How To Buy A New Printer

How to Buy a New Printer: Inkjet Printers Concerns

When looking at your budget during the how to buy a new printer decision-making process, you may think an inkjet printer is the most cost-effective answer. In the long run, you may be wrong. Inkjet printers are the cheapest products but have the highest operating costs because of never-ending ink cartridge replacements. Inkjets are a good choice if you have an occasional need for printed pages or photos. Most inkjet printer models feature 1200 by 1200 dpi resolution. Prices range from $25-$80 with some online deals going for less than $25. All inkjet printers require the additional purchase of a USB cable for $10-$15 not included in the box.

While the initial investment for an inkjet printer is low, $15-$25 black ink or $21-$40 color cartridge replacements add up quickly. Some models have individual color cartridges that are even more expensive to replace. The cheaper the cartridge, the less ink it holds and the lower printed page output. Larger capacity cartridges containing more ink are available at slightly higher costs, with the larger amount of ink slightly reducing per page costs. Expect seven cents per page minimum.

Most inkjet cartridge manufacturers claim 300-800 page output from their cartridges, but the actual output will be far less depending upon how and what you print. Pages containing lots of graphics or text at better-best quality consume ink at a faster rate, reducing page output. Photos use even more.

Laser Printers Are The Better Choice

Prices for laser printers have been reduced and some good models are available for about the cost of a few inkjet cartridges. If your need is text, then a monochrome laser printer may be the best choice. These units run $99-$149 producing 600 by 600 dpi or 1200 by 1200 dpi resolution and page outputs of 3,000 pages per cartridge. Replacement cartridges run about $79-$150 yielding output at two to four cents per page. This is affordable and attractive if you’re a writer cranking out daily output needing review and proofreading, or if you print a great deal of information gathered online. Lasers also have the option of using a parallel or USB cable, which can be a savings if you have an old parallel cable hanging around. Check the specs on the box before you buy to make sure you have the right cable. Like inkjets, laser manufacturers don’t include cables with laser printers.

Photo Quality Depends On Paper Choice

Determining how to buy a new printer also includes deciding on your photo quality requirements. Higher end inkjet printers offering better graphics output are available for about $100-$200. Most inkjets do a good job on photos. Output quality always depends upon the quality of paper you use and printer features. Higher costs don’t always guarantee better results. The best way to choose a printer for photos is to print out a page on paper you like and view the results.

Color Lasers Are The Most Expensive

Color lasers are expensive but remain a good choice if you’re a graphics artist professional needing good color output at 1200 by 600 to 2400 by 2400 dpi resolution, for limited runs of color brochures or other print documents. Investments start at $2,500 and quickly climb, fueled by the number of features, bells and whistles. Replacement cartridges can cost $250.