It seems like working in a paperless office would be a fantastic concept. There will be no more clutter, trees will be preserved, and so on. When it comes to the actuality of a paperless office, however, it sounds more like a notion presented by an executive as part of a feel-good business strategy than it actually works in practice.
Even if your company still needs to print from time to time, it’s a big step forward from the days when workers felt compelled to print every crucial email they received. I believe I still have a handful of those stowed away in a drawer.
Despite the fact that people are using less paper these days, there is still a demand for paper and printing, thus we’ve compiled a list of the top office printers available.
Important factors to consider when purchasing a printer for your workplace
Consider how you intend to utilize an office printer before purchasing one. Understanding your printing requirements can assist you in making the best decision. Unfortunately, there’s no way to know how many paper jams you’ll have to clear with any given printer in advance
- One of the most difficult aspects of a printer to calculate is the cost of ink and laser. Ink costs are astronomically high, according to Consumer Reports, costing more than $6,000 a gallon when you include what you pay for each tiny ink cartridge. In the long term, laser prices are less expensive. Some printer makers will provide you a cost per page to use the printer, but their measures don’t necessarily match up with how you’ll use the printer, so your prices will most likely differ. Another factor that affects ink costs is the quantity of ink cartridges used by the machine. For example, a color inkjet printer designed for photography may have up to eight cartridges, which might be more expensive to replace over time than a monochrome printer’s simple black-only laser cartridge.
- Paper handling: Different printers will be able to use different paper sizes and thicknesses. A printer may employ a paper tray with a capacity of 100 sheets or a paper feeder with a capacity of a couple dozen pages. Some printers may automatically print on both sides of the page.
- According to CNET, printer manufacturers will identify the printer’s resolution in dots per inch, or dpi. If the printer resolution is 1200 x 1200 dpi, for example, the printer will print 1,200 dots per square inch of paper horizontally and vertically. When compared to 300 x 300 dpi, that’s a higher level of resolution. A higher printer resolution is better for photos, but a lower resolution is fine for text documents.
- Size: Greater printers offer faster print speeds and larger paper capacities than smaller printers, so a large model may be more suitable for your office. As PC Mag points out, several smaller versions are now available. You might also want to consider a compact battery-powered printer that allows you to print from anyplace.
- Printer manufacturers give their devices a speed rating depending on the number of pages per minute they can print. When printing in black and white, these ratings will typically change from when printing in color. Please keep in mind that these ratings were created under ideal printing settings, therefore your actual results may be slower. While inkjet printers have improved, leading laser printers continue to produce the fastest black-and-white prints on the market.
Varieties of workplace printers
When looking for an office printer, you’ll come across a few different words. Understanding the definitions of each term can help you choose the ideal model for your office.
- Inkjet vs. laser printing: Laser printing is now lot more economical than it was a few years ago, so it’s worth investigating. According to Office Depot, a laser printer saves money in the long term when printing a lot of text documents, making it a fantastic small business printer. In addition, laser printers are far faster than inkjet printers. Because inkjet prints look better on glossy and matte forms of photo paper, inkjet printers are often better with graphics, photos, and odd-sized paper than laser printers. Color laser printers have come a long way in terms of quality and cost since they were first introduced several years ago, but they still cost more than a comparable inkjet printer. The power of a laser printer will be appreciated by a really busy office that requires speed, a reduced cost per print, and high-quality text documents. Look for an inkjet printer if your office needs photo printing for brochures that use odd-size paper or if you need a cheaper upfront cost.
- All-in-one vs. printer-only: Some printers merely have print capabilities, while others have a wide range of capabilities. In addition to printing, these all-in-ones will function as copiers, scanners, and fax machines. An all-in-one gadget makes a lot of sense for a smaller office that doesn’t want the expense or clutter of many machines. A printer-only solution is better for a larger firm that needs separate machines to handle the demand because print jobs won’t tie up the machine when it’s needed for scanning or copying. However, due of the popularity of all-in-one machines, printer-only devices are becoming tougher to come by, according to Digital Trends.
