Tip #2523 - Buying Printer Guide
Printer Friendly Version | E-Mail This Tip
Q:
I've been looking into buying a new printer. What are some things I should
ask when I go to the store to actually buy it?
A:
This goes along perfectly with the quick tip above. Like I said, you should
definitely ask the sales person to do a quick test print for you so you
will be able to see exactly how your printer will act and also how it
will sound. You don't want that thing to be so noisy that every time you
print something, you can't even hear yourself think. : )
So, once that is covered,
here are some more questions you should keep in mind to ask:
1.) How does the printer
handle different types of paper? Check and see if the printer can handle
things like envelopes, cards or other types of paper that you might use.
Also, ask how much paper the printer is able to hold at one time. You
don't want to be constantly refilling the paper and you don't want to
run into any paper jams.
2.) What type of ink
cartridge does the printer take? You'll want to ask about black and color
ink cartridges. Check on the cost of them (you don't want to be forking
out tons of money for ink later on), how easy is the installation for
refills, etc. Ink is what makes your projects turn out at all, so you
want your new printer to be top notch in that area. Also, even if you're
buying a printer on the cheaper side, it may cost more to refill the ink
down the road, so always double check this.
3.) How easy is it
to install this printer on my computer? Always ask the sales person who
is helping you how the installation process is. Some printers can be more
difficult than others and you can save yourself some hassle by asking.
Most printers just come with a CD kit and you just have to walk through
the process with a wizard, but make sure that is all you're getting yourself
into.
4.) How durable is
the printer? Depending on what you're going to be printing with your new
printer, you'll want to find out how much it can handle. If you're only
going to be printing items every so often, a standard printer will be
fine, but if you're going to be printing in high volume, you may need
something a little more advanced.
5.) Does the printer
handle postscript language? If you're going to be printing a lot of heavy
graphics and so forth, make sure your printer supports the language.
6.) What type of warranty
does the printer come with? Always check on this to keep yourself covered.
7.) And finally, the
most important question of all: How much does it cost?
If you keep these
sample questions in mind, you should be able to find the printer that
will fulfill all your needs and you will be happy with the turn out. We
all want that, don't we?!
~ Erin
Want To Comment On This Tip? Click Here! We'd love to hear from you :-)
Like These Tips? Get 'Em Free In Your E-mail
