There are a multitude of printers available on the market, from cheap inkjet printers aimed at the casual home user, right up to high-end laser printers designed for the tough workplace environment. Deciding which one suits you will depend on a number of factors.

Firstly, what will you be using the printer for? If you�re going to be doing a little more than printing out the occasional letter or the kids homework, a budget inkjet will be more than adequate. Most of the major manufacturers such as HP, Canon and Epson have models in the sub $100 category which will be more than up to the task. Many of these include photo printing settings and extra facilities, though these will be limited on budget printers.

If you�re a heavier user who prints colour documents regularly, or are interested in printing out your own photographs, then a mid-range inkjet would be more suitable. If your budget allows around $200-$250 you can pick up a very reasonable photo printer, and whilst these won�t be on par with professional models, they are capable of producing stunning photo prints as well as handling day to day office tasks with ease. You should expect borderless printing and support for memory cards to be present on models in this price bracket.

However, if you�re looking for a printer for the office environment, or deal mainly with black and white documents, a laser printer may be a better choice. Laser printers are a little more expensive, with mid-range models running at around $500 and up, though there is a handful available for around the $200 mark. Laser printers are generally faster and more economical to run, and are ideal for printing text. There are also colour laser printers available, though these are significantly more expensive.

Once you have determined your usage and budget, you should look around and compare printers in your price range. The main things to look out for are manufacturer, print speed, print resolution and cartridge type. You are generally better off going with a well-known brand, even if you have to pay a little more for the printer and cartridges. The majority of manufacturers quote their printers as having print speeds of around 12 pages per minute and up, though these should be taken with a pinch of salt. For a more realistic estimate, half the quoted value, as it is likely you will be printing pages with a higher ink coverage.

The print resolution varies from model to model, though a general rule of thumb is the higher the resolution, the sharper the image that can be produced. Finally, look into cartridge type and general running costs. The printer is often relatively cheap compared to long-term running costs, with many colour cartridges costing around $40. You should also factor in paper costs, particularly if you will be printing photographs which require special paper. Many mid-range inkjets feature multiple colour cartridges which will reduce on wasted ink when a single colour runs out.

Most printers come with USB and parallel port connections, though occasionally you may find a network port to connect a printer to the network. Also check the bundled software, as some printers come with just the basic drivers whilst others will offer photo manipulation programs and printer maintenance utilities.

Ideally, look on the Internet or in PC magazines for reviews, as these will often be the best indicator of print quality and value for money. There is often little difference between printers in the same price category, but now and again there will be one that stands out from the crowd in terms of print quality.

There are a multitude of printers available on the market, from cheap inkjet printers aimed at the casual home user, right up to high-end laser printers designed for the tough workplace environment. Deciding which one suits you will depend on a number of factors.

Firstly, what will you be using the printer for? If you�re going to be doing a little more than printing out the occasional letter or the kids homework, a budget inkjet will be more than adequate. Most of the major manufacturers such as HP, Canon and Epson have models in the sub $100 category which will be more than up to the task. Many of these include photo printing settings and extra facilities, though these will be limited on budget printers.

If you�re a heavier user who prints colour documents regularly, or are interested in printing out your own photographs, then a mid-range inkjet would be more suitable. If your budget allows around $200-$250 you can pick up a very reasonable photo printer, and whilst these won�t be on par with professional models, they are capable of producing stunning photo prints as well as handling day to day office tasks with ease. You should expect borderless printing and support for memory cards to be present on models in this price bracket.

However, if you�re looking for a printer for the office environment, or deal mainly with black and white documents, a laser printer may be a better choice. Laser printers are a little more expensive, with mid-range models running at around $500 and up, though there is a handful available for around the $200 mark. Laser printers are generally faster and more economical to run, and are ideal for printing text. There are also colour laser printers available, though these are significantly more expensive.

Once you have determined your usage and budget, you should look around and compare printers in your price range. The main things to look out for are manufacturer, print speed, print resolution and cartridge type. You are generally better off going with a well-known brand, even if you have to pay a little more for the printer and cartridges. The majority of manufacturers quote their printers as having print speeds of around 12 pages per minute and up, though these should be taken with a pinch of salt. For a more realistic estimate, half the quoted value, as it is likely you will be printing pages with a higher ink coverage.

The print resolution varies from model to model, though a general rule of thumb is the higher the resolution, the sharper the image that can be produced. Finally, look into cartridge type and general running costs. The printer is often relatively cheap compared to long-term running costs, with many colour cartridges costing around $40. You should also factor in paper costs, particularly if you will be printing photographs which require special paper. Many mid-range inkjets feature multiple colour cartridges which will reduce on wasted ink when a single colour runs out.

Most printers come with USB and parallel port connections, though occasionally you may find a network port to connect a printer to the network. Also check the bundled software, as some printers come with just the basic drivers whilst others will offer photo manipulation programs and printer maintenance utilities.

Ideally, look on the Internet or in PC magazines for reviews, as these will often be the best indicator of print quality and value for money. There is often little difference between printers in the same price category, but now and again there will be one that stands out from the crowd in terms of print quality.