How to Buy a Printer

Get help and ask for printer buy demos

If you still need help trying to figure out which type of printer will best suit your needs, enlist a savvy friend or talk to a knowledgavle salesperson at an office supply or electronics superstore and ask for an explanation of features and demos of these with printed pages.

Types of printers available

Two of the most popular types of printers today are ink-jet and lasers. If you’re a digital camera junkie and want hard copies of your pictures, go with an ink-jet. Monochrome laser printers are perfect for office and personal use where medium-to-heavy outputs are required. Color laser printers add color to printed documents. They are still quite expensive, though some retail for about $1,000.

Inkjet replacements cartridges can be expensive

Be aware that while inkjets are low-priced, you’re going to be paying a lot to replace ink cartridges. Check the cost of inkjets cartridges for the printer you’re looking to buy, and see how many pages a cartridge can print. If you are planning on using your inkjet printer for printing digital images, look for an inkjet printer that produces sharp and clear output. Instead of buying new, you could buy Inkjet Refill Kits.

Lasers are affordable

If you want a monochrome laser printer and don’t have a lot of money to spend, you’re in luck. A good laser printer can be found for under $200, perfect for text-only printing. Replacement toner cartridges cost more, but last a long time, producing up to 3,000 printouts. Keep in mind that lasers use a lot of power, so shop for energy efficient units that turn off automatically when not in use.

Where to buy printers

• Office Depot offers laser, ink-jet, photo and multifunction printers.
• Staples has a variety of major brands including Epson, Hewlett-Packard, and Brother, and printer supplies and accessories.
• Yahoo! Shopping: Printers makes it easy to begin brand shopping for laser, inkjet, and multifunction printers.
• Office Depot
• Office Max
• Staples
• Best Buy
• Wal-Mart