In the face of digitization and cloud-stored data, businesses are using a lot less printed information than they used to. However, it still remains a virtual impossibility to get rid of paper altogether, so printers remain a central part of virtually every office. Small businesses in particular, which are less likely to have the funds to invest in digital document management at a high level, rely on printers for everyday business dealings. But what is the best office printer for a small business in Anchorage, AK, right now? How do you know which of the many models on the market is right for your company? Keep reading to find out.
Assessing Your Business’s Needs
First, we want to make it abundantly clear that there is no single “best” option out there. Though they may share many similarities, even small businesses are all unique from one another in their printing needs, and so, no single printer can be best for all small businesses. Determining the best printer for your business comes down to assessing your company’s individual printing needs, then comparing those needs to the models on the market to determine which is best suited for you.
What printing needs do you need to assess? Here are just the key points you’ll want to consider:
Print Volume: Consider the number of pages your office typically prints on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Type of Printing: Do you print more text-based documents, or are your printed pages more likely to be filled with graphs, charts, graphics, and images?
Additional Functionalities: What other functions do you need your printer to perform? Most commonly, offices need printers that will also copy and scan, but consider whether you need faxing and other functionalities as well.
Connection Requirements: Think about how many devices you need to connect to the printer, as well as the types of devices used. Do you want a wired connection, or would you rather have a printer that can connect and print wirelessly?
Understanding these needs will help prepare you for selecting the best printer for your office. Now that we’ve addressed these basics, let’s get into the models currently on the market that are generally best suited to small businesses.
For High-Volume Printing
If you determined that your small business does a large amount of printing, then you’re going to want something that can print out a large number of pages in a short amount of time. This will help to keep the print queue moving along so that your employees aren’t standing around, wasting time as they wait for their print job to come through.
The best product on the market for high-volume printing this year is the HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f. This printer can put out an amazing 29 pages per minute, making it suitable for offices with high print demand. It’s an excellent blend between the compact size of a home office printer, and the high-powered reliability of a corporate-level printer, giving you the best of both worlds—which is the exact kind of balance that most small businesses need.
For Home Offices
On the other hand, you may be a small business that actually does run from a home office. Businesses that operate in this manner typically have very few employees and, therefore, low print demand. Still, that doesn’t mean you want to sacrifice quality or convenience in your print jobs.
For home offices, the Canon PIXMA TR7520 is one of the best options available. Highly affordable, this printer is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled for easy printing from your laptop or smartphone. It’s also capable of up to 4800 x 1200 dpi print resolution, which is quite impressive for a desktop printer. While a bit on the slow side when compared to commercial printers, this Canon printer provides home offices with the professional-quality printing you need for your business endeavors without costing you an arm and a leg.
For Reliability and Versatility
If your business needs a highly reliable printer that’s versatile enough to do it all, then the Brother MFCL2750DW is the printer you need. This incredibly affordable business printer is easy to set up, so as soon as you connect it to your network, you can begin printing, scanning, copying, and, yes, even faxing in a matter of minutes. Though it doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, this Brother printer is Wi-Fi enabled and can also be used with Apple AirPrint and Amazon Alexa, in addition to being connectable via Ethernet, USB, and Brother iPrint & Scan.
And did we mention it’s fast? This printer can put out 36 pages per minute, so you can keep business moving along without any bottlenecks in the printer queue. Of course, that speed does come with drawbacks. One of the main ways it keeps up with rapid printing demand is by only printing in black. If your business solely prints text documents, this should be fine for you, and you’ll be very pleased with this Brother printer. However, if you want to print color images or photos, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
For Smart Printing
Printers have evolved as technology has changed. If you want a printer that offers the latest in printing technology without breaking the bank, the HP Office Jet Pro 9015e All-in-One Printer is the ideal choice. Not only can it connect to your Wi-Fi—allowing you to print, scan, copy, and fax from anywhere in your office—but it also automatically updates drivers, comes with an app for easier printing, and includes Instant Ink, a capability that automatically replenishes its ink cartridges so you never run out in the middle of printing an important file! There are also shortcuts so that you can scan your documents to the cloud or into an email with a single button.
If you’re searching for the best printer for a business in Anchorage, AK, Arctic Office Products can help. Contact us today to learn more about these top models and other printers that are perfectly suited to the unique needs of small businesses. Our team of professionals can help you select the right printer for your business. Call or stop by our showroom today!