You need a new multi-function office printer. You naïvely went online to find one, only to look up from the screen two hours later with a head full of features and information and even less of an idea about which machine to buy or how to even start the decision. At Arctic Office, we get it; buying business printers in Anchorage, AK, can seem complicated and overwhelming, especially if you’re in the market for an all-in-one machine that performs multiple functions. Our team is always here to help you identify your needs and sift through the choices to find the best printer. In addition, we’d like to offer the following tips about what to look for in an all-in-one office printer:
Functions: What Do You Need the Printer to Do?
All-in-one printers come with a myriad of possible functions, but no single machine is going to perform every single function optimally. It’s a bit like the old idiom: all-in-ones are jacks of all trades but masters of none, or maybe only masters of one. It’s more important for a multi-function printer (MFP) to be able to perform your most critical tasks well than it is for it to be able to perform every task possible. Zeroing in on what you need will narrow your choices considerably. Here are a few examples of various functions and how they relate to your business needs:
Inkjet versus Laser. Each print engine type has its own advantages. In general, laser printers print high-quality documents consistently, quickly, and cheaply. For large quantities of text documents, laser is absolutely the way to go. Inkjets do a better job with a wide variety of media and their color printing is unmatched.
Scanning. If you scan occasionally, any MFP will likely suffice. But if you scan multi-page documents regularly, you’ll want features such as an automatic document feeder and high-resolution scanning.
Resolution. Resolution is also a consideration for printing. Print quality is measured in DPI; the higher the DPI, the better the quality. Extra hint: quality and speed have an inverse relationship. The highest DPI quality prints will print at the lowest speeds, so be sure to consider both factors.
This a just a sampling of how to evaluate an MFP’s functions in relation to your business. Arctic Office has printing experts who will guide you through your choices.
Speed
Print speed is important; we’ve all stood by a printer longing for it to move faster. The top speeds listed by manufacturers are typically achieved in draft mode; higher quality prints will be slower. Another consideration is warm-up time. If you only print a few times a day, the printer will likely go to standby mode in between jobs, creating a time lag that’s annoying and wasteful.
Duty Cycles
Printers are engineered to produce a set number of pages per month. This is called the duty cycle. Exceeding the duty cycle will cause strain on the machine and cause it to wear out, and falling short of the duty cycle means you’ve wasted money on a machine that’s more than you need.
Connectivity
Printers can be connected directly to one computer, to multiple computers via a wired network, or to a wireless network that allows any device on the same network access to the printer. Security, accessibility, speed, and even physical geography will help you determine which option is best. Our network specialists will help you understand the pros and cons of each.
Trust Arctic Office
Getting the best business printer in Anchorage, AK, is easy when you trust Arctic Office. We carry a wide range of multi-function printers from leading manufacturers, so you’re guaranteed to find a model that fits your needs. Come on in today to talk to our printer specialists. We’ll learn about your business and help you find a unit that has the functions you need at a price you can afford.