Choosing the right printer for your business is a big deal (and often a big investment). If you’ve been wondering which type of printer you should buy but don’t know where to start, our choosing the right printer type guide will help you come to an informed decision.
Let’s get started on finding out everything you need to know about which printer to buy for your business.
What to consider when choosing a printer
In order for a printer to serve your business effectively, you need to seriously consider the following:
1. Printing Volume
The first thing to consider is how much printing the business needs to do on a daily or weekly basis. This will determine the required printing speed, paper capacity, and ink/toner cartridge yield. If your business offers printing as a service or relies heavily on printed material for its own uses, it will also inform how efficient your business can be.
2. Print Quality
The printer you choose should produce print quality that accurately represents the company’s branding and meets any regulatory requirements. For example, solicitors need premium print quality to emphasise their professional status and premium-priced services.
3. Connectivity
There are many different connectivity options with modern printers, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, OCR and many modern businesses require them to have at least all five. Whichever connectivity options you decide to go for, it should be easy to connect to the company’s existing network and for everyone to use on a daily basis.
4. Compatibility
Whichever printer you choose should be compatible with the existing operating systems and software used by your company as replacing your OS will be extremely expensive.
5. Security
The printer should have security features that protect sensitive company information from unauthorised access. Most printers have this as standard but if data security is a major USP of your company then it makes sense to look for a printer that has enhanced security features.
6. Multifunctionality
Depending on the needs of your business, it may be more efficient to invest in a multifunction printer that can also scan, copy, and fax (commonly known as an all-in-one printer).
7. Warranty and Support
Always consider the warranty and support options offered by the manufacturer. If any issues arise with the printer you’ll want to know that you’re covered for as long as possible to keep maintenance costs down to a minimum.
8. Inkjet printer or laser printer?
How much printing you do will inform whether you get an inkjet printer or a laser printer. The more printing you do, the more convincing the argument is to invest in a laser printer (also known as a toner printer). Ink printers tend to be cheap to buy but expensive to run, whereas the reverse is true for toner printers.
Learn more about the differences between ink and toner cartridges.
Cost
This is probably the biggest consideration when leasing or buying a printer (or printers) for your business. The printer’s upfront cost is the first thing that you’ll need to weigh up as they can be incredibly expensive, and then there are the ongoing costs. This ranges from new ink or toner cartridges to maintenance and repairs.
There’s also the residual cost to your business to consider if it breaks down and you don’t have an on-site replacement to take up the slack while it’s being repaired.
Alternatives to buying a printer
It might surprise you to learn that there is another more cost-effective, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly alternative to buying a printer: Renting.
Print management companies such as DMC offer holistic printer lease packages that include your entire printer expenditure in one monthly payment. That means no need to find the money upfront to pay for the printer, all inks and toners are included, and they have a dedicated account manager and an on-site team of engineers to look after any issues you may encounter.
How do I know which printer to use?
To make the argument for renting over buying even more persuasive, DMC offers a free audit to establish your current printer use, where they can improve on it, and which printer setup would give you the best value for money. DMC is also one of the few companies in the UK to be awarded trusted partner status from both Toshiba and Ricoh, so you’ll have access to the newest technology and manufacturer resources.
But perhaps the most convincing argument for renting a printer instead of buying one is, with DMC, all maintenance, callouts, and repairs are included in the price – you even get a courtesy printer loaned to you if your printer does break down, meaning your printers never have to be offline and you could save a potential fortune in unexpected maintenance bills.
What printer is right for my printing requirements?
After looking at all the evidence, we’d break it down into the following recommendations:
1. Inkjet vs laser printer
If you’re doing a lot of printing then a laser printer will be considerably cheaper to run than an inkjet one.
2. Print quality
Although more expensive to run, inkjet printers produce better print quality.
3. Lease or buy
We have to give this one to renting! Considering the value for money on offer with DMC’s managed print service offering it makes very little sense to buy a printer outright.
The only thing buying has over renting is you own it outright, but that’s hardly a convincing argument.
For more information on managed print solutions for your business, click here.
