Printer Buying Guide

As more of us are doing work and school from home, the demand for a home office printer has grown. Maybe your child needs workbooks for school, or you have special document that must be mailed.

It’s not always convenient to go to the office supply store whenever you need to print something. Printers have become handy, and sometimes necessary, to have at home.

Whatever your reason for needing a printer, you won't have any trouble finding one. Printer technology hasn't evolved much in recent years; they've simply become more efficient and less costly.

Laser and inkjet printers, color and black-ink-only printers, and print-only and multifunction devices are all available. Because there are so many choices, it's a good idea to do a little research to determine what you need before clicking "purchase."

We'll walk you through some of your options and specific features to investigate. If you are unsure about inkjet vs. laser, multifunction vs. single function, this article will help you decide what makes sense for your needs. We’ll even touch on maintenance requirements and how to take care of your new investment.

How Does Printing Work?

Although there are numerous variations, printing generally entails putting your original words or artwork into a printable form called a printing plate. This printing plate is inked and pressed against pieces of paper, card, cloth, or another material to create authentic duplicates of the original.

Large-scale printing is a physically demanding job and is done with the assistance of a printing press.

The simplest and oldest type of press is a huge table with an overhead screw and lever mechanism that presses the printing plate firmly against the paper. Hand-operated presses like this are often used to print modest quantities of goods on occasion.

On the other hand, modern presses used to print books, newspapers, and magazines use high-speed cylinder mechanisms to generate thousands of copies every hour.

Why Are Printers Necessary?

In both homes and offices, computer printers are a familiar sight. They're frequently included with a computer package that also contains a mouse, keyboard, and monitor.

Computer printers are available in a variety of configurations, ranging from simple, low-cost machines to high-end models with several capabilities. Printers offer a plethora of benefits. Below we discuss some of these.

Convenience

The fundamental benefit of a computer printer is its convenience. Compared to visiting a professional printer or office supply store, printing documents at home can save both time and money.

Producing hard copies to serve as backups or printing documents or letters that need to be mailed out are also common requirements demanding a printer.

Reading Comfort

Reading notes, documents, and reports of a computer screen can be exhausting and harmful to your eyes. Aside from that, we all know how aggravating it is to be unable to highlight crucial elements of a document or scribble notes in the margins.

Having a printer eliminates these issues because printing hardcopies merely takes a few clicks. Long texts that need to be read can be physically distributed. These tasks are easier to handle when you have a reliable printer with outstanding output quality.

Beneficial Features

As previously stated, printers manufactured in the last few years have vibrant features that you can't help but want! Your printing journey will know no bounds with excellent resolution, the ability to print on a variety of papers, and the feature of borderless printing.

Printing brochures, making printables, printing off creative t-shirt designs, personalizing attractive planners, conveniently recording data on index cards, and many other chores are all possible and easy to do on your own.

Simply said, these printers can open the door to a new realm of creativity that knows no boundaries. Many people can start their home enterprises with the do-it-yourself solutions provided by today’s technology.

Productivity Improvements

Your trip to the printer is so much more flexible when you have a printer nearby. You are free to print any documents or reports any time. And going through them takes less time because you aren’t sorting through a week’s worth of print-outs. Overall, job productivity rises dramatically.

These benefits will reduce clutter and streamline your home office operations.

Different Types of Printers

While most of the world has gone digital, there are still times when you want or need something tangible to hold in your hands or offer to others. Here, we will provide an overview of the various types of printers.

There is a printer for every budget, whether for the house, the virtual home office, or the actual office. Different types are suited for different needs: from low-cost inkjet photo printers to high-quality full-color laser printers to versatile all-in-ones.

We’ll help you narrow down your search based on your requirements. Let’s get to it.

Inkjet Printers

For consumer or home-use printers, inkjet printers have become the de-facto standard. They're low-cost and use liquid ink that's easy to replace. These printers create high-quality color or monochrome (black and white) prints in a reasonable amount of time.

If you only print occasionally or don't require high-quality images, inkjet printers are an excellent choice.

