In need of a new printer for your office? With thousands and thousands of different printers to choose from, it can be tricky to know exactly which type will be perfect for your business needs.
As a big investment, it’s important to consider all the factors when it comes to choosing your office printer. From your initial budget and any multifunctional features, you’ll need to decide whether you buy or lease the printer, you’ll need to think about what your office truly needs. Here, we’ll be exploring all of the features you should be looking out for when shopping around for an office printer to help you choose.
1. How Much Printing You Do
Firstly, think about how much printing your office needs. If you’re a small or a startup company, your print volume will likely be relatively low, so something small, compact, flexible and affordable will be the best option. However, if you’re a medium or large business, you’ll need something more robust with all the bells and whistles that can handle large printing volumes. You’ll also want to think about the capacity of the input tray too, whether you need a printer that holds 150 pages or 250+ for your needs.
2. Budget
Budget will always play a big role in the type of office printer you choose. Not only do you need to think about the initial cost of the printer, but the ongoing costs too. The ongoing costs will include items such as replacement ink cartridges, toner and paper too. This can all still be budgeted for if you know what your monthly printing volume is.
3. Laser or Inkjet
With both laser and inkjet printers offering their own benefits, it can be difficult choosing between the two. Laser printers typically print faster than inkjet and use toner powder rather than ink nozzles. This makes the finished result ultra-high quality, vibrant and clear, which is ideal for text-based documents. On the other hand, inkjet printers are more affordable initially but have more expensive running costs, making them more suited to smaller businesses. Inkjet printers are also able to handle more variety of paper and printing materials and can print finer, higher-resolution documents to photographic quality.
4. Colour or Monochrome
Choosing either a colour or monochrome printer should be a fairly easy decision to make based on what your office will be using the printer for. If you’re simply using a printer for black and white documents such as letters or contacts, then a monochrome printer will be the most cost-effective choice. However, if you need a printer that can create full-colour prints, then a colour printer is the way to go.
5. Print Speed
All printers will work at different speeds, whether they print up to 10 pages per minute or 50 pages per minute, you’ll need to choose whichever printer will be able to best keep up with your needs. Of course, it should go without saying that a printer that can print more pages per minute will be desirable for larger offices as it’ll help to boost productivity and efficiency. But, if you have a smaller company or don’t use a printer very often, one with a slower printing speed will be perfectly acceptable and more within your budget, too.
6. Multi-functionality
Multifunctional printers are an extremely popular choice as they typically include copying and scanning options which is both a fantastic money and space saver for offices. Some common features you might find on a multi-functional printer also include:
- ePrint
- Duplex
- Air printing
- Paper trays (and extra paper trays)
- Faxing
- Wireless
We’d suggest making a list of all the features you would ideally want from your office printer and then start browsing which brands and models can fulfil these needs.
7. Connectivity
You can guarantee that almost all modern printers will have a USB connection to connect directly to a computer. But, if you need more flexibility, for example, if you’re in a larger office and need to print something from a different room, many printers are available with a wireless connection. This means that you can print from any device, such as your phone, iPad or computer, from different locations within the office. Choosing a printer with a wireless connection is a wise choice, no matter how big or small your business currently is, as it offers greater flexibility and makes life far easier for employees.
8. Eco-Friendly Features
If you’re looking to create an eco-friendly office environment, choosing a printer with eco-friendly features will go a long way to help. From auto-sleep modes where the printer will shut down when not in use to power-saving options, you’ll be on your way to becoming a more sustainable business.
9. Buy or Lease
You may find that you don’t need to outright buy a printer for your office at all and, instead, learn that leasing an office printer will suit your needs better. Leasing an office printer will not only be more affordable, which is ideal for startups trying to keep costs low, but it will also allow greater flexibility and the opportunity to upgrade your printers whenever you need.
Take a look at the top 6 best office printers we’d recommend for businesses of all sizes.
If you need more help in deciding which office printer is best for you, visit our office printers solutions page and contact our team who will be able to guide you in the right direction.