No matter what type of business you have, a high-quality printer can become the backbone of your operations. Fortunately, modern business printers are much more versatile and hardworking than ever before, making them an even more integral part of your company. 

However, before choosing a business printer, it helps to know the various features and benefits they offer. Some models will be more valuable than others, depending on your specific needs. So, with that in mind, let’s look at the various types of business printers available and how they work. 

Types of Business Printers 

When choosing a printer, the first thing to pay attention to is printing with ink or toner. As a rule, toner is much faster and more efficient, although it is more expensive. Inkjet printers are relatively affordable, but they can take a while to print a single page, particularly in color. 

Typically, businesses use laserjet printers, although small companies may find that inkjet models suit their needs well enough, especially if they don’t do a lot of printing.

Now, let’s break down the various features you can pay attention to when selecting the best model. 

Wireless vs. Wired 

Modern printers can connect to the internet, meaning they can be part of your business’ network. This functionality is helpful for a couple of reasons, including: 

  • Mobile Printing – Workers can print documents directly from their phones or tablets rather than using a desktop or laptop computer. This kind of versatility can make employees more agile and productive. 
  • Remote Printing – Wireless models allow you to send documents for printing from anywhere. Gone are the days of workers having to stand next to the machine to print paperwork. Now, individuals can print materials first, then go to the printing room to pick them up when they’re done. 

The only significant downside of wireless printers is that they can be a potential security risk. Most companies don’t bother encrypting their printer network, making them an easy target for hackers. Fortunately, all you have to do is set up some basic cybersecurity procedures to prevent any substantial incidents. 

By comparison, wired printers are much more secure, although they don’t have as much flexibility. 

Monochrome vs. Color 

While color documents look nicer, they’re also much more expensive. If you only print text documents, a monochrome printer may be sufficient. Then, if you ever need to print in color, you can outsource the job to a print shop or have a small backup color printer, just in case. 

Monochrome printers are much more efficient and require less maintenance. Since they don’t need colored toner cartridges, you don’t have to spend a lot of money when toner supplies are low. Also, fewer cartridges mean fewer moving parts, so the printer won’t break down as often. 

Additional Features to Consider 

While printing is the primary function, modern business printers can do so much more. A multifunction model can include various features, such as: 

  • Copying – As with printing, you need to determine whether a monochrome or color model suits your needs. You can also consider whether you need a high-volume machine that can make lots of copies quickly. 
  • Scanning – These days, fax machines are used far less frequently, thanks to the prevalence of high-quality scanners. Now, instead of punching numbers and sending grainy copies, you can get crystal-clear images and send them digitally in less time. Some printer models can even convert scans to multi-page PDFs for added convenience. 
  • Emailing – If you’re going to have a scanner, it helps to send your documents automatically from the same machine. Otherwise, you’ll have to save the files onto a flash drive, then plug the drive into another computer to send them. Fortunately, high-end multifunction printers allow users to send and receive emails. Receiving documents enables workers to use the machine remotely without having to sync to it directly. Instead, they can open their attached document and print as necessary. 

While these various functions enable you to get more out of a single machine, there are a few other features to consider when choosing a business printer for your Ohio company. These elements can include: 

  • Page Speed – Overall, faster printers are better than slow models because you can get more done in less time. Even if you don’t have a lot of high-volume printing, a fast machine can allow more employees to utilize the printer at once. 
  • Double-Sided Printing – This feature is essential if you need to make lots of double-sided copies. Trying to produce such documents the old-fashioned way would be too time-consuming, and there’s always the risk of printing one side upside down or backward. 
  • Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) – ADF printers are necessary if you plan to scan, email, or copy multiple pages at once. As with double-sided printing, doing this manually will take far too much time and effort, and makes errors more likely.

Buy a High-Quality Business Printer from Us 

Knowing the best features is only half the process. Once you understand your business needs, you should engage a printer specialist to get the best machine for your Mansfield office. Contact Modern Office Methods today to find out more and to browse our selection.