Business Printing: Choosing and Managing Printers for Small Business

Introduction

Printing seems simple until you’re faced with choosing business equipment. Inkjet or laser? Colour or mono? Buy or lease? The wrong choice means either spending too much or constantly fighting with inadequate equipment.

This guide helps small businesses choose and manage printers sensibly.

Do You Need to Print?

Honest Assessment

Before buying anything, ask:

• What do you actually print?
• How much do you print?
• Could you reduce printing?
• What must be printed vs could be digital?

Many businesses print more than necessary out of habit.

Going Paperless

Consider reducing printing:

• Digital document signing (DocuSign, Adobe Sign)
• Cloud document sharing
• Digital invoicing
• Electronic forms

Less printing means less equipment and cost.

When Printing is Necessary

You do need to print for:

• Legal requirements
• Customer-facing materials
• Labels and shipping documents
• Forms requiring signatures
• Client preferences

Understand what you actually need.

Printer Types

Inkjet Printers

How They Work

Spray liquid ink onto paper.

Pros

• Lower upfront cost
• Good photo/colour quality
• Smaller size
• Quiet operation

Cons

• Higher per-page cost
• Ink dries out if unused
• Slower printing
• Less durable output

Best For

• Low volume printing
• Occasional colour
• Photos and graphics
• Home offices

Laser Printers

How They Work

Use toner powder fused to paper with heat.

Pros

• Lower per-page cost
• Faster printing
• Toner doesn’t dry out
• Sharp text
• More durable output

Cons

• Higher upfront cost
• Larger size
• Colour models more expensive
• Use more electricity

Best For

• Regular business printing
• Text documents
• Higher volumes
• Busy offices

Multifunction Printers (MFPs)

Combine printer, scanner, copier, sometimes fax:

Pros

• Space saving
• One device to manage
• Integrated workflows
• Often cost-effective

Cons

• If it breaks, everything stops
• May compromise on individual functions
• More complex

Best For

• Most small businesses
• Space-constrained offices
• Varied document needs

Choosing the Right Printer

Key Specifications

Print Volume

Monthly duty cycle vs your needs:

• Light: under 500 pages/month
• Medium: 500-2,000 pages/month
• Heavy: 2,000-10,000 pages/month

Choose equipment rated for your volume.

Print Speed

Pages per minute (ppm):

• Basic: 15-25 ppm
• Mid-range: 25-40 ppm
• Fast: 40+ ppm

Consider actual need vs nice-to-have.

Print Quality

DPI (dots per inch):

• Text documents: 600 dpi is fine
• Graphics: 1200 dpi or higher
• Photos: 2400+ dpi

Most business documents don’t need high resolution.

Connectivity

How devices connect:

• USB (direct connection)
• Ethernet (wired network)
• Wi-Fi (wireless network)
• Cloud printing (print from anywhere)

Network connectivity usually essential for business.

Colour Considerations

Do You Need Colour?

Honest assessment:

• What percentage is colour?
• Could colour be outsourced?
• Is colour essential or nice-to-have?

Colour Costs More

• Higher equipment cost
• Higher per-page cost
• More maintenance

Options

• Mono printer + outsource colour
• Colour printer with controls
• Separate mono and colour printers

Recommended Types by Use

Low Volume, Basic Needs

Mono laser multifunction

• ~$200-400
• Scanner included
• Low running costs

Medium Volume, General Office

Colour laser multifunction

• ~$400-800
• All-in-one solution
• Reasonable running costs

High Volume

Business-class laser

• ~$800-2,000+
• Built for volume
• Lower per-page cost
• More robust

Cost Considerations

Total Cost of Ownership

Don’t just look at purchase price:

Upfront Costs

• Printer purchase
• Setup and installation
• Cables and accessories

Ongoing Costs

• Toner/ink
• Paper
• Maintenance
• Electricity

Calculate Per-Page Cost

Total toner cost ÷ pages per cartridge = cost per page

Compare across options you’re considering.

Buying vs Leasing

Buying

Pros:

• No ongoing payments
• Own the equipment
• No contracts

Cons:

• Capital outlay
• Maintenance responsibility
• Technology ages

Leasing/Managed Print

Pros:

• Predictable monthly cost
• Maintenance included
• Updated equipment
• Service included

Cons:

• Higher total cost over time
• Contract commitment
• Less flexibility

Recommendation

For most small businesses, buying makes sense. Leasing suits businesses wanting hands-off management and predictable costs.

Setup and Configuration

Basic Setup

1. Unpack and remove shipping materials
2. Install toner/ink cartridges
3. Load paper
4. Connect power
5. Connect to network (ethernet or Wi-Fi)
6. Install drivers on computers
7. Test printing

Network Configuration

For All Users to Print

• Connect printer to network (wired preferred)
• Find printer’s IP address
• Install drivers on each computer
• Add printer using IP address

Shared Printing (Windows)

• Connect printer to one computer
• Share the printer
• Others connect to shared printer

Network connection is simpler to manage.

Mobile Printing

Enable printing from phones/tablets:

• Enable cloud printing features
• Install manufacturer’s app
• Configure on network

Most modern printers support mobile printing.

Managing Printing Costs

Track Usage

Know what you’re spending:

• Monitor page counts
• Track toner usage
• Review monthly costs

Many printers have usage reporting built in.

Reduce Waste

Default Settings

• Duplex (double-sided) as default
• Draft mode for internal documents
• Mono default where possible

User Behaviour

• Print preview before printing
• Think before printing
• Encourage digital alternatives

Toner/Ink Strategies

Genuine vs Compatible

Genuine (manufacturer):

• Guaranteed quality
• Full warranty protection
• Higher cost

Compatible (third-party):

• Significant savings
• Variable quality
• May void warranty

Many businesses use quality compatible cartridges successfully.

Buy Smart

• Bulk buying for discounts
• Subscribe for regular delivery
• Don’t stockpile (cartridges age)

Maintenance

Regular Tasks

Weekly/Monthly

• Clear paper trays of dust
• Check for error messages
• Monitor supply levels

Quarterly

• Clean glass (for scanners)
• Check print quality
• Update firmware

Common Issues

Paper Jams

• Use correct paper weight
• Store paper properly
• Don’t overfill trays
• Regular cleaning

Poor Print Quality

• Clean print heads (inkjet)
• Check toner level
• Clean internals
• Replace aging supplies

Connectivity Issues

• Check network connection
• Restart printer
• Update drivers
• Verify settings

When to Replace

Signs it’s time for new equipment:

• Frequent breakdowns
• Parts unavailable
• Repair cost vs replacement
• Significantly better options available
• Can’t meet current needs

Average business printer life: 5-7 years.

Conclusion

The right printer is the one that meets your actual needs without excessive cost. Assess what you really print, choose appropriate equipment, configure properly, and manage costs actively.

For most small businesses, a network-connected mono or colour laser multifunction printer handles everyday needs well. Add cloud printing capability for flexibility, and you’re set.

Don’t overthink it—but do think about total cost rather than just purchase price.