Printer Buying Guide

When you're choosing the right printer for your office, you want to make sure you're getting exactly what you need.

Here are some considerations and recommendations to help guide your decision:

Printing needs

• Print volume:
  • Standard: Inkjet printers
  • Large volume: Laser printers
• Types of documents:
  • Text-only documents: Laser printers
  • Charts and graphs: Laser or inkjet printers
  • Full color images: Inkjet printers
  • Larger paper sizes: Inkjet printers

Features

• Fast printing: Laser printers
• High quality prints: Inkjet printers
• Connectivity (Wifi and/or bluetooth): Most newer models
• Paper trays for multiple sizes: Most commercial models
• Double-sided (duplex) printing: Laser printers

There are three main types of printers: Inkjet, laser, and all-in-one printers (also known as multifunction printers or MFPs).

Let's walk through the differences to help you choose the best type of printer for your needs.

Inkjet printers

Best for: Color printing; small offices

Inkjet printers deliver higher color and image quality, making them ideal for printing full-color graphics or photos. One con: Inkjet printers print slower than laser printers.

Tank printers are a type of Inkjet printer that is refilled by pouring from ink bottles into the tank instead of using ink cartridges.

Pros of tank printers:

• Sustainable
• Convenient
• Cost-effective

Cons of tank printers:

• Require more maintenance

Laser printers

Best for: Text-only documents; high volume printing and larger offices

Laser printers deliver sharp, smudge-free text, making them perfect for text-only documents and the occasional chart or graph. One con: Laser printers are more expensive than inkjet printers.

All-in-one printers

Best for: Offices that need to print, copy, and scan; small offices

All-in-one printers, available in laser or inkjet models, can print, copy, and scan. This helps you do more with less and save space in your office.

Once you've found the perfect printer for your office, it's time to stock your print station with helpful accessories.

First, let's run through all the parts of the printer, so you can check that everything's accounted for & in working order:

• Screen(s): Also known as the control panel
• Paper tray(s): Check that they're set up correctly.
• USB port: Your printer may or may not have this, depending on if it connects through wifi or bluetooth instead.
• Automatic document feeder (ADF): You'll find this on printers that include scan, copy, or fax capability for multiple sheets at a time.
• Scanner flatbed: For single sheets

Next, let's look at the printer accessories you might want to add to your setup:

• Printer stand or cabinet to keep everything organized
• Surge protector or power strip for safety
• Wireless adapter, if wifi capability isn't built in
• Extra ink or toner cartridges
• Photo paper or specialty paper for special projects
• External paper trays to increase your paper capacity or hold different paper sizes

You might be asking, "Do I even need to calibrate my printer?" Well, it depends.

Let's break it down by printer type:

Industrial printers: Need to be calibrated after every print run.

Commercial printers: Should be calibrated once every six months.

Home printers: Will calibrate on their own periodically. Unless you start seeing print issues - then you'll need to manually calibrate your printer (steps below).

Signs your printer needs to be calibrated:

• Blurry prints
• Color issues on prints
• Distorted or warped prints

How to calibrate a printer:

1. Check if your printer has a built-in calibration tool or software to guide you through the process. (Most printers do.) What to do if there is no built-in tool: To manually calibrate your printer, you'll need to go to your printer's Settings to check the Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, and Color Balance, and fine tune each one.
2. Print test pages. This will show you color swatches, gradients, and grayscale patterns to help you evaluate color accuracy and consistency.