6 Key Questions to Ask Before Buying a Home Printer

Buying a new printer for home use is not as easy as you may think. The moment you head online to start shopping, you will be presented with literally hundreds of options. How do you choose between all the available printers to find the one that’s best for your needs, and for your budget?

To help you narrow down your options and find the perfect printer, here a few crucial questions you should be asking yourself before making a purchase decision:

Inkjet or laser printers?

To determine which is best for you between laser and inkjet printers, it simply comes down to what you want to print. Colour inkjet printers can handle pretty much anything, from documents to glossy photos, but the quality of printed text produced by laser printers is second-to-none. Inkjet printers can also be a little slower than laser printers. So, if you want to print a lot of professional documents quickly, a laser printer is the one for you. For everything else, it may be best to choose an inkjet printer.

Do I need an all-in one printer?

Both inkjet and laser printers can be bought as all-in-one models, meaning you can scan, copy and fax as well as print from them. If you use any of these functions even occasionally, an all-in-one printer may be the best choice. It’s also cheaper, as you won’t have to buy all the other standalone devices should you need them.

Do I want to print photos?

If you’re mainly interested in printing good quality photos, it may be best to buy a dedicated photo printer.

How much does the printer cost to run?

As well as the price of the printer itself, you also need to think about how much you will have to spend on inkjet cartridges, paper and other supplies needed to run the printer.

How much will I use my printer?

The reason office printers are more expensive than home printers is because they have longevity and an impressive duty cycle. So, if you are planning to print a lot, go for an office-standard printer.

Do I need networking capabilities?

If you want to print from multiple computers, you will need to choose a printer with its own in-built networking capability.

With the release of the iPhone 5, it also important to note that if you are going to print from your iOS devises, then be sure to know a printer is compatible with your device before purchasing.

Author's Bio: Christine works for Cartridge Monkey Ltd, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of discount ink cartridges. Christine loves to write about technology, gadgets and printing.