Given the host of options on the market, choosing a printer for home use is tedious. One will be overwhelmed with the numerous brands, specifications, and functions of printers. There seems to be no specific answer to what is the best color printer for home use. Several high-quality, and reputed brand printers are available. One needs to look out for certain aspects before getting hold of one for home-purpose printing.
Table of Contents
Inkjet versus laser
The first thing a buyer needs to decide is to choose between laser and inkjet printers. An inkjet printer uses ink cartridges and can be applied wet to paper and gets dried quickly. On the other hand, laser printers utilize toners, a type of ink dust facilitating faster results and efficient usage. Color inkjet printers are available in bulk in the market. This is more so because it can print anything. Furthermore, the current inkjet printers are smarter, faster, and sometimes even better than laser printers in terms of print speeds. Color laser printers are a good option as well, but the price is on the higher side.
The resolution, speed, and color claims
Every printer manufacturer claims to develop faster printers than their counterparts. The vendors have to be certified by ISO test protocols to be available in the market. No matter what claims a brand makes, a buyer must assess the important specifications like:
Pages Per Minute (PPM)
This is a guide that shows how fast a printer can print pages. Though PPM is not mandatory to evaluate when buying a home-based printer. But people seem to prefer everything done as fast as possible. Good color printers have an average PPM of 0 to 15 pages per minute.
Dots Per Inch (DPI)
This refers to the number of dots of ink a printer can execute to a square inch of paper. This is useful to determine the potential of creating highly detailed and high-resolution images. Though an outdated concept, but a useful specification.
Duty cycle
This indicates the number of pages a printer can print every month reasonably. If a home-use printer requires intense printing needs, this is an important aspect to consider while buying a color printer.
Comparing the specifications of one to the other won’t give a specific answer to what is the best color printer for home use. Rather, they can help make the buying decision easier.
Choosing a multi-functional printer
Whether one selects an inkjet printer, or a laser, choosing a multi-functional printer that can scan and fax as well are ideal for home use. This is because they are more cost-effective than buying a separate printer and a scanner. Furthermore, given the limited space at home, buying one device is a way better idea and space-saving. The multifunctional printers make scanning and printing of documents user-friendly directly from the computer. Some of the models also avail of the fax option, which can be of great benefit to those with a home-based office setup.
Conclusion
One might not be able to find a specific model when browsing what is the best color printer for home use. But there is a wide array of good products that can cater to the needs of a home printer effectively. One should consider the above-mentioned factors and grab a high-quality home printer.
