Printers: FAQs
Are all-in-ones as good as a standalone printer?
In terms of text quality there isn't much to choose between the best of the all-in-ones and the best of the standard printers.
It's a similar story when it comes to photo quality, but if you do want to print photos makes sure you buy an inkjet rather than a laser all-in-one.
Are all-in-ones as good as standalone scanners and copiers?
Good standalone scanners produce scans of a far higher quality than an all-in-one, so if you want top-quality scans you should buy a separate scanner.
The very best all-in-ones we've tested are sometimes more expensive than buying a good printer and a good scanner separately – so don't assume buying an all-in-one will save you money.
If you plan to do a lot of photocopying, to keep running costs low and speeds high you should buy a laser all-in-one rather than an inkjet. Copying quality varies but for occasional use this would be fine as an alternative to owning a bulky photocopier.
How long will an all-in-one or standalone printer last?
This is a difficult question and will depend on how often you use it to print or scan. Some machines come with parts that will stop working after they've produced a certain number of print-outs – but you should expect your device to last at least three years.
What running costs can I expect?
This will depend entirely on what you're planning to print, and on the machine you opt for. Before you decide which model to buy, check our ‘Running costs’ section make sure the document you plan to print most often is a reasonable price.
Is it cheaper to print photos at home or in a shop?
It’s almost always cheaper to get your photos printed at a processor than it is to print them at home, especially if you have lots of images to print. Processing services often have a sliding scale of charges which makes it cheaper per print if you have lots of photos than if you have just a few.
Take a look at our reviews of photo processing services, which are tested yearly, to see who we currently recommend using.
How can I reduce the power I use?
It’s all too easy to leave your printer switched on all the time. Make sure you only turn it on when you plan to print something, as this will reduce your power consumption
Your printer will continue to use power even if you've turned it off using the switch on the printer so always ensure you turn it off at the mains when not in use.
Laser printers are far more power hungry than their inkjet counterparts so if power consumption is a big concern, opt for an inkjet.
Are there any other ways I can save money on my printing?
You can easily save money by changing a few of your print settings before you print your document. Most home printing can be done in draft mode which will use less ink, as well as being faster.
Long emails can print over several pages, but ask yourself whether you really need all those pages or if you could just specify pages one and three, for example.
If you're printing from the internet it’s worth changing your printer settings so the document is printed in greyscale (black and white). Colour ink is expensive, and for printing out things like emails or receipts you don't really need colour.
For PC users who do a lot of printing from the internet, you can download a piece of free software called Green Print World which automatically does things like removing unnecessary banner adverts from web pages and resizing text.
The software works by setting itself up as a different printer in your print settings, so every time you go to print something you'll have the option to select green print. This is great because it means you can choose not to use it if it’s not suitable for the webpage you're printing.
As its freeware (software that is completely free) there’s some advertising alongside it, but if you can put up with this it’s a good way to save money on ink and paper.
Do I need to update the driver that came with my printer?
When you buy a printer we recommend downloading the most up-to-date driver from the printer manufacturer’s website. If your printer isn't working properly, it’s also worth checking to see if there’s a more recent driver to get it up and running again.
Here’s our handy guide to downloading an up-to-date printer driver:
Step 1
Install your printer following the instruction manual provided – don't connect your printer to your computer until instructed to. Once you've done this, head to your printer manufacturer’s website. Here we've used Canon as an example of what to expect once you've logged on to the site.
Step 2
Look for an area on the website called downloads, software support or support. On the Lexmark website you need to click on the link ‘Support’. If you can’t find the correct part of the website, look for its search tool – it’s usually a box or a link entitled ‘Search’ – and try typing in ‘Driver downloads’.
Step 3
Click ‘Software Download’, select your printer type (on the Canon site, all-in-one printers are multifunctionals). Next, choose the software that matches your operating system. Scroll down and click ‘Printer Download’, then click the link at the bottom of the page that has a name with ‘.exe’ on the end. Tick ‘I accept’, click ‘Download software’ and the driver will automatically install.
I've got an old computer and I want a new printer - what do I need to think about before buying?
There are a couple of things you need to check, but the main one is to check the printer manufacturers website to find out whether or not there’s a driver that will make the printer work with your computer’s operating system. This can be a particular problem if your computer is very old.
If you have a very old computer, make sure it has a USB port. All new printers use USB cables, so if your if you computer has parallel ports then you really need to consider replacing it.