Features to Consider When Buying a New Home Printer

The choice of home printers has grown significantly in the last few years. Whilst many people deliberate over the cost of the printer and how small or light it is, the main focus of consideration should be on the different types of print jobs it can undertake, such as letters, reports, envelopes, thesis papers, greetings and thank you cards, invitations, posters, cd/dvd labels and pictures.

Of course, serious consideration must be given to how economic and affordable the home printer is both in the purchase price and running/operation costs. Home printers do vary in price and there is generally something to meet everyone's price range, starting from basic printers for the budget-conscious home user and the higher-end models packed with a variety of features.

Features of Home Printers

When choosing a home printer, there are four features to consider.

- Inkjet or Laser
- Home Printer Resolution
- Connectivity
- Paper Handling

1. Inkjet or Laser Printer?

Quality inkjet printers can be purchased at good, competitive prices. However, the cost per printed page remains high when compared to laser printing due to the higher relative cost of ink cartridges versus laser toner. This issue however is not particularly serious for home users, who generally print in low volumes.

Inkjet printers spray ink on to the page, resulting in the inefficient use of the ink cartridge. High quality prints often require multiple coats of ink to ensure the correct density and therefore maximum clarity. On average a typical ink cartridge provides an average yield of 300 pages and costs approximately a third of the price of a laser toner cartridge.

Printing with laser toner technology is more efficient resulting in a low cost per printed copy. Whilst toner cartridges appear expensive, you can usually print somewhere in the region of 4,000 pages before replacing your laser toner cartridge. Laser printers work by attracting the laser toner (ink) on to the page using an electronic charge. Since the printer is able to calculate the precise pattern of the print, only the exact amount of laser toner required is applied. This results in very little wastage.

2. Resolution of Your Home Printer

Think about the type of things you are going to print. If you're going to be printing a lot of colored prints using your home printer, one of the first things you need to check is the print resolution. The resolution refers to the number of dots printed per inch. The higher the number of dots per inch, the sharper and clearer the image becomes. A good print resolution would really come in handy for printing colored documents, especially photos.

3. Types of Connectivity

Connectivity is also a great feature for home printers. The majority of home printers are not generally networked. A printer with a USB 2.0 will connect to most desktop computers and laptops. Ask yourself what else you would want your printer to connect to. Options include memory card slots, flash drive ports, and PictBridge ports. A lot of brands offer printers with these standard connectivity features, but there are some models that offer infrared and Bluetooth connectivity that provides greater mobility.

3. Paper Handling Options

Many home printers offer a variety of paper handling options. If you are expecting to print various types of documents using your home printer, you will most probably use different types of paper, ranging from 80gsm multi-purpose paper, glossy or paper, sticker paper, cards, envelopes, and to 280gsm photo card.

Top-end models may have duplexing and auto document feeders, but for a basic home printer, you just need compatibility with various paper types and sizes.

Whatever your requirements and specified preferences there is a home printer just right for you.