How To Buy a Laser Color Printer

Introduction

If you're looking to update your laser color printer or buy your first one, there are a couple things you should be looking for. You can find good quality, brand name, inexpensive and speedy laser color printers in most stores where computer accessories and gadgets are sold. All it takes is a bit of research and a time, to find the absolute best laser color printer for your buck.

Step 1

Check out local ad's and online stores: If you want a discounted laser color printer or want to save yourself some cash, it's best to always check out your local store's ad's. You usually will receive these in the mail, every week. Stores like Best Buy, Sears, Walmart, Target and PC Richards will send out circulars for you to browse through and see what awesome deals they have going on for the oncoming week. You also can check out the above stores, online. Sometimes you'll even find the best deals online as some stores will have 'online sales & discounts'.

Step 2

Determine what speed you need: Before you buy a new laser color printer, determine how many pieces of paper you print daily, weekly and monthly. The more you print, the better speed you'll need. A printer's engine speed is referred to as PPM (page per minute). This information is listed directly on the printers box or if online, under the 'information' section. If the new laser color printer is for your home usage, then you can go with a lower PPM but if it's for office usage, it's best to go with a higher PPM.

Step 3

Figure out what optical resolution you need: Most laser color printers have a resolution of at least 600 by 600 dpi. This resolution is efficient for most offices as well as home usage printers. If you want high quality resolution then look for a printer that has a resolution of 1200-by-1200-dpi, but of course, the higher the resolution, the more you'll most likely pay.

Step 4

Determine how much you'll spend on new ink cartridges per month: The more you print, the more often you'll need to refill your ink cartridges. Most lower quality printers offer ink cartridges for under $20.00 but the higher the quality, the more the cartridges will cost you. Small toner cartridges can typically last a good thousand or so pages, whereas the bigger toner cartridges can typically last a good 10,000 or so pages.

Step 5

Determine the warranty and return policy: Once you've determined which laser color printer you want to purchase, you need to figure out the warranty policy and return policy on that particular laser color printer. For example, if something were to go wrong with the printer within the first month after purchase, could you bring it back and receive a refund or replacement? If you do decide to purchase online, make sure you will not be paying a restocking fee if you by chance need to replace the printer.

Tips

When buying a new laser color printer, typically, a sample ink cartridge and all the wiring will be included. However, you'll need to purchase the paper for the printer. Paper runs cheap now day, you can get a pack of 500 pieces for about $2.00 at most major department stores, like Walmart.

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