How to choose the best type of printer for your needs

Choosing a printer can seem like a daunting task. Should you buy a budget model or will a more expensive one be better value in the long term? Laser or inkjet? Single- or multifunction? The list of buying decisions goes on.

However, as long as you know what you’re looking for, choosing a printer need not be a headache, and in this article we will explain everything you need to know.

We will cover the different types of printers on offer, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and look at the different types of ink available. You will also find out how to decipher manufacturers’ specifications and avoid the common pitfalls.

Laser or inkjet?
Before browsing online or in-store for a printer, it’s best to get an idea as to what type of printing you will be doing. Making this first step will help narrow your search down considerably, allowing you to focus on those models that best suit your needs.

We’ll take a look at the individual types of printer in a moment, but your first choice will be whether to go for an inkjet or laser printer. Inkjets are by far the most popular among home users, thanks to their low prices and versatility; most are capable of producing high-quality text and colour prints. However, they can be expensive to run.

Laser printers have traditionally been associated with business use, but they are now starting to become a more common sight in the home. Although the initial outlay is usually higher compared to inkjets, replacement toner, which lasers use instead of ink, generally works out cheaper. This means the cost per printed page is lower and the higher initial outlay can be justified in the long run.

There are, of course, downsides to laser printers, most notably that they are not suited to photo printing. Graphs and other simple images will be fine, but laser technology isn’t suited to high-detail colour photos. And although it’s good value, toner must be bought in bulk, which means replacement cartridges are expensive.

A cartridge for Canon’s LBP3010 laser printer, for example, will print around 1,500 pages (far more than an inkjet cartridge can manage), but costs around £50. We’ll take a closer look at how inkjets and lasers work a little later.

Printing on a budget
With their low prices, budget printers certainly have their appeal. With inkjets available for less than £30, they’re great for users after simple, low-volume printing. Bizarrely, though, when the ink runs out, you could be better off recycling the old model and buying a new one with a set of cartridges included.

Naturally, such cheap printers have their disadvantages and their popularity appears to be waning. Photo quality usually takes the biggest hit, with noticeable speckling and inaccurate or washed-out colours common.

Print speeds are also much slower compared with more expensive printers, although how much this concerns you will depend on how much you intend on printing. You will also lose out on extra features, such as memory card slots for quick photo prints.

One for all?
With a built-in scanner, all-in-one printers can perform a number of functions besides simple printing, including scanning documents to a computer, acting as a standalone copier and, on some models, being able to send and receive faxes.

The scanning unit means they are often fairly large, but they still save on space compared to having a separate printer and scanner. And being so cheap, most people opt for them over standard single-function printers, even if they don’t plan on using the extra functions a great deal.

The majority of all-in-one printers (such as Kodak’s ESP 3250 – £70) include features such as Pictbridge USB ports and card readers, enabling you to print photos directly from a digital camera or its memory card. Some also have a small LCD screen on which to preview photos and even perform basic editing tasks such as red-eye removal before printing.

Photo printing
If you want to create prints similar to those from a professional photo lab, you will need a dedicated photo printer. Epson’s Stylus Photo P50 (£80) is just one example – it has six individual ink cartridges to produce striking photos.

The initial cost of a dedicated photo printer will be reasonably high, and if you plan on printing a lot of photos, running costs will mount up. With online photo printing services such as Jessops and Photobox offering prints from as little as 5p each, you need to think carefully before buying such a printer.

Another option is a compact model, such as Canon’s Selphy CP800 (£99). These printers differ from standard models as they don’t use ink cartridges. Instead, they print photos using a technology called dye sublimation, which uses a special film.

The advantage of these printers is that they are smaller than traditional inkjet printers and produce high-quality photos that are dry and ready to touch as soon as they appear. The drawbacks are that you are limited to fairly small-sized prints and the printing packs are expensive: 36 prints for the Selphy CP800 will cost around £12.