This is generally done through WiFi, but certain models offer near-field communication (NFC), which allows you to print from a mobile device by simply touching it to a designated spot on the machine.ĭuplex printing is a fancy way to say double-sided printing or printing on both sides of the paper. The ability to produce documents without physically connecting your computer to a printer is extremely convenient, and while some still require a USB connection, it’s not hard to find all-in-one printers with wireless capabilities. If you specialize in those areas, spending more up front just might be worth it. There are instances when quality color printing is necessary, though, including photos, brochures, and marketing materials. Even if you do print in color, especially if it’s rarely, you may save money by buying a monochrome printer and visiting a local print shop as needed. The majority of printing jobs are done in black in white, so for most projects, this isn’t much of a concern for you. Not all are, and if your computer and printer don’t jibe, you may lose settings and formatting when transferring your files. Take a moment to check if your printer is compatible with other operating systems like macOS. Will the paper get jammed if jobs start to stack up? Can the trays hold the weight of large projects? Keep all this in mind when shopping. Survey user reviews for details on this, and pay attention to the design. Some are small, flimsy, and seem like an afterthought even on expensive units. The price, feature set, and look of a printer don’t always translate to the quality of its paper trays.
The number you’re left with is the cost per page.Īlso, confirm that your desired printer accepts third-party cartridges so you’re not stuck buying one type for as long as you have the machine. Take the price of the ink cartridge and divide it by the page yield.
This is known as “page yield.” Cartridges with a higher page yield are usually more cost effective. Research the number of pages that a particular cartridge can print before it’s completely empty.
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Here’s how to do it:ĭetermine what ink cartridge the printer uses. The way you decipher this is by determining the printer’s cost per page. Ink can get very expensive – some even call it “the other black gold” – so purchasing a printer that uses the material frugally while still providing good quality should be one of your main considerations. Saving money on your multifunction printer is important, but choosing a machine that uses ink efficiently is just as significant. Even better than that, check user reviews because you’ll get some brutal honesty if a machine is laggy.Īnother form of responsiveness is how quickly a printer completes its tasks, measured in pages per minute (PPM). Have you ever waited minutes for a printer to wake up? It wasn’t just you some printers actually do take a while to respond, so peruse product descriptions for startup times. Research the dimensions and weight of your machine to make sure it will fit in your space before buying. One all-in-one printer is smaller than three separate devices, but keep in mind it can still be large. Large, bulky printers might be fine for an expansive corporate office, but if your workplace is small or you’re self-employed, you need to allocate your space strategically. Printers with flatbed copiers rather than feed trays enable you to copy directly from books and large items like maps.