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Brother received the highest overall score from surveyed customers, making it the top printer brand in Australia. 92% of Brother printer owners recommend the brand, giving it high ratings for performance, reliability, value for money and design.
When you're buying a printer for your home, one of the first decisions you'll need to make is whether you want an inkjet or laser printer.
Next, you'll need to decide whether you want to go for a standard or a multifunction printer:
Before deciding on the best printer for your needs, take some time to think about the sort of printing you plan on doing.
If you're just looking for a versatile all-rounder you can use to print out family photos and the kids' homework as well as scan and copy documents when needed, a multifunction inkjet printer is the way to go. In fact, a multifunction inkjet will tick all the right boxes for many buyers, but it isn't the right choice for everyone.
For example, if you frequently print large text documents and don't have much need for printing in colour or graphics, a standard laser printer might be the best fit. And if you want something capable of printing high-quality photographs, you'll want to look for a printer specifically designed to do exactly that.
Make sure you consider the following factors when comparing printers:
Consider the cost of replacement ink cartridges. Printer manufacturers have come in for some much-publicised criticism in recent years for selling printers at dirt-cheap prices, but putting high price tags on their replacement ink cartridges. Check how many cartridges will need to be replaced, how often they'll run out and how much a new cartridge will cost. Colour ink cartridges tend to cost more than black ones.
The best printer for you will be simple and straightforward to use. Find out what's involved in the set-up process, check whether all buttons and controls are clearly labelled and whether there's an LCD screen to help you set up and use the printer. It's also a good idea to check what troubleshooting options are available (such as instruction manuals, online help centres and customer support) if you ever have a problem with your printer.
Check the specs sheet to find out the exact dimensions of a printer and whether it will fit in the space you have available with its trays extended. Multifunction printers tend to be slightly larger than standard printers, but they obviously use less space (and are simpler to set up) than if you want to run a separate printer and scanner.
Most printers fall anywhere between $30 and $800, but there are some more expensive models available. If you're looking for a multifunction inkjet printer, prices start at less than $50. Laser printers tend to be more expensive upfront, with mono laser printers starting from around $100 and up.
Check how your printer will connect to and communicate with your computer. This is usually as simple as plugging in a USB cable, while Wi-Fi connectivity is commonly available on all modern printers. Some printers will also allow you to print directly from your digital camera via a PictBridge connection, removing the need for a computer.
Many printers with Wi-Fi will also allow you to print straight from your mobile device, using services like Apple's AirPrint and Google Cloud Print. Some even use near-field communication (NFC) to allow you to print by tapping your phone or tablet on the printer.
If you want to print high-quality photos or documents, check the print resolution of any model you're considering. This is measured in DPI (dots per inch). However, for a true indication of a printer's performance, head in-store and ask to print a demo page using one of your photos.
If you need to print a lot of documents quickly, check out the manufacturer's claimed printing speed, which is measured in pages per minute (PPM).
A printer that can print in colour will be a necessity for many people. However, if you need a printer for office use and you'll be publishing a lot of text documents, a monochrome printer may be a better choice.
Some modern printers also come with a range of other handy features, such as the ability to do the following:
Before you buy a printer, don't forget to consider a few important factors:
