How to Choose a Printer: Buying Guide

This guide helps a buyer choose a printer by comparing inkjet and laser technologies, all-in-one features, running costs, and connectivity. A printer’s suitability depends on the print technology, color capability, function set, print volume, running cost, and connectivity, with the right balance set by what the buyer prints and how often. A household printing occasional documents and an office printing high volumes need different machines.

This guide examines each buying factor, states what to look for, matches printers to home, photo, office, and student use, and emphasizes the cost of ownership beyond the purchase price. The print technology sets the foundation, the running cost per page often outweighs the upfront price over time, and the connectivity decides how devices send jobs to the printer.

What to Consider When Choosing a Printer

The printer decision rests on inkjet versus laser, color versus mono, single-function versus all-in-one, print volume, running cost, and connectivity. A buyer matches these to what the printer outputs and how often rather than to the purchase price alone. The factors that shape this decision are listed below:

• Print technology divides into inkjet, which sprays liquid ink, and laser, which fuses toner powder.
• Color capability sets whether the printer outputs color or monochrome only.
• Function set divides into single-function printing and all-in-one printing, scanning, and copying.
• Print volume and running cost determine the cost per page and the printer’s suitability over time.
• Connectivity covers Wi-Fi, mobile printing, and wired connections that send jobs to the printer.

A printer connects to the computers a buyer already owns, so the choice follows the system decisions covered in the computer buying hub. The running cost per page, emphasized throughout this guide, often determines the true expense more than the purchase price does.

Inkjet or Laser: Which Technology Fits?

An inkjet printer sprays liquid ink and suits color and photo printing, while a laser printer fuses toner powder and suits high-volume text printing at a lower cost per page. The print technology sets the printer’s strengths and running cost. The technology differences are listed below:

• An inkjet printer reproduces color and photos well and costs less upfront, with a higher cost per page.
• A laser printer prints text quickly at a lower cost per page, suiting high-volume document output.
• Ink dries in an idle inkjet, which can clog nozzles when the printer sits unused for long periods.
• Toner does not dry, so a laser printer tolerates infrequent use without clogging.

Inkjet printers from HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother suit homes that print photos and occasional color, while laser printers from the same brands suit offices that print high volumes of text. A buyer who prints mostly text in quantity favors laser, while a buyer who prints photos favors inkjet.

Color or Mono, Single-Function or All-in-One?

A printer outputs color or monochrome and performs a single function or several, so a buyer matches both to what the household or office actually prints. Color capability and the function set determine the printer’s versatility. The color and function points are listed below:

• A color printer outputs photos, graphics, and color documents, suiting homes and design work.
• A monochrome printer prints text in black only at a lower cost per page, suiting document-heavy offices.
• A single-function printer prints only, suiting users who do not scan or copy.
• An all-in-one printer prints, scans, copies, and often faxes, suiting homes and offices that need multiple functions.

An all-in-one suits most homes and small offices by combining printing, scanning, and copying in one device, while a single-function model suits users who only print. A buyer who never prints color saves on running cost with a monochrome laser, while a buyer who prints photos needs color inkjet.

How Does Running Cost and Cost Per Page Compare?

Running cost, measured as cost per page, often exceeds the purchase price over a printer’s life, so a buyer weighs ink, toner, and tank systems against expected print volume. The consumable system sets the long-term expense. The running-cost points are listed below:

• Ink cartridges cost less upfront but raise the cost per page, suiting low-volume color printing.
• Toner cartridges cost more upfront but lower the cost per page, suiting high-volume text printing.
• Refillable ink tanks cut the cost per page sharply for high-volume color, at a higher printer price.
• Cost per page multiplied by expected volume reveals the true expense beyond the purchase price.

A refillable ink tank system, such as those branded EcoTank or MegaTank, lowers the cost per page for buyers who print in volume, offsetting a higher purchase price over time. A buyer estimates monthly print volume, then multiplies by the cost per page to compare the true expense of each option.

Which Connectivity and Features Matter?

Connectivity sets how devices send jobs to the printer, and features such as duplex printing refine the output, so a buyer matches both to the household or office setup. The connections and features shape daily use. The connectivity and feature points are listed below:

• Wi-Fi lets multiple computers and phones print wirelessly without a cable to each device.
• Mobile printing, through AirPrint or a vendor app, sends jobs directly from a phone or tablet.
• Automatic duplex prints on both sides of a sheet, reducing paper use for documents.
• A wired USB or Ethernet connection suits a single computer or a shared office network.

