7 things to consider before buying an office printer

Whether you are looking for a printer for your home office or a bigger office with more employees using it, the huge range of printers available on the market may seem a little overwhelming – all those brands, all those names, all those functions…

Before setting off on your mission to buy an office printer, remember that it’s important to not rely purely on the well-known name or brand on the sticker of the printer. Step away from the ‘Top Pick’ printers and look into reviews and recommendations – you may be able to find people in similar situations to you that have the same requirements for their printer.

To help you whittle down your choices, we’ve put together some of the main things you should consider before buying an office printer to make sure you get the right one for the job.

The type of printer

There are two main types of printer that you can choose from: inkjet or laser – plus, you can get colour or mono versions of each. The most common difference between them is price, with lasers tending to be more expensive to buy than inkjet printers.

However, the price can be seen in the quality of laser printers’ output, particularly where lots of text is involved. Inkjet printers are normally the popular choice for homes, being particularly good at printing photographs.

The extras

More often than not, offices can benefit from printers that do more than just printing. Having a printer, scanner, photocopier and perhaps a fax machine incorporated into one machine can be very beneficial.

Not only is it convenient in terms of the machine being multi-functional, but also will benefit your office in terms of the space that is available as well as being positive for your budget too.

The speed

One thing that all companies can benefit from is a fast printer – it’s an important factor to consider when buying an office printer. That’s because, most of the time, people want a quick job done; click ‘Print’, walk over, and it’s there. This is one thing that you can look into when reading through the reviews, or ask about in store.

The simplicity

The last thing that you want is your employees having to get the instruction manual out every time they use the printer, so it’s a good idea to make sure the make and model you choose isn’t too complicated to use. Luckily, most manufacturers realise that simplicity is key to all kinds of printers, whether in the office or at home – have a look at what other people are saying in independent reviews.

The capacity

How much will your office printer be used? Will you be printing out lots of big documents? This is something that you need to think about. Not all models of printers have the capacity to hold large amounts of paper in their paper tray or their out-tray, which could lead its user going back and forth from their desk. Printers with high capacity trays are much more practical for larger companies, and anywhere the printer is in constant action!

The price

Of course, the budget is something you must consider when buying a printer for your office. It can restrict the overwhelming choice of printers available on the market; even more so if you have a specific bracket you’d like to work in between. Plus, once you’ve thought about the specifications and requirements (with the help of this handy guide!), it will narrow it down slightly.

There’s no doubt that you want the best for your money, so this bit does require a bit of research on your part – but it will be worthwhile! Remember to not only consider the total price in your basket when ordering a printer but the price that you will spend on it over time; think about replenishing the paper and ink cartridges for example. You can check how many pages a cartridge is quoted as doing to make an appropriate decision.

The maintenance – and the customer service – it’s worth looking into the support that you should expect after buying your printer; it’s a valuable part of any sale. If it malfunctions or you need help to work something out, you’ll appreciate efficient, effective and free product support. Otherwise, you can look into a company that deals with maintenance specifically – number of benefits for this (azero.co.za piece)

All companies want to avoid the unexpected issues and errors that printers can sometimes spring on us. They always seem to come at the most unfortunate timing, don’t they? That’s why it’s beneficial to look into printer maintenance support to help ensure your printer is running smoothly at all times.

That’s just one of the services that we provide here at ePrint Digital. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help  you and your printer, or if you’d like to find out more about any of our other services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’d be happy to help!