Choosing the right home printer

 

Purchasing a printer can be a minefield, with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to make the right choice. By answering a few simple questions, it is possible to establish what your printing needs are and therefore make a decision on the correct printer.

1-    Inkjet or Laser?

Do you require inkjet or laser print technology? Most home users would opt for inkjet printers as these can offer lower running costs and cost-per-page versus a laser printer. If you require a laser printer, why not speak to your nearest store about Cartridge World Print Services?

When considering an inkjet printer, consider the type and number of cartridges used. Inkjet printers will use either a black and tri-colour cartridge or individual ink tanks with a minimum of 4 cartridge; Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. Choosing a printer that utilises individual ink tanks will provide lower running costs.

 

2-    Paper size:

What do you print the most? Photographs, documents, homework? Which paper size do you require?

·        A4

·        A3

·        Photo (4 x 6 inch)

·        A2

·        A1

 

3-    Colour or black and white?

Do you print more in colour or black and white?

 

4-    Multi-function features

Are any of the following features important to you when purchasing a printer?

·        Scanner

·        Standalone copier

·        ADF (Automatic Document Feeder)

·        Fax

·        Telephone Headset

·        None of the above, would prefer a printer.

 

5-    Is print speed important? If so, what minimum print speed are you looking for?

·        1ppm*

·        10ppm*

·        20ppm*

·        30ppm*

·        45+ppm*

*PPM refers to pages per minute

Also consider first page out, or, the time it takes for the printer to produce the first page. First page out time on an inkjet printer can be longer in comparison to a laser printer. If this is important to you, it needs to be considered.

 

1-    Connectivity

How do you wish to connect the printer to print?

·        USB

·        Wi-Fi (Wireless)

·        Wired network connection (Cat5)

Will the printer be used by multiple users? If so, consider a printer with wired or wireless connectivity.

 

2-    Double-sided printing:

Will you require the ability to print double sided? If so, check the printer features to ensure the printer has a duplex unit or the software to support duplex print.

 

3-    Paper trays

Will you require more than one paper tray? Paper tray capacities can range from 50 pages to 500 dependant on the printer model specification.

 

4-    Photo printing

Do you print photographs? Is photo printing important to you? Do you require borderless prints?

 

5-    What type of device are you printing from?

When selecting a printer, you need to take into account the type(s) of devices you will be printing form. As well as laptops and PC’s, will you also print from a mobile phone or wireless tablet? If so, there are a number of additional features that can be found on most printers:

o   Google Cloud Print

o   Apple Air Print

o   Pixma Cloud link

o   Dropbox

o   Evernote

These features allow easy print from mobile devices. Used in conjunction with dedicated printing apps, mobile printing is made simple from any phone or tablet.

What to do next

You should now have a clearer idea of the type of printer you need. Now speak to your local Cartridge World store to discuss your requirements further. They will be happy to assist you and can supply the printer you need with some competitive offers. For more information on the products and services we offer, visit our website