Several printer options are available for small businesses, from portable to large-sized options. Some printers have special functions and are better suited for certain businesses. Depending on the type of business you operate, some types of printers may be better.
Understanding how printers work is necessary to know which will be best for you. Generally, you can determine the right printer for your business based on certain printer classifications such as print-only or multifunction devices, color or black-ink only printers, technology (laser or inkjet), and general or special purpose printers.
- Inkjet Printers
These printers spray tiny liquid droplets on a page and have several delivery systems, but most use separate ink cartridges fitted with printheads to separate the ink into small droplets. The inkjet printer combines different inks to create colors.
Every color inkjet printer uses a different number of ink cartridges, with the least expensive having only two cartridges. Some low to medium-priced inkjets have four ink cartridges.
Although the printer doesn’t cost much, a set of cartridges cost about the same as the printer, and you must fill all ink cartridges for the printer to work.
- Laser Printers
Laser printers use lasers to create static electricity that attracts toner (powdered ink), which is melted on paper to form texts. They have a high printing speed with higher paper capacity than inkjet printers. They are more cost-effective than inkjet printers and have expandable finishers and paper trays.
However, laser printers require a short warm-up time and consume higher energy leading to carbon emissions.
- Multifunction Printers
They are also called all-in-one printers. A multifunction printer can carry out several functions, including printing, scanning, faxing, and copying. This helps you complete several tasks with ease.
Many multifunction printers can copy up to an 8.5 x 11-inch paper, also called letter-head size, and you can print on a legal-size paper. With a multifunction printer, you can also print several pages at once. Getting a multifunction printer can reduce the cost of buying several devices, and it is more power-efficient.
- All-in-one Inkjets
These printers combine the inkjet printing technology with the multifunction printer’s functionality. They are cost and power-efficient with higher print quality but create wet prints and require a higher running cost.
Monochrome vs. Color Printers
If your business needs only text documents, you can get a monochrome printer since they print only white and black texts. Monochrome printers are best for graphics and text in black and white but don’t work well for colored texts.
If the business needs texts and graphics in different colors, investing in a color printer is best. Businesses that print their marketing materials may need color laser printers.
Multifunction vs. Single Function Printers
Printers with only a printing function are single-function printers, but business owners can opt for multifunction printers that perform other functions. Many multifunction printers can scan over one or more networks and have several advanced workflow features.