If you've decided to invest in a printer it's important to realise that as with every other technological product, there's a whole host of different ones out there and to decide on which one suits you, you'll need to make some decisions on why you need a printer and what you want it to do.

First of all you should answer some questions that'll help you decide from the huge range of printers on the market.

• What is your priority - speed or quality?
• How often will you be printing?
• Do you need basic black and white printing or colour printing?
• Will you be mainly printing text or graphics/photographs?

Of course, cost will be a major factor for many people purchasing printers and fortunately the cost of printers, has fallen over recent years as technology improves. However, one factor that is commonly over-looked when buying a printer is the cost and accessibility of the accompanying consumables, namely toner or ink cartridges. You may find that a cheaper printer uses more expensive or difficult to find cartridges, compared with a more expensive printer, thus raising the total cost of ownership (TCO).