Best All in One Printers in India 2020

Whether it is home or office, we all need to take printouts in various scenarios. And, having a full-fledged printer which can perform multiple tasks is just fantastic. However, printers do come in different sizes as all are meant to serve different purposes. As a result, sometimes it is a confusing situation while choosing to buy one for yourself. These days, a single printer can perform double-sided printing, color and monochrome printing, and much more.

So, in this article, we are going to mention some of the Best Multi-function Printers in India. Hence, if you are in search of a printer for your home or office, you can check out our best picks as well. But, before buying a printer, there are some essential factors that you must consider:

• Printer Type: Printer comes in various sizes meant for different purposes. For residential purposes, you can buy a basic ink-jet or laser printer. But, if you are planning to buy it for office use, a multi-functional printer will work best for you.
• Printing Speed: The printing speed is another essential factor that you must consider while buying. If you want to print in bulk, a printer with high speed will be useful. However, if you are buying it for normal usage, any printer will work fine.
• Quality: The printing quality of the printer can be determined by its resolution. Hence, you can choose one according to your preferences.

We have listed the best printers that you can buy in India. In case you want to go in-depth, you can check out the complete Buying Guide for printers, which we will mention below in this article.

Best All in One Laser / Inkjet Printers In India

Printer with Scanner	Printer Type	Best Suited For	Buy Online
HP LaserJet M1005	Laser printer	Corporates	Check the Price
Samsung SCX-3401	Laser printer	Corporates	Check the Price
Cannon imageCLASS MF3010	Laser printer	Corporates	Check the Price
Brother DCP-L2541DW	Laser printer	Corporates	Check the Price
Ricoh SP 111SU	Laser printer	Corporates	Check the Price
Epson L210	Inkjet printer	Home, Small Business & Students	Check the Price
HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 4675	Inkjet printer	Home, Small Business & Students	Check the Price
Brother DCP-T300	Inkjet printer	Home, Small Business & Students	Check the Price
Canon PIXMA E400	Inkjet printer	Home, Small Business & Students	Check the Price
HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2135	Inkjet printer	Home, Small Business & Students	Check the Price
Epson L220	Inkjet printer	Home, Small Business & Students	Check the Price
HP Sprocket Z3Z92A	Photo printer	Digital photographer	Check the Price
Canon CP1000	Photo printer	Digital photographer	Check the Price
Canon CP1200 Wrls	Photo printer	Digital photographer	Check the Price

Our 10 finalists are the best among all the printers available in the market. We are more than happy to recommend them. Out of the list, if you are looking for a Multi-function printer then we recommend “HP laserjet M1005”, if it is inkjet then “Epson L210” would be great and for photo printers, we highly recommend “HP Sprocket”. These products have some amazing features and bang for the buck too.

Detailed Description of Each Product:

1. HP LaserJet M1005 All in one Monochrome Laser printer

HP laserjet has grabbed first place in our list because of its multifunctional features and quality. It is quite affordable when it comes to bulk printing. Its multifunctional features include copying, scanning and printing. This printer is suitable for homes and offices.

When on a power mode, this printer can print faster due to in-built instant-on technology. This makes sure it executes faster and reduces energy consumption as well. Flatbed scanning can provide high resolution scan of up to 1200 dpi. It is also perfect for scanning sensitive media like old photographs.

As it contains 150 sheet input tray and 10- sheet output tray, the paper handling is very easy. It can deliver outstanding high quality prints at the speed of 14ppm for A4 size papers. Even copier is capable of providing 99 copies with additional options like resizing the document by 25 to 100 percent.

The HP laserjet printer has optical character recognition software (OCR) which usually comes with installation drivers. It also helps to convert document into digital formats for editing or archiving.

Pros:

• Hi-speed USB connectivity. Compatible with USB 2.0.
• Maximum 230 watts power consumption.
• Energy star qualified.
• Supports paper, labels, envelopes, postcards, transparencies and cardstock.
• Multifunctional: print, scan and copy.
• Monochrome laser print technology.
• Up to 14 ppm print speed.
• Up to 600×600 dpi print resolution.

