Though modern printers work in more or less the same way the technology that drives them has changed quite rapidly. So, before buying your next printer you need to know how you are going to use it and you also need to know how much you are willing to pay for the printer. With these two factors in mind it becomes easier to pick the best model.
There are three main printer categories that you should be aware of. The first is printers that are designed for use at home by people or students. The second type is the one that is designed for both home use as well as for a small office. The third type is the one that is designed for business environments in which small groups of people need to share a printer that acts like a workhorse for them.
Secondly, before choosing a printer model it is important that you understand some of the main features that make printers unique. The first thing that you have to do is decide whether you wish to purchase an inkjet printer or would you much rather buy a laser printer. The latter are very popular among office users though those who are only expecting average performance from the printer prefer the former. The good news is that modern inkjet printers are designed to provide much better performance than those from a few years back.
Small office users and home office users will do well to check out the benefits of buying inkjet printers.The price that you pay will be a lot more affordable and at the same time inkjet printers are known to provide pretty quick printing and the cost of printing a page is also much lower than that of a laser printer.
Once you decide on a particular printer, based on your needs and budget, you should then think about how to buy the best ink and toner for your printer. Many manufacturers now have compatible cartridges that will save you a lot of money and be the same quality as the originals
Today, multifunction printers are becoming very popular as they do more than simply print. They can also scan and take photocopies. These printers are very versatile and since they can do more than perform a single function they are certainly worth looking at in more detail.
Modern printers can also be connected to your computer in different ways. You can for example connect them via a USB port or you can also connect your printer wirelessly or through an Ethernet cable.
Mobile printing is another feature that you should keep in mind when choosing a printer. The ability to print via a mobile device makes mobile printing a very interesting option.
Finally, when checking out features that make a printer stand out you should look at how many sheets of paper your printer is able to take. At the very least, it makes sense to go with a printer that takes at least as many pages as you print in a single day. Ideally, you should look for printers that can take between one hundred and one hundred and fifty pages in a single tray. And, don’t forget to check out printers that offer duplex printing capabilities. Duplex printing means that the printer can print on both sides of a single sheet of paper.
The above-mentioned features are not all that you will find in a modern printer. You should also look at the display options a printer offers and also look for printers that have media-card slots as well as USB/PictBridge ports. These are features that are important when you want to print out photographs on an inkjet printer.
Now that you know what features to look for in your printer you should turn your attention to picking one that suits your budget. If you don’t expect too much from your printer then you can safely go with one that costs between 40 and 80 dollars. For this price it is easy to buy a single function printer. If however, you are looking for a printer that offers basic functionality then you will need to look for printers that cost between 80 and 100 dollars. For this price you can purchase a single function inkjet printer or even a basic multifunction inkjet printer.
If you have somewhat high expectations from your printer then you should be ready to spend 150 dollars for it. For this price you can buy a monochrome laser printer or one that has Wi-Fi capabilities. For those who are looking to buy midrange inkjet printers or monochrome laser printers then a printer costing 250 dollars will do the trick. And, if you want the best inkjet printer or a basic laser printer then you must be ready to pay about 400 dollars for your printer.
