There are several types of printers available on the market and it can be confusing to determine which one is best for your needs. Our printer buying guide is here to explain the different types.

Laser printers

Laser is one of the oldest computer printer technologies and is still popular with many segments of the market - laser printers tend to offer fast print speeds and good value-for-money. Most laser printers are black-and-white only, so are best for printing large amounts of text only. Colour laser printers are available but they tend to be very expensive.

Laser printers are best for anyone who wants to print out large amounts of simple text and doesn’t require colour printouts or photos. For example someone working from home could get by with a personal laser printer, while small offices often use workgroup laser printers.

Brother laser printers are some of the best on the Australian market.

Inkjet printers

Inkjet printers are generally the most versatile for home use and produce acceptable results for both text and colour photo prints. On the downside, inkjet printers are slower than laser printers and the colour cartridges can be costly to replace. You can also buy specialist photo inkjet printers.

Inkjet printers are best for general light-to-moderate home usage. Canon Pixma printers are a preferred brand.

Photo printers

As the name suggests, photo printers are required for anyone who prints out a lot of photos from their digital camera - more than what the average inkjet can handle. Photo printers produce prints of near-professional quality and can often be directly connected to the digital camera to start printing.

Some dedicated photo printers use inkjet technology, but the vast majority use a process called dye-sublimation to produce these higher-quality results.

If you’re considering a dedicated photo printer, you should take a look at the HP PhotoSmart range.

Multifunction printers

Multifunction printers are known by nearly as many names as they have uses - you’ll also see them referred to as MFPs, multifunction devices (MFDs) and all-in-ones.

Once again, the name gives it away - all-in-one printer can often print, scan, photocopy and even fax. You can buy either a laser all-in-one or inkjet all-in-one, depending on how you plan to use it.

Because of their comprehensive functionality and cost efficiency, multifunction printers are favoured by people who work from home and can even be suitable for small businesses.

Once again, Brother, Canon and HP all make excellent multifunction printers.

Portable printers

Last but not least, portable printers are compact and designed for people who travel a lot - especially anyone who travels for work. Because these printers are small and light, you will be making sacrifices somewhat in terms of image quality.

Most portable printers are of the basic colour inkjet variety and tend to be expensive when you consider the quality of print on offer.

The Canon Pixma iP100, as pictured here, is one portable printer you might like to consider.

Buy a cheap printer on sale

By Caroline Warnes

Who says that printers need to be functional rather than good looking?

Definitely not Canon, for one. The manufacturer has released several printers in recent times that have been decidedly looks-conscious, such as the Bucket printer, also known as the Selphy CP770, released mid last year.

The Canon ES30 is the follow-up to the bucket photo printer and in this case is shaped to look more like a handbag than a traditional printer. But the ES30 isn’t all about looks - it also produces some nice colour prints from your digital photos.

You don’t need a computer to print photos from the ES30 - you can insert various memory cards and print directly using the controls on the front. You can also add effects to your images and even clip art.

This printer is comparatively slow to produce prints - it’s not something you would be interested in if you’re going to be producing photos in large volumes. Printing occurs in four steps - the first three overlay colours and the final adds a protective coating.

Another bonus of the Canon ES30 photo printer is the price. It carries a recommended retail price of just $199.

Click here to find offers on Canon printers from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

If you’re looking for a basic multifunction printer for use in a small or home office, the Canon Pixma MX850 is a likely candidate.

It has a good array of features that make it suitable for office use, however if you require a printer for making photo prints, look elsewhere as its colour reproduction is slightly below par.

It has the usual features that you’d expect with a multifunction device, including black-andwhite and colour printing, copying, scanning and fax facilities.

Print quality in black-and-white mode is good, and also fairly speedy, and the scanning function is also excellent. As previously mentioned, the Pixma MX850 is slightly lacking when it comes to colour printing, however this may not be an important requirement for the small or home office.

The MX850 is also fairly easy to use and set up, making it an ideal printer for any small business with a limited IT budget.

Click here to find offers on Canon Pixma printers near you.