Whether it's for printing reports, documents, or ads, a printer is a handy tool to have in the office. Printers for business use provide a way to establish your brand and make tangible content-whether it's for employees or your target market. Not only that, print media is retained more than digital information as it's not easily scrolled over.
However, printers for home use are equipped differently than those for businesses. That means that you can't simply buy a unit off the shelf! There are factors to consider such as print speed, ink type, and the like. If you don't want to scour the web too much, we've compiled our top 7 printers for business use as well as a buying guide just for you!
Quick List - Top Printers for Business Use
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
Table of Contents
Here are some key points to consider:
Choose the type of printer according to what you’ll print.
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
Printers come in two types: inkjets and lasers. Depending on what you're printing, you may be better off with one more than the other. Here are their pros and cons in detail:
As the name suggests, an inkjet printer sprays drops of ink to produce printed content. The colored dye makes them great for creating colored materials, such as images and photos. However, note that inkjets require regular maintenance as prolonged inactivity will cause the ink to dry up and jam the device.
The printer itself is also a cost-effective option, however, we recommend checking on cartridge prices as these can stack over upfront costs. That said, if your business needs high-quality photos printed in small to moderate batches, then an inkjet is perfect for your business practices.
Laser printers generate an electric charge from bond toner onto the paper. The more sophisticated technology in these devices, the more it drives the price up. However, its toner is less expensive than an ink cartridge. As such, you may be able to save more money in the long run by going for laser printers.
However, most laser printers are not as adept at recreating colored images. Instead, they're best used to make crisp letterform prints. They also beat inkjets in speed, so if your business requires swift production of documents, this is the ideal choice.
An all-in-one printer, also called a multifunctional printer, is exactly what its name suggests: it incorporates several other technologies to supply different needs. For businesses, many look for either photocopying or scanning capabilities, though don't think that printers are limited to these!
Just remember that these functions don't come for free. Depending on how many features you buy, these can cost more than PhP12,000. So if your business only requires printing capabilities, stick with a single-use printer to keep the price down.
When buying a printer, it's necessary to check how many slots it has for cartridges. This is what determines how often you’ll have to replace the ink or toner—essentially what you’ll be paying aside from upfront costs. In general, there are two types of slot compatibility which we've listed down below.
Single-slot printers are not as niche as most people expect. In fact, this is what's used in professional settings for their lower cost, faster print speeds, and high-quality letterform. However, you can only use one color at a time, so most businesses just fit in black ink or toner as this is what's used most in day-to-day activities.
If you're going to get devices like this, we recommend going for a laser printer. The laser technology is able to accentuate its strengths further, as opposed to inkjets where the blots can lower the quality of the text.
Two-slot printers only have space for a black cartridge and another one for color. These are convenient if you often print in black ink and only keep your colored options in reserve. They also come in more compact forms, so if size is your priority, go for these models.
However, note that these tend to be more expensive in the long run because when one color runs out, you’ll have to replace the entire colored cartridge. As such, if you print research papers, documents, or reports, with the occasional picture thrown into the mix, this option is the best for you!
Multi-slot printers have separate compartments for the different colors used in printing. There are usually four partitions: one for black, another for yellow, then cyan, and finally, magenta. High-end models, though, can go up to six slots for other colors.
If you print using colors in varying amounts, these are great for saving you money in the long run. This is because you’ll only need to replace the color that runs out rather than buying an entirely new cartridge. These are also great for people who just want more customizability as the extra slots let you choose hues outside the traditional printing colors.
If you’re going to do a lot of printing, you want to consider a printer that can print at least three pages per minute (PPM). This is enough for relatively calm business operations, though if you find yourself in a frantic workplace, getting a five PPM printer is best.
However, you’ll also have to test out how well your printer handles this speed. With laser printers, you won’t face much of a problem as these produce consistent and reliable prints. However, with inkjets, prints tend to blot at high speeds. When this happens, you’ll have to tweak how fast the printer runs in your computer settings.
Standard paper sizes for businesses are A4 and Legal, so getting a printer that supports these should be a priority. That said, if you're going to print in larger sizes, you'll have to prepare some extra cash and office space.
Ideally, you'll also want a slider to keep the paper in place. This is a tab of plastic or metal that moves along the feed, adjusting to the width of the paper you put in. With this, you get a fine, straight print regardless of what size you print on; otherwise, you'll have to manually keep the pages upright, which can be tedious in long intervals.