Cons:

• Didn’t work properly for Mac.
• No automatic double side printing.

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2. Samsung SCX-3401 Multi-function Monochrome Laser Printer

If you are looking for a multifunctional printer with accurate printing results then Samsung SCX-3401 has to be your choice. This printer provides smooth copying/printing for professional documents. Its multifunctional features include scan, copy and print.

The in-built EPM software allows you to set up easily and tune with the monitor. It is also easy to manage whenever you are out of toner. By clicking on the eco-button, you can optimize the printing, conserve energy, paper and toner at the same time. The eco driver software also lets to see a preview before printing so that you can check the accuracy beforehand. You can remove unnecessary text, images and other elements by checking the preview.

The printer also has features like ID copy, N-copy, PC fax functionality, scan to email and many more. With Samsung SCX-3401, you can print 20 pages per minute so you can minimize the time wasted hanging around the printer.

Pros:

• Compact design and high efficiency.
• 1200×1200 dpi clarity.
• It also hosts Pc Fax, ID copy, scan to email and N-up copy features.
• Printing speed of 20 pages per minute.
• Integrated EPM software.
• Minimizes paper, toner energy and overall cost with Eco mode feature.

Cons:

• The refilling products are a bit expensive.
• No double side printing feature.

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3. Cannon imageCLASS MF3010 Monochrome Multifunction Laser Printer

Are you looking for a power-packed and multifunction printer then choose Cannon imageClass MF3010. It comes with a collapsible output tray and foldable input tray so it is portable as well. It just weighs 8 kg so you can easily carry it from one place to another.

It has a display panel and LCD display which allows to operate the printer’s functionalities. It can produce 1200×600 dpi crisp monochrome prints. While copying and scanning, it provides 9600 dpi resolution which is pretty high.

It has an in-built memory of 64 MB so it is much easier to store the documents and files as well. It can print up to 19 pages per minute. It also has in-built features like ID copy, quick first print and on-demand fixing technology.

Pros:

• 1200×600 dpi print resolution.
• Up to 19 ppm print speed.
• Supported scan formats: PDF, BMP, TIFF and JPEG.
• 64 MB RAM Size.
• Collapsible output tray and folding input tray.
• 9600 dpi resolution for scanning and copying.

Cons:

• No wireless connectivity.
• No automatic double sided printing.

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4. Brother DCP-L2541DW Monochrome Wi-Fi Multifunction Laser Printer (Under 15000)

Want to boost your productivity then Brother DCP-L2541DW is the ideal choice. It has printing capacity of 30 pages per minute and other multiple valuable features which provide a printing experience like no other. With built-in features like mobile printing, you can enjoy convenience, flexibility and easy connectivity.

With duplex or two-side printing feature, you can reduce the paper cost and toner wastage. Apart from that, it can also easily produce 2-up and 4-up on a single sheet. It has a printing speed of up to 30ppm so you can save time on large volume printing tasks. You can also eliminate the excessive downtime with Brother networking administration tools which provide monitoring and configuration capabilities.

Pros:

• Lower running costs.
• Two side or duplex printing feature.
• Print speed of 30 pages per minute.
• Built-in mobile printing feature for better connectivity.
• SRAdmin professional software.
• Can easily produce 2-up and 4-up on a single sheet.

Cons:

• Not so great ink efficiency.

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5. Ricoh SP 111SU Monochrome Multi-function Laser Printer

Ricoh SP 111SU monochrome multi-function laser printer is capable of printing documents with ease and superior quality. Being small, slim, and compact, it doesn’t take much space and more over it is quite and doesn’t disturb peace of a small office. It features USB compatibility, high-resolution, and professional output of at least 16 pages per minute.

Apart from printing, it also caters color scanner that delivers 600×600 dpi resolution which scans the documents directly into the PC and also emails in high resolution color. For easy maintenance and low running cost, the Ricoh printer is designed for easy replenishment.

