How Do You Select A Printer That Best Fits Your Needs

Whatever you need to print, there's a home printer that can do it. However, deciding on the right printer can be difficult due to the vast variety of options available on the market. We have compiled a simple buying guide that will help you pick a printer that is suitable for your home. It includes an explanation of the most common terms and guidelines that work for the vast majority of buyers.

Inkjet or laser?
The first issue that all printer buyers must tackle comes down to a matter of what and how much you intend to print. Inkjet printers use cartridges of ink which apply wet to paper and rapidly dry, while laser printers utilize toner, a form of dust ink that bonds to paper for fast results and efficient use of resources. ,Learn more.

Inkjet printers with color make up the bulk of the market due to the fact that they can print virtually everything: essays, pie charts, glossy photographs and more. The latest inkjet printers, including all-in-ones are extremely fast and can print at speeds that are comparable to or even better than their laser counterparts.

Monochrome printing is a great alternative for office environments. Laser printers can be an ideal choice. Most of the time they can be purchased for a low cost, offer good print speed, and print with a lower price per page than color inkjet. You will have to decide whether you're willing give up the flexibility of an inkjet color printer. While color laser printers provide another option, they are typically more costly per page than an ordinary inkjet.

The yield of laser printers is excellent. Laser printers can print between 3,000 to 20,000 pages before having to be replaced. Inkjet cartridges can last between 2,000 to 2500 pages. It's not so important if you print very rarely or often, however it could be a significant difference for those who use a lot of inkjet cartridges or those who purchase for offices.

Multifunction printers
A multifunction printer is a printer that can scan and fax as well as print. The printers are available as inkjet or laser versions and are often called multifunction printers (MFPs) or "all-in-1s".

For home use, a multifunction device makes a lot of sense. Not only because it's cheaper than buying an individual printer and scanner as well as to help save space. We highly recommend all-in-ones for use at home. They are very common and don't cost a huge price tag (often as low as $50-60).

MFPs allow you to scan documents directly onto your computer. Some even provide faxing. Although they are more common in the office but they do have a limited use in commercial.

Photo printers
If you're more interested in preserving photos of your family and friends on paper, rather than printing off assignments for homework and pie charts, consider a dedicated (single function) photo printer. They are not as flexible as multitaskers, but the prints are often better than those you receive from the kiosk or mail order service. The cost you have to pay for this type of convenience is measured in the print cost, however. ,More info.

Printers that are only intended for photo or graphic printing are often small-sized units that can print photos that are up to the size of 4x6 inches. Wide format printers are also used to print media up 24 inches wide. These printers' supplies tend to be more expensive than those for the common multifunction printer. Both Canon and Epson offer models that print 8.5 by 11 inches and use the use of six or five colors of ink to create photographs with higher accuracy in color. Many all-in-one printers can print photos up to 8.5x11 inches, if you use the right paper.