All printers can connect to your computer with a USB port. However, the downside of a wired connection, is you can't use them simultaneously. But, if you're the sole user of the printer, then sticking to a wired model may be best to save up on costs. This is also great for those who have dedicated workstations where everything's already set up.
On the other hand, multiple users will benefit from a wireless model as everyone can always be connected to it. Similarly, these can be used outside your work area, provided they're paired with an input device like your phone. You can be outside having your lunch and print documents from there for when you get back.
A printer is a useful equipment on its own, but business functions aren’t limited to printing. Depending on your company, you might need a scanner, photocopier, or more. Fortunately, some printers have these features. Check the most sought out ones below.
If you’ve ever printed on both sides of a paper, you know how tedious it can be to manually feed the pages into the printer. What’s worse is when you place it the wrong side up, which then causes the print to come out in the wrong orientation. With double-sided printing, these issues are not only resolved, but it also saves on time and energy.
Double-sided printing—also called duplexing, is the ability to print on the front and back of the paper simultaneously. This is great for printing books, theses, and similar documents where both sides of the paper are utilized. So if you want to save yourself from the complications of manual duplexing, make this feature a priority!
As mentioned, printer ink is not cheap. If you’d like to make multiple copies of a single document, get a printer with scanning and photocopying capabilities. Here, the former uses your computer camera to create a digital copy of the printed material. This can then be shared and viewed by smart devices like laptops and phones.
But if you want a physical version, photocopying takes the scanned image and uses xerography. Basically, this applies toner and heat to paper, which then recreates the document. Take note, though, that the photocopying feature requires similar maintenance to laser printers, so it’s wise to keep a spare cartridge of toner just in case.
While many people see faxing as dead technology, it’s actually commonplace among businesses, especially those who prioritize security like law enforcement and medical providers. Essentially, a paired device scans a document per line and then transmits it in a secure telecommunication channel to the printer.
The printer then prints out the resulting fax in real-time, making it great for recording last-minute negotiations or updates. Out-of-office meetings are also now more easily documented as you only need to bring a paired cellphone to fax over new information.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Brother Refill Tank|T420W | ![]() | Best for Starting Businesses | |
2 | Demin Handheld Printer|MX3 | ![]() | Quickly Create Barcodes, Labels, and More | |
3 | HP Smart Tank 615|Y0F71A | ![]() | Prints Fade-Free Photos and Brochures | |
4 | Canon Pixma|E4570 | ![]() | A Compact Printer With a Quiet Mode | |
5 | HP LaserJet MFP|M436n | ![]() | Lets You Print in Big Sizes | |
6 | Canon ImageClass|LBP6030 | ![]() | An Affordable Printer for Black-and-White Printing | |
7 | XIAOMI Portable Photo Printer|XMKDDYJ01HT | ![]() | Improve Your Travel Brochures With Scan-to-Listen |
The T420W's low cost makes it one of the best contenders for starting businesses. But don't let its low price fool you! This printer still packs a lot of features that even some high-end models don't come with. For instance, it has a speed mode which boosts its already high print speed even faster!
Not only that, but it also has Wi-Fi connectivity, photocopying, and scanning features. All of these are also compatible with your mobile for when you're too busy to get up from your desk. So, if you're launching your business and you want a product that doesn't break the bank, Brother has your back!
With online selling on the rise, so does the need for printing labels, shipping information, and the like, too. The process to make this, though, can be tedious as you'd need to print the document, cut them to size, and stick them onto the package. If you're a particularly busy store, this can cause a huge hurdle in your efficiency.
The MX3 resolves all that by fashioning a smart printer in a handheld format. That means you can do quick edits on the fly, like changing the date when shipping on different days or even creating new text. Plus, with the quick-drying ink it uses, you're not limited to paper alone! It can print on plastic, foil, and even steel!
But that's not all! It also incorporates a stabilizer and encoder, which aligns the print even when you have shaky hands. In fact, the only real limit of this device is that it can only use one color at a time. So if your printing needs aren't weighed by that, the MX3 is a handy tool to add to your business.
If you've ever printed on stock photo paper, you know how quickly the ink fades when not preserved. Fortunately, the Smart Tank 615 is free from this issueーand no, it doesn't use any special ink, but rather, a highly-specific temperature and pressure combination that locks the ink onto any paper surface.
