Who You Are
You’re no longer on staff at that large corporation – you’re now officially an “entrepreneur.” In other words, your unemployment insurance is about to run out, there isn’t a new job on the horizon, and you’ve decided do strike out on your own. You’ve set aside the second bedroom as an office; you’ve set up your system, your broadband connection, and your Web site.
What You Want
You need an All-In-One – i.e. a multifunction – printer. There is a wide selection of these devices available, costing from a little over $100 to nearly $1,000, depending on the features you need.
To begin with, look for something that can print quality text – if you send out a business letter, it needs to look like a business letter – copy, and scan. Photo-quality color isn't important, unless you plan to use the printer for higher-level graphics, in which case you need better quality (and the cost will go up proportionately). Many better-quality all-in-one devices print faster in black than in color -- unless you plan to do a lot of color printing, go for one of these, since it means that your day-to-day correspondence won't be slowed by the slower speeds demanded by many color printers.
(If you're going to do a great deal of printing -- more than, say, 100 sheets a day -- then you may want to consider a laser printer instead.)
An automatic sheet feeder (ADF) is pretty much a necessity for most businesses. It means that you don't have to stand over the device feeding in each separate sheet of paper that you want to copy or scan, but can place the whole document into the bin, hit Copy/Scan, and then walk away.
If you only intend to do an occasional fax, then you can use a multifunction with fax capacity; in other words, the printer will use the fax capacity of your PC. However, if you think you’ll be receiving or sending several faxes a day, then look for a device that offers a separate fax connection – it’s a lot easier, and means you can send/receive faxes when your PC is turned off.
Something else to keep in mind: If you think you'll be scanning and/or copying documents larger than the usual 8.5 x 11-inch letter size, then look for a device with a scanner bed (the glass on which you put the document) that is large enough to accommodate legal-sized sheets.
If you think you're going to do a great deal of printing, and you don't want to constantly replace paper, look for a machine that can handle more than 50 sheets of paper in its input bin. A few All-In-One devices offer options for additional paper trays that are placed under the device and feed into the printer.
Features
- Ability to printer, scan, copy and fax
- Separate black and color copy buttons
- Long cartridge life
- Ability to work with existing fax setup
- Automatic document feeder
Nice Extras
- Ability to do duplex (double-sided) printing -- this usually costs more
- Accommodation for separate fax line
- Scanning of legal-sized documents
- Option for additional paper tray
Price Range
- $100-$800
Some Examples
