What Printer Should I Buy?
We get asked this question daily. Even though we have broken this into three sections, the main question you need to know is "what is my cartridge replacement cost"? This is the most overlooked criteria when purchasing a new printer today. On each of our printer cartridge detail pages we have a "cost per ml" index that determines your "true cost" of replacement cartridges. We also provide a window to the right of the index that shows you the value of that particular cartridge.

With all the different printers on the market, it’s best to narrow down your choices before you shop. Those using printers for common home and business applications can do this by answering three basic questions.

Question 1: What will you print?
The first thing to consider when selecting a new printer is what type of printing you plan to do most often. Do you print mainly black and white text documents, or will you be printing color reports with graphics? Do you print just one or two copies of a couple of documents each day or do you print hundreds of pages? Maybe you plan to use your computer to print out digital photos.

Considering all of these factors helps determine which printer is best for you. A basic inkjet printer works well for letters and documents with color graphics. They can also print medium quality photos. If you print often in just black and white, be sure to get a printer with separate black and color ink cartridges so you don’t have to replace the color as often.

If you want to print digital photos, either as part of a report or as prints to keep in albums or frame, you will need a photo printer designed specifically for that purpose. True photo printers typically have six different colors of ink as opposed to the usual four found in most standard ink jet printers. These extra inks help create a photo with colors that are more true to life. Keep in mind that some photo ink jet printers are quite slow when it comes to printing text. This can be a drawback if it is your only printer, so it is important to check out text printing speeds before buying a photo printer.

If you plan to print over 100 pages of text each day, a laser printer may be the best option because it is much quicker than an inkjet model and is able to provide higher quality printing results. However, a standard model tends to cost hundreds more than an inkjet printer and you will need to spend even more to get a color laser printer. One that prints photos is even more expensive, which brings us to the second question.

Question 2: How much do you want to spend?
Budget is another important factor in deciding on a printer. As was just mentioned, a laser printer costs much more than an ink jet. One that prints only black and white costs an average of $400 or more. On the other end of the spectrum is a basic four-color ink jet that can often be found for $100 or less. Higher quality models average around $250. An entry-level photo printer starts at about $150 but to achieve true photo print quality, you will have to spend a couple hundred more. And if you want to print photos on paper larger than standard letter size, you will likely have to spend closer to $400.

Supplies for your printer, such as paper and ink or toner also can add up quickly. In fact, many printer companies are able to charge less for their printers because they make their money back through the price of ink cartridges.

When pricing printers, calculate the cost of each print (which many manufacturers advertise) or the costs of operating the printer for an entire year. It pays to spend a bit more for a printer if it uses less ink or if the supplies are more reasonably priced.

Question 3: What Features Do You Need?
One final question to ask is what other features do you need? Some photo printers come with the ability to connect a camera directly to the printer, so you don’t need a computer. They typically have an LCD screen and menu commands to let you view and edit your photos.

All-in-one or multifunction printers also allow you to scan documents and make copies. You typically sacrifice print quality, but having these additional devices in one component can be a convenient combination. Multifunction printers can often be purchased for under $250.