- Specialist printers: There are a variety of specialty printers on the market, but they may not be right for your office. Wide format printers for poster-sized prints, mobile printers for battery-powered printing, and 3D printers for creating items are all examples of specialized printers, according to Officeworks. Another option is an external tank inkjet printer, which has big ink tanks and eliminates the need to replace inkjet cartridges on a regular basis. In the long term, large tanks of ink will be less expensive than little cartridges.
- Connection options: Nearly all office printers can connect to a network by Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable. The majority of printers can also print directly from a computer or tablet via a USB connection. Some printers can also print via a mobile device’s Bluetooth or NFC connection.
Brother Monochrome Laser Printer
❌Cons: When converting from color to monochrome, the print quality of photos and graphics suffers.
Why you’ll like it: A laser monochrome printer is ideal for any office, and the Brother Monochrome Laser Printer’s versatility and performance make it the finest choice.
The Brother Business Monochrome Laser Printer delivers a superb blend of rapid performance and high-quality printing output in an office printer. This Brother monochrome printer is a superb bargain for a busy office because of its excellent all-around performance.
The printer’s various functionalities are controlled by a huge 3.7-inch touchscreen LCD. Printing, faxing, scanning, and copying documents are all easy with it.
The all-in-one device, according to one Amazon reviewer, outperforms several other versions in all phases of operation. The scanner is quick and comes with a legal-sized surface glass, offering it a lot of versatility.
The MFC-L5900DW excels at printing monochrome text documents with great quality at rapid speeds of 41.2 pages per minute, according to PC Mag’s assessment. That should suffice for the majority of workplace areas these days.
However, according to the Live At PC review, if you’re searching for a monochrome laser printer to handle graphics and images, you might be disappointed with the Brother L5900DW’s output, since it loses some information while converting color graphics and photos to monochrome. Check out our other selections in the next slides if you need color printing.
Canon PIXMA Pro-100 Color Professional Inkjet Printer
❌Cons: It’s a big printer, and it doesn’t have any multifunction features like scanning.
Why you’ll love it: The Canon PIXMA Pro-100 Color Professional Inkjet Printer is the perfect if your office needs a full-color printer to print stunning brochures, posters, and images.
Large printers with outstanding color printing are required in some office environments to print brochures and posters, as well as the occasional full-color amusing meme to display in the break room. You’ll love the Canon PIXMA Pro-100 Color Professional Inkjet Printer’s versatility if you want to print text documents and other items with your high-quality photo printer.
This printer can print up to 13 by 19 inches and has eight separate color print tanks, allowing for accurate color printing results in color images. This printer also excels with black and white images, according to the Photography Blog review, because it offers three types of gray and black inks to manage small changes in tones.
The Pro-100 connects to the internet through Wi-Fi. Although the PIXMA Pro-100 can print text documents, it is not as cost-effective as using other types of printers designed for printing text documents, such as a laser printer.
According to Steve’s Digicams, the Canon Pro-100 printer can compensate for its lack of scanning and copying capabilities by focusing on excellent picture quality for images and graphics. One Amazon customer praises the color accuracy of the prints produced by this professional photo printer.
The Canon Pro-100 may not be as fast as some other inkjet printers, but its capacity to print large images or posters at the finest possible quality is a worthwhile trade-off, according to Digital Trends.
However, a few Amazon buyers have had issues with the Canon PIXMA Pro-100’s longevity.
Brother Business Color Laser All-in-One
❌Cons: Color photo and graphics print consistency should be improved, and machine is somewhat hefty.
Why you’ll like it: The Brother Business Color Laser All-in-One is a wonderful choice if you want the speed of a laser printer but also require color documents on occasion.
There was a time, a few years ago, when color laser printing was beyond of reach for most office budgets. However, as technology has advanced, color laser printing has become a more appealing choice. The Brother Business Color Laser All-in-One offers the most adaptability in a color laser printer.
Both in color and black and white, the Brother printer can print at speeds of up to 33 sheets per minute. An Amazon customer was blown away by the quickness with which this all-in-one device prints and scans.
It has Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, and the 5-inch color touchscreen display makes controlling the gadget simple.
