All-in-One or Multifunction Printers combine other functions such as scanning, faxing and photocopying alongside the standard printing function.
Multifunction printers tend to be bulkier than standalone inkjet printers but can generally perform all the same printing tasks that standalone models can achieve but often not to the same quality or at the same speed.
If you think you will do a lot of photocopying, choose a model with an automatic document feeder.
Understanding the specification of a multifunction printer
On the Euroffice website we offer a detailed product specification on the product detail pages and we additionally offer a set of filters on the left hand column of the page on all of the product list pages (pages that list the actual products). These filters are designed to help you narrow down your search for the correct multi-function printer for you and are put together using the specification of each printer. The following information will help you to understand the specification of each printer.
Brand
This will tell you the name of the manufacturer who produces the printer, so if you are a particular fan of HP multifunction printers or Brother multifunction printers then you can use the brand filter to select this brand and filter out all other printers.
Function
This will give an overview of the computer printer, such as whether it prints in monochrome (black and white/grey scale) or colour, and whether it is a laser or ink-jet printer as well as details on which additional functions such as a fax machine or a copier the machine has integrated.
Maximum Media Size
This is the size of paper that can be printed onto. The majority will use standard A4 paper, although A3 printers are also widely available.
Maximum Resolution dpi
Resolution is measured in dpi – dots per inch –and will determine the quality of your printouts. The higher the resolution, the better the quality will be. However, nowadays even the cheapest inkjet printers are able to print in 1200 x 4800 dpi, which produces high quality documents and near lab quality photos.
Print Speed PPM
Print speed is measured in ppm – pages per minute. This is how many blank sheets the printer can get through in a minute rather than actual printed pages. Grey scale printing is much quicker than colour printing, and the greater the quality of the document, the longer it will take to print out. Laser printers are capable of much higher speeds than inkjet's.
Network
This tells you if the printer is compatible for running on a network of printers or not. most of our multifunction printers are network compatible.
Interface
This determines how your printer is connected to a computer or office network. For small offices, a parallel port can be used for basic networks. Most printers use a USB connection, which is high speed and can be used to link many printers and computers together.
RAM Installed
Printers use memory to store the documents whilst they are printed out. The greater the memory, the better the resolution and efficiency of the printer.
Media Capacity
The number of sheets of paper the printer can hold ready to print onto. Some printers also state an Output Tray Capacity, which is the amount of printed sheets the printer can store.
Monthly Duty Cycle
This is the amount of sheets of paper that can be printed without causing excessive wear to the machine in a 1 month period.
System Requirements
This determines whether the multi-function printer is compatible with the computers you wish to run it from. Most printers are compatible with any computers manufactured in the last eight years, but if unsure please contact our support team or the printer manufacturer.
Media Type
This is the type of material that can be printed on effectively, such as plain printer paper and envelopes. All of these materials can be purchased on the Euroffice website.
