Computer printers

Printers are an essential piece of equipment for almost every company. A modern printer can print everything from simple letters to brochures, flyers and more.

Getting the right computer printer

There are a few key questions to ask when choosing your printer:

• How many people will use it? Many computer printers can be shared on a computer network. If so, you may want a fast printer to reduce waiting times.
• How much will you print? If a lot, you will need a high volume printer. Manufacturers rate computer printers by the number of pages per month they can handle.
• What will you print? Think about paper type and size, colour and quality. For instance, some printers can’t take envelopes – others may be poor for printing photos.
• Do you need other functions? All-in-one devices combine printing with fax, photocopying and scanning functions. Many businesses use them instead of purchasing several devices.

You should cover each of these factors when writing IT requirements for a computer printer.

Types of computer printer

There are two main types of computer printer:

• Laser printers are best for text, large print volumes and networked use. They use heat to fix toner, a dark powder, to the paper. They are fast and efficient. Most business printers are laser printers.
• Inkjet printers produce vibrant colours and realistic photos by spraying ink onto paper. Slower and with higher running costs than laser printers, they are best for a single user and light use.

Other types of computer printers include plotters, which are used to print posters and banners, and dot matrix printers, which use old technology but work well in dusty or dirty environments.

Unless you print only a few pages a week, a laser printer is probably your best option. Small models cost from £70 and are suitable for up to five people, depending on how much they need to print.

Larger laser printers are more expensive (from £500), but are designed to be connected to your business network and shared between many people. It’s usually cheaper to buy one heavy-duty printer than several smaller ones.

If you do intend to share a printer between users, look for a model you can plug straight in to your computer network.

An all-in-one computer printer

All-in-one devices use either laser or inkjet technology, in addition to offering fax, photocopying and scanning functions. They save space and usually work out cheaper than buying separate pieces of equipment. Basic models start under £200 and are best used with a single computer.

A high capacity all-in-one device, with laser printer, fax, photocopying and scanning capabilities and able to print 120,000 pages a month might cost £3,000.

These heavy-duty computer printers are expensive, so you may wish to lease one instead of buying it outright. Leasing agreements often include regular servicing and upgrades to newer models, so can be very cost-effective.

Computer printer costs

Over a printer’s lifetime, the running costs will likely total much more than the up-front price. Manufacturers give a cost per page. Their figures tend to be optimistic, but are a good indication when compared with each other.

Inkjets can be expensive to run – from about 3p for a page of black text up to 50p to print a full-colour photo. From about a penny for a page of black text, lasers are almost always much cheaper. Find out how to calculate your printing costs.