You might well be thinking that this isn’t a big issue, a printer is a printer, isn’t it? Well actually it’s not that simple these days. As with all technology, printers are advancing, changing and they are becoming much more than what you might think. The problem with this is the same as with all technological advancements, it becomes so difficult to keep up to date with the changes and to know what to look out for. So, how do you go about finding what are the best office printers for your business?
What is your Budget?
There are a few questions that you need to ask yourself before venturing out and buying a printer. The first and most important is: what is your budget? Without this there is no point even looking as you could find what you think is perfect for you only to realise it is way outside your price point. When we talk about budget, we are also including what you are expecting to pay for ink as well. The reason for this is that some printers are very cheap but the cost per page for black and white or colour are expensive, whereas you could pay more up front for another printers but the cost for printing a page can be nearly half. So, in the long run it may be worth paying more initially to gain the benefit of the cost per page. This leads nicely into the next question to ask yourself.
How much am I going to Print?
This again is another critical question as to which printer to buy. Determining how much you will print and how often will substantially narrow down your options. For example, there is no point buying a printer that is designed to print thousands of pages a day if you only print a hundred pages a day and if you need to print thousands of pages a day but buy a printer that can’t handle it then you are in trouble. Working out what you’re your needs are here and taking into account the growth of your business can save you time and money.
How long is the Lifespan of the Printer?
Most office printers are known as Multi-Function Printers, or MFP’s for short, and they meant to last around 4 years depending on if they are used correctly. If you buy a machine that isn’t fit for purpose, then its lifespan will be significantly reduced. Therefore, buying the right machine is critical as it can save you money and time in the long run.
So do the math, work out your budget, work out how much your business needs to print, and it will significantly narrow down what your business needs.
