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Find out which printers have the lowest running costs in our guide to the best cheap printers to buy and run. What is an all-in-one printer? These printers operate wirelessly, using WiFi or Bluetooth technology –or, in the case of the Kiipix, using a mirror! What paper do these printers take? It uses Zink paper, which means you don't have to add ink, but on the downside this means the picture quality isn't the best," says Tom May in our review. "Still, if you just want to hand out mementos at a social event, it's still a good choice, and it would make a fun gift for kids too." Wi-fi is an excellent feature to look for. Connecting to the internet without needing a cable means you can place the printer where you like in your home.
If you use an app to print, your printer manufacturer might know more about you than you'd like. For example, many brands ask for your location data. This is technically anonymous data, since it's not tied to your name or a user account, but could still contain data that could give away your identity, such as where you live or work. A feature called ‘duplex printing’ allows for automatic double-sided printing, potentially cutting your paper budget in half. This could also be used or sold on to other companies. We believe tech companies should only ever ask for permissions essential for their products' everyday use. The Instax Mini LiPlay is not marketed specifically as a portable printer, so this one may be easy to miss. Instead, it's one of a new breed of hybrid digital instant cameras that offer the functionality of an instant camera, a digital camera, and a portable printer in the same device.
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It’s easy to get intensely serious about photographic kit and technique but, sometimes, photography should just be fun," says our own Matthew Richards. "There’s certainly a lot to be had with the Instax Mini LiPlay. It continues the decades-old tradition of truly instant photography, where you can take and share pictures anywhere and everywhere, capturing and preserving treasured memories on the fly." HP said it will supply updates for its printers for three years from launch. You can find out more with our guide to the best HP printers. Other big printer brands, including Brother, Canon and Epson, either didn't reply or did not specify a minimum updates period. Ideal if you want to print large office documents, posters or photos to hang on your wall, but they cost more and take up more desk space than a standard A4 printer. Some have a strong photographic or design focus. You can buy straightforward inkjet or laser printers, but a device that scans and copies as well won’t cost you a lot more. Most have wi-fi connectivity so you can print from several PCs or laptops, not to mention tablets or smartphones. Some include a fax function, too.
Photo printers are inkjet models optimised for photo printing with precise nozzles, but might not be as flexible as an all-rounder. We asked the biggest brands about their support policies, but unfortunately found that printers are not a product you can easily buy with support periods in mind. Only one gave us clear information, which fell far short of this lifetime measureThink about why you want to print pictures on the move. Do you want the absolute best image quality? Choose a dye-sublimation printer. Do you want the cheapest prints, regardless of quality? Go for a Zink printer. Do you want the coolest prints? You'll probably want an Instax-based printer.
Inkjet printers are great all-rounders. They can handle text-heavy documents such as a student’s coursework or minutes from a meeting, but can also print photos – and do a better job of it than a laser printer. They’re quiet and take up less desk space than a laser. We test printers for every budget - from affordable inkjet models to business-ready laser printers. We assess their quality, speed and running costs, features and how easy they are to use. They’re usually expensive to buy but often work out cheaper over the life of the printer. Saving printer paper
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Just need a decent model that won't cost a fortune in ink? We reveal the best cheap printers to buy and run Once connected, you can access online services including free mobile printing apps offered by the main printer brands – Brother, Canon, Epson and HP. Finally there are Zink printers that use zero-ink paper, embedded with color crystals, that offers the cheapest printing option –with often middling quality that's neither as good as a dye sub print, nor as intentionally lo-fi as an Instax print. Do portable printers need ink?
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