How to choose a color laser printer

Recently, the use of color laser printers for both office and home printing has become increasingly popular. The prevalence of this technique is due to its versatility, the relatively low cost of consumables and at the same time high quality printing of both text and photos and images. This article will consider the criteria on which to rely when choosing a laser printer, as well as the most high-quality models for home and office printing.

Criteria for choosing a color laser printer

In order not to buy a "cat in the bag", experts when choosing a laser printing device advise you to pay attention to the following parameters:

1. Print speed. This parameter determines not only the number of printed pages per unit of time (usually measured in pages / min and is indicated by the manufacturer under the abbreviation PPM), but also the time interval between the start of printing and the receipt of the result.
2. Performance. It is very important to choose a device designed for the loads that it is planned to impose on it. If the device is designed for a much greater intensity of work and a total load, then its purchase does not justify itself, and if for a smaller one, this leads to rapid deterioration of the main mechanisms, and, as a result, to breakdown.
3. Resolution. This parameter is determined by the number of dots of toner per inch of the printed document. The larger the resolution setting, the better the printing of images, drawings and photos.
4. The number of available media. Some models of office equipment can work not only with paper, but also with cardboard or film. Naturally, such an option for work implies an increase in the total cost of the device, so it is necessary to decide in advance on the presence or absence of it.
5. Memory. If this parameter is not so important for home printing, then for office devices the more memory the better. Experts recommend to purchase equipment with a volume of 1 to 2 GB or equipment with the ability to expand the available memory.
6. Duplex printing function. It is also chosen as an option, and is well suited to those who prefer to save on paper consumption.
7. Dimensions and working format. It is unlikely that someone will really need the A3 format for home printing, and such devices are much more expensive than their less dimensional counterparts.
8. OS compatibility. This option is important for those who prefer to work outside of Windows.

IMPORTANT!It will also be useful to find out what guarantees apply to this or that model and in advance in case of a breakdown find out the address of the nearest service center, which will be able to carry out repair work. If such a center is no closer than in the neighboring city, you should think twice before purchasing the model you like, because even the most branded and expensive equipment is not insured against breakdowns.

The best models of color laser printers for home

Category printers for home use with the best value for money.

Canon i-SENSYS LBP7018C

By purchasing this relatively budgetary (costing about 9,000 rubles) model, the user gets an excellent device that is compatible not only with Windows, but also with Linux or Mac OS, capable of printing up to 16 pages per minute with b / w printing and up to 4 per minute - color. Usually the seller provides a one-year warranty to the device. Of the benefits:

• good print quality;
• relatively cheap "consumables";
• small dimensions.

Office equipment specialists call this model one of the best ones for home printing, without actually finding any cons in it.

KYOCERA ECOSYS P5021 cdn

This device, more powerful than the previous model, consumes more energy in the "passive" mode, as well as in printing, but is capable of producing up to 21 pages every minute in black and white and the same in color. The price of the device is slightly higher than that of the previous representative of our collection, however, the guarantee for its work is 2 years. In addition, this model:

• able to print high-quality and full-color images;
• equipped with an automatic printing function on both sides;
• can be controlled via wi-fi.

ATTENTION! The model has many advantages, but still there is one, very significant drawback - the high cost of the original cartridges.

Ricoh SP C260DNw

Working with virtually all modern operating systems, the Ricoh S260DNw is capable of printing 20 pages per minute in both color and b / w. The device is quite compact, but weighs slightly more than 23 kg. A three-year warranty makes this printer even more attractive to customers who prefer to opt for quality. Of the main advantages:

• compactness;
• duplex function - print on both sides;
• ability to print from the phone;
• high quality of the received photos and images.

What color laser printer to choose for the office

Office devices are important power and performance, and therefore professional equipment for them and is, and is serviced more expensive. Below are three models of printers, better than other suitable for office work.

Ricoh Aficio SP C240DN

Great for a small office with a couple of computers. It is controlled through the LCD panel, and can produce up to 16 pages in 60 seconds. Before each printing, the device needs to warm up, and it takes him about 30 seconds. The possibility of automated duplex printing perfectly complements the functionality of the device. Unfortunately, the device’s own memory is small (only 64 MB). With dimensions of 400x320x450 mm, the device weighs a little more than 24 kg.

HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dn

Suitable for medium-sized offices, designed for intensive and productive work, allowing you to receive up to 27 sheets every minute. The resolution of the device is low (only 600x600 dpi), so it is not recommended to use it for printing images.

There is a control function via a smartphone, the ability to print from flash drives. Memory capacity - 256 MB, which is not so much for office work. Able to work in automatic duplex mode. The monthly load declared by the manufacturer is 50 thousand pages.

HP LaserJet enterprice 500 M553n

The only real disadvantage of this device is its high price, which, however, is fully justified by product quality and high performance (up to 38 pages per minute). The progress of current operations is displayed on the LCD panel.

This model is designed for printing about 80 thousand pages of text and graphic information per month. The device prints out both color and black-and-white images almost equally quickly. The memory capacity is 1 GB, which is a good indicator for office equipment. Produced by a manufacturer of a color cartridge: about 5,000 prints. The resource of the same cartridge b / w - about 6000 prints.