Choosing the right printer shouldn't be a frustrating task

Most people looking for a printer only know one thing - they want something that prints well, and prints fast. Beyond that, the choice of models, cartridges and running costs quickly becomes a headache.

This is where we come in. Our experts listen to what you need and what you want to spend, then pick a printer or scanner that suits you - and tell you what it will really cost to run.

Want a bit more information first? Keep scrolling for the difference between laser and inkjet, how to budget properly, and how we choose. Or read our guide, Five Tips to Choosing the Right Printer.

The two main types of printer

There are two technologies on the market, and the right one depends entirely on how much you print and what you print. Here's how they compare.

Laser

Laser printers use cartridges full of a fine powder called toner, which is heated and fused onto the paper. They're the workhorses of a busy office.

Pros

Cheaper per page than inkjet, faster on high volumes, and toner doesn't dry out when the printer sits unused.

Cons

A full set of toner cartridges can cost several hundred pounds to buy up front.

Inkjet

Inkjet printers hold a cartridge full of liquid ink, which is sprayed onto the paper in tiny droplets. They're the natural pick for colour and lower volumes.

Pros

Cheap to buy, compact, and excellent for photos and colour work.

Cons

Cartridges print fewer pages, and the ink can dry up and block the nozzles if the printer isn't used regularly.

Laser vs inkjet, side by side
Feature Laser Inkjet
Cost per page Lower - the cheaper option to run at volume Higher - fine for occasional printing
Upfront cost Cartridges can cost several hundred pounds Cheap to buy, cheap cartridges too
Speed Faster, built for high volumes Slower on large print runs
Colour & photos Usable, but not its strength Excellent for colour and photo quality
Sitting idle No issue - toner doesn't dry out Ink can dry up and block nozzles if unused

Not sure which suits you? That's exactly the sort of thing we work out for you - just tell us roughly how much you print and we'll take it from there.

How much should you budget?

This is a tricky one - it all depends on your needs. But our main advice is simple: don't settle for cheap.

You can pick up a bargain printer easily enough, but you'll often find the ink costs more than it would on a pricier machine, because cheap printers tend to burn through cartridges far faster.

The best way to measure the real price of a printer is by how much it costs per print. Judge it on cost per page, not the sticker price, and a "cheap" printer can turn out to be the expensive one.

The good news? We do all of this research for you, so you don't have to.

Worked example
1pper page

A black cartridge that prints 5,000 pages and costs £50 works out at just 1p per page - the number that actually matters.

Turn paper into digital, fast

Whether you want a dedicated scanner or a multifunction printer that scans, copies and prints from one machine, we'll match it to how you actually work.

We'll factor in the volume you scan, whether you need an automatic document feeder, double-sided scanning, and how it should connect to your network and cloud storage - so filing paperwork stops being a chore.

Print, scan & copy
All In One

From a quick conversation to a printer ready to use

Four steps, and only the first one needs anything from you.

01

Tell Us What You Print

Complete the form or give us a call. Roughly how much you print, in colour or black, and what you want to spend is all we need to start.

02

We Do the Research

We weigh up laser against inkjet, compare cost per page and pick a machine that suits your volume - not one that looks cheap and drinks ink.

03

Your Quote

A clear price for the machine and a realistic running cost, so you can see what it will actually cost you over its life, not just today.

04

Set Up & Delivered

We deliver it, connect it to your network and computers, and hand it over printing and scanning, ready to work.

You get an engineer, not a spec sheet

Buying online, you're left to decode cartridge yields and page counts on your own. Buying through us, the same team that recommends the printer is the team that sets it up and supports it afterwards.

  • Honest advice on laser versus inkjet for your workload
  • Chosen on real running cost, not just the purchase price
  • Trade pricing across the major printer brands
  • Delivered, connected to your network and ready to print
  • Ongoing cartridge and toner supply if you want it
  • One point of contact when something needs looking at

One printer for the corner of an office, or a fleet across several sites - the approach doesn't change.

Supplied, set up, supported
Since 1998

Printer buying questions

The things customers ask us most before choosing a new printer or scanner.

Should I get a laser or an inkjet printer?
It comes down to volume and colour. If you print a lot of black-and-white documents, laser is usually cheaper to run. If you print less, or need good colour and photos, inkjet often makes more sense. Tell us how you print and we'll recommend the right one.
Why do you say not to buy the cheapest printer?
Because the cheapest machine is rarely the cheapest to run. Budget printers often use small, pricey cartridges and get through them quickly, so you pay more per page over time. We judge printers on cost per page, which is the figure that actually affects your bills.
What does "cost per page" actually mean?
It's the price of a cartridge divided by the number of pages it prints. For example, a £50 cartridge rated for 5,000 pages works out at 1p per page. It lets you compare two very different printers fairly, rather than being swayed by a low sticker price.
Can one machine print, scan and copy?
Yes. A multifunction printer does all three from a single device, which saves space and money for most offices. If you scan in high volumes, a dedicated scanner may still be worth it - we'll tell you which way to go.
Will you set the printer up on our network?
We will. We deliver it, connect it to your network so everyone can print to it, link it to your computers and cloud storage where needed, and hand it over working.
Can you supply our ink and toner too?
Yes. We can keep you supplied with the right cartridges so you're not scrambling when one runs low, and our sales team can source consumables for almost any machine.
Do I need to be an existing customer?
No. We supply printers and scanners to businesses whether or not they've worked with us before.

Get a quote for a printer or scanner

Send us an enquiry and one of our team will come back to you with a recommendation, a price and the running cost you can expect.

You don't need to know the difference between laser and inkjet. What you print, roughly how much, and what you want to spend is plenty to go on.

Request a Quote

Prefer to talk it through? Call 03333 055 055 or email [email protected].

Need a printer without the guesswork?

Tell us what you print and what you want to spend. We'll do the research.

Call 03333 055 055