Pros:

• Noise less operation and easy to maintain.
• Versatile and multifunctional.
• Small, light and portable.
• High quality printing, copying and scanning.
• Easy and quite operation.
• USB compatibility.
• Professional output at 16 pages per minute.

Cons:

• No automatic double side printing.

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6. Epson L210 Color All-in-One Inkjet Printing (Under 25000)

Epson L210 is high recommended inkjet printer because of its multifunctional, easy maintenance and quality printing features. The lifespan of specially designed ink bottles is as high as 4000 pages. Refilling of the ink is very easy with top-up technology. The tubes regulate the ink flow in the printer all the times.

If you are transporting the printer somewhere, it recommended to adjust the choke valve which prevent the ink wastage and accidental leaks. The documents can be printed at a high speed of up to 27 ppm and color prints at a speed of up to 15 ppm.

The proprietary micro piezo head produces high quality prints at a resolution of 5760×1440 dpi. Both text and images have equal sharpness and quality. The printer also offers one-touch operation for copying and scanning. The scanning resolution of this printer is 600×1200 dpi. You can make draft copies of scan at 5 seconds (black ink) and 10 seconds (colored ink).

Pros:

• 5760×1440 dpi print resolution.
• 27ppm (black) and 15ppm (colored) printing speed.
• On-demand inkjet print technology.
• Hi-speed USB 2.0 connectivity.
• It supports A4 plain paper, glossy photo paper, and envelopes.
• 13 watts of power consumption.

Cons:

• Scanning quality is a bit low.

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7. HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 4675 Inkjet Printer

The DeskJet Ink Advantage 4675 printer from Hewlett-Packard is an all-in-one printer with eye-catching design and also sports a bunch of functions. The status display shows the ink levels and other quick information. There are 9 buttons for operating the printer -cancel, resume, wireless, Wi-Fi direct, HP ePrint, copy color, copy black and power.

It also has a DC-in and USB port. This printer can print, scan and copy documents and images. The Wi-Fi option allows the user to print documents wirelessly. HP’s wireless printing feature worked flawlessly thanks to the built-in support on Android.

This printer also has a direct button for photocopy or “Xerox”. As far as print quality and speed is concerned, the DeskJet Ink Advantage 4675 is good enough for everyday printing. The noise is pretty low than other printers.

Pros:

• Attractive design.
• 5cm monographic touchscreen display.
• Automatic two-sided printing and copying.
• Yield: 480 pages (Black/Standard), 150 pages (Color/Standard).
• Scan Speed (Normal A4): 4 ppm color 8 ppm mono.
• Copy Resolution (Black text): 600 x 300 dpi.
• No software installation required so it can work standalone.

Cons:

• The paper tray is not very sturdy.
• Scan quality is just decent.

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8. Brother DCP-T300 Multifunction Color Ink Printer

Best multifunction printer for home use and small businesses that is designed for high print volume and bigger savings. This inkjet printer features Refill Tank System that offers affordable ink bottles with ultra-high 6000 page-yield in case of black ink.

The smarter design makes ink refilling an effortless task with minimal ink spillage. The 45 degree refilling angle also minimizes ink leakage. It has a compact all-black shell design with a host of menu buttons. The basic functions include print, scan and copy with print speeds up to 27/10 ppm and 1200×6000 dpi print resolution.

High print speed of this printer saves time while printing large volume document. The print quality is considerably impressive, with clear, crisp and deep prints without smudge. It comes with USB and WiFi connectivity, 64 MB memory and 1-line LCD display.

Pros:

• Compact design.
• Easy to refill the ink.
• Compatible with any operating system (windows, linux or Mac).
• Ultra-high 6000 page yield ink bottles.
• Weighs just 7 kg so it is portable.
• Professional quality, sharp images and crisp text.
• Minimal ink spillage.

Cons:

• No automatic paper sensor.

