These days, low-cost, entry-level printers are hip. Many entry-level buyers are students who find a basic printer a necessity to complete their assignments. But not all printers are created equal, and if you buy a cheap printer without considering the running costs, it can turn out to be a very expensive proposition.
Let's start with a trend. Ever since digital cameras came around, printing of photographs took a nosedive. Printer manufacturers and sales teams across the globe have been quick to identify this trend and are now actively encouraging home printing with affordable products, innovative paper and art solutions and multifunction devices.
"There are waterproof inks and demos to show how 3D projects can be created using printers for students," says SM Ram Prasad, senior business manager, Epson India. Getting printers that suit the particular requirements of each individual buyer is not too difficult. "However, a lot depends on how users assess their needs, analyze how much printing requirement they have and whether they need colour or not. Depending on this, printer prices can vary `5,000 upwards," explains Vipin Tuteja, executive director, marketing and international business, Xerox India Ltd. Here is a comparative look at what is on offer in the entry-level category of printers.
HP DeskJet D1050
For those who print less than 20 pages a month, take a look at the HP DeskJet D1050 all-in-one (it can scan and copy documents too). "For this printer, the cartridge cost starts at Rs 425 with which around 120-140 pages can be printed. Although the cost per print may work out to `3.50 a page, it is very convenient," says Rajkumar Rishi, director (inkjet and web solutions), imaging and printing group, HP India.
HP DeskJet K209a
For those who print more than 20 pages a month, the multi-function HP DeskJet K209a, lets you print, scan and copy. It has an LCD ink level gauge which lets you know when ink levels are running low. For the K209a, printing costs are almost half compared to other inkjets. It has high-capacity ink cartridges that deliver laser-quality text. "With the cartridge prices starting at `434 (with a yield of 650 pages), the cost per print works out to just 72 paise," says Rishi.
HP Photosmart B110e
For users looking for ease of use and value-for-money, there is the HP PhotoSmart B110e, which can even print from a smart phone, says Rishi. The ePrint technology built into the printer allows you to print from any email-enabled device, including mobile phones and tablets. To print, all you have to do is send a mail to the printer's own email address. This means that you can even print from a remote location. Additionally, the printer can also be configure to work with your Wi-Fi network to enable wireless printing. Each cartridge costs `534.
Espon Stylus TX121
For entry-level users, there is the Epson Stylus TX121, which can print, scan and copy. It has a print speed of 28 pages per minute and is known to deliver sharp photo quality prints. Each cartridge can print around 170 pages and the cost per print works out to less than `1.60 for black & white and less than `3 for a colour printout, says Ram Prasad.
Epson D40W
For a small home office or large family, if you need to take up to 1,000 prints a month, consider the Epson D40W. Each cartridge is priced at `835 and it can print up to 995 pages.
Epson TX550W
For laptop users who wish to print material wirelessly, there is the Epson TX550W. With a print speed of 36 pages/minute, it weighs around 6 kg. Its cartridge, priced at `850, can print up to 995 pages.
Samsung ML-1666
An entry-level laser printer will only print black and white, but it will be faster and a lot cheaper compared to an entry-level inkjet. The Samsung ML-1666 has the capacity to print 16 pages per minute. A full toner cartridge can print 1,500 pages.
Samsung ML 2525
For the next level of laser printing with a large duty cycle, there is the ML 2525 mono laser printer, which boasts of monthly duty cycles of up to 12,000 pages. As far as speed goes, it can print up to 18 pages per minute.
SCX 4623FN
If you need a laser printer that can print, scan, copy and fax, consider Samsung's SCX 4623FN. It has a monthly duty cycle of up to 10,000 pages and can print quite fast at up to 22 pages per minute.
PIXMA MP496
This comes with a colour LCD and multiple memory card slots. Take out the memory card from a digital camera and directly take prints without a computer. You can also scan documents and save them directly to an attached memory card, in either PDF or JPEG formats.
PIXMA MP258
If you need photo printing from an affordable multi-function product, consider Canon's PIXMA MP258, which can deliver sharp, borderless A4 photos. You can even print on T-shirt transfers. While a colour cartridge for this may cost `1,200, it can give up to 300 copies depending on the paper coverage.