Can college students today do without a multifunction printer? Unfortunately, no.
Often college students have access to on-campus printing services that are available at low or no cost. However, students often face last-minute deadlines. And inevitably the computer lab is across campus during that early-winter storm. Who wouldn’t prefer to print or scan from the comfort of one’s dorm room?
The key for college students is to find a printer that is cost-effective, reliable, relatively compact, and offers scanning, printing, and copying capabilities.
Recommended Printers
For color: the Brother MFC-J870DW Wireless Color Inkjet Printer
Price: $110 at Amazon
For black & white: the Brother DCPL2540DW Wireless Compact Laser Printer
Price: $149 at Amazon
Need color printing at college? The Brother MFCJ870DW Color Inkjet Printer could be just what you’re looking for.
What College Students Should Look for in Printers
For school use, you really want a printer that prints well, can scan images to your computer, and will make a few quick copies now and then. While the printers we recommend also have fax capability, that’s a feature most college students can ignore.
We feel that Brother printers offer more bang for the buck. Brother’s printers offer better ink or toner management capabilities which means improved savings over time.
Laser Printers Provide More Savings
To get the most savings, go with a laser printer, which uses toner instead of ink. A standard toner cartridge will give you about 1,200 pages before it runs dry. The high-yield cartridge that Brother offers can output a remarkable 2,600 pages.
While the printing is only in black and shades of gray, it will be months before you need to spend the $30 to $50 for a replacement cartridge.
Inkjet is Best if you Need Color
If color is a necessity then the inkjet option is great. The black inkjet cartridge costs about $20 and is good for about 600 pages.
The high-yield color 3-pack costs about $40 and should last between 500 and 600 pages.
Printers Connect with your Mobile Devices
Both recommended printers are wireless. They connect not only with computers, but also with most tablets and smart phones. We recommend choosing the autoduplex option, which allows you to print on both sides of the paper automatically. This saves college students money and time, and cuts down on paper use. If you need to scan or copy multiple pages, both printers have an automatic document feeder to make this task quick and simple.
Our “College Student” Choice for Printers:
Overall, we find the laser printer to be more robust and better built than the inkjet. But this is an issue for most printer brands, not just Brother. If these printers don’t get too badly abused, you should get years of service without complaint.
Recommended color inkjet printer on Amazon:
Brother MFC-J870DW Wireless Color Inkjet Printer
Recommended monochrome laser printer on Amazon:
Brother DCPL2540DW Wireless Compact Laser Printer
Have questions about getting the right printer?
Contact Bergen IT:
solutions@bergenit.net
201-689-1823
www.bergenit.net
Bergen IT is a client-centered, comprehensive tech support and strategy company for businesses, professionals, and homeowners. The company services customers in the NJ and New York City metropolitan area, including northern New Jersey (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, and Passaic, NJ), Manhattan and the Bronx, Rockland and Westchester, NY and can remotely assist clients across the USA.
Bergen IT provides computer, mobile device, audio, TV, and home theater services. Our focus is on providing personal attention, reasonable rates and top-notch expertise. For more information, go to: www.bergenit.net.