end laser printer will be required. This is only if you're talking thousands of pages being printed each month. You can of course choose a color last printer if required but get a detailed rundown on the year 1 running costs of any laser you decide to buy. You'd be amazed at how much some companies can charge for replacement parts or consumables.
Which brand should you buy? Stick with the names you recognize. HP, Epson, Lexmark, Canon and last but not least Dell (Lexmark printers in disguise).