Home Printer Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Printer for Your Needs

Memory Card Slots, Bluetooth and PictBridge

If you plan to print a lot of photos, consider a printer with built-in memory slots, Bluetooth capability, or PictBridge support. All three will allow you to print photos directly from a camera, rather than transferring them to a computer and printing from there. Memory cards can be popped out of the camera and into the printer, Bluetooth cameras can send images wireless to the printer, and PictBridge cameras can be plugged into the printer with the same USB cable you might use to connect to a PC. Just don’t overestimate the usefulness of these convenience features: You’ll probably need to transfer your photos over to a computer to empty the memory card anyway, and most photographers will want to examine their prints on a bigger screen before printing them.

Paper Handling

Every printer will feed on a fat stack of 8.5 x 11 copy paper, but what about legal envelopes, index cards and 4 x 6 glossy photo stock? Many printers include dedicated feed trays for printing on unusual papers, which can make them easier to deal with them. Also consider the size of the ordinary paper tray: Smaller trays will require you to add paper all the time, while a nice 250-page hopper or even dual trays can make it a once-a-month affair.

Speed, Resolution and Color Claims

Much like the refresh rates for TVs and mile-per-gallon ratings for cars, these specs are easily manipulated by manufacturers. Take them all with a grain of salt, read published reviews and independent evaluations, and if possible, see actual printouts at a retail store to decide for yourself how quick a printer is, or how good the image looks.

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