The value of a good printer cannot be ignored and whether you need one for home or for work, you want it to be able to perform all of the necessary tasks, such as printing documents or photographs. The days of a simple black-and-white printer adequately meeting all of your printing needs are gone. Printers have become hi-tech pieces of equipment that are an essential addition to almost every computer.  

Before you choose which printer will best suit your needs and budget, take a look at the different types of printers that are available. Read on to learn more about printers and what they are able to do for you. 

Inkjet and photo printers 

Inkjet printers function by releasing variably-sized ink droplets onto a page, causing the colour to change and leaving text or images behind. The standard for inkjet printers has become the four-colour inkjet, which has replaced the almost extinct three-colour inkjet.

A standard four-colour inkjet printer makes use of two ink cartridges, one filled with black ink and the other with colour inks (cyan, magenta and yellow). The colour inks are combined in order to create a spectrum of other colours. Inkjet printers are generally purchased for home use and are more than adequate for printing your everyday documents. 

Photo printers are another popular form of inkjet printer, but far more advanced in terms of quality and the number of colours available. Professional and serious amateur photographers and graphic artists would require a colour printer that has the ability to print photos of the same standard as those printed by a professional photo developer. 

Many inkjet printer manufacturers claim that their standard inkjet printers are photo printers, when they merely have extra features for improved photo printing. These are of a lower quality compared to authentic photo printers and should be avoided if you are serious about photography. 

In addition to standard size models, photo printers are also available in a compact design, ideal for printing photos while out and about. Although these compact printers are able to print high quality photos directly from a camera, they are not suitable for graphic designers who need to print anything larger than a standard-size photo. 

Check out our range of inkjet and photo printers. 

Laser printers 

Laser printers use a more recent technology that utilises a photosensitive drum to release a charge when hit by a laser, and the drum in turn picks up toner and releases it onto the paper running through the printer. The benefit of using a laser printer is that even at its slowest, it is faster than an inkjet printer. Its printing results also tend to produce lines and edges that are much crisper in comparison to those of an inkjet printer, which can only match a laser printer’s quality by slowing to an almost unreasonable pace. 

The current standard for laser printers is the single pass model, which uses four individual lasers instead of only one, such as in four pass laser printers. Using four lasers speeds up the printing process exponentially. 

Although laser printers can often match the quality of standard inkjet printers, the best photo printers still produce superior photo prints. 

Check out our range of laser printers. 

Multifunction printers

Whether you are looking for a photo printer or a laser printer, it’s often not enough for a printer to just be a printer. With the generally small size of home offices, space is an issue. Multifunction printers offer more than simply being able to print your photos and documents; they include all of your standard home office functionality. Most multifunction printers combine a scanner and photocopier with a traditional inkjet or laser printer. Many also include a fax modem, thus rounding off the last of your printing needs. 

Price is not even a factor when deciding between single function and multifunction printers as they cost roughly the same. However, a slight difference in quality may be detected in the printing. Professional photographers and graphic designers might prefer to purchase a single function printer to be secure in the knowledge that it adequately meets their printing requirements. 

Check out our range of all-in-one multifunction printers.

Nashua Electronics has the solution to all your printing needs 

Our diverse range of printers is suitable for all types of users. If you simply need to print out documents, or reproduce intricate photo images, we have the unit for you. 

Contact us if you would like to discuss your printing requirements, and we’ll help you choose the right printer for your needs. 

Make sure to peruse our special deals and buyer’s guides to find other products that may complement your new printer.