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9. Canon PIXMA E400 Color Multifunction Inkjet Printer

The Canon Pixma E400 is by far the best all-in one printer based on the inkjet technology that comes with scan and copy features. It has a simple box-like design with the upper part housing the scanner and the lower part housing the printing machinery and tanks.

This printer does not have a display or touch panel so there is no chance of customizing the photocopies. It does not have wireless connection option as well. So, you will need to connect it to a computer every time you need to print a document. But it is a cost-effective device that makes optimum use of the ink while printing photos and documents.

The printer comes with 2 ink bottles that yields up to 7000 pages. The printing speed is quite fast, a full page borderless print takes just 3 minutes. But the lack of automatic duplexer means back to back printing has to be done manually.

Pros:

• 4800×600 dpi resolution.
• User friendly.
• Auto power button.
• Compatible with USB 2.0.
• ISO print speed: 8.0/4.0 ipm (black/color).
• Ink efficiency is 400 pages for back prints and 300 pages for color prints.
• Quite mode ensure the print makes bare minimum noise.

Cons:

• No duplex printing.
• No display screen.
• No wireless connectivity.

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10. HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2135 All-in-One Printer (Under 5000)

HP Deskjet makes every day scanning, copying and printing easy. The compact size printer with dimensions 42.3×30.4×14.9 cm make the printer sleek and stylish. You can even place it anywhere in your office or house as it perfectly blends into any environment.

With a resolution of 4800×1200 color resolution and unmatched print quality, it can produce up to 1000 A4 pages in a month. It has paper holding capacity of 60 pages and print speed of 7.5 ppm. So, it enhances the productivity without compromising with the quality of prints.

As it is covered with Energy Start Certified Program, you can reduce the negative environment impact. It is compatible with USB 2.0 and with different devices like laptop, pen drives and desktop. The printer can function well with any operating system like Windows 7, 8 & vista, Mac OS and more.

Pros:

• All-in-one printer (scans, copies ad prints).
• Compatible with USB 2.0.
• Energy star certified program.
• Functions with all kinds of operating system.
• Scans almost all kinds of formats JPEG, PNG, PDF, BMP and TIFF.
• Easy to set up.
• Paper capacity of 60 sheets.
• Print resolution of 4800×1200 dpi.

Cons:

• Not so great ink efficiency.
• No USB printing/scanning to cloud.

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11. Epson L220 Color Ink Tank Printer (Under 20000)

Epson L220 is the perfect choice for both office and domestic purpose. If you want all-in-one printer within budget then this option can be ideal. Whether it is a black and white or color print, it delivers high quality results every time as it has micro piezo technology.

The high ISO print speed helps in printing faster. It has a built-in ink tank which used Epson genuine ink in order to produce color rich prints. The ink bottles can also be refilled without any hassle. This product also has a scanner with 600 dpi resolution. This printer is best suited for office and home.

This printer has the capacity of printing 4000 black & white pages and 6500 color pages with just 1 cartridge. It comes with 1 year manufacturer’s warranty. With Epson’s micro piezo technology and ISO print speed of 7ppm3, it produces high quality consistent results.

Pros:

• Integrated ultra-high-capacity ink tank.
• You can save up to 90% of printings costs.
• High quality, consistent and reliable results.
• Micro piezo technology and genuine ink.
• Hassle free refilling, simple set up and easy maintenance.

Cons:

• No automatic double side printing.
• No display screen.

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12. HP Sprocket Z3Z92A Portable Photo Printer

If you are looking for a printer which can be easily taken for your travels then HP Sprocket portable printer is the ideal choice. It can easily fit into your bag and you can print 2 x 3 inches stickable photos whenever the moment strikes.

You can also connect social media accounts with HP Sprocket app and instantly print any photo you want to. Using the mobile application, you can customize your photos by adding border, emoji’s or fun text. It weighs just 170 grams and is about the size of a mobile phone.

You have to charge this printer using a micro USB. You can connect the photo printer to a mobile device or tablet via Bluetooth. For best results, manufacturer recommends using only HP ZINK sticky-backed photo paper as it is designed to produce high quality, glossy photos with vibrant colors.

