Best Printer for Small Businesses

Running a small business isn’t easy. No matter what you’re trying to do, you’ll always be fighting against the tide trying to stand out from the crowd and show people that you mean business (literally!).  

This is true for every industry, and before you even get started there are costs involved. Setting up your office, even if you’re flying solo or working from home, isn’t cheap. But investing in the right tools will help you hit the ground running.  

One of the most important tools for a small business owner is your printer. You might use yours just for documents, shipping labels, or it could be an integral part of your production line that creates labels, stickers, and receipts. No matter what its purpose will be, you need a printer that you can rely on.  

The Different Types of Printer for Businesses 

There are two main types of printer to choose from: 

Inkjet printers, as the name suggests, use droplets of ink to create bold images and text. These are the most common printer for offices, so are a fine choice for small businesses if you don’t mind the occasional smudge.  

There are also thermal printers, which use a heated print head to anything you can imagine onto a range of materials. Although not as prevalent as inkjet, these printers are becoming much more popular for some businesses.  

Each has their own advantages and disadvantages, so let’s go over each type in more detail.  

Pros and Cons of Inkjet Printers for Small Businesses  

Inkjet printers are almost unmatched when it comes to print quality, at least on a small scale. Text is always sharp, and colours are bold, and inkjet printers print onto a variety of materials, so creative businesses won’t be limited.  

However, if you want to keep this consistent quality, you need to keep your ink cartridges topped up. Although they do last a while, the cost can add up the more you use your printer. If yours is whirring away for hours every day, inkjet printers become less cost effective.  

Inkjet printers are mostly compact, making them ideal when office space is at a premium. Smaller models fit snugly under desks, and larger machines can be tucked into corners if you need something bigger. Many businesses fall into the trap of buying a small, cheap printer for their small business, but this can cause issues later on. As your business grows, you’ll be demanding more from your printer, and a smaller machine will struggle to keep up.  

Inkjet printers are also slower than thermal and laser printers. If you need your prints quickly, this can cause a bottleneck on your production line that can be frustrating for you and your team.  

We recommend doing plenty of product research so that you invest in a machine that will scale with your business as it grows. Some companies may only need a small machine for a decade or more depending on what (and how often) they’re printing. But if it’s a vital piece of equipment, choose one that won’t let you down in a year or two.  

Pros and Cons of Thermal Printers 

The main reason you’d choose a thermal printer over an inkjet is its versatility. Thermal printers are ideal if you need to print stickers, labels, and receipts. In this case you have access to small machines that can be placed on your desk and easily moved thanks to their low weight. Printing your own labels adds a level of professionalism to your business, and stickers can be used for branding purposes.  

However, it can be tricky to recommend a thermal printer over an inkjet unless you need it for one of those purposes. For documents, flyers, and images the quality is about the same (although prints from a thermal printer will take longer to fade, making them better for posters) but thermal printers have a higher upfront cost. They also only work with select materials, mostly thermochromic paper that can handle the high heat your printer will produce.  

But before you start shopping for an inkjet, you should know that the cost balances out over time. With a thermal printer there are no ink cartridges, saving you a fortune on printer peripherals. So if you have a lot of printing to do, these are the more cost-effective machines to invest in.   

Thermal printers also have fewer moving parts, making printer servicing and maintenance much cheaper and easier.  

Specialist Printers for Small Businesses 

Picking the best printer for a small business often comes down to two main factors. First, what you need your printer for, and second, how much you’re going to use it. Both types of printers come in different sizes, and all will get the job done in their own way, so it may be down to simple personal preference. 

But for some small businesses the decision is even easier if you need a specialist printer for your work. If you’re creating products, you’ll almost certainly need a label printer. Most of these are thermal and are designed from the ground up for an application exactly like yours. When this is the case, you just need to find a machine that fits in your office and is within budget; then you’re ready to go!  

When you’re running a small business, you need your printer to be reliable, no matter how often you use it. If yours has started letting you down, or you feel like it’s nearing the end of its lifespan but it’s not quite time for an upgrade, our printer maintenance and servicing teams are ready and waiting to help you out. And if you still aren’t sure which printer is right for you, we’re more than happy to recommend some that we know will suit your business perfectly.