Nowadays the printer has become an important tool even in the home environment. In fact, if until a few years ago it was mainly used in offices or in work contexts, it is now present in every home (or almost).
There are many models on the market and it is completely legitimate to ask yourself how to choose a printer for home without making mistakes. Clearly the simplest method is to evaluate a series of factors, such as the quantity and quality of things to print, your budget, the space available, the possibility of double-sided printing, the computer to be associated with the printer and more Still.
Inkjet printers
If you’re wondering which printer to buy if you need a tool to use sporadicallythen inkjet ones could be a great choice.
“Inkjet” technology allows you to print using the technique of projecting drops of ink onto the desired support. In this case, you need to use cartridges containing free or “trapped” ink in a sponge or other porous material.
Inkjet printers they have several advantages. First of all, they have a lower cost than other types of printers. Furthermore, the wide range of ink colors and the ability to reproduce very detailed shades allow you to print images with optimal color rendering, even on photographic paper.
The main disadvantage, however, is given by the cartridges which have a limited capacity and must be replaced after printing a small number of pages. Additionally, the ink in the cartridges may dry out if the printer is not used for a period of time, affecting print quality.
Laser printers
The laser printer it works by taking up the xenography technique. Specifically, it uses an aluminum drum with a silicon coating to transfer images to paper. The cylinder then acquires the print thanks to the laser and creates the desired content. Subsequently, the toner (which allows the paper to absorb the image created) is deposited on the areas corresponding to the colors of the images and texts.
Laser printers are very fast and therefore allow you to reproduce many copies in a short time. Furthermore, these are very reliable, long-lasting and silent devices. In addition, the printing with this technique is of high quality, especially regarding the black and white content. For color images and photos, however, the laser printer may not be recommended, as it is not able to reproduce the shades faithfully to the original image. It may be fine, however, for graphs or tables.
Another point against the laser printer is its high costespecially for models capable of printing in color, although the longer life of the toner makes the investment more convenient in the long term.
Multifunction printers
These are printers which, as the name itself suggests, not only have the function of printing a document but also allow you to perform various operations such as scanning, copying files, sending faxes, etc. This way you can purchase a single tool instead of four and save both money and space.
This type of printer is recommended for a domestic use, as they give the possibility of managing printing, scanner, fax, photocopying etc. with a single device. Furthermore, they can be both laser and inkjet.
Dot matrix printer
The dot matrix printer (also known as dot matrix printer) works through impact printing technology. In short, it is the method by which printing is carried out by means of punches which transfer the character directly onto the paper, imprinting it.
This is possible thanks to the print heads which contain a real matrix of aligned needles and equipped with a small electromagnet. Thanks to their speed they manage to print a large number of copieswith or without tracing, and this is why they are highly appreciated, especially in work contexts.