Why can't a business live without an office printer?

A single, space-saving office printer offers a range of cost-effective solutions for companies of all sizes.

Office printers are becoming increasingly versatile: laser printers are the fastest type currently available, and a wireless model can make printing cheaper, and more efficient.

Some also offer mono or colour capabilities, along with specialist photo and wide format models for marketing materials. New technology has enabled 3D printers to revolutionise the manufacture of prototypes and models by turning CAD drawings into physical objects.

Office printers: small is beautiful

Miniature and laptop printers have made it possible to produce marketing materials at office meetings, on the road or at trade fairs. Compact printers can also print receipts if connected to a laptop or EPoS system, making them an ideal solution for market traders, small retailers or restaurant owners. Mini-printers are now also available for iPod and Android mobile-phone users, allowing them to avoid queuing by printing train, flight, or conference tickets themselves.

Companies are increasingly mindful of their carbon footprint, and investing in a multifunction office printer can reduce energy bills as well as minimise the Business Climate Change Levy. Most office printers now come with energy-saving technology such as economy print mode, fast warm-up time, and hibernation modes to prevent power wastage due to extended idle time.

Other important functions to look for include:

- Affordable ink cartridges - Automatic double-sided printing (duplex) - E-sorting- Fast and large capacity printing- Memory capacity- Optional hard drive- Status monitor - Touch-screen controls- UK helpline and support - Web browser- Wireless technology

These developments are helping to push down the cost of printing. Investing in a top-of-the-line system will save your company time, money and labour.