Is it worth repairing a printer? Choosing the right printer for you

We often receive enquiries for printer repairs but as entry level printers can be bought for under £100 it’s usually far more cost effective to buy a new one rather than paying a call out for a printer engineer. As well as this, new printers come with a warranty giving you peace of mind it’s covered by the manufacturer.

Usually when small printer issues begin to arise it’s the start of a bigger problem, one thing goes wrong and then it’s a downwards spiral. You can end up spending a small fortune on replacing ink cartridges to try and fix an ink related problem which can result in a costly expense.

Parts wear and tear over time (compare it to people getting older!) so investing in a new printer is like a new life.

Here’s 3 printers starting with entry level to more advanced. If you work from home and heavily rely on printing and scanning documents a higher spec is worth investing in.

Basic printer for occasional home printing

The core features include:

• Compact design
• Print from your smartphone or tablet with mobile printing
• Prints 5-7 pages per minute
• Monthly duty cycle: Up to 1,000 pages. Recommended monthly page volume: 50 to 100

Mid-range home printer

Main features:

• Fast printing, scanning and copying speeds
• Fax
• Automatic double-sided printing
• Mobile printing
• Print speed is 9 – 16 pages per minute

Higher spec printer for a home office

Key Features:

• Effortlessly print, scan and copy
• Perfect for everyday

Just be mindful this printer doesn’t print double-sided (unless you manually do it).

Which brand to choose when buying a printer

HP, Canon and Epson are well-known printer manufacturers. You’ll need to work out whether you’d like an inkjet or laser printer. You should also address all the features you require before making your purchase. Most printers have all-in-one features which include printing, scanning and copying.

Should you get an inkjet or laser printer?

What’s the difference between inket and laser printers?

Inkjet printers are noticeably cheaper than laser printers and can be used for document printing aswell as image printing. Inkjets are also more compact.

Laser printers have a costly upfront price and more expensive cartridges however it works out a lower print cost per page. You also get faster printing speeds which is a bonus if you have lots to print!

Most people opt for inkjet printers as their home printer but a common problem with these is that the ink dries up if the printer is not regularly used.

If your budget can stretch to laser invest in a laser printer instead. The toner which is used by laser printers doesn’t dry up. On the other hand if you’ll be printing little and often then inkjet is sufficient for your needs.

Double-sided printing 

If automatic double-sided printing is a necessity check this before making your purchase. Some printers require you to manually change the paper whereas other printers automatically print on the reverse without any effort on your part.

Advice on ink cartridges

Never buy unofficial ink cartridges. Unofficial ink cartridges will damage your printer. We have spoken with lots of customers over the years and we hear this time and time again. Printer problems following the use of unofficial cartridges are extremely common. Sadly it’s time for the printer to be disposed of when this happens. Always purchase official ink. Buy direct from the manufacturer or a trusted retail store.