How to choose an MFP?

This article is devoted to the question: how to choose an MFP for home use? Manufacturing companies, in the hope of attracting a buyer, are constantly improving their models. But unfortunately, the choice of office equipment for a home can not always be called successful. It takes two to three weeks, the charm of novelty disappears, and it suddenly turns out that the chosen thing is not so good as it seemed at first glance. In addition, if you purchase a complete set of office equipment, it will take up too much space. It is quite another matter - the IFIs.

Important! This device combines several functions: scanner, printer, fax, copier. In this case, the MFP differs in its compact size and does not clutter up the desktop.

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What is an MFP?

In essence, this is nothing more than a copier with a set of additional functions( optional or standard).The best models of MFP are able not only to provide high-speed printing, but also to carry out electronic processing of documentation. If you do not have an MFP, you will have to work hard to scan, edit, print the document on the printer and send it by fax.

Important! A good multifunctional device shortens the time for doing routine work to a minimum. Therefore, knowledge of how to choose an MFP for a house, will never be superfluous.

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Advantages of multifunction devices for home use

The use of multifunctional devices has a number of undeniable advantages:

• The price of MFP is less than the total cost of individual items of office equipment. The principle of "wholesale cheaper" works here 100%.
• Economical organization of the workspace.
• Ease of operation and maintenance.
• Reducing the cost of a copy - in comparison with a fax machine.
• Automatic paper feed function.
• Work with documents on one device, which contributes to a significant reduction in time costs.
• To copy the documentation, the computer must not be turned on.

Important! The disadvantage of a multifunctional device is one: in the event of breakage all the functions of the device cease to work: fax, scanner, copier, printer.

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How to choose the MFP?- The main criteria of

To make the right and thoughtful choice, you need to know what MFIs are.

Printing method

Depending on the printing method, three types of devices are distinguished:

• Inkjet.
• LED Light.
• Laser.

Color rendering

Depending on the color, distinguish between color and monochrome devices. Each type of office equipment has its disadvantages and advantages.

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Precisely set the purpose of buying

For this reason, before you select the MFP, you need to consider the following factors.

• Approximate number of pages that will have to be printed within a year. If the print volume exceeds 1 thousand pages, then you should pay attention to the laser device.
• Print type: color or black and white. If the volume of color printing is large enough, then the "jet" is preferable.
• The paper size.
• If you have to scan books, brochures and stapled documents, it is advisable to purchase an MFP with a scanner and a flatbed copier.

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Laser or inkjet MFP

Laser and inkjet MFPs are the most common devices. They are fundamentally different from each other. How to choose an MFP on this basis?

Laser technology - differences:

• Multifunction laser-type devices are used in offices, as they provide good print quality and are easy to use.
• Laser devices are particularly well proven when printing black and white documentation.
• One cartridge refilling is enough for a long time. The cost of refilling the cartridge is not high.

Important! The disadvantages of a laser printer include its high cost, as well as a significant price for the purchase of a new cartridge. There are also color laser printers, but their cost is so high that they are unprofitable for home use.

How to choose a laser MFP for a home?

A black and white printer is suitable for home use, since a color device allows you to print only documents, but not photos or pictures. In advance, find a service for refilling the cartridges: this will cost you five times less than buying a new one.

Inkjet Models - Features:

• For printing quality, these devices are slightly inferior to laser ones.
• The main advantage of inkjet printers is that there are functions of both color and black and white printing, which is great for home use.
• The cost of "jets" is much lower than laser MFPs.
• They are advantageous in service - provided they are self-refilling cartridges or using a continuous ink supply system.

Choosing an Inkjet Printer for Home Use

First, pay attention to the number of colors. Inexpensive MFPs have 4 colors for printing:

• Black.
• Crimson.
• Blue.
• Yellow.

Important! More expensive models have more shades, which makes color reproduction and print quality much better. To perform the simplest tasks, four basic colors are enough. If you want to print a photo with good quality, it is worth giving preference to more "advanced" models. If the number of photographs is small, then you should not buy an expensive model. Photos you print and in the cabin. At the same time and save money.