Although the ink is less expensive than toner for laser printers, it does not last as long between uses. Anyone who has owned an inkjet printer can attest to this fact. Even if you don't require a particular color, some models won't print anything if they're out of it. Others will not print unless you use the company's proprietary ink cartridges.

Regardless, inkjet printers are the most popular form of a home printer for a reason: they provide a decent mix of quality, speed, and price.

Laser Printers

As the name implies, laser printers employ a laser beam to heat a toner material that adheres to the paper. Most business-oriented machines are monochrome. However, color laser printers are also available.

Toner cartridges for laser printers are more expensive than ink cartridges for inkjet machines, but they last longer. Laser printers print faster and with a more superb print quality than inkjet printers on average.

Even though the most economical models are more expensive than budget inkjet machines, many people who print frequently feel their advantages are worth the extra cost.

While laser printers are less common in homes than the office, their prices have fallen over recent years so they’re not that much more than inkjet printers. Laser printers are becoming more prevalent in homes because longer-lasting toner is less hassle. Plus, users appreciate the speed and better-quality results.

All-in-One Printers

All-in-one printers are versatile, multifunction devices that will take on most of your daily printing requirements. If you need a bit of everything, this printer is for you. Their all-in-one characteristics provide printing, scanning, copying, faxing, and more.

The best all-in-one printers possess complete functionality with convenient features, such as wireless printing, smartphone capabilities, and touch screens. A competitive array of all-in-one printers is available with hundreds of distinct possibilities.

Supertank Printers

Supertank printers are an alternative to regular inkjet printers. Instead of bulky, single-use ink cartridges, these high-capacity ink tanks can be refilled when they run out. Refilling the ink is quick and easy.

This also enhances printing capacity: one bottle of ink can yield around 4,500 pages of black printing and 7,500 pages of color printing. Supertank printers are available from well-known brands such as Epson and Brother.

Dot Matrix Printers

A dot matrix printer looks like an antique typewriter and uses a print head to mark an ink-soaked ribbon. Despite their lack of popularity, dot-matrix printers have various benefits, especially for consumers looking for a low-cost monochrome printing solution.

Dot-matrix printers are ideal for working in dusty or industrial situations because of their simple design and endurance.

Thermal Printers

On the other hand, thermal printers are designed to only print on thermochromic paper. The types of paper, paper sizes, and printing mediums utilized by thermal printers vary.

Due to their low cost and ease of use, thermal printers are prevalent in all types of commercial applications. Thermal printing is used by many companies that print food labels, barcodes, receipts, and tickets.

Dye-Sublimation Printer

A dye-sub printer is a unique technique that uses a special liquid ink and inkjet method to apply the ink to sublimation transfer paper or fabric.

A heat press is then used to apply the transfer on a polyester-coated surface or a polyester cloth. The ink transfers to the finished good because of the combination of heat and pressure.

In technical terms, the ink becomes a gas before being molecularly bound to the substance. It's a strong connection. If it helps, think of it as "melting" into the fibers or the paper surface.

Features to Look for When Buying a Printer

Are you in the market for a new printer? It is difficult to tell which model is best for your needs when many options are available. When you consider the number of printer alternatives available today, it's no surprise that most people find printer shopping to be overwhelming.

Here are a few things to think about before shopping to ensure you don't regret your purchase.

Cost

The price of a printer varies greatly. Obviously, you should not spend more money on your new equipment than you can afford. However, the cost of a printer extends beyond its initial price tag. Consider the cost of ink replacement in the long run.

It's not uncommon for the cheapest printers to use the most expensive ink; it's how the producers make money. So, before you go to your local Best Buy, do some internet research. Make sure the replacement cartridges are comparable to other models in the same price range.

It also makes sense to check whether you can use third-party ink cartridges or if your existing cartridges can be refilled. In the long run, this could save you a lot of money. It's critical to note that using non-approved ink cartridges may void your warranty, so be mindful when verifying compatibility.

Ink

When shopping for a printer, you should think about the ink used to print. In most cases, your printer will have one of three major ink combinations.

