INTRODUCTION
Purchasing a printer can be a daunting and sometimes confusing task. The following is additional information that will help in your purchasing decisions.

TECHNOLOGY
The first and foremost important consideration to consider when purchasing a printer is the type of technology that printer utilizes to print. Today you will find two major types of technologies available, ink jet and laser.

Ink Jet - Inkjet printers are an affordable and effective solution for home users and home businesses.

Laser - Lasers are a recommended solution for businesses or networks that require speed and efficiency and high quality resolution.

RESOLUTION
Resolution on a printer is measured by the amount of dots per inch a printer is capable of printing. When looking at purchasing a printer it is important to look at the DPI the printer is capable of printing at.

It is also important to know that some printer manufactures may generate their own methods through software for increasing their resolution.

SPEED
Speed is another important consideration when looking at computer printers. The speed of a printer is rated in PPM or pages per minute and rate anywhere between 4 and 10+ PPM depending on several factors such as if it is Black and White / Color, text only or full page. You should expect a faster PPM from a laser printer printing text then a Inkjet printer.

INK / TONER
Ink or Toner is becoming a very important factor when purchasing a printer. Look at the following characteristics of the Ink / Toner used with the printer.

Price -By far the most important factor is price, if the printer becomes a frequently used device you may find that the price of the ink can far surpass the price of the printer. Look how much the ink will cost when it needs to be replaced.

Availability - Where can the ink or toner be purchased? Some printer manufactures may require that you purchase the ink directly from them and if purchased from a third-party cause your printer warranty to become void. Verify that the ink can be purchased from a third-party and if so who from.

Type - See what type of ink or toner used with your printer and for users considering a Ink Jet printer see if the printer accepts separate color cartridges. Some manufactures may include all the cartridges as one cartridge causing you to have to purchase all the available colors for one color that may be out. In addition see if the cartridges are just ink or ink and nozzles. Cartridges with ink and nozzles will cost more then those that have just ink.

COST PER PAGE
Cost Per Page The measurement of the ongoing price of the printer after its initial purchase. It is important to look at the cost per page and see how much you may be paying for the amount of printing you expect to do. Generally speaking you can expect to pay less for a laser printer then an ink printer, when looking at Cost Per Page.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Paper handling - The method of how the printer handles and distributes the paper can be an important consideration when looking at printers. Many Ink Jet printers well feed paper through a slot on the top of the printer while laser printers will use a tray method of feeding the paper to the printer. Depending upon the amount of printing you expect to have and the type of paper you plan on using, such as a paper envelope will help make your decision when purchasing a printer.

Options - When purchasing a printer look to see if the printer requires additional add-ons that may be required, this can also factor into the overall cost of the printer. These add-ons can include but not be limited to such things as cables, tray, ink, software, etc

PRICE RANGE
Price Range – The price range can vary depending upon the quality of the printer and the type of printer.

READY TO BUY
Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a printer ensure that the source which you plan on purchasing the printer from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.