computer printers

There is a VERY big selection of computer printers on the market to choose from.

Whenever you decide to buy a printer it can be quite confusing . Below is additional information that will help in your purchasing decisions.

When purchasing a printer the first and foremost important consideration is the type of technology the printer utilizes to print. Today you will find two major types available, ink jet and laser.

Ink Jet

Inkjet printers are an affordable and effective solution for home users and home businesses but they are a lot more expensive to operate than a laser printer.

Laser

Laser printers are better for businesses that require speed and efficiency, and a high quality resolution. Laser printers cost more but are much cheaper to operate , especially when doing a large amount of printing.

The Resolution or quality of Printers

Resolution on a printer is measured by the amount of dots per inch a printer is capable of printing. When looking at purchasing a printer, it is important to look at the DPI the printer is capable of printing. The bigger the numbers the better & more detailed the quality of the print.

It is also good to know that some printer manufacturers may use their own methods through software for increasing the resolution of some of their printers.

The speed of a printer

Speed is another important consideration when looking at computer printers. The speed of a printer is rated in PPM, or pages per minute, and rate anywhere between 10 and 20+ PPM, depending on several factors such as if it is Black and White / Color, text only or full page. You would get a much faster PPM from a laser printer printing text than an Inkjet printer.

Ink or Toner

Laser printer use toner or a powder to print where as Inkjet printers use ink or a liquid to print. Ink or Toner is becoming a very important factor when purchasing a printer. Look at the below points to consider when purchasing a printer.

Price

The most important part of purchasing a printer is price; if the printer is frequently used you may find that the price of the ink can far surpass the price of the printer. Look how much the ink will cost when it needs to be replaced.

Availability

From where can the ink or toner be purchased ? Some printer manufacturers may require that you purchase the ink directly from them; and if purchased from a third-party, cause your printer warranty to become void. Verify that the ink can be purchased from a third-party and if so, from whom.

Type

See what type of ink or toner used with your printer, and for users considering an Ink Jet printer, see if the printer accepts separate color cartridges. Some manufacturers may include all the cartridges as one cartridge, causing you to have to purchase all the available colors for one color that may be out. In addition, see if the cartridges are just ink or ink and nozzles. Cartridges with ink and nozzles will cost more than those that have just ink.

The cost per page

The price the printer will cost you to operate and use over time. It is important to look at the cost per page and see how much you may be paying for the amount of printing you expect to do. Overall, it will cost you less to operate a laser printer than an inkjet (especially when ink is factored in) .

Paper handling

The way of how the printer works and distributes the paper is a important consideration when looking at printers. Many Ink Jet printers well feed paper through a slot on the top of the printer, wheras laser printers will use a tray method of feeding the paper to the printer. Depending upon the amount of printing you expect to have and the type of paper you plan on using will help make your decision when purchasing a printer.

Options

Whenever you purchasing a printer, look to see if the printer requires additional add-ons that may be required; this can also factor into the overall cost of the printer. These add-ons can include but are not limited to such things as cables, trays, ink, software, etc.

Price range

The price range can vary depending upon the quality of the printer and the type of printer. Below is a price range of what to expect when purchasing a printer. These prices are approximate only.

Ink Jet Printer $100.00 - $400.00Laser Printer $100.00 - $2,000.00+

Buying a printer

After you have reviewed the information and think that you are ready to make a purchase of a printer, ensure that the source that you plan on purchasing the printer from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.