But that's not all this is good for! It's chock-full of features even for day-to-day business functions. For instance, an automatic ink sensor alerts you when cartridges are running low. Its spill-free system will also make refilling your ink clean, simple, and quick. If that's not enough, the HP App can be put on your phone to create shortcuts, making your workflow more efficient.
Printers are loud, especially those with fast-moving parts. With the E4570, it doesn't compete with speed, but rather, silence. This explains its relatively low PPM, but if your workplace can do with some peace-the library, for example, this device serves that purpose. It even has a Quiet Mode which further makes printing smoother and more soundless.
It also supports Wi-Fi Direct to connect to your mobile. However, some users have expressed that this can result in a laggy experience and even random disconnections. Instead, we recommend using the Canon App to link to the printer as this is found to have less issues.
If you're printing big documents, usually for those who deal with blueprints, floor plans, and the like, then A4 size may be too small to see the details. This is where the M436n comes in! Dubbed as a "big boy" printer, this beast of a machine will take up a huge space but, in exchange, supports paper formats 50% larger than traditional A4 printers.
It makes the printing process quick, too! With built-in networking, you can connect it to multiple computers at once. Plus, with its duplexing capabilities, you can print, scan, or copy both sides of a document in a single pass for quicker workflow.
While definitely a niche use case, there are some firms that purely print in monochromes, such as designers of letterforms, calligraphers, and document-heavy firms. The LBP6030 is designed specifically for this use case as, unlike most printers, it only has one slot fitted for black ink cartridges.
In exchange, it sports one of the fastest print speeds in the industry, able to print 18 to 19 pages per minute. With this, you can meet the printing demands of hasty environments. The fact that it also supports several paper formats out of the box means that you can fine-tune your files to multiple sizes.
Xiaomi's Portable Printer has great appeal to those working in the travel industry. Not only does it create high-quality prints, but it also uses Augmented Reality (AR) to give life to pictures. Using the Mijia App, you can link a video or audio to any file. Once printed, all it takes is a scan from your phone, and the picture will move. It's a fun feature, and best if seen in action here!
You can add the AR pictures to your brochures or travel magazines for advertisement as customers will now have an immersive experience rather than just a still image. In addition, it uses thermal printing technology, so instead of ink, the device heats up special paper to turn it into a certain color.
If you're worried about its size limiting your prints, it's definitely an issue unless you find creative ways to resolve it. For instance, some people made a mosaic of moving photos to create stunning cinematography. Truly, with this device, the limit is your imagination.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
It may surprise you, but it's actually recommended to leave printers on even if you have no intention of printing anything. This keeps the printing mechanism clean and less likely to accumulate dried ink. That's why you'll hear the device operate every so often as it recalibrates itself. However, it's best if you leave it in sleep mode to save on electricity.
Firstly, don't panic and force the paper out. This might cause it to tear, making it more difficult to remove. Instead, turn off the printer to avoid damaging the device or injuring yourself. Then, open up the slot cover to get as much leeway as possible. You should then grip both sides of the jammed paper and slowly wriggle it outーyou can also use tweezers if you find that more comfortable.
If it's around halfway jammed inside, you might need further disassembly. In this case, consulting the manual is the best course of action. It will also provide some details regarding your feeder slot. However, issues such as not feeding through are usually resolved by straightening the paper or using a thinner sheet.
The least costly option is to try cleaning out the device’s printing head. You can do this by going to your computer’s Settings, accessing your printer, and selecting the deep clean function. You can also manually disassemble the printer and clean the heads yourself. Although, in doing this, you risk damaging the device. Otherwise, it may be time to replace your ink or toner cartridges.
As your business grows, a simple printer might not suffice for more complex tasks. Whether that's for creating 3D models, disposing of paper waste, and the like, it's handy to prepare when the need arises. As such, we've also linked below other gadgets that a growing business might need in the future. Check them out and checkout what strikes your fancy!
Author: Dane Lozano
Editor: J. Cuizon
No. 1: Brother|Refill Tank|T420W
No. 2: Demin|Handheld Printer|MX3
No. 3: HP|Smart Tank 615|Y0F71A
No. 4: Canon|Pixma|E4570
No. 5: HP|LaserJet MFP|M436n
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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