Getting the best Printer for your business or personal work depends on;
- Job throughput (the number of copies you print per day),
- Quality (the need for high quality or color printing as well as the type of paper use),
- Size (depends on the space you have to keep the printer – big office, business or small room), and
- Running Cost (number of copies per toner used, price of the toner and option for refill)
This article will use this 4 factors to help you in choosing the best printer that suits your needs.
In terms of features and technology, other even better printers do exist, however, with respect to Market availability, Spare parts availability, Experienced technicians and low running cost in terms of toner used per rim of paper, these 4 printers are the best in their category.
Category A (Black and White – Monochrome Printers)
1. HP LaserJet P2055dn
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| HP LaserJet P2055dn |
- Small enough to be placed on the table
- Toner economy is very good.
- Parts are available with experienced technicians
- Very affordable. Best for any start up business or office
Downs:
- HP LaserJet P2055dn is mostly available in “Used” condition.
- Some offices required a more modern looking laser printer like HP 135a (with option for USB printing and network (wifi) connectivity).
Specs:
- Monochrome (Black and White) Laser Printer
- Print Speed: 37 pages per minute (8 seconds to print first page and subsequent pages 1.5 seconds)
- Tray Capacity: 150 sheets
- Paper type: Plain, Glossy, Envelopes, label, cardstock
- Duplex: Yes, can print on both side
- Toner used by HP LaserJet P2055dn: Hp 05A (CE 505A) (price: 24,000 naira)
- Connectivity: USB
- Size: 20cm x 20cm x 15cm
- Price of HP LaserJet P2055dn in Nigeria: New (350,000 - 450,000 naira), Used (95,000 - 120,000 naira)
2. HP Laser MFP 135a
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| HP Laser MFP 135a |
- Small enough to be placed on the table
- Toner economy is good.
- Multifunction 3-in-1 Printer (Can Print, Scan and Copy)
- Easy to use Control Panel (adjust copy quality)
Downs:
- HP Laser MFP 135a cannot print color.
- Uses a refillable toner with HP chip (easily available)
Specs:
- Monochrome (Black and White) Laser Printer
- Print Speed: 20 pages per minute
- Tray Capacity: 150 sheets
- Paper type: Plain, Glossy, Envelopes, label, cardstock
- Duplex: Yes, can print on both side
- Toner used by HP Laser MFP 135a: HP 106a (Original HP price - 95,000 naira, Ubuntu refillable cartridge price – 25,000) – can print 1000 pages
- Connectivity: USB
- Size: 20cm x 20cm x 15cm
- Price of HP Laser MFP 135a in Nigeria: New (295,000 - 350,000 naira)
Category B (Color Printers)
3. Konica Minolta C224E
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| Konica Minolta C224e |
Advantages:
- Fast, clear, high efficiency printing
- Konica Minolta C224E gives you crisp text and vibrant Direct Imaging (DI) color printing and can handle demanding workload.
- Parts are available with experienced technicians
- ADF – Automatic Document Feeder
Downs:
- Mostly available as Used condition.
- Big enough to have its own space.
Specs:
- Direct Imaging (DI) Color Printer
- Print Speed: 22 pages per minute
- Tray Capacity: 3,650 sheet max paper capacity (4 Trays)
- Paper type: Plain, Glossy, Envelopes, label, cardstock
- Duplex: Yes, can print on both side
- Toner used by Konica Minolta C224E: TN321 (45,000 naira x 4), Refill Pack – 4 set (85,000 naira)
- Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, WiFi
- Size: 78.74 cm (H) × 61.47 cm (W) × 68.58 cm
- Price of Konica Minolta C224E in Nigeria: New (2,800,000 naira), Used (650,000 - 800,000 naira)
4. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw
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| HP LaserJet MFP M283fdw |
- Portable Laser Color Printer
- Crisp text and clear color printing.
- HP Laserjet MFP M283fdw can print from USB
- ADF – Automatic Document Feeder
Downs:
- Not suitable for very heavy use (5,000 pages per day).
Specs:
- Color Printer
- Print Speed: 22 pages per minute
- Tray Capacity: 250 sheet max paper capacity
- Paper type: Plain, Glossy, Envelopes, label, cardstock
- Duplex: Yes, can print on both side
- Toner used by HP Laserjet MFP M283fdw: HP 207 (45,000 naira x 4), Refill Pack – 4 set (85,000 naira)
- Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, WiFi
- Size: 42.4 x 47.5 x 33.8 cm
- Price of HP Laserjet MFP M283fdw in Nigeria: New (750,000 naira - 850,000 naira)
These 4 printers are mostly deployed for Office Use especially in Nigeria where the following scenario are expected.
A typical office activities opens for 8 hours (9am – 4pm) and the printer must be switched on and connected for the duration.
Throughput - Most printed works are letterheads correspondence and some additional pages. Although peak usage (which are seasonal) may involve many page documents.
Quality - Mainly monochrome (Black and White) print quality is needed. Although the higher hierarchy may need color printing as well.
Size - In general office, a big size networked printer is needed, while personal offices need a table top printer
Economy – Price of toner cartridge or the ability to be refill is considered for heavy print work.