Wi-Fi and mobile printing suit households with several devices, while Ethernet suits an office that shares one printer across a network. A buyer who prints double-sided documents benefits from automatic duplex, which halves paper use compared with single-sided printing.

Inkjet vs Laser Comparison Table

Who Should Buy Each Printer Type

Each printer type serves a use case, from color inkjets for home and photo printing to monochrome lasers for high-volume offices. A buyer matches the type to what the household or office prints. The types and their buyers are listed below:

• A home user who prints occasional color documents and photos chooses a color inkjet all-in-one.
• A photo enthusiast chooses a photo-focused inkjet with wide color coverage for prints.
• An office printing high volumes of text chooses a monochrome or color laser for low cost per page.
• A student printing mostly text chooses an affordable monochrome laser or an ink-tank model for low running cost.

A buyer who prints in volume weighs the cost per page most heavily, while an occasional printer weighs the purchase price. The printer connects to the computers a buyer selects through the computer buying hub, completing the home or office setup.

Approximate Printer Price and Cost Tiers

Printer prices and running costs fall into tiers, with the figures below approximate and varying by market, brand, and consumable system. A buyer treats these ranges as guidance rather than fixed prices. The approximate tiers are listed below:

• The entry tier covers basic inkjet all-in-ones with a low purchase price and a higher cost per page, suiting low volume.
• The mid tier covers monochrome lasers and ink-tank inkjets that lower the cost per page for moderate volume.
• The premium tier covers color lasers and high-capacity ink-tank models for high-volume home offices and businesses.
• The consumable system drives long-term cost, since ink, toner, and tank systems set the cost per page.

These tiers describe relative positioning rather than exact amounts, since prices and consumable costs vary by region, retailer, and brand. A buyer combines the purchase price with the cost per page across expected volume to compare the total cost of ownership.

How Do Paper Handling and Print Speed Matter?

Paper handling and print speed determine how much a printer outputs without intervention and how fast it completes jobs, so a buyer matches both to the expected volume. The paper path and speed shape the printer’s practicality for the workload. The paper and speed points are listed below:

• Input tray capacity sets how many sheets the printer holds, reducing refills for high-volume printing.
• Print speed, measured in pages per minute, determines how quickly the printer completes a document.
• Media support covers paper sizes and types, from standard letter to photo paper and envelopes.
• An automatic document feeder on an all-in-one scans or copies multi-page documents without manual feeding.

A laser printer generally outputs pages per minute faster than an inkjet, suiting offices that print in volume, while a large input tray reduces interruptions. A buyer who scans or copies multi-page documents benefits from an automatic document feeder on an all-in-one model.

Which Print Quality and Resolution Suits the Output?

Print quality, measured in dots per inch, sets the sharpness of text and the detail of images, so a buyer matches the resolution to whether the output is documents or photos. The print resolution shapes the visible quality of the page. The quality points are listed below:

• Text resolution determines the crispness of letters, with laser printers producing sharp text for documents.
• Photo resolution determines the detail and smoothness of images, where inkjet printers reproduce gradients well.
• Color accuracy matters for graphics and photos, where additional ink colors widen the reproducible range.
• Borderless printing, available on many photo inkjets, prints to the paper edge for full-page images.

A laser printer produces sharp text for documents, while a photo inkjet reproduces smooth gradients and accurate color for images. A buyer who prints photos weighs print resolution and color reproduction, while a buyer who prints documents weighs text sharpness and speed.

Key Takeaways

• Inkjet suits color and photos, while laser suits high-volume text at a lower cost per page.
• Color and function match the printer to what the household or office prints.
• Running cost per page often exceeds the purchase price over the printer’s life.
• Connectivity and duplex match the printer to the devices and reduce paper use.
• Total cost of ownership combines the purchase price with the cost per page across volume.

Last Thoughts on How to Choose a Printer

Choosing a printer resolves to matching the print technology, color capability, function set, running cost, and connectivity to what the buyer prints and how often. Inkjet suits color and photos, laser suits high-volume text, and an all-in-one adds scanning and copying. The cost per page often outweighs the purchase price, so the total cost of ownership guides the decision.

The price tiers position relative cost, with exact figures varying by market. Readers can continue with the computer buying hub, the desktop buying guide, the laptop buying guide, or the monitor buying guide for related decisions.