Get the Best Quality Printing From Home

The pandemic has caused huge changes in our professional lives. Many people have made the switch from the office to working from home part-time or as a permanent thing.

While there are lots of benefits to home offices, many people are noticing the improvements they have to make too. Cheap printers are often more hassle than they're worth, especially when you need to print a document in a hurry.

Upgrading to a quality home printing solution can help workers keep up their professionalism even if they are working in a dressing gown.

But where do you start when looking for a high quality home printer?

What to look for in a home printer

Before you buy a new printer, it's good to think about what you really need.

Functionality, like wireless home printing, may be important for some people, but less so for others. Being able to scan, photocopy, print photos or even send faxes are common additions to a home printer, but they may be unnecessary extras for some.

In terms of document printing, you want to consider things like quality and speed. As a general rule, laser printers offer a higher quality than inkjet printers but they're also more expensive. If you're only going to be printing black and white Word documents, you don't need to break your budget here. To understand print quality, look at the DPI -- the higher the numbers, the higher the quality.

Speed is also listed on most printers as PPM. Again, the higher the number, the quicker the printer.

To narrow down your search, we'll start by looking at three of the most popular printer manufacturers: Canon, Epson and Lexmark.

Canon printers

If you opt for an all-in-one printer, Canon traditionally has the quickest copy and scan speed. In tests, Canon printers averaged 13.4 seconds for a black and white copy (whereas HP took as long as 24.2 seconds).

Our range starts with the entry-level Canon ix6860, a high-quality inkjet printer that can be used for large (A3) documents and photo lab quality prints. Canon laser printers are available at a higher price point offering higher quality prints, extra data security and advanced technology like touchscreen controls.

Canon also makes specialty products that are set up for A2 printing or high quality A3 scanning.

Epson printers

Epson printers are a reliable option for a home office with one of the most favourable price points. In fact, at the moment, three of the Epson models in the Kalk store are available for less than $100 (including the Epson XP2100)

At the top end of the range is the Epson EcoTank range. These printers are some of the best available in Australia. They have fast print speeds, pigment inks and a full range of features that will support any office worker.

Lexmark printers

Lexmark has perhaps the widest range of printers, from the MS331dn that will set you back a few hundred dollars to the CX923DXE which has a hefty five-figure price tag.

The difference in those two models is noticeable and for most home offices you won't need to go to the top end of any manufacturer's range. The entry-level MS331dn can print up to 38 pages a minute, has built-in energy-saving modes and is a small enough size to fit discreetly in any home office.