If you are thinking of buying a new printer, or even several printers, there is an incredible array of technology on the market. All of which claim to meet all of your organisation’s printing needs. Complete with lots of life-changing features that appear to do everything except make a cup of tea.
So, where do you start? As with most purchasing decisions, you need to understand your needs and any special requirements you may have.
To start with, do you know which printer you need? What would best meet your requirements? Do you need a printer or a multifunctional device? Is a laser printer better than an inkjet printer? What does it cost to run a print device? These are all critical criteria when buying a new printer.
Before exploring the options available to you, it is worth spending some time considering what you will use the printer for and why. Do you need a personal printer or one shared across multiple users? Do you need to scan and archive digital documents as well as print and copy? How many pages are you likely to print each month, and what quality do you need? Will the device be secure yet easy to connect and use?
When buying a new printer or multifunction device for your organisation, it’s essential to make the right choice. Some printers may end up costing you more than you anticipated and break down often if not selected correctly. Also, modern printer technology and service support are evolving fast, so you don’t want to invest in a product that becomes unusable in a short space of time.
? How much printing does your business do now, and how might this change in the future?
What features do I need? Think about colour output, scanning, stapling, printing from Mac or PC
Is the device configured for evolving technologies? Can you scan to personal and business cloud storage? Can your employees access the device remotely from multiple devices like mobiles and tablets?
What level of information security does it include? Your printer should protect your business from security threats and meet the
General Data Protection Regulation
.
Is it user-friendly? New multifunctional devices are very feature-rich these days – so just how easy are they to use? Ask about screen customisation and options to make your day-to-day functions as simple as possible to use.
Am I investing wisely? Have you considered the total cost of the purchase and print output over its usage period based on your volumes? In the main, inkjet is still more suited to low volume use, with laser being more cost-effective for higher print volumes.
Does your provider/vendor offer an excellent customer support service and experience? If something goes wrong, how responsive and effective are they, and do they really understand your challenges?
A term you may come across while doing your research for a new printer is ‘printer duty cycle’. But what is a duty cycle, and what does this refer to? Look at our recent article on Why it’s important to know your printer’s duty cycle to learn more.
If so, are you buying a new printer or print solution? In today’s digital and agile working environments, the primary function of an office printer has evolved. They are now highly versatile connected devices that sit at the heart of an organisation’s ability. Implementing digital document management workflows, document intake, scanning, hybrid mail, and so much more.
As a digital services business at the forefront of workplace automation since 1977, we understand the changing workplace and what you value in a partner today. Our guide is your first step to understanding your future printing needs and an essential read when buying a new printer.
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By Busys / December 15, 2021
Employee contracts. Accounting documents. Financial statements.
Even in a world that has gone paperless, there are still some things you need to have a hard copy of, especially if you’re running a small business.
That makes printers an office staple. But is there some kind of guide on how to choose a printer? The right one, at least?
You’ll find lots of “Ultimate Buyer’s Guides” on the internet for sure. But to find a printer that will truly serve you, you have to understand your needs first – and you alone know what those are more than anyone else.
To start the quest that will lead you to the right printer, ask yourself these questions:
Is printing all that you need or are you scanning, faxing, and photocopying documents from time to time as well? If your answer is yes, then you might want to opt for a printer that has all those functions.
An all-in-one printer is the best solution. It’s a lot more practical than buying separate machines for scanning, faxing, and photocopying.
It might be a little more expensive than most printers, but it will certainly improve your workflow. At least you won’t need to leave your desk to run to the nearest copy centre each time you need to photocopy or fax a document.
If you already have a scanner or a photocopier in the office, then buying a multifunction printer will just be overkill – a print-only device will do. These details are important in helping you make a practical decision.
Have you ever run out of ink in the middle of a printing task? If you have, you’ve just experienced one of the biggest disadvantages of ink cartridge printers.
With a print average of around 350 pages off a single cartridge, ink cartridge printers aren’t the best choice for high-volume printing. The ink dries out over time, and the cartridges can be expensive to replace.
What’s great about it though is that it dries faster than laser toners, doesn’t smudge as often, and can print on different types of paper (even fabric!) without problems.
Supertank printers, on the other hand, aren’t ideal for pure photo printing – there are certainly better printers for that kind of job. But tank printers can print thousands of pages with fewer interruptions to replenish the ink – as many as 7,000 pages from a single refill. They’re not called “continuous ink printers” for nothing!
Tank printers are a little more expensive to purchase initially, but the printing costs are cheaper in the long run. It also doesn’t dry up as quickly as cartridges because the ink is delivered through an airtight tube.
If you need to print a lot of pages every day, then you need a high-capacity, high-speed printer. Some printers can churn out as many as 100 ppm (pages per minute) should that be what you need.
Depending on your requirements, your office can benefit from a 2,000-page capacity printer that can print 50 pages per minute or high-capacity printers that can print 350 pages with 16ml of ink.
Also, if you have several employees who will be using the same printer, it’s best to buy a machine with auto-document feeders and multiple-feed trays. This way, your printer can handle all their printing needs and keep up with even the most complex print projects.
Do you work in design or in an industry that needs high-quality prints? If you are, then a printer with just the bare essentials won’t work. You need one with a photo printing function that has these specs:
If you’re printing artwork and photographs you need to have a printer with at least 1200 dpi resolution. Or you can opt for a printer with a wide range of print resolutions (such as 360dpi to 2880 dpi) so it can cover various modes in between.
Images that have vibrant tones are the result of printers with a wide range of printable colour gamut. The more colour a printer has, the wider the colour gamut it can achieve.
Newer print models usually have orange, green, and lighter versions of existing colours to smooth out gradations. You can compare each printer’s achievable gamut by checking the information kit or brochure of the printer you’re thinking of buying.
Ink density is another factor that can affect the depth and richness of what you print. A good indication of a high-ink density is to use a densitometer to take delta readings of the ink density.
The smaller the droplet size, the sharper the printed image will be. You want to choose a printer with a droplet size of around 4 to 12pl (picolitres). But as a general rule, the droplets shouldn’t be visible to the naked eye.
Paper size is often forgotten when choosing a printer. If you need to print on large pieces of paper from time to time, you need a wide-format printer that’s big enough to do the job.
For an individual or a small business, buying a high-end printer can easily bite off a big chunk of the investment budget. That doesn’t even include the cost needed to run the printer (paper, ink, maintenance, and repairs).
If your budget is limited but your printing needs are huge, leasing a printer is your next best option. Typically, it also includes paper, tone replacement, and maintenance costs so you get an all-in-one, hassle-free package.
You don’t want to buy a printer today that you’ll outgrow next year. Remember: your business won’t always stay small. When it grows, so will your printing needs. That’s why it’s always a good idea to purchase with ample room for growth.
When it comes to buying or leasing printers, be it big or small, Busys is your trusted partner. Our advanced printer and copier technologies have helped thousands of businesses grow across Canada.
We’ve built lasting relationships with our clients and have seen through the years how a printer is a major decision that can impact your company’s workflow and productivity. We hope the questions we’ve listed above helped you decide how to choose a printer that would best serve your needs.
If you want to know more about how you can buy or lease a printer from us, you can request a free onsite quote, send us a message, or visit our website.
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