10 Things to Look for in a Multifunction/All-in-One Printer

Last Updated on July 13, 2015 by Christian Ralph

It is sometimes difficult to know which features may be most valuable to you when considering an multifunction printer (sometimes called an all-in-one printer). Depending on whether you are buying it for work or for your home, an all-in-one printer must be as functional and productive as possible so you need to consider your purchase carefully.

Generally, multifunction printers combine several useful features such as scanning, copying and faxing as well as standard printing functions in order to perform several jobs from one device. This saves space as well as time, but how do you know which one to buy?

Below is a guide for what to look out for when considering a new multifunction printer so you get the best one to suit your needs.

1. Function

Quite often manufacturers will forego the print quality of a unit in order to include other functions such as fax services. Therefore, consider carefully which multifunction elements are most important to you. Choosing a printer with only the required functions will lower the overall cost BUT boost the quality of those functions.

If you do a lot of photo printing then make sure the printer you choose supports this so the images are printed to a high quality.

2. Print Speed

Having to wait for things to print is not only annoying, but can reduce your productivity, especially within a company. Therefore, a standard print speed specification to look out for would be 20 black and white pages per minute and 10 colour pages per minute.

3. Duplex Printing

This is a really important feature if you regularly produce documents, forms or reports that need to be printed on both sides. Check that the model of printer you choose supports duplex printing before buying it.

4. Wireless Connectivity

If you are working in an office environment where several people and systems will need to access the printer, then look out for multifunction printers that are compatible with your wireless network. WPS setup is available on most routers and if the user network has a WPS feature, then this will make configuring the printer easy.

Similarly, all-in-one printers will a built-in network card can be wired to any available network port, thus preventing the need to share a printer from a network PC.

5. Laser vs Inkjet

Laser printers are generally more expensive to buy than inkjet versions, however they produce higher-quality printouts that are cheaper. This is due to the toner cartridge in a laser printer lasting longer. The speed and quality of a laserjet printer is far superior to that of an inkjet printer.

6. Ink Replacement Costs

Always bear in mind how much it will cost to replace the ink in your printer AND how readily available replacements are. Think of the cost per page when deciding which printer is most cost effective, whilst still offering what you need.

7. Scanning Features

If you require a scanner element to your printer then look out for a resolution of at least 1200 x 600 if you want to produce high quality reproductions. A resolution of 4800 x 4800 is necessary for high quality image copies.

Look out for OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software on your scanner as this enables a scanned document to be converted into a Microsoft document such as Word or other word processing software.

8. Copied Document Sizing

Resizing from 25% to 400% is a common feature on most all-in-one printers. Having the ability to resize your document from the scanner table is definitely a bonus feature.

9. Automatic Document Feeder

Should you require a fax element to your printer then having a document feeder will allow you to place a stack of papers to be faxed onto the feeder tray and will do it all for you. No manual labour required and it is a much more efficient way of sending over faxes. Remember that a multifunction printer should be able to send a fax page in under 5 seconds so check this first if it is an important feature for you.

10. Memory Card Compatibility

If you regularly use a memory card to print from then make sure it is compatible with your printer as memory card slots vary dramatically. If you are using an older memory card you may want to consider updating it to fit your printer model.

For more information about choosing a multifunction/all-in-one printer visit the Printerland.co.uk main site or call our dedicated team on 0800 840 1992.

Image sourced via Flickr Creative Commons. Credit: Issac Bowen.