Pros:

• Perfectly portable so you can carry anywhere you want to.
• You can customize the photos before printing.
• You can connect via Bluetooth.
• You can print the photos without borders as well.
• Instant stickable snapshots virtually.

Cons:

• Photo quality can have a bit yellowish tint.

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13. Canon CP1000 Selphy Photo Printer

Canon CP1000 is a portable and compact device which is best suited for printing postcard or credit card size photos or mini-stickers. It is compatible with a USB host port and SD card slot, supports wireless networking and has a color display as well.

Its unique dye-sublimation printing technology ensures that photographs are of high quality with vibrant colors. The photos printed through Canon CP1000 are said to last for approximately 100 years.

As it is compact, it can be taken to anywhere like on travels, parties, vacations and others. You can also print without connecting it to any power device.

Pros:

• Compact and portable.
• High quality print outs.
• Unique dye-sublimation printing technology.
• Prints can last up to 100 years.
• Optional direct battery connection.

Cons:

• Compatible with only some Mac and Windows operating systems.

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14. Canon CP1200 Wrls Compact Photo Printer (Under 10000)

If you are looking for a compact printer that produces high quality borderless prints then you have to purchase CP 1200 printer. It is compatible with PC, smartphone, tablet, memory card and thumb drive. The control panels and LCD allow stand-alone operation.

This printer measures 7.1×5.4×2.5 inches and weighs around 2 pounds (excluding power adapter, paper and ink cartridge). You can insert 18 sheet paper tray once you fold down a hinged door on the front. The battery is estimated to last for around 54 snapshots on full charge. The printer takes around 4 hours to completely charge. You can connect to the printer using a Wi-Fi network. This printer uses dye-sublimation thermal transfer technology to print the snapshots.

Pros:

• Compact and portable.
• Has a display and control panel.
• Compatible with Mac, Windows and smartphone.
• Includes a memory card slot and USB thumb drive port.
• Good print quality.

Cons:

• Take a bit more time than other photo printers.
• Doesn’t not print large photo sizes than 4×6.

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Buying Guide – All in One Printers

Just like any other product, there are some important factors to consider while choosing a printer. We have gathered all the information in this buying guide so that you can make a decision wisely.

1. Understanding the requirements

Based up on their work, hobby or interest, people have different requirements. And not all printers are same. So, initially before selecting a printer, you have to analyze your printing requirements. Below, we have mentioned some requirement categories…

a) Residential purpose:

For home purpose, it is better buy a printer that can handle everything from stationery, snapshots to homework. It should have Wi-Fi capability and built-in memory card readers for better connectivity. And more over it should not break your budget.

b) Student:

Students often need to print their thesis or term papers. For these requirements you will need a printer that provides crisp text with detailed images. Check if the printer has dedicated mobile applications so that you can send documents to the printer even if you are at a library, classroom or study session. Wi-Fi feature also helps to connect multiple users to the same printer.

c) Digital photographers:

For printing snapshots occasionally, a simple inkjet printer is simply enough. But if you want professional finishing to the photographs then you have to purchase a printer that can handle dynamic range of photography. If you are serious digital photographer then take a printer has features like color management tools, paper path options, integrated media slots or PictBridge port, gamut and characterizes of inkjet.

Some people prefer thermal dye-transfer technology (heat changes the solid ink until they infuse coated paper), and solidify as they get cool. On the other hand, some snap shot printers can directly print the photographs from compatible digital cameras but the cost of these printers can be high.

d) small Business or House-office:

For this category, a multifunctional or all-in-one printer can be highly beneficial. They contain features like fax machine, scanner, printer, copier and others. Depending on how many features you want, the price of the printer can increase. However, some companies provide a multifunctional printer in a budget-friendly price as well. Make sure the printer you choose has the capability of handling wide-format printing so that you can print posters, flyers or large-scale documents.

e) Corporates:

For corporate company, as there will many people or teams, a high end all-in-one printer or work group lasers can be helpful. They are designed to handle multiple print jobs, more memory, fast processors, high capacity toner cartridges and print engines that can handle printing 35 pages per minute. Usually these printers are a bit costly than others.

