Home Printer Buyer’s Guide

Inkjet or laser? Multifunction or photo? We offer answers to these common printer questions.

In the world of printers, the old axiom "you get what you pay for" is especially appropriate. Sure, you can scoot on down to the local Mega Mart and grab yourself a $29 inkjet, but be prepared to drop much, much more than that on ink and repairs in the first year (or weeks?) alone. Think about it: A brand new color printer that perhaps does triple duty as a scanner and a copier…for a measly $29? How is that possible, unless the manufacturer is going to make money from you some other way, or it’s a horrific piece of junk?

That’s not to say everyone should avoid all bargain basement printers. If you’re the type who prints only the occasional birthday card or borscht recipe, but otherwise enjoys the dust-collecting properties of your new gadget, a $29 machine may be all you need. But if you’re printing several times a week, or if you truly value a hassle-free experience and top-quality output and durability, it would behoove you to set your sights just a wee bit higher. Let’s look at the different types of printers, what each excels at, its pitfalls, and a few specific models.

Laser or Inkjet Printers

Printers generally come in two distinct flavors: Inkjet or laser. The former sprays ink onto paper via a series of nozzles, while the latter uses a laser light to "write" images on a rotating drum, which is then rolled through a layer of toner before it comes in contact with the paper.

Which is best? That depends on what you want and expect from your printer. Generally speaking, laser printers are known for pinpoint accuracy, producing output that looks cleaner and more precise when held under a magnifying glass. They’re also built to handle more work, and are therefore a good choice for those who churn out reams of printed material, because they’re the more durable of the two. And in most cases, the cost of ink in a laser is markedly lower than that of an inkjet over the life of the unit.

But lasers aren’t the best choice for consumers who have a hankering to print their own photographs. For starters, though black and white lasers are now affordable, color lasers are still quite expensive – much more so than inkjets. They’re bigger and heavier too, a key character flaw in the tight confines of most home environments.

While color laser output looks just fine for charts and graphs, it’s also no match for the richness of inkjets – particularly if you use special inkjet photographic paper. Inkjet printers have also become much more attractive lately, sporting gorgeous finishes, stylish designs, and sophisticated, convenient touch screen displays.

Save on Ink and Printing

Inkjets tend to require more maintenance. The (comparatively expensive) inkjet ink needs to be replaced more often, and the nozzles in many models occasionally clog up. And you’ll preferably want to make sure the model you’re chasing allows you to refill each color individually. Some do not.

One way to solve some of the hassles associated with inkjet ink costs is to purchase third-party ink, as it’s generally quite a bit less expensive. However, some third-party inks are even worse offenders in the nozzle clogging department, so do your homework before splurging.

Ultimately, our advice is to ask yourself a very simple question: Do you really need to print in color? Do you, for example, really need to print your photos at home when online outlets and drugstores will do a generally superior job, and not charge you a lot of money for it? If not, a monochrome laser may well be your best bet.

But does that mean you should go out and buy a new laser? Not necessarily. Check with a printer technician and you’ll hear the same refrain every time: They don’t make ‘em like they used to. That’s not to say today’s lasers are no good – far from it – but there are a number of sturdily built, never-say-die lasers available on the used market that’ll pump out another hundred thousand pages without so much as a hiccup. Check eBay for oldies but goodies such as the HP Laserjet 4 – quite possibly the Timex watch of printers – and see what $50 gets you.

Multifunction Printers

Today, printing is just part of the equation. For many, a multifunction device that also acts as a scanner, a copier, and even a fax machine may be ideal. Granted, the copier and scanning functions of a multifunction printer don’t quite match those of standalone units, but they’re more than adequate for home use.

However, there is one very serious hitch with multifunction devices that even today’s latest technologies can’t iron out: If you lose one of the functions, you’ll lose access to all the functions while the unit is out being repaired. If you can handle that scenario, and if you honestly need those extra capabilities, there are a number of solid options in today’s market that simply blow away the multifunction units of even five years ago.

For a few great options in all departments – inkjet, laser or multifunction printers – please see our roundup of the best printers currently available to today’s shopper.