Printer Copiers: All in one printers
Looking for Printer Copiers?
Toshiba, Dell, Cannon, Lexmark...where do you begin? With so many different models of multifunction printer copiers out there, it's easy to get confused. It seems as though they all do the same thing.Well we've compiled a few reviews of some that we've used, and abused! Granted this is not an exauhstive list, but it will give you some direction.
The first decision you have to make while shopping for your new printer/copier is laser or inkjet. Basically, inkjet are the cheaper choice since color ink is much less expensive. With a laser printer, you most likely won't find a color model without forking out some serious cash.
Laser
printers are, however, much faster. Usually, if you want a business
printer and aren't looking to do a color printing, laser is the way to
go because they print more pages per minute. However, one drawback is
toner cartridges are usually more expensive than inkjet cartridges.
If you are going to print in color, then inkjet is probably the most economical way to go. Usually, they operate on a color cartridge (or three, one each for cyan, magenta, and yellow) and a separate black ink cartridge. Some are refillable, but the quality of ink won't be the same as the manufacturers actual replacement cartridges.
Another consideration when deciding on inkjet vs. laser is if this is your main printer for your business. Personally, I like to have the option of color printing available. Granted, I have sacrificed the quickness of a laser printer for black and white, but I've adjusted the quality of the prints to speed up printing time.
Color laser printer copiers are very common these days, and the prices have gone down drastically. You can find a decent one for around $500 to $700 easy. However, expect to pay from about $75 to $100 for each toner cartridge. And for the record there are four of them. One for cyan, one for magenta, one for yellow, and one for black. In case you were wondering, that's what they mean by CMYK.
If you are doing a lot of printing. A laser printer will save money in the long run. You get more prints out of the toner cartridges than inkjet. Yes they are more expensive, but they are cheaper in the long run if you print a ton of images.
If image quality is important to you, be aware that sometimes color laser printers require tweaking to get the right color. This isn't necessary if you aren't doing photographic work or if the end colors aren't important (like a specific brand's color) but it is worthy of noting.
Finally, compare printing speeds. Theoretically, the more you pay the faster the printing speed but that's not always the case. Sometimes removing something like the fax machine from an all in one will lower the price so you can get a faster printer for the same price.
Inkjets generally give you the lowest price to start out with for your all in one printer copiers. There are several that will run around $100. Go for the best quality and you can easily spend $600.
Just like laser printers, the biggest longterm investment is going to be with ink (well with a laser printer it's going to be toner). Some have 2 cartridges - black and color. Some break it down to CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) but either way, each brand has it's own special ink cartridges. Expect to pay around $30 to $90 for each cartridge and usually black is cheaper.
If you are looking to print photos, I recommend inkjet. Paper quality makes a difference, but the newest inkjet printers will make amazing quality prints and some even have borderless printing options. Also (in my opinion) you get better color from inkjet printers although this also depends on the paper.
If you are doing mostly black and white printing, you will get more prints per cartridge for laser. However, if you aren't printing tons of documents, inkjets do a pretty good job of printing text. Just remember not to have it on draft.
Things asdf to consider when deciding on multifunction printer copiers:
Do you need a fax? If your computer already has a built in fax modem, you can save by opting for a printer without a modem.
Are you looking for a freestanding model or a desktop model? If you are planning to use your machine a lot, you might look into a freestanding model that won't be in your way when you or other people are using it. As a side note, if you are planning to get a community printer, be sure it will be compatible with your network.
Not all machines can print easily on both sides. If this is something you do regularly, get one that you don't have to feed the paper in by hand each time! Also, be sure to check whether the paper turns around or travels straight through the printer. The more it turns in the machine, the more chances of jams or thicker stock not working (like envelopes).
Is this going to be used for printing photos? Some manufacturers are know for their image quality (like epson) so if you can, get some printing samples.
If you are doing a lot of printing, make sure you get a printer
that holds a lot of paper. You won't realize how often you are
refilling the paper tray until you spend all day doing it!
Need a scanner too? Make sure the max resolution will work for you. Some have scanners, but they aren't really made for super detailed scanning. Generally, this isn't a problem unless you have advanced scanning need.asdf