Which printer should I buy?

Printers are sold cheaply and monetised through consumables, so the purchase price tells you very little. Cost per page and whether the technology suits your printing pattern matter far more.

What you'll need

• An honest estimate of how much you print (optional)

Step by step

1. Estimate honestly how much and what you print.Occasional documents, regular colour, or photos? This determines the technology, and getting it wrong is expensive over the printer's life.
2. Choose mono laser for occasional document printing.Toner does not dry out, so a laser printer used once a month works perfectly. An inkjet in the same use pattern clogs and wastes ink on cleaning cycles.
3. Choose a tank-based inkjet for regular colour printing.Refillable ink tanks rather than cartridges. Higher purchase price, dramatically lower cost per page, and no cartridge chips or restrictions.
4. Calculate cost per page before buying.Cartridge price divided by its rated page yield. The difference between models is often several times over, and it dwarfs the purchase price within a year.
5. Check whether you need scanning and copying.An all-in-one is usually only marginally more expensive and scanning is genuinely useful. Check the scanner is a proper flatbed if you scan books or thick documents.
6. Check the connectivity you need.Wifi as standard, plus mobile printing support if you print from phones. Ethernet is useful for reliability if the printer is near the router.
7. Check duplex printing if you print a lot.Automatic double-sided printing halves paper use and is standard on many models. Manual duplex is tedious enough that nobody uses it.
8. Be wary of subscription ink models.They can be good value for high volume and poor value for low. Read what happens if you cancel — some printers refuse to use ink you have already paid for.

Tips

• Third-party cartridges are much cheaper but some printers actively block them through firmware updates. Check before relying on that saving.
• Print quality on modern mono lasers is excellent for text and poor for photos. If you want photos, that is a separate decision.
• Check the physical size. Many all-in-one printers are considerably larger than people expect and need clearance above for the scanner lid.

Common mistakes

• Buying a cheap inkjet for occasional printing — The ink dries out between uses and the printer wastes what remains on cleaning cycles. A mono laser is far better for this pattern.
• Comparing printers on purchase price — Consumables dominate the total cost. A cheaper printer with expensive cartridges costs far more within a year.
• Signing up to an ink subscription without reading the terms — Some prevent you using ink you have already received if you cancel. It can be good value, but the terms matter.

Questions people ask