The demand for printers for the home office has never been higher than it is today. This is because many of us work or study at home. Parents may need to print their activity reports or child's workbooks. Then there are those occasional forms you need to print every once in a while.
ContentsTypes of HP printersInkjetLaserInkless printersPhoto printersWhat to look for in home printersSo which HP printer will it be?Since it is not advisable to go outside to do all this, it is essential to have a good printer for the household. And what better printer could you have than one from Hewlett-Packard or HP?
HP offers several printer choices to consider before making your decision. This way, you can select one that suits your personal situation perfectly.
Before setting foot in an HP store, you should know the basic types of printers.
If you're just looking to print and copy at home, inkjet printers are your best bet. They are typical all-in-one printers that are affordable and easy to use. They also come with four colors of ink, namely:red, black, yellow and blue. A trio of these colors can be grouped together in a single cartridge or separated into three different cartridges.
One of the best things about inkjet is its fast ink application and little or no drying time. You will usually be able to touch the page as it exits the printer.
Previously, laser printers were only intended for mass production, but now they are available for home use. Their toner cartridges and drums are more sophisticated than inkjet printers, but they also have significantly higher prices. That said, their more advanced design also ensures smoother toner powder application on pages.
Home laser printers generally print in black and white, although color models are also available on the market.
Otherwise known as Zink printers, inkless printers use a thermal process to activate the paper they print on. There is no ink involved in this procedure, but once the special paper is activated, the colors and patterns will appear on the page. HP offers a range of select portable printers and some printer-camera combinations with this particular feature.
One such printer model is the HP Sprocket, which is a portable printer that you can take virtually anywhere. This smartphone-like device can print, edit photos and connect to other gadgets with the click of a button. It also prints on one-of-a-kind sticker paper so you can keep your memories close at hand.
There were only two types of printers back then; now there are four. Part of this quartet is the photo printer, which can print color prints in virtually any size at home for not even five cents.
Forget fancy editing tools and software; these gadgets can take your special moments from your computers and smartphones and deliver them right to your hands in seconds. They can even access photos from your social media feed with your permission.
Photo printers accomplish all of this for a reasonable price, which is why they're so popular these days. Their variety of print styles means you don't need more than one home printer to print different types of documents.
While you may not need much from your home printer, the modern standard for these devices has risen significantly over the past few years. Today, a good quality home printer can offer the following:
Printers for home use have also improved aesthetically by several levels. At the time, these devices were huge, bulky and cumbersome. These days, they take up almost no space due to their slim build, have a ton of useful features, and come in designs that complement most home offices. Their app communication capabilities also allow you to control them from your smartphone.
Of course, a good look is not a good enough reason to opt for a printer. You actually have to browse its specs to see if it can meet your specific printing needs. This way you will also know if more affordable options can meet your needs.
Ultimately, your needs dictate your choice of printer. Your home office needs may require nothing more than a basic HP inkjet printer, and that's fine. On the other hand, they can be so diverse and specific that a high-quality photo printer is needed to meet them.
So assess your personal needs first before creating a shortlist of potential HP printers to buy. This way you should find it easier to choose the right HP printer for home use.