The most common configuration includes two ink cartridges: one all-in-one color cartridge and a black cartridge. Alternatively, you may have four ink cartridges: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

When purchasing a printer, think about how much ink you’ll be consuming and investigate the costs of ink for the different printers you are considering.

Print Quality

Laser printers provide the highest-quality printing, but that excellence comes at a higher price when compared to other printers.

If you’re printing at home, an inkjet printer should suffice because they come with a wide range of print quality. Print quality is influenced by various factors, including the printhead’s design, the printer’s driver, and ink quality.

The printer’s DPI (dots per inch) is the most important metric to look for. It describes how well a printer can reproduce the pixels in a given image. This resolution ranges from 600 x 600 DPI to 4,800 x 4,800 DPI for inkjet printers. A higher DPI results in a higher quality output.

Print Speed

We've all waited impatiently for a printer to finish a document. It's annoying.

Print speed might be a critical consideration in your purchase decision if you frequently print, especially long documents.

Printer speed is expressed in pages per minute (PPM). Pages of text versus pages of graphics will have different PPM speeds on a printer. When looking at the package in the store, though, you'll often notice only one PPM rating. This indicates the number of black-ink pages that the printer can produce in one minute.

The PPM scores of consumer-grade inkjet printers vary dramatically. You might come across anything between 5 and 25 ppm.

Wireless Connectivity

Another essential feature to consider when purchasing a new printer is connection. Ask yourself two questions to figure out which connection you'll need:

Will you always be working in the same room as your printer?
How many computers or devices will send print jobs?

All printers on the market can be connected by wire, using a USB port to connect to your computer. Advanced models feature the convenience of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection. These features are handy if you have multiple computers, tablets, and smartphones in your home.

Devices that support Google Cloud Print and Apple AirPrint are also becoming more popular. Bluetooth is ideal for printing from nearby mobile devices, while Wi-Fi and cloud capabilities let you print documents from afar.

Duplexing

Automatic duplexing is a feature that's becoming increasingly popular and that we think is a great plus. Duplexing is the process of printing or scanning both sides of a sheet without having to flip it over physically.

First, the machine prints or scans the first side of the page, then pulls it back through the printer, turns it over, and prints or scans the other side.

Many all-in-one printers with a scanner and an automated document feeder (ADF) include duplexing features. Without an automatic document feeder, an all-in-one cannot duplex scan without you manually flipping the page over on the scan glass.

If you routinely scan or print two-sided documents, duplexing is a huge help. This feature protects the environment and saves you from the headaches of figuring out which way to refeed or replace the paper.

Paper Handling

A thick stack of 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper will feed into any printer, but what about the envelopes, cards, and glossy stock? Many printers now incorporate specialized feed trays for printing on special papers with uncommon sizes or weights, making dealing with those situations more manageable.

While many printers offer flexible paper options, you might be surprised that some do not accept legal-sized paper. Many all-in-one printers' scanner beds are also too small for legal papers.

You also need to consider the size of the input tray: smaller trays will require you to add paper more regularly, whereas a 250-page hopper will allow you to do it once a month or so, depending on your printing needs.

There is a separate scanner feeding tray on the top of some high-end all-in-one machines. This feature allows you to scan larger documents into a single PDF file with ease.

How to Keep Your Printer in Top Condition

Printers are an essential piece of office equipment. Despite the growing trend toward digitalization, no one can deny that a well-functioning printer is critical for any business.

Despite the large choice of printer models available, each with its benefits and capabilities, replacing a printer can be costly. As a result, some precautions should be taken to ensure that your printer always performs optimally.

Here are some simple and effective ways to keep your printer in top functioning order.

Keep Your Machine Clean

One of the best methods to keep your printer in good working order is to keep it clean. The majority of printer problems stem from dusty or filthy devices. Failure to clean a printer for an extended period can significantly impact its output.

One of the simplest methods to avoid malfunction, damage, or jamming is to clean your printer at least once or twice a month. It will extend the life of your printer and ensure that you get the best printing results every time.

