There comes a time when most entrepreneurs need a printer.
There comes a time when most entrepreneurs need a printer. I mean a proper printer. Not one of those weak little inkjets suitable, but something capable of printing 20 or 30 sheets a minute without breaking a sweat.
As you might expect, the market for business printers is big. Decent laser printers start at about $50 and from there prices go all the way to the stratosphere. Most home businesses, however, don’t need something that takes up a whole room. They do, however, need something that is easy to use, reliable and prints fast. So what’s out there?
Xerox Phaser 6600/DN
Xerox have been in the business of printing for some time. They’ve done their research and know their market. The 6600/DN is targeted at small offices and individual users. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not heavy duty. It has a 550-page printer draw, designed for large printer orders. And the claimed output per month is high.
On the internet, the printer can be found for around $430. On the street you can expect to pay $650. One of the only gripes about the printer is that the printer has a relatively low speed for the price. It’s still capable of an impressive 36 sheets per minute. But when you consider other printers in this category, that’s actually a little slow.
Dell 2155CN
The Dell 2155CN looks like a $1000 printer. But incredible it can be found online for just $199. Dell has seen prices drops across their entire range of printers, presumably because they’re getting ready to launch a new range. But the bargain to be had on the 2155CN is not one to be missed.
The 2155CN has above average print speed. And the print quality itself is also higher than among other printers in its price bracket.
The printer can also double as a fax machine for businesses who still use it. Plus, it has a scanner too for those who need to digitize documents.
Some reviewers have suggested that the 2155CN is good enough to print out marketing materials. The printer is more than capable of producing trifold brochures and one-page flyers.
Because it’s a Dell, ink cartridges tend to be a little less expensive than for other manufacturers.
Samsung ML-2165W
So far we’ve only discussed color printers. But there’s a whole range of so-called “mono” printers out there that only print in black and white. That might sound like a big disadvantage until you consider the fact that some of them come in at $50.
The ML-2165W is one such bargain printer. You can pick up one of these for around the $70 mark. The printer is small, yet will print up to 10,000 pages a month, which is suitable for all but the most demanding home business user.
The output is in 1200dpi, meaning that, despite the low price, the print quality remains high. Each ink cartridge will deliver roughly 1,500 printed pages. Of course, beyond the bare essentials, the Samsung has little to offer. But if all you need right now is something that prints text, this is the printer to go for.
HP LaserJet Pro M1217nfw
The HP LaserJet Pro might not have the most attractive name. And it also might not be the best-looking printer. But HP has managed to include an enormous amount for the price. This mono printer has copy, scan and fax facilities and will print around 18 pages per minute.
The printer can be found for around $150 and is essentially for those who want something that can do a little bit of everything. The downside is that you won’t be able to print in color. But, then again, you might not need to.
Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4535DWF
The Epson might be an inkjet printer, but it manages to compete with the big boys in some important ways. For starters, it comes in at a price and a speed that few laser printers can match. For $200 you get a printer that prints in color and can churn out 13 ppm, which is fast by inkjet standards.
The paper is handled in a 250-page main drawer and a second 80-page drawer at the back. While doing duplex prints, the printer averages 8.5 pages per minute, which is impressive. The printer will also print to glossy paper if you need to print a photo.
You can expect to pay around 2 cents for each printed page is you are printing in mono. Color pages, using the highest yield cartridges will average about 7 cents a page.
