All-in-one printers, also knows as multifunction printers, can be the ideal solution for both the home and business office. They combine the functionality of several different pieces of equipment into one single machine. As a result, you’ll experience lower supply and maintenance costs along with more desktop space. However, before you go out and buy one of these space-saving devices, make sure you’re familiar with all of the important features, including print speed, memory, and resolution.

All-in-one printer speed: Many all-in-one printers are rather slow in terms of copy and print speeds. If speed is important to you, choose the fastest all-in-one printer you can afford. You’ll certainly notice the difference between 14 and 33 pages per minute. Also, make sure you check the fax/modem speed. As a general rule, you shouldn’t choose one that operates at less than 33 kpbs. Faster fax functions mean less time on the phone line and more money in your pocket.

All-in-one printer memory: The memory for an all-in-one printer refers to the storage area used to hold computer files or fax messages while they wait to be printed. When it comes to copying, faxing or printing documents, a lack of memory is exceptionally noticeable. For increased speed, use a greater buffer memory. If you generally work with large documents, consider purchasing an all-in-one printer with at least 16 MB of memory.

All-in-one printer resolution: One quick way to assess print quality is by looking at the resolution, which measures the sharpness of printing in dots per inch (dpi). Unless you’ll be using the all-in-one device for photo printing, a resolution of 600 x 600 should be perfectly adequate.

Inkjet vs. Laser

All-in-one printers are typically available in both inkjet- and laser-based models. As with single-function printers, all-in-one inkjets use small dots of ink to create images, whereas all-in-one laser printers use toner to produce text. For small office and home environments, inkjets are usually the better choice because they cost less initially yet deliver brilliant, vivid color. On the other hand, all-in-one laser printers produce high-quality output at a lower cost per page. Plus, toner cartridges last longer than inkjet cartridges, which eventually bring down overall printing costs. For these very reasons, all-in-one laser printers are more popular in larger office settings.

Wireless All-in-one Printers

You’ll also have the option of buying a wireless all-in-one printer. Ideal for a business office network, wireless all-in-one printers are the perfect solution to printing without plug or wires. Without the need for cables, you can put the printer anywhere in the office so that it is easily accessible to everyone. Once the printer is connected to the network, it will be usable to any authorized computer or user. Most wireless all-in-one printers come with software that lets you fax or scan to your computer over a wireless network. Keep in mind though, that like any device on your wireless network, proper security is essential.

Additional Tips

You shouldn’t buy an all-in-one printer without first testing it in the store. Read the specifications first, and then test each function separately to see if it suits your needs.

Price will definitely be a factor when shopping for your printer. At the low end of the spectrum, you can find cheap all-in-one printers starting at about $350. If you’re mostly concerned with price, shop and compare our large selection of cheap all-in-one printers.

HP all-in-one printers are considered some of the best on the market. Whether you need black and white text or vibrant color images, HP all-in-one printers deliver breakthrough performance and professional results every time.

The best all-in-one printers will have automatic duplexers, which mean you can print on both sides of the paper. While this can save you a great deal of money, it may also slow printing speeds, so you’ll first need to decide which feature is more important to you.

If you do a high-volume of printing, your all-in-one should have high-capacity input and output trays. This will reduce the time and effort required for constantly reloading paper.

Some all-in-one printers can serve as a standalone photo lab, letting you print high-quality photos directly from your memory card. These photo lab all-in-ones usually offer a large LCD screen for previewing photos as well as a kiosk-style menu. For professional-looking photographs, we recommend browsing through our Canon all-in-one printers. Canon’s PIXMA series lets you quickly print beautiful photos and laser-quality text for results that are truer to your originals.