How to Choose the Right Printer

Here at Pacific Ink, we get a lot of calls asking us "What's the best printer to buy?" This is always a difficult question for us because despite the fact that we deal with ink cartridges, refill kits and toner cartridges all day, knowing what inkjet printer best suits one particular user's needs can be difficult. The reason is that the "best" printer for someone depends on a number of different factors, including the type of printing they do and what exactly they are hoping to get. A few years ago, it was easier for us to answer this question because there really was not much out there to choose from. As recently as five years ago, most people used their home printers mostly for printing documents and the occasional color print. The majority of users rarely had anything to think about when it came to printers other than dreading paying for a new printer cartridge.

Flash forward to the present, where users now face a number of questions: Do they want to use color cartridges, photo color, black, light black, photo black, grey, light cyan, etc. etc. Do they want a machine with two ink cartridges? How about one with four cartridges? How about one with seven? What is the difference between HP ink, Epson ink and all the rest?

Well, we are going to try to help as best as we can. Here are the four different types of printers, and a brief hint as to which may be right for you. You can then follow the link and read more about that type of printer and some recommendations:

• Inkjet Printers - I am looking for a simple printer for everyday use, including some photo printing.

• Photo Printers - I print my own photos at home and need a machine that can give me quality results.

• All-in-One Printers - I want the convenience of multiple machines in one.

• Laser Printers - I only print documents and I am tired of constantly buying new black ink cartridges.