Choosing a printer

Printers now cost much less than they used to: colour laser printers may be £200 or less, while many ink jet printers cost well below £50.

The total cost of any printer will reflect the price of replacing ink and toners, so keep track of your current usage and costs, decide what you really want and compare costs. Inkjet printers tend to be cheaper to purchase initially, but are more expensive in the long run if they’re used a lot. Inkjets also tend to be slower than lasers, so aren’t practical for churning out hundreds of copies of a newsletter or everyday use in a busy office.

Computer magazines and websites often review printers, showing vital statistics to help you choose between them. Printers that include other functions, such as scanning, photocopying and faxing, may be ideal for a small organisation with one or two staff. But cheap multifunction printers often sacrifice quality to accommodate other functions, so only go for them if you know you need them.

More expensive multifunction printers offer highquality photocopier functions and are designed for high-volume office use across a network.

Make sure the printer is robust enough by estimating the number of pages you want to print in an average week or month and reading reviews to make sure your printer will be up to the job.

Some printers can print both sides automatically, i.e. without needing to put the paper back in. This is useful for short print run materials, such as newsletters, and can also cut the amount of paper used.