2. Types of Printers

There are different types of printers which are differentiated based up on the technology and features they have. Below, we shall explain types of printers in detail so that you can make an informed decision.

a) Laser Printers:

Though laser printers have around many years, they are still purchased by many people as they are quite affordable, has a fast printing speed, provides sharp output and low cost per page comparatively. Same like copiers, laser printers also use a photographic drum which electrically chargers the toner and transfer the content on the paper which will be infused with the help of heated roller.

Usually, most of the laser printers are black and white (monochrome) which just print text and simple graphics. Recently, color laser printers have also hit the market which are a bit expensive than the older monochrome laser printers.

b) Inkjet Printers:

Inject printers are versatile as they are capable of producing detailed photo prints and crisp text. General purpose and photo inkjet printers are available in the market. But don’t get confused them with snapshot or photo printers. Working of inject printer – a controlled stream of tiny ink droplets from a cartridge (1 or more) print an image.

The printing technique, software algorithms, color mixing and size of the droplets usually differ based on the manufacturer. When compared to laser printers, inkjet printers are relatively slow, and the cartridges as well as special paper are expensive too.

Inkjet printers are suitable for small business owners and home users who need high-quality graphics and photos. The price of inkjet printers may vary depending on the paper handling capacities, image quality and features.

c) All-in-one or Multifunctional Printers:

Multifunctional or all-in-one, as they name says they are capable of doing many things than just printing. They are complete combination of printer, scanner, and copier. Some products even have faxing machine or photo printing as well. So, they are perfect for any house or business.

They are available in both laser and inkjet types. If you want speed text printing with occasional graphics then laser multifunctional printers will be best. For vibrant photo printing, inkjet would be fine. Some of the best all-in-one printers should have features like auto document feeders, double-sided prints, PictBridge compatible USB ports, memory card bays and copying of multipage documents.

d) Portable Printers:

If you need a printer wherever you go then portable ones are best suited. They usually weigh around 2 – 5 pounds. They are big enough to squeeze out an 8.5 inch wide sheet paper. They use color-inkjet printing technology. The image quality and speed is usually not so top notch.

e) Snapshot Printers:

Also known as photo printers, they are best suited for photographers and some serious photography hobbyists. These printers use more colors than just CMYK in order to print high quality photos. So, if you want more than just inkjet printers for specially photo printing purpose then this printer has to be your choice. These printers are also capable of printing directly from compatible devices via USB connection called PictBridge. And some models even accept storage cards (CompactFlash), SD, Sony memory stick. The size of printing is limited to 4×6 or smaller. So, they cannot handle 8.5×11 sheets.

f) 3D Printers:

As they says, these printers print in 3D. Plastic, resin or powder is used to melt the material and release it into thin layers which stack on the top  of each layer. In the recent years, they have become more accessible to everyone from average customer to creative professionals. Whether it can be custom toy and kitchen gadget, you can get into life with 3D printer.

3. Features

There are several important features you have to look out for when purchasing a printer. We have mentioned them in detail below…

a) Printing Speed

If you print 2 – 3 papers or occasionally a bit more then you don’t have to worry about this feature. However, if you have to print a lot of documents then speed is the first feature you have to look at. You can see the terms PPM (pages per minute) or CPM (copies per minute) which refers to how many pages the printer can push out. If it is a photo printer then you can see the term IPM (images per minute). The higher number, the faster the printer will be. Laser printers live up to their speed limits mentioned. However inkjet are a bit slow than what they mention on the label.

b) Resolution

The resolution refers to the number of dots per in inch (dpi) that will be printed vertically or horizontally. A good text can be produced with 600dpi which is usually the lowest resolution you can get in modern printers. If you have to print tiny points or graphics, you may need 1,200 dpi with perfect lines and curves. For photos as well, 600 dpi is sufficient and beyond 1,200 doesn’t make any difference.

