| This is not an easy question to answer because there | | | | which use a ribbon technique called dye sublimation |
| are so many options out there, so before we can start | | | | printing. These produce a very high quality print which is |
| to answer your question we need to ask you some | | | | equivalent to or better than that produced by traditional |
| questions. | | | | silver halide photo processing in shops etc, the |
| What will you use the printer for, is it: | | | | drawback is that you are limited to the sizes that you |
| Purely for home use, kids homework etc. | | | | can print and it can also be expensive. |
| For printing high quality photos | | | | Your other option is an inkjet printer. To be able to print |
| For small office use - mainly documents, but with | | | | high quality photos you must have at least six colours |
| some requirement for colour | | | | available, and some of the top end printers now use |
| For office or business use - high speed documents | | | | up to 10 different colour cartridges. Using these inks |
| 1. For home use | | | | and good quality inkjet photo paper, the output you can |
| Needs to be easy to use and low cost to run, so that | | | | achieve is breathtaking and in many cases better than |
| you can afford to print off those school projects and | | | | traditional methods of outputting photos. Which one to |
| loads of web page information without having to take | | | | choose is a really difficult question and probably |
| out a second mortgage. DO NOT BUY HP, Lexmark | | | | revolves more around your personal preferences and |
| or Dell. These manufacturers all use an ink cartridge | | | | the thickness of your wallet than anything else. My |
| with a built in print head, but also use a method which | | | | own personal preference is for the new Canon Pixma |
| puts three different colours all in one cartridge - when | | | | printers, results achieved with their new Chromalife 100 |
| one colour is run out the cartridge is finished. Epson, | | | | inks are stunning, the inks are guaranteed for up to 100 |
| Canon and Brother all use a technology where the | | | | years (with some caveats!) and they are using |
| print head is built into the printer, so as you finish one | | | | semiconductor manufacturing technology for the print |
| colour you just replace that ink tank - a much cheaper | | | | heads which enables the printers to produce superb |
| option immediately. These days, I would recommend | | | | output every time. |
| looking for a Multi-Function device, that is a printer that | | | | Finally number 4, office use. |
| is also a scanner, copier and printer all in one. Basically | | | | With the advent of Colour Laser printers for under |
| one machine will print documents from your PC, but will | | | | ?200 there is no argument - go for a colour laser. |
| also allow you to scan documents back into the PC | | | | These days they are small footprint, usually |
| again and Photo Copy documents whenever you | | | | networkable and the toner used is a Chemical toner |
| need them. All of the major manufacturers offer these | | | | which will give outstanding results. They will print faster |
| types of machines so costs are very competitive, the | | | | than an inkjet printer, the cost per page is less than an |
| thing you need to know is the cost of owning and | | | | inkjet printer and they are much more robust than an |
| using them. | | | | inkjet printer. We also offer compatible toner cartridges |
| When you start looking at the cost of ink cartridges | | | | for a large range of laser toners, so the running costs |
| the immediate thing that jumps out is the price | | | | are significantly reduced. The biggest issue we found |
| differential between original and compatible or refilled | | | | using these printers here at Stinkyink Towers was |
| cartridges. For home use the compatible/refilled | | | | they were a bit fussy about the quality of the paper |
| cartridges are more than adequate for purpose. | | | | we were putting through them. We can't get away |
| Compatible cartridges are manufactured by third party | | | | with the very cheapest 80gsm copier paper, but still |
| manufacturers and are generally significantly cheaper | | | | use an 80gsm laserjet paper which goes through all of |
| than the Manufacturers original cartridges. | | | | our machines very happily and causes us no problems |
| So, we need a Multi-Function printer, made by Epson, | | | | at all. If you can afford it look at the Multi-Function |
| Canon or Brother and we now get down to personal | | | | machines, again up to 4 applications in one small(ish) |
| preference. For ease of use and ease availability of | | | | footprint. We have an HP MFP(Multi Function Printer) |
| competitively priced ink cartridges, I personally | | | | which includes a fax, Network printer, scanner and |
| recommend Brother products - my daughter at | | | | copier all in one machine and is reasonable to run |
| University has one and is delighted with the results. | | | | In summary then, for home/small office use get hold of |
| This also fulfills the requirements for No 3 - Small | | | | a Brother Multi Function inkjet printer, cheap and easy |
| office/Home office use; one device in a small footprint | | | | to use and run. For High Quality Photo Printing you |
| which will fulfill three requirements - once again Brother | | | | won't go far wrong with one of the new Canon Pixma |
| wins out in my opinion. | | | | Photo printers and finally for Office use a colour laser |
| So I have covered options 1 and 3 above, next | | | | or MFP device |
| number 2 photo printing; | | | | I hope that this distillation of our collective wisdom is of |
| There are two different types of photo printers, Canon | | | | use, if you need any more information please feel free |
| ,Samsung and Kodak produce 4 x 6? photo printers, | | | | to give us a call. |