The inkjet is the most affordable and widespread technology in the world of personal printing. Well established since its invention, several decades ago, this technique is to project microscopic liquid ink drops on paper. We find it very logically in the heart of the majority of the consumer printers sometimes sold below 50 euros.
Many models available on the market are multifunctional type. It is thus possible to print, digitize and even photocopy documents without going through a computer. Some business -oriented models still have a fax function, although the use of this technology is now outdated. This “all-in-one” solution remains more affordable than the purchase of separate equipment. However, monofunction printers are a good alternative for specialized use, such as photo draw or printing in A3 format.
However, it is not easy to make the right choice in the face of the multitude and the variety of the offer. Especially since the relative importance of the different criteria depends enormously on the uses, some favoring speed, others the quality, others still the cost to use or simplicity of employment.
Thus, the print quality depends in large part – but not only – on resolution, a characteristic which is expressed in points per inch (p/p, ppp or dpi depending on the documentation) and which indicates the amount of elementary points printed by line. In theory, the higher the resolution, the better the print quality. However, this is not an absolute guarantee. Many models display resolutions greater than 1000 DPI while all magazines are printed in 300 DPI. In practice, 150 dpi is enough for text, and 300 DPI for documents combining text and images. The resolutions of 600 dpi or more are especially useful for drawings “in line” (for architectural plans or industrial drawing, for example).
On the other hand, on multifunction models, the resolution of the scanner part is more important. Also expressed in points per inch, it corresponds to the finesse of the analysis: the higher it is, the better the document will be analyzed, and the better the quality of digitization, for images as for texts.
The flow rate corresponds to the speed of a printer. It indicates the number of pages that can be printed in a given time and is expressed in pages per minute (p/min or ppm). But it is very often exaggerated by manufacturers and sellers and rarely corresponds to reality. Especially since it depends on the quantity of images and text contained on each page and it does not always take into account the time to start the printer and the treatment time of the pages … In the absence of a real situation, it can just be considered as an approximate and relative indicator, the hierarchy of the announced speeds being more or less respected.
Other more practical aspects are however to be taken into account: the capacity of the paper supply ties (s)-to avoid overly frequent recharges-, types and paper formats accepted-high grammages not always supported-, the recto-verso option-the automatic being more comfortable-, the presence of a screen, sometimes useful for controlling printer, compatibility with operating systems, Available interfaces-USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth. This point is also essential when you want to share the printer within an office or a home: you must favor a network model, preferably wirelessly, to print from several computers or even a smartphone or tablet. Fortunately, almost all of the current multifunction printers are compatible Wi-Fi. And even often Wi-Fi direct, a function that allows you to print directly from a mobile or a computer, without having to connect to a local network.
But, in addition to reliability, which remains impossible to determine in advance, the primordial criterion remains the cost on the page, and therefore the price of consumables, namely ink cartridges. It is with this essential “fuel” that manufacturers make the most margin, especially on printers sold at a very low price, which sometimes cost less than their cartridge set! Original cartridges are often expensive, which represents a budget not to be overlooked. It is essential to find out about their price before purchase. And to check the existence of quality compatible cartridges on online sales sites, even if the manufacturers do not advise them and no longer ensure the warranty when used. But the game is worth the candle, especially we know that we find on the internet compatible five to ten times cheaper than the original for a similar quality. However, it should be noted that, in recent years, some manufacturers like Epson or Canon have offered models operating using large capacity ink tanks, which are filled with small bottles. This system is much more economical to use – the cost on the page being divided by 10! -, but these models are more expensive for purchase and are rather intended for fairly intensive long -term use. Note also that several manufacturers like HP or Epson now offer a subscription system with delivery of cartridges of still at home. A formula supposed to be more economical than the purchase of cartridges per unit and on a case -by -case basis.
Beyond the cost, it is essential to examine the solution adopted for ink: it is better to favor the printers using four or five cartridges (including one of large capacity for black, the most used color) rather than a system with two or three cartridges (where black is obtained by mixing). Likewise, replacement of cartridges is more or less practical depending on the model. But, again, only a life -size test allows you to make sure.