c) Connectivity

Most of the printers available in the market has USB (universal serial bus) 2.0 connectivity. Some printer of work group support printing using an Ethernet cable with an RJ-45 connector. In most of the latest models, for increased mobility, manufacturers also introduced wireless, infrared, Wi-Fi with built-in print servers and cloud printing.

d) Processor and Memory

Usually, these two terms are not so commonly considered but it helps to understand distinction between inkjet and laser printers technologically. Inkjet printers are line printers, so the computer combines the page into memory and send it in small packets to the printer. So, it doesn’t matter how much memory the printer has or how fast the processor is.

However, laser printers are page printers. In this case, the printer has to hold a complete page in its memory so that it can image the printing at once. So, that states the bigger the memory is, the more it can buffer the pages.

You may not see a major difference for small or typical jobs. However, if you are printing big graphics, large images or documents with high resolutions then printer memory can show you a major difference.

e) Mobile Printing

Some manufacturers have started producing printers with mobile printing features. If you want one of them then look if the printers can be connected with Android, iOS, or other mobile devices. With this feature, you can also seek a printout through email (cloud printing), or any other third party technologies like Apple’s Airprint.

f) Paper Handling

Make sure that paper handling capacity of the printer should be more than the pages you print per day. This reduces the effort of reloading the tray. A personal printer may hold 100 – 150 paper sheets in a tray. Some printers even have a dedicated photo tray which will be cut down on the paper swapping. A business printer usually holds 250 sheets and some high end printers can hold 500 – 1000 pages. If your office is a lot business then choose a printer with multiple paper trays.

g) Duplexing

Having a duplex printer can save both paper and time because it will print on the both sides of the page. Printer with this feature will have the capability of reversing automatic document feeder without the user to turn the paper and refeed into the printer.

h) Touch Screen Display

This feature helps to surf through the options and provide instructions like input data, number of pages to the printer easily.

i) Built-in Memory Card Reader

It is better to have a built-in memory card reader which typically supports formats like memory stick duo, securedigital or multimediacard. This feature helps to easily access the printer. And more over with some type of printers, you can also edit the photos without using a computer.

j) PictBridge

Transferring the photographs from digital camera into computer just for printing can be an annoying task. However, with printers that have PictBridge option, you have to print the photos directly by connecting the digital camera to the printer.

4. What should it really cost?

With printers starting from a less price can be enticing but it is important to consider maintenance costs as well. Because feeding a printer can exceed the original cost as well. So, before buying the printer, make sure to compare the expenditure of consumables like ink or cartridges.

Toners and Cartridges: Inkjet printers are less expensive but the consumables (replacement inks and specialty papers) is what can drive up the cost after buying it. Refilling of ink usually costs around ₹ 500 – ₹ 100 per cartridge which usually lasts 100 – 800 pages maximum. However expensive models can be a bit economical because they have separate ink tanks for each color so you can just replace one color instead of everything.

For laser printers, the toner cartridges generally vary greatly when it comes to yield, price and printing capabilities. The toner cartridges usually cost around ₹ 1000 for small printers and up to ₹ 2000 for a large capacity printer. Though the toner cost seems to be high, the yield will be high as well.

Because a cartridge has the capability of printing 2,500 to 10,000 pages and some of them even claim to print up to 30,000 prints. So the cost per page will be less. Some types of cartridges like HP’s have expiration dates which will stop working at a certain time period even if the ink is left out.

Paper: If you want best in terms of quality printouts then you have to buy special paper that is recommended by the manufacturer. This is mainly important for inkjet, all-in-one and multifunction printers. Usually, the specially coated paper may cost around ₹ 100 to ₹ 200 per a letter size sheet. If that is high, you can settle for slightly better quality 24-pound paper with a brightness of at least 95.