When buying a "jet", consider the cost of new cartridges( you can not call these devices cheap).Of course, the original cartridges provide good print quality, but the counterparts are not much inferior to them. At the same time, the cost of an analogue is much lower.

It is very advantageous to use continuous ink supply systems or refillable cartridges. The first option is especially advantageous. The system is a pseudo-cartridges and containers filled with ink.

Important! The pseudo card has a button that resets the chip to zero. The MFP receives a signal that new ink cartridges are inserted in the device. Using CISS, you save ink significantly. One refueling will be enough for a long time. The disadvantage is the relatively high cost of the system, as well as some of its cumbersomeness.

The refillable cartridge is identical in its device to the original one. The difference is that its container has the possibility of refueling, and the cartridge itself is equipped with a level zeroing system. This is the most economical option.

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Selecting the MFPs by the

parameters Here are the main parameters that you need to consider in order to select MFPs for the home.

Print speed

As a rule, when choosing a home MFP, this indicator is not given much importance. Although, low speed printing - it's not too comfortable.

Important! The speed of printing is measured by the number of sheets per minute. High is the speed of 30 sheets per minute, average is 20.

Noise Level

To appreciate this characteristic, ask the seller to perform a trial scan and print.

Print types

For many people, the supported printing formats - plain A4 paper, labels, photo paper, envelopes, etc., are important. If you want to print not only on plain paper, you should pay attention to this feature.

Scanning

When buying an MFP, you need to pay attention not only to the print quality, but also to the resolution of the scanner:

• For the use of MFPs for domestic purposes, resolutions of 600-1200 dpi are sufficient.
• For professional use, pay attention to the scanner with a resolution of 2400 dpi.

Important! It is not superfluous to ask a consultant or vendor about the speed of scanning.

Interface for connecting

The most popular connection interface is USB.In addition, there are options for interfaces such as Wi-Fi and Ethernet.

Important! The last two options involve connecting to a local network. In addition, the connection via Wi-Fi makes it possible to install the MFPs in a convenient location, without using a wire.

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How to choose the MFPs for the house by brand?

• If you chose a laser option, then the best products are from Samsung, Canon and HP.
• The best models of inkjet MFPs are products of Canon, EPSON and HP.

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The best multifunction devices for home use: model overview:

1. Samsung Xpress C460W - MFP with built-in laser printer( 4 colors).Printing speed: 20 sheets / min.for black and white and 4 sheets / min.- for color prints. The monochrome two-row display shows the status of the device connection and the current operation. It is possible to connect the MFP via WiFi. For this reason, the device can be placed in any convenient place, without using extra wires.
2. Canon PIXMA MG6840.MFU with ink-jet five-color printing. Thanks to the function of two-sided printing, the time to prepare documents is much less. The device has a high scanning speed. Information about the operations performed is displayed on a convenient LCD display.
3. Epson L655.Models "Epson" are characterized by excellent color rendering quality. If you want to print a photo - this is exactly what you were looking for. Thanks to the automatic feed mechanism, it is possible to create digital copies from a large number of photos. It is possible to connect to CISS, which makes this model unusually economical.
4. HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 5645. Differs stylish design, organically fit into the home interior. Special printing technology allows you to print up to 21 photos per minute. There is also the possibility of wireless connection.

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So, to sum up the

After you have weighed all the pros and cons, analyze again all the characteristics of the chosen option. After all, the IFIs are not buying for one day. Let's list some final nuances to choose the MFPs with excellent qualities:

• The maintenance of a laser printer will cost more than an inkjet printer.
• If you chose an inkjet MFP, stop for a model with refilled cartridges.
• Do not forget to calculate the possible costs for the paint.
• Do not purchase the device with minimal functionality. It is possible that you will eventually benefit from options that you have not paid attention to since the beginning.
• It is advisable to purchase products of well-known companies. View reviews on topic forums about a particular brand.

To give an unambiguous answer, which model of MFP is the best, is impossible, since each buyer has his own set of wishes, requirements and preferences. It is for this reason that you need to carefully study all possible options and only after that make the final choice.