Bulk-ink models have the lowest per-page costs, and there are now ink subscription programs that subsidize the cost of ink and toner. Cost is also a factor generally, the more expensive the printer is to purchase, the lower its per-page printing costs will be. Many are monochrome and favor text and graphics printing over photos.įor many businesses, speed and paper capacity are paramount. The majority of business printers are lasers, though inkjets are making inroads into the market, and most are multifunction devices. Home-office printers are a subset of business printers ($100 to more than $2,500), which range from compact, single-function models for low-volume use to humongous floor-standing units that can anchor a department. Most of these printers can also be used in so-called micro offices (with up to five people), and many are perfectly fine choices for households, especially if a student is printing a lot of documents for school. Paper capacity starts at about 100 sheets, and higher-end models can hold up to 500 sheets. They are geared toward text and graphics printing over photos. Home-office printers ($100 to $400) are largely inkjets, and are built for low- to mid-volume printing. Nearly all are multifunction (all-in-one) devices that are able to scan, copy, and often fax as well as print. If your budget is tight, this is where to start looking for an inexpensive printer. They print photos better than text and graphics. They tend to be slow, and have high ink costs. Home printers (approximate price range: $50 to $250) are almost exclusively inkjets, and are built for low-volume printing. laser question for more.īeyond the questions of inner technology and output type, there are several more finely grained categories of printer. See our in-depth discussion of the inkjet vs. Most lasers and LED printers (which are identical to lasers other than using LEDs for a light source) print higher-quality text than most inkjets, and almost any inkjet prints higher-quality photos than most lasers-but both technologies have developed considerably in the past several years, and you may be surprised to learn which is best for your needs. The two most common technologies, laser and inkjet, increasingly overlap in capabilities, but there are still differences. Some business printers can handle all three output types well enough that they can be used for in-house printing of brochures and other marketing materials. Within these considerations, printers still vary widely in output quality for these categories. Generally, business models use laser technology and are geared toward text (and sometimes graphics), while home printers (generally inkjets) favor photos. Most printers are designed to print text, graphics, or photos. (Even among specialty printers, 3D printers are a special case, and beyond the scope of this discussion.) Even if you primarily want to print photos, you may also want a printer that can do other things, so be clear on the whole scope of your printing needs before you buy. Special-purpose options include dedicated and near-dedicated photo printers and label printers. Generally, business models and are geared toward text and usually graphics, while home printers (generally inkjets) favor photos. Most printers are designed with either business or home use in mind.
Best printers for mac computers software#
Best Malware Removal and Protection Software.