Printer Buying Guide

Despite our entry into the digital age, we still want physical versions of documents and photos. Printers provide this, but you may find yourself overwhelmed by the vast selection when you go looking for the right one. It doesn't have to be that way. The key is figuring out what your printer needs are, and then looking for the printer that meets them. Below, we look at the four major printer needs and which types of printer are best suited for them.

Photographer
Photographers come in all shapes and sizes, from the professional or serious photo geek using a DSLR camera, to amateurs using a simple point-and-shoot to take family shots. Whichever end of this spectrum you are, the goal is the same; to produce the best photos you can. Higher-end photographers will want to look into a photo printer like the $750 Canon Pixma Pro9500. Printers like the Pixma allow you to create large prints (up to 11 x 14 inches) with a great deal of control over color and tone, and they can also print normal documents when required. At such a steep price, however, the Pixma is much more expensive than the average printer.

Those who just want to produce printouts of family snapshots would be better off with a smaller (and less expensive) compact photo printer, like the $150 Sony PictureStation DPP-FP90. Printers like this provide fewer options (the maximum print size is usually 4 x 6), but allow you to quickly and inexpensively print photos you can feel good about putting into your album and sharing with friends and families. Compact photo printers can't print out normal documents, though, so if you need to print both photos and the occasional text document, consider a photo printer that can handle both.

Home Office
Those who run small businesses are always looking to save money, and the best way to do this is with a multi-function device that can fulfill multiple needs; printing, copying, scanning, and faxing. You can find a mid-range multi-function inkjet printer for less than $200, like the $190 Canon Pixma MP600 that allows you to print decent quality documents, make copies, and scan documents from the same device. Adding a fax adds to the cost, starting at about $350, but increases the flexibility of the device. The key here, though, is to make sure you get a printer that can take the abuse you give it. If your needs are minimal (just a few dozen prints/scans/copies per week) then you can spend less on a cheaper, slower printer; probably one that uses the inkjet printing method to keep cost down, like the aforementioned Pixma MP600. If your needs are greater, you should consider a higher-end multi-function printer with increased print/copy speed that can handle a heavier workload. Multi-function printers like the $400 Lexmark X342n are built around laser printing mechanisms, which are faster and more reliable than inkjets.

Medium Business
A medium-sized business will probably find they are going to need a dedicated high-quality printer rather than a multi-function. The best choice here is a laser printer that can produce a large volume of high-quality prints quickly, such as the $550 HP Color LaserJet 3600n. Any business is looking to save money, so ongoing costs are as important as the printer's initial price. This includes the cost of toner and technical support. If you do enough printing and need a high-end laser printer, you may want to look into leasing rather than purchasing one, as this can sometimes help keep costs down.

Home User
The typical home user probably only uses their printer occasionally, but needs something that can handle anything from an airline boarding pass to a family photo. Most modern entry-level printers can handle these basic tasks and cost less than $100. Printers like the $80 Epson C120 can handle most basic printing tasks, and will be good enough for most casual users. They can print photos (albeit slower and at a lower quality than dedicated photo printers) and print text documents, although they will be slower than a laser printer. However, there is a reason why these printers are often so inexpensive; the manufacturers don't make money on the printer, but do when you start buying replacement ink cartridges, paper, and other supplies. Consider this cost when looking at a printer; you can often spend as much on a couple of ink cartridges as you did on the printer itself.

Buying Advice
Generic inks (made by companies other than the printer manufacturer) are often a good way to save money, but check before you buy a printer; some manufacturers prevent other companies from making ink cartridges for its printers. Also make sure you check the return policy before you buy; most places will allow you to return the printer if it can't handle your printing tasks, but make sure there isn't a hefty restocking fee or other hidden cost.

Finally, think very hard before you purchase any kind of extended warranty. Printers already come with a manufacturer's warranty, and if you purchase with a credit card you may get additional coverage from them. Most printers are so inexpensive nowadays that in the event the manufacturer's warranty has expired, it's cheaper to just go out and get a replacement. You may want to think about an extended warranty if you are buying a more expensive printer or if you are going to use it a lot or travel with it. In these cases, though, make sure that the extended warranty actually covers your needs. It's no good paying for an extended warranty and then finding out it doesn't cover a problem because you took your printer out of the office.

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