| Today's printers are heads and shoulders above their | | | | If you haven't browsed the printer aisle of your local |
| predecessors. Inkjet printers can produce stunning, | | | | office supply store recently, you'll be shocked to learn |
| photographic quality prints, while laser printers can spit | | | | that you can buy high quality, brand name printers for |
| out paper at a rate of 85 pages per minute or more. In | | | | as little as £38. Sound too good to be true? |
| fact, there are so many different kinds of printers on | | | | Well, in a sense, it is too good to be true. While the |
| the market that's it's sometimes hard to keep track of | | | | price of the printer is lower than the cost of |
| them all. Here's a rundown of the major categories: | | | | manufacturing it, ink cartridges can cost as much or |
| Color Inkjet Printers: While slower than laser printers, | | | | more than the purchase price. In other words, the |
| color inkjet printers are also a fraction of the price of a | | | | manufacturers don't make money on the printers; they |
| color laser printer. Inkjets can produce exquisite color | | | | make money from the ink. It's as though every time |
| documents and photos, as well as black and white | | | | you buy inkjet cartridges or toner cartridges, you're |
| prints. | | | | purchasing your printer all over again. |
| Color LaserJet Printers: While more costly than color | | | | How do printer manufacturers get away with it? Most |
| inkjet printers, laser printers are still a bargain, and often | | | | often by using scare tactics. They convince |
| come with several paper trays to give you maximum | | | | consumers that the only reliable printer cartridges are |
| printing flexibility. | | | | those made by the printer manufacturer. In fact, |
| Multifunction Printers: The latest trend is multifunction | | | | nothing could be further from the truth. |
| printers, which allow you to scan, copy, fax, and print | | | | Alternatives to OEM Ink Cartridges |
| with a single piece of equipment. This saves space, | | | | If you don't want to buy expensive original equipment |
| money, and time. | | | | manufacturer (OEM) ink cartridges, what are your |
| Photo Printers: Specialty photo printers give | | | | options? There are two choices: Compatible print |
| shutterbugs another great reason to snap pictures. | | | | cartridges and remanufactured ink cartridges. |
| These peripherals often allow you to print directly from | | | | Compatible cartridges are made from brand new |
| your computer, digital camera, or mobile device. | | | | parts and meet or exceed OEM standards, but are a |
| Black and White Laser Printers: If you don't work with | | | | fraction of the price. Buying compatible cartridges is |
| color, black and white lasers have never been more | | | | similar to buying a store brand of peaches, rather than |
| affordable. The emphasis is on speed, high print | | | | a name brand. |
| resolution, and multiple paper trays. | | | | Remanufactured cartridges are recycled cartridges |
| Mobile Printers: Mobile printers are gaining popularity | | | | that are taken apart, inspected, reassembled, and filled |
| among students and business people on the go. While | | | | with high quality ink. These are even less expensive |
| they're slower than other types of printers, mobile | | | | than compatible print cartridges. |
| printers have the advantage of printing from numerous | | | | It the world of printing, you can have your cake and |
| sources and often have wireless connectivity | | | | eat it too, simply by taking advantage of low printer |
| capabilities. | | | | prices and pairing them with inexpensive compatible or |
| What Manufacturers Don't Tell You | | | | remanufactured ink cartridges. |