Because each machine is unique, check with your printer's manufacturer or user manual for instructions on cleaning your printer and what products to use. Failing to use the correct products can also lead to malfunction over time.
Check for Paper Jams

Aside from keeping your machine clean, you should check under the hood of your printer for stuck paper regularly. Small pieces of paper jammed in the printer may not be immediately seen, so keep an eye out for anything that doesn't belong.

A maintenance kit can help you check for paper caught inside your printer without having to remove or touch any machine parts. Residual ink can also get into other machine sections where it doesn't belong and cause trouble.

The machine's speed and output quality will be affected if debris becomes caught in it. It can damage parts that are expensive to replace if left untreated. Regularly inspecting your printer for foreign objects can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Select the Correct Cartridges

Every printer must be refilled with a compatible cartridge. Incompatible cartridges might clog your printer, causing it to malfunction or, worse, break completely. Even if incompatible cartridges work, using them may give substandard results that will leave you disappointed.

Get your old cartridges replaced by authorized dealers who frequently advertise special offers if you want to save money. If your budget is tight, you can save money by purchasing supplies in bulk.

The same can be said for selecting the appropriate paper for printing your work. Using suitable materials will help you keep your printer working smoothly while delivering the best possible output.

The Best Printers for You

Still unsure of what printer you should get? We personally picked these two options from Xerox for you. We’ve included their features and specifications so you can decide which is the right choice for you.

Xerox VersaLink C7020

The VersaLink C7020 can print at a rate of 20 pages per minute. The first black-and-white page will print in 7.2 seconds, while color prints will take 9.4 seconds each.

USB, ethernet, or NFC are all options for connecting the printer to the PC. The paper tray’s 620-sheet capacity is outstanding. It supports a wide range of file formats, including A6, A5, A4, and A3.

Although Xerox recommends this VersaLink model for small and medium-sized organizations, we believe it has the features and capacity to satisfy the needs of larger workplaces – although Xerox offers the AltaLink series for very high-volume printing.

It can accommodate up to 5,140 sheets of paper with additional drawers, and extra high capacity toner cartridges can print up to 23,600 pages.

Quick Specifications:

Speed Black and White: 20 pages per minute
Speed Color: 20 pages per minute
Resolution: 1200 X 2400 Dpi
Paper Capacity: Single 520 sheet drawer
Volume: 950,400 copies per month
Toner Impressions Black and White: 23,600 impressions
Toner Impressions Color: 16,100 impressions
Copier Type: Office copier
Color Capability: Color copier
Properties: Copier-printer-scan-fax

Xerox AltaLink C8170

This is probably the "Iron-Man" of all printers because of its high-end specs and features. The AltaLink C8170, which is part of Xerox's new AltaLink C8100 family of multifunction printers (MFPs), boosts productivity by allowing users to use a variety of on-device apps as well as enhanced scanning features.

The color MFP can scan documents at speeds of up to 270 pictures per minute and print 70 pages per minute. The AltaLink C8170 can connect to cloud services, including Microsoft Office 365, Dropbox, and Google Drive, as well as a variety of other apps, thanks to Xerox's ConnectKey app interface.

Quick Specs:

Speed Black and White: 70 pages per minute
Speed Color: 70 pages per minute
Paper Capacity: Single 870 sheet drawer plus single 1136 sheet drawer
Volume: 300,000 copies per month
Toner Impressions Black and White: 59,000 impressions
Toner Impressions Color: 28,000 impressions
Copier Type: Office copier
Color Capability: Color copier
Properties: Copier-printer-scan-fax

Final Thoughts

Like so many other modern technological gadgets, the perfect printer is as individual as the person or organization who uses it. There are many types of printers on the market today, ranging from simple devices to high-speed juggernauts.

While purchasing a printer may seem daunting, prioritizing the features and aspects that are most important to you will help narrow down the choices.

We hope that our printer buying guide will help you determine which printer suits your needs, ensuring that you are satisfied for many years to come. Having a dependable provider of the best small office printers and auxiliary office equipment is critical if you want your company to attain its full potential.

You can get the equipment, financing, and support you need from Supplies Connect to run a profitable and smooth-running business. We can give you a free quote on the equipment upon your request. Get in touch with our Supplies Connect team today!