Black and White Printers

Color printers arent always necessary for business uses

By Jenni Simcoe, Writer

You may think black and white printers are the dinosaurs of the technology arena. But these workhorses are still the tool of choice for many small businesses, especially those that mainly print out nothing more than text on a daily basis. Whether you’re printing out just a few letters a day or churning out documents with hundreds of pages, you can find a black and white printer to suit your needs.

When shopping for a black and white printer, you’ll need to narrow your search to laser, dot matrix, multifunction or portable models. Inkjet and photo printers typically print in color as well as black and white. The most economical B&W printers cost less than $100 and are geared to light users, while network-ready, heavy-duty models designed for workgroups can set you back more than $2,500 dollars.

Black and white printers are ideal for:

1. Documents that require carbon copies.
2. Envelope and label printing.
3. Letters and office memos.
4. Contracts and service agreements.
5. Workgroups that require fast results.

Choose black and white printer features

Do you need a printer that’s network-ready? What paper sizes do you need: letter, legal, 11” X 17”? Do you need duplex capabilities for double-sided printing? Do you only want to print, or do you also need to scan, fax or make copies with the printer?
Try: Answer a few questions at Xerox or HP about how you plan to use your black and white printer to find the perfect model for your specific needs.

All-in-one black and white printers

If you run your business from a home office or a commercial office with limited space, consider an all-in-one or multifunctional printer (MFP) that unites a fax, scanner, copier and printer into one machine. Inkjet all-in-ones cost about $150 to $300 while laser models average $400 and up.
Try: Shop online for all-in-one black and white printers from Brother, Canon, Minolta, Epson, Xerox and other brands at Printer Warehouse. HP offers one of the widest selections of multifunction black and white printers. Find more multifunctional printer dealers at Business.com.

Black and white laser printers

For crisp black and white text, nothing beats a monochrome laser printer. If your office routinely prints out lengthy contracts or service agreements, a black and white laser printer is the best option thanks to its speed and ability to handle a variety of paper sizes. A laser printer in the $300 range is typically adequate for small office needs.
Try: Check out the benefits of black and white printers at HP.com. Search Business.com for manufacturers and dealers of laser printers.

Dot matrix printers

Among the first printers created, dot matrix printers are still being used today. Considered the best printers for printing customer invoices that need carbon copies, they are popular in a number of industries.
Try: Super Warehouse offers a wide selection of dot matrix printers at all price points — from about $200 to more than $1,000. You can find more dot matrix printer providers at Business.com.

Portable black and white printers

If your business takes you on the road, you may want to invest in a portable printer that can travel with you. Portable printers weigh less than five pounds on average, print on either plain paper or thermal paper and cost about $250 to $400.
Try: Take a look at CNET’s reviews of black and white mobile printers.

Find a bargain on a black and white printer

Take the time to scout out deals on the Internet. You can often find a steal, especially on high-end black and white printers designed for heavy usage.
Try: ComputerGeeks.com offers new and refurbished black and white printers for lower costs than retail. At CDW.com you can shop by brand, price and type of printer.

If you only need to use color printing periodically, consider getting a good black and white laser printer for every day use and an inexpensive inkjet color printer for special needs.
Before you buy, made sure the printer is compatible with your computer and your network. You also want to make sure you have the right kind of port to connect to. If your computer doesn’t have a parallel port, make sure you don’t buy a parallel port printer without consulting a pro to see if an adapter will work without communication errors.
Laser printer cartridges are more expensive per cartridge but often last much longer than inkjet cartridges. In the long run, laser printers usually have less ongoing costs.