Introduction
All these options in the market make it very confusing to buy a printer. However, since this is regardless of the size of the organization it is for personal use a small business or an office has to take keen considerations for making the right deal. Here is an all-inclusive printer buying guide that will guide you through a number of the questions to ask yourself when looking at buying a new printer. To guide you through this here is
1. What Is Your Printer’s Main Reason?
Determine what use you are going to make out of the printer before buying. Is it to print personal work, professional documents, or crystal-clear photo prints? You will determine which one you should buy for your needs. For example, a good photo print is made best with the inkjet type while laser machines will do their job if large quantities of the document will be printed.
Casual personal use: An inkjet printer is sufficient.
Office use: A laser printer will print a higher volume of work at faster print speeds and at a lower cost per page.
Professional or creative use: High resolution is a good printer to be considered for detailed, color-accurate prints.
2. What Printing Features Do You Need?
Printers are loaded with features, for scanning, copying, and even faxing. Read about the different types of printers to buy and decide whether you will want a multifunction printer, which means all of those features in one device, or if a standard printer will work for you.
Multifunction printers are best suited for an office or a small business because they have a need for multi-function capabilities on the scanner, copier, and printer.
Consider the convenience of printing wirelessly on multiple devices. Mobile printing can be an incredibly useful feature if you wish to print directly from your smartphone or tablet
3. What’s Your Budget?
The most critical factor is price when one needs to decide on a new printer. As the prices vary from very low to the top-of-the-range devices, determining your budget will help to shortlist options. Keep in mind that the guide to buying a printer also takes into consideration long-term expenses incurred while using the printer.
Cost at which one is ready to pay: Set a limit to the cost for the upfront printer price.
Continued costs: What is the price of replacement ink or toner cartridges? Some seem pretty cheap when starting but will get pretty costly over time.
Energy usage: Varying devices use up varying amounts of energy. If an energy-efficient one is picked, the price of power will be less on an electricity consumption bill.
4. What’s your ideal print quality?
Print quality varies from one printer to another, depending on the needs and requirements. If you want to print professional photos or documents requiring very important details, high-quality printing is needed. In case you are referring to the buying guide for the printer, you should look for the following:
Print resolution: It is measured in DPI, that is, dots per inch, the higher the DPI, the sharper the prints.
Print speed: That means, if you print a lot, then a faster printer will be more efficient.
Color accuracy: That would be necessary to photographers or graphic designers who needed a very specific, exact reproduction of color.
5. How Much Space Do You Have?
Consider the space where you’ll place the printer. Some printers are compact and ideal for small spaces, while others are larger and require more room. If your office or home has limited space, look for types of printers to buy that offer a small footprint without sacrificing performance.
Compact printers are ideal for tight spaces like home offices or small apartments.
Big print jobs require a big printer but with the price of occupying much space on your desk.
6. Do you print much?
You require a business printer when printing many and in large quantities. They are more robust and can even tolerate heavy usage without running out of ink so soon. They work best for any business or an individual who would have to do many prints.
Inkjet printers are suitable for lower volumes, but in a high volume print, a laser printer will save you costs in the long run.
Toner capacity will determine the number of pages that have to be printed before refilling.
7. Do you need a printer with advanced connectivity options?
Many newer printers feature optional hookups. Decide at the outset whether you’ll need to print from separate pieces of gear, such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops. Many have a preloaded feature for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even cloud printing capacity.
Wi-Fi: Print via a network, when you will need shared office functionality or by mobile devices.
Overall, with cloud printing, you can print directly from anywhere and from any network, without being within the same network as your printer.