There are several aspects to consider when purchasing a printer for home use. On top of considering what bells and whistles you need or want with a home printer, you may also want to take into consideration the following: available budget, primary printer use, frequency of printer use, access or connectivity, printer size or design and printer compatibility. We find it best to assess your printer needs by answering the following ten simple questions:

1. Primarily, what will you be printing from home?
2. What is your budget?
3. How often will you be using your home printer?
4. How will your computer connect to the printer?
5. Where will the printer be located and or stored?
6. What types of computers will be using the printer?
7. How much are you willing to spend on printer supplies and maintenance?
8. Will you be printing in black & white, or will you need to print in color as well?
9. Do you need other functionality such as the ability to copy, scan and fax?
10. Are you making a long term investment or do you just need a printer for occasional use?

Types of Printers for Home Use

Inkjet Printer

Inkjet printers are the most commonly found printers for home use.  They are typically inexpensive to purchase (although high-end inkjet printers are available) and can print nearly anything you desire in b&w or full color.  Inkjet printers have the flexibility of being used on higher volume or on a need basis depending on the model purchased. Ink cartridge replacements per purchase are lower than other printer types however the cartridges can get expensive for someone who uses their inkjet printer more frequently. It is important to read a host of inkjet printer reviews prior to purchasing any inkjet  printer for home use.

Laser Printer

If you are looking for a high quality printer then laser printers are the best bet. They tend to be higher priced, and maintenance can be expensive but their quality and speed cannot be matched by comparable inkjet printers.  There are typically two types of laser printers; monochrome laser printers and color laser printers. Color laser printers would be better suited to use as a home printer than a monochrome laser printer due to the color laser printers wider spectrum of functionality and affordability.

Multi-Function Printer

If you run a small business out of your home office, or if you are a college student then a multi-function printer is probably the best choice for you. Multi-function printers vary, however they typically are able to print in b&w, color, scan, copy and send / receive faxes. Multi-function printers can use laser or inkjet cartridges, so it is important to assess how much you would be willing to spend on printer supplies and maintenance costs. A high quality multi-function printer will be pricey, however if you are looking for a long-term investment then this could be a solid path. Budget multi-function printers are available but again we recommend you do your research either by shopping online or talking to someone at your local computer or electronics store.

Photo Printer

If you are a digital photography junkie then you should have certainly purchased a photo printer. However photo printers are not just for the professionals or photographers. Today with the advancements in technology – anybody can use a photo printer. Simply plug the photo printer into your computer or digital cable via a USB cord and you will be ready to print your favorite pictures. We recommend that you check out a few photo printer reviews prior to purchasing a photo printer for home use as there are several different options to fit your needs.

Specialty Printer

There are also printers available to cover a wider variety of specialty jobs. You can purchase a label printer for mailing and organizational solutions; wireless (WiFi) printers are becoming a standard on many of the printers mentioned above, portable printers are now becoming popular, dot matrix printers (typically lower printing costs & high durability), and DVD/ CD image painters (print images onto a DVD or CD) are just a few of the non-traditional available printers for home use.

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Categories: Product Reviews