Others: Many manufacturers don’t provide USB cable so that they can sell it separately for ₹ 250 – ₹ 300. So, while purchasing a printer, make sure to check if the product has USB cable or you have to buy one. If you are buying an advanced multifunctional printer then you have to consider other paper handling features like add-ons like output bins, stapling, auto document feeders, faxing multiple documents and others.

5. How to Judge the Print Quality?

So, the basic rule while buying a printer is to check the quality of output before making a payment. Otherwise, you may later regret if the print is not what you are expecting. Many of the stores let you print some demonstration pages or photos. So, take your own SD card with some text or photos you want to print for testing.

Text:

Most of the text printing demonstration should include rows of texting various sizes which can be easy to identify the flaws. At the small font sizes, the letters should be clear without any breaks and most importantly they should not bleed. Medium sized fonts should not have fuzzy edges. And large or bold fonts should be clear, solid and black, not bluish or brownish muddy.

If you are observing an offset of tops and bottoms of characteristics or incorrectly aligned pattern of dots then it indicates inappropriate print-head registration. Also look out the ink bleeds in the paper. Some inkjet printers can leave random dot of ink bleeds in places where it has to be empty.

Graphics:

When it comes to graphics, the printer should demonstrate different shapes, sizes and shading. The outlines of the shapes should have smooth curves and crisp. The inner parts of the shape should be solid and evenly shaded. Also check if there is smooth transition where the color goes dark to light or vice versa.

Some printers try to dazzle the eye with highly saturated colors and some others may leave the images that appear washed out. Make sure the printer is maintaining the natural balance. Print-head banding (horizontal stripes across of the page) can be caused due to poorly aligned bidirectional print-head, clogged nozzle or poor rendering algorithm.

Photos:

The quality of the color depends on the aesthetic demands. Simple pleasing colors are bit less expensive than accurate colors. While testing the photo quality of the printer, make sure the colors are well balanced, vivid and not oversaturated. For better understanding, closely observe the skin tones whether they are too reddish or too bluish. The photo should not cast a single color more in the overall look. Make sure to see the photo under day light, incandescent light and fluorescent light.

This helps to understand how badly the color cast changes in different lights. If you are printing a lot of black and white colors then you have to make sure the printer has dedicated black ink tanks. Otherwise you may see inconsistencies across the image and print resolutions.

Contrast and Range:

In order to test this feature, you have to print a photo with lots of dark blacks, bright whites, shadows, midtone and highlights. Observe the test print whether it has the shadow and highlight areas or else they are clipped by rendering has blacks or whites. Does the print out has a haze over it (low contrast) or too dense blacks (high contrast).

Some Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Why does the printer have so many colors?

Basically, a printer needs three main colors – cyan, yellow and magenta. These colors help to produce enough colors for a quality photograph. This is done by a process called dithering – dots of primary colors are clumped together in ways where it can fool the common eye into seeing varied colors. Many printers also have black color (K) because it is difficult to get black color from colored inks. The number of colors a printer renders is called as gamut. For cheaply colored photos, CMY is enough but for highly contrast image a four color gamut (CMYK) is good enough. Some printer even has 6 or 8 color gamut as well. The more number of colors, the better picture quality.

2. What if I refill with a third party ink kits?

In order to save some money, you may consider purchasing an ink refill from any other manufacturer. But before doing that, we recommend to research first as a wrong choice can ruin the printer or least the cartridge may not work.

In most of the cases, you may end up with low quality photo prints. Some manufacturer usually configures the printer with their own cartridges. And some manufacturers have specially formulated inks which can be able to pass through the nozzle of their own printer. So, a poorly formulated can clog up the nozzle and a wrong cartridge can ruin your printer.

Few Words before winding up…

Different people have different requirements and interests. So, whenever you are purchasing a printer, you have to make a list of things you have to check. Once it satisfies your needs, you can purchase it. Make sure test the demo printer before buying as it helps to know the printing flaws easily.

If you still have any queries, write to us in the comment section below. Our expert team will clarify them as soon as possible.