These day, the more features a device has, the better. We make choices daily between a multitude of technological devices based on their features and how it suits our needs. One such device that has become increasingly popular is the Multifunctional Printer. MFPs generally have three primary functions which include printing, scanning and faxing and can be used as an office or home printer, depending on your needs.

When choosing a multifunctional printer, there are many things to consider before making your purchase, which might become overwhelming. We have made a list of the top things to contemplate before making a decision:

Functionality

As mentioned, an all-in-one printer functions not only as a printer, but can include scanning, copying and faxing capabilities. So the first think you should consider is what exactly you would need from your home or office printer.

If selecting a device that only features the functions you require, you could reduce the costs of the device and in most cases have the few functions you selected be of a higher quality.

Print resolution

This is a very important feature if you’re looking for a high quality printer, and when we refer to the print resolution we typically refer to the dots per inch (DPI) – the higher DPI, the better.

Laser printer often print at a minimum of 1,200 x 1,200 DPI where inkjet printers usually print 600 x 600 DPI black resolution.

If you’re unsure of the DPI you need, 1,200 x 600 DPI is usually suitable for office printing, alternatively ask your printer manufacturer if they are able to print samples for you to make sure you make the right decision.

Double-sided Printing

Double-sided printing, otherwise known as Duplex printing could be an important feature in some companies or even for your personal printer. If you require this feature then make sure to check if your MFP has this capability, else you might be spending your money on a device that does not meet all your requirements or your company’s needs. 

Inkjet vs. Laser

Don’t know the difference? Well, Inkjet printers are just that - ink sprayed through tiny jets onto your paper, where laser printers have toner cartridge filled with a fine powder, which when heated will produces the ink on paper.

A Laser printer generally has a better print quality but inkjet printers’ cartridges are less expensive, and where laser printers are quite, inkjet printers are typically smaller. So, both options have their pros and cons and it is up to you to decide which one will suit your needs best.

Driver Support

Whether you’re using Mac, Linux or Windows you should check that there is driver support for your chosen operating system, as without the proper driver support you may not be able to use your MFP to its full capacity, or even at all.  

Wireless

Lastly - If you’re in an office environment, you may need many laptops or desktops to be able to print to the same MFP, thus you will need wireless network capability.

The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing a Multifunctional Printer, is to ensure that the device is compatible with you existing wireless network before you make your purchase, otherwise you might struggle to connect and your productivity might take a dive as a result.

Multifunctional printers can be an asset to any home or office space and offer many different functionalities, which can save you a lot of time and money in the long-run, so better choose wisely.

So now that you've considered the various functionalities, you should be in a much better position to find the Multifunctional Printers with the right mix of features for your needs.