Choosing the right printer for your business largely depends on how many people will be using the printer, your budget and any additional features that you need. Each business will need a different printer, but there are only a few considerations you need to make before finding the best one for your needs.
Inkjet or Laser
Inkjet and laser printers are both efficient and useful, but they serve different purposes. Inkjet printers use liquid ink cartridges to spray ink onto every page that you print. These printers are cheaper, but the ink costs more than toner for laser printers when you consider how many pages you can print.
Laser printers magnetically charge each page and then toner is attracted to the magnetized sections. These printers are larger and cost more, but they are often more efficient, faster and the toner costs less. At the same time, fixing a laser printer is much harder because there are more parts.
If you are printing less than 500 sheets a week and there are only a few employees, then inkjet printers are better because of their affordability. If you have many employees and you need to print more than 500 sheets a week, then laser is the best choice. These printers are made to last longer. They will also save you money in the long run because the supplies cost less.
Single-Function or All-in-One Printers
Single-function printers are the most common. These are printers that can just print. They might have additional features like double-sided printing, but they cannot do anything else aside from printing. All-in-one printers have various functions. They can copy, fax and scan sheets.
If you don’t need these extra functions, then there’s no sense in getting an all-in-one printer. These functions tend to be useful, but they also significantly increase the price of the unit. While single-function printers are more affordable and have their advantages, most businesses will prefer all-in-one printers because it centralizes many of these other functions without requiring you to buy a separate scanner, fax machine and copier.
Speed
The pages-per-minute (PPM) rating is very important because it shows you how quickly the printer can complete each job. Most inkjet printers have a PPM rating of 10 to 12 while most laser printers have a PPM rating of 20 to 25.
Having a slow printer when you have many employees might decrease productivity because each employee will have to wait longer for their printing to finish. At the same time, having a fast printer is an unnecessary expense if printing is a rarity at your business.
Most small business owners should consider a PPM rating of 10 to 20. If you do a lot of printing, then consider a PPM rating of 30 to 50.
Additional Functions
There are many additional functions for printers that you may not be aware of. Many laser printers come with finishing options like stapling, folding and punching holes into the paper so that your employees don’t have to worry about doing this.
Wireless printing is very popular in offices because it’s easier to setup than connecting each terminal to the printer via a wire. This also makes it easier for each employee to do their individual printing.
Multipurpose paper trays are useful if you commonly need to print with different types of paper. For example, some offices use regular paper for common printing jobs and photo paper for presentations. Having two multipurpose trays allows each employee to easily use the right type of paper without having to manually change the paper in the tray.
The last common additional feature is double-sided printing. This saves paper and looks more professional if you are printing reports and brochures. While you can do double-sided printing manually by flipping the sheets and printing the second side, an automated double-sided printing feature is much more accurate and easier to use.
Conclusion
There are many different printers with various options and features. If you consider all of the features and choices above, then you should have no problem finding the right printer for your business. Most businesses want multifunction laser printers with many options because these are the best for busy offices, but small business owners commonly choose inkjet printers with one or two helpful features to keep costs down. Just think about your needs and you will find the best printer.
Author Bio: Ricky Soars writes for nano ink a printing company that is always exploring new ways to make the printing industry more effect and efficient!