How to Choose a Printer That Works Best for Your Needs
If you’ve done any printer shopping, then you know the options are endless. Laser, inkjet, multi-function, single function, and more. How do you know what printer will best suit your needs? We’ll help you break it down so that there is no guesswork involved in making the right printer decisions for your home or business!
Before you dive headfirst into understanding what printer will work best for you, you need to first identify your needs. Ask yourself the following questions to help you narrow your search and focus.
- What is my printer budget?
- What is the quality output I’ll need most often?
- What is the volume of printing I’ll be doing?
If you are using the printer for occasional home use, you will need a much different printer than using it to print client documents regularly for your small business. Choosing a printer that corresponds with your needs is essential to your overall satisfaction with your purchase.
How to Choose a Printer: The 5 Things to Look at When Shopping
Whether you are looking for an office printer, one for your children’s homework, or one for printing photos for a scrapbook, there are five things you should consider. These five things are relevant to every printer and can help ensure you choose the best printer for your application.
- Multi-Function vs. Single Function
Do you need to be able to scan documents? Will you need photocopies of documents? Do you need a printer with a fax machine? These upgrades are optional when buying a printer but will serve you well, especially if you are running a business. Single function printers are great if you are on a budget or looking for a printer to handle specialized printing tasks.
- Volume
How often will you be using the printer? A standard consumer inkjet printer is well-suited for small printing jobs or occasionally large requests. Large print runs are much more efficient on laser printers that are designed to handle large-volume print trays. Most laser printers have larger print trays designed for high-capacity printing.
- Quality
What will you be using your printer for? Will you be printing more text or images? Will you be printing in color or black and white? Laser printers are typically better suited for printing high-quality text pages and documents with small fonts. Inkjet printers are designed to blend colors and print images with complex details seamlessly.
- Cost
What is your budget? How much do you plan on replacing ink? In general, inkjet printers are more affordable than laser printers. Inkjet printers utilize fewer consumables, and so the total cost of ownership is lower as well. For high-volume printing, though, the investment in a quality laser printer might end up being the more cost-effective option.
- Ease of Use
It’s easy to get caught up in features and functions and forget that you still have to figure out how to use them all. When printer shopping, it’s in your best interest to choose models that offer a user-friendly design and intuitive functions.
We might live in a digital world, but there will always be a need for printing. Think about what is most important to you and fit a printer that will best suit your needs now and in the future.
Find the Right Printer for Your Needs at Ink Genie
Ink Genie® is one of the leading ink and toner suppliers to businesses, government institutions, schools, and homes in the country.
We have thousands of customers that we consider part of our family and always offer them our best service, satisfaction, and savings! Learn more about Ink Genie and shop our selection of name-brand ink cartridges and toners.
