Are you in the market for a printer? Or is your existing printer beginning to play up? What are the important things to look for when buying a printer?

As with any major purchase the first thing everyone asks about is cost. How much should you be prepared to lay out for a new printer?

When discussing the cost of a printer you need to look at 2 factors
i.  initial purchase price
ii. cost of replacement cartridges.

Let us take a look at each of the 2 main types of printers on the market today separately.

Inkjet Printers
These tend to be the cheaper option (initial purchase price) with costs ranging from around R500.00 while a new, original cartridge will cost anything from about R100.00 upwards depending on the model you have. The big drawback of this type of printer is that the cartridges only last about 200-300 pages. This means that after 10 000 pages, you have paid about R4,000.00, while after 25 000 pages the printer has cost you a total of R10,000.00.

Laser Printers
While the initial cost of laser printers is more than double that of an inkjet (anywhere from around R900.00 for an entry level model) and a new, original cartridge costs from around R600.00, these cartridges last much longer – typically about 2000 pages. This means that after 10 000 pages you have paid about R3,000.00, while after 25 000 pages the total cost is around R7,500.00. You can also successfully use refilled cartridges which are cheaper and make the cost comparison even more favourable towards laser printers (see below).

The above comparison only is for black ink only. Once colour enters the equation, things do change a little with colour laser printers being priced in the R2,500.00 and upwards range while most inkjets on the market today include colour options (beginning with the entry-level models at R500.00).

Multi-Function Printers
These come in both inkjet and laser models and their cost comparisons are similar to those mentioned above. The initial cost of this type of printer is around R750.00 for an inkjet MFP printer and around R1,800.00 for a laser MFP printer.

Other types of printers
Other types of printers are used for special purposes, e.g. Dot-Matrix printers for printing multi-part paper (i.e. more than one copy at the same time, usually carbonised) or Point-of-Sale printers are also available.

What about refilled cartridges?
These are usually much cheaper, yet are prone to failure (sometimes rather drastically). A well-refilled cartridge by a qualified refiller can save you a lot of money. Be careful, however, with refills as there are some refillers that are only out to make a quick buck. Make sure you get your cartridges from a reputable dealer. If you are uncertain, ask around. There are many people who have had their fingers burnt and they will tell you so.

One more piece of advice. Try where possible to use original cartridges for the long-term health of your printer.

Please contact us on 083 693 4923 or info@beycom.co.za for further advice regarding printers.

Please note that all prices and other figures mentioned above are approximate.