Laser printers are the best kind of printer for business use. Although they are more expensive than ink jet printers, the cost is quickly made up due to lower printing cost per page and higher printing capabilities.
Still, with hundreds of laser printers on the market you may have a tough time finding one that is perfect for your business needs. When you’re buying your next printer, you should take the following six steps to make sure you get the best printer available:
1. Outline Your Basic Needs: What type of printing do you do? If you print pictures or marketing material you’ll want a color printer. If not, black and white will be the better choice. You should also consider resolution and printing speed depending on your needs. Beyond that, networking capabilities and upgraded memory might be important to you.
2. Set a Budget: Determine how much money you are willing to spend on a printer. Even if you can’t afford a brand new printer, you should be able to find high quality used or refurbished printers for a fraction of the retail price.
3. Check Printer Reviews: While it’s important to see what the printer companies have to say about their products, it’s even more important to see what the customers think. By going to FutureShop.ca, Amazon.com or CNET.com you can find out whether or not people have been satisfied after making their purchase. Make sure to check out the overall product rating.
4. Check For Cartridge Compatibility: Remanufactured printer cartridges will save you money while providing you with printing that is at least equal in quality to OEM cartridges. However, newer printers might not have remanufactured cartridges available yet. In order to ensure you can obtain the savings you deserve, call your local printer cartridge remanufacturer and make sure they have cartridges for the printers on your shortlist.
If you’re in the Greater Vancouver Area or Kelowna, you can call us at Digitech.
5. Compare Features: It’s now time to compare the features and functions of your shortlisted printers to make sure you get the most value for your money. Don’t be cheap and cut out on one feature you need for the sake of $50, because you’ll regret it in the end. But also don’t pretend like you need everything. Be modest and realistic so you can get a printer that will do everything you need it to do for a price you can afford.
6. Compare Prices: Now that you know what printer you want, you should compare prices from store to store as well as online. You never know when or where you’ll find a great sale, so don’t stick to one-store only. Sometimes if you buy in bulk an electronics store will be willing to give you a discount. If you’re buying online, don’t forget to account for the shipping costs.
