Because there are so many options to choose from for color printers, deciding on one can be difficult. A lot of people believe defining your printing needs is a good starting point. With the many available options, sorting through the possibilities to find one that best fills need is important.
When selecting a printer, one of the better places to start is figuring anticipated print runs. Businesses usually print a lot more than home users and many prefer a color laser printer. These machines have a greater starting investment. But with a long life, the price difference is minimized. In addition, although their cartridges cost more, they contain much more ink. Because they print so efficiently, they are actually cheaper per copy. Plus their images are sharp. That is due to their high resolution, or number of dots per inch. These machines can usually reach resolutions of ninety six hundred by twenty four hundred. Even printing with this clarity does not slow these work horses. Their output can reach blistering speeds of more than ten thousand in an hour. Because of they use toner, these machines can actually sit idle for several months without damage.
For businesses running exceptionally high volume of print, modern copy machines have crossed the line, becoming printers. These machines are superb if you have the budget for them. In many cases, you can lease this equipment for one, three, or even five years. One advantage to this arrangement is that a service technician comes at regular intervals to check the machine. These machines can hold multiple jobs at once. They can reduce or enlarge your print job. They can collate and staple finished jobs. They can even lighten or darken the final product. Since they usually have a large glass area, they can also be used as large, flat bed scanners. No other printer type can match their speed in output, running at up to two hundred or more copies per minute. Their cost per copy cannot be beat.
Specialty printers exist for particular business needs. For example, some print on fabric using heat transfer or thermal technology. Others print on extremely large media, such as wood. These types typically require specialized ink.
For small businesses or individuals who have limited printing needs, toner cartridge machines usually are cost prohibitive. These machines can cost upwards of five to ten times more than ink-jet printers. Even still, ink-jet printers come in many varieties.
A special class of imaging devices dedicated to photos has become very popular. These machines can print edge to edge with no borders. They come with many nozzles, allowing finite control of ink placement. A universal feature of these devices is a card reader which accepts a camera's card. These units stand alone, with no need of a computer connection. Prints from these devices is the most expensive because of their specialty inks and photo paper. As far as quality goes, these specialty printers cannot be passed. Some machines are barely larger than a standard sized photo.
Most plain ink-jet machines require a computer connection. These are typically found in homes. Models at the bottom end of the price range usually have only one ink cartridge. All four ink colors are contained in separate compartments. Black occupies the most space. Machines that are priced mid-range have two cartridges. One cartridge holds black ink by itself. Colors are stored in a second container. Quality devices separate the various tints into their own container. The best of these even have up to seven containers for various hues of each tint. An additional cartridge containing photo ink is available for many machines.
Some people have 'all in one' machines. With built-in additions, these machines serve as copiers, fax machines, and scanners.
One draw back of color printers is cost. Colored ink and toner costs much more than does black ink. One way to reduce the cost of your color printing is to set the printer to black or gray scale printing. Only select the color option when you need to. One reason to do this is that sometimes you may really be printing in dark navy or some other tint that looks black. Also, some printers use a composite of colors to mimic black unless forced to do other wise.
Author Resource:
I have more reviews and information about monochrome printers at http://the-printer-guide.com .
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