Things to consider…

Everything you need to know before getting started

1 Consumable replacements

Inkjet printer cartridges are cheaper than laser toner catridges but they last for proportionately fewer pages. The overall per-page costs are actually quite similar, so consider the cost of having spare cartridges handy.

2 What kind of print content?

Do you want to print a lot of photos, are you more of a page layout person, or are office documents your main thing? If it’s the former an inkjet is a must, although budget for photo paper as plain stock will disappoint.

3 You want fax support? Really?

Faxing may be a dead technology for most, but it’s still needed by some. If this is you, make sure you can place your printer near a landline phone socket.

4 What paper sizes?

All these print A4 pages of course, and they support printing smaller sizes, down to 10x10cm photos in Canon’s case. The Epson includes a tray for printing on to CDs and DVDs, but, unusually, the Brother is an A3 printer.

5 What paper capacity?

Larger capacity paper trays are useful, especially if you use your printer for small business purposes or intend to share your printer on a network. The Canon and Epson paper trays hold a maximum of 100 sheets, while theBrother and Kyocera both hold up to 250 sheets.