How best to choose a printer for home and office?

Just like computers, printers are increasingly becoming an essential part of the technological equipment in households. Whether it's printing photos, favourite recipes, work documents or children's homework, their usefulness is growing every day. If you're also considering buying a printer for your home or office, we've got advice on how to choose the right one.

Find out what you will use the printer for the most

Although the basic technology for printers has not changed significantly over the last few years, manufacturers are constantly bringing innovative devices to market with the addition of new features. In fact, there are still only two types of printers - laser and inkjet. But with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to find a printer that fully suits your needs and budget. To avoid regretting your choice later, you should consider the following before you buy a printer.

Printers are categorised, priced and functionally optimised for different purposes. While some print high quality photos, others are more suited to printing documents or offer various multi-functions. Even home printers are designed differently from office printers, which have much higher print volumes. So, to make your decision easier, you should be clear about what purpose you need the printer for.

Take a look at the benefits printers offer

There are several ways to send data to the printer for printing, most of which use a standard USB cable connection from your computer. However, if you typically print larger quantities, such as lots of photos, then you should consider printers that you can directly insert memory cards from your camera or smartphone.

Some printers are equipped with a small display that allows you to view or edit a preview of the photo before printing. Other printers can be connected to Wi-Fi. This means that if you connect the printer to your home Wi-Fi and then you can print from any computer that is connected to the internet.

Also consider replacing toners or inkjets

Home printers that are used to print small amounts are usually not very expensive as they are a one-off purchase. However, the cost of original or compatible ink cartridges or toners for inkjet or laser printers is an additional expense. Therefore, be sure to check the price and yield (number of pages printed per cartridge) of cartridges and toner before purchasing, as these costs will be recurring. Expensive ink cartridges that need to be replaced frequently can ultimately cost much more than a new printer.

Inkjet versus laser printer

While there are advantages and disadvantages to both types of printers, it all depends on your needs and budget.

Inkjet printer

• It offers richer colours and is also cheaper. So if you want to print mainly photos, an inkjet printer is the best choice.
  However, you have to take into account that an inkjet printer is usually slower than a laser printer.
• In fact, it can also experience calibration problems, nozzle jams or ink leaks from the cartridges.
• Another disadvantage is the fact that cartridges have a limited lifespan because the ink dries out even when not in use.

Laser printer

• It excels in speed and low cost per page.
• If you are looking for a printer for printing large volumes of documents, a black and white laser printer is a good choice.
• In addition, laser printers usually don't look as good as inkjet printers, they are bigger, heavier, use more power and are more expensive.
• They are able to print a large number of documents in a short time without the need for frequent cartridge replacement.
• Laser printer toner, and the laser printer itself, may cost more than an inkjet printer, but if you print a lot of documents in your office, they are a more affordable and efficient option in the long run. Plus, these costs can be further reduced if you opt for compatible toners.

Multifunctions increase printer usage

We also recommend an inkjet multifunction printer for home use, as you can also use it for scanning or copying, which is very convenient. If you need a printer for a small office, you'll appreciate a laser device that offers several multi-functions that feature low running costs while offering maximum usage.