The Brother all-in-one printer, according to PC Mag, excels at producing black-and-white prints from text documents and monochrome images. However, when compared to the top color inkjet photo printers, this office printer struggles to create color graphics and images. On sometimes, the color fidelity of this laser printer was less than satisfactory, according to one Amazon reviewer.
Another Amazon customer praised the scanner capability of this all-in-one equipment, as well as the printer’s quiet operation.
HP DesignJet T120 Large Format Color Printer
❌Cons: Doesn’t print color photographs properly, and its lifespan is in doubt.
Why you’ll like it: The HP DesignJet T120 Huge Format Color Printer is the perfect option if you need an office printer that can handle large paper up to 24 inches wide.
Normal printers will suffice for an office that just prints letter and legal-sized papers. A big format printer, on the other hand, may be the best solution if your office’s printing needs are unusual. The HP DesignJet T120 Large Format Color Printer will provide you all the flexibility you require.
The T120 can print letter-size documents, exactly like any other printer. However, employing the manual feed option, it can create documents measuring 13 by 19 inches from the input tray and 24 by 74.7 inches from the output tray. This big format printer can also print from a roll of paper with a width of 11 to 24 inches.
Despite the printer’s ability to handle a wide range of paper sizes, the Cadalyst claims that the DesignJet T120 paper remains simple to load.
According to the Notebook Review, the HP T120 Huge Format Color Printer has a reasonable cost per print, even when printing large print sizes.
According to PC Mag, this big format printer is primarily targeted at engineering and architectural organizations because it is better at printing drawings and diagrams than it is at publishing images. This HP printer, according to one Amazon reviewer, excels at printing construction drawings and is compatible with CAD software. It will, however, print text documents as well.
A few Amazon customers have expressed concerns about the HP DesignJet T120’s long-term viability, citing a lack of clear installation and operating instructions.
Epson WorkForce Wireless Mobile Printer
❌Cons: Limited 1.4-inch control screen, sluggish print rates, and high ink replacement prices.
Why will you enjoy it: The Epson WorkForce Wireless Mobile Printer has a long battery life and many connectivity choices, making it a terrific on-the-go printing alternative for your office.
You won’t want to tote around the other printers on our list if your office requires a mobile printer that can print letter or legal size documents. They’re enormous and hefty, so you won’t be able to move around for very long.
Instead of putting strain on your back, we recommend the Epson WorkForce WF-100 Wireless Mobile Printer. It has a reasonable price point and a long battery life, all while being compact. While it isn’t the quickest inkjet printer on the market, it will provide you with some useful printing alternatives while you’re on the go.
The WF-100’s rechargeable battery is appealing to Tech Radar since it allows you to use it while traveling without having to search for an electrical outlet.
According to the PC Mag review, the WorkForce WF-100 has a variety of ways to connect to your computer or mobile device, including a Wi-Fi connection option. Because of its modest size and weight, this printer is convenient to transport in a briefcase or bag. It only weighs 3.5 pounds and measures 12.2 by 6.1 by 2.4 inches when folded.
The little inkjet tanks that fit inside this printer are disappointing, according to the Computer Shopper review, but compact cartridges serve to keep the printer’s overall size down. Unfortunately, according to one Amazon reviewer, those little inkjet cartridges are also more expensive than typical, and they require regular replacement, raising the expense of using the WF-100.
This Epson mobile printer, according to one Amazon customer, performs just as stated, allowing users to create standard-sized prints while on the go.
The best printers available for home use
A good printer can make or break your workflow, and there are lots of options for your small business or home office. The Brother MFC-J985DW, with its excellent printing quality and cheap operating costs, is the best of the bunch.
The HP Envy 5560, HP LaserJet Pro M252dw, Canon ImagePrograf PRO-1000, and Canon Pixma iP8720 are all good options.
The greatest printers available for under $100
High-quality printers do not have to be pricey. For less than $100, the Canon Pixma MX922 offers a built-in scanner, fax machine, and ultra high-resolution printing.
The HP OfficeJet 4560, Canon Pixma MG6820, Brother HL-L2340DW, and Epson XP-340 are also good options.
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