Finding the Right All-in-One Printer for You and Your Needs

What you are printing and the quantity of those items will determine whether you choose an inkjet or laser all-in-one printer. The biggest difference between the two is that an inkjet printer uses ink cartridges and a laser printer uses toner. Inkjet printers are suitable for low volume printing, making them the ideal choice for home office use. Inkjet printers have a smaller footprint and are less expensive than laser printers. They are also better at printing photos. Laser printers use toner, which lasts longer and can handle high volume printing. They are used almost exclusively in business office settings where they handle printing a lot of text.

How you want to connect to your all-in-one printer is another consideration as you go about making a purchase. If you want your printer located across the room or office from your computer and you want multiple people to be able to print to it, you will need a printer with an Ethernet and/or wireless connection. This allows for easy sharing and printing without the need to connect any cables to your computer. Some printers may also enable wireless printing from other electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and digital cameras. You should consider the number of devices you need to connect, the types of devices you need to connect, the location of the printer, how many people will be using the printer and more before buying a printer that might only have a USB connection.

All-in-one printers usually have a combination of printing, scanning, copying and faxing capabilities, but it is important to consider what functions you will be using the most. If you don't fax documents, you can instead focus on printers that don't offer faxing and many more options will become available to you. Even the other functions need to be assessed. Some all-in-ones are limited to scanning over a USB connection instead of doing so wirelessly. While multifunction printers offer the ability to do many different jobs with one piece of equipment, you usually must give up some features. A scanner as part of an all-in-one won't have as many capabilities as a standalone scanner. The same thing with the copying function. Sure, you will be able to make copies, but you might not be able to make double-sided copies, etc. You will have to weigh the pros and cons of what functions and features are necessary to you.

If you are looking to purchase an all-in-one for your home, you probably have a semi-strict budget and don't want to invest a ton of money into something that won't get a lot of use. But if you are adding an all-in-one printer to your small (or large) business, you want something that provides great value and will last for a long time to get the most out of your investment.

Here are some examples of all-in-one printers available today that might meet your needs.

Like other pieces of office equipment, each all-in-one printer offers something slightly different. Prepare yourself beforehand by making a list of your "must-haves" to help narrow down your options and the printer that is right for you.