Multifunction Printers

Find a business or home multifunction printer

If you need to copy, print, scan and fax, a multifunction printer (a MFP) will meet your needs. They are designed for home use, small businesses and commercial use. Multifunction printers are often referred to as all-in-one printers because they are not much bigger than a regular desktop printer. Getting a multifunction printer for your office means it can potentially replace up to four other machines: printer, photocopier, scanner and fax. Sometimes, multifunction printers are kept as backups in case other office machines fail.

Advantages and Drawbacks of Multifunction Printers

Before investing in a multifunction printer for your office, you must understand that while there are many advantages in using this one machine with many roles, there are also some drawbacks you should consider.

Ink cartridges for multifunction printers tend to be expensive and the resolution of the printer and scanner is generally quite low, especially in cheaper models. A lower resolution will produce scans and printouts that are not as sharp or vibrant. You’ll be better off using a regular photocopier for printing larger jobs because it will be cheaper.

When it comes to color copying, you may want to consider getting a multifunction laser printer or a color multifunction printer. Some of the more inexpensive models use a single three-color cartridge which will need to be replaced or refilled when one color runs out. If your color copy volume will be high, replacing the color cartridges will become a major expense. Look for the more expensive models with separate ink tanks so you’ll ending up saving more when it comes to replacing the cartridges.

Another drawback of multifunction printers is mechanical error. Let’s say there’s a fault with the printing feature of your multifunction printer fax. This fault with the one function will usually indicate errors in or complete loss of all other functions. The good news is that multifunction printers don’t fail too often and when they do, they are usually cheap to replace.

Find a Business or Home Multifunction Printer

Today, you can find a multifunction printer from just about any printer manufacturer. Brother multifunction printers, most of them award-winners, are worth checking out. The costs, robustness, usability and output quality will naturally vary depending on the brand and line, but generally, almost all multifunction printers will print, photocopy, scan and fax.

Some multifunction printers use inkjet printer technology while other higher-end models use laser print technology. Typically, the multifunction printers that use inkjet technology have failed to deliver the high quality performance and color saturation demanded by larger business standards. However, there is a new, business-grade HP multifunction printer on the market that uses inkjet technology, and may be worth investigating if you don’t want to spend the money on a laser printer.