Office equipment allows you to reduce a lot of time when exchanging important documents with partners. You cannot make photocopies and scans of documents on a regular printer, something more is needed here and MFPs come to the rescue. The right MFP will help you not only print and scan documents, but also print color photographs, use a wireless network via Bluetooth / WiFi or through a mobile application. In the article we will tell you what an MFP is and which one is better to choose. What are the types of MFPs, as well as reveal the pros and cons of devices. Consider the top rating of the best MFPs for home use.
What is an MFP and its functions
Externally, the MFP looks like a large printer. It is immediately difficult to find the differences and what to choose for home use. The first thing we pay attention to:
- We are not interested in black and white images, so we buy color, with support for photo paper. A photo on an A4 sheet, even a color one, is still not what you need, you want color images, as in a photo salon.
- Whether the selected model supports wireless communication. Of course, we have long been accustomed to USB wires and sometimes we don’t see the point in overpaying until we try something more convenient. With wireless communication, you do not need to sit next to the device and wait for it to download all the workflows and give the result.You can control it while in the kitchen, in the hall or in another room. At the same time, you can not use a computer or laptop at all, but use a mobile application.
- Support for inexpensive consumables.Maintaining an MFP and getting high-quality photos means buying good ink and a cartridge. But expensive does not mean the best, so for a home MFP it is better to buy consumables based on reviews from other users.
- The price depends on the type of device and additional features. If you are not going to use it often, you do not need to choose the most expensive one.
The MFP is designed to process information, texts and images. That is, you do not need to buy a separate printer, copier and scanner, everything fits in one multifunctional device. Let us examine in more detail the functions of this “miracle of technology”.
- As we already understood, the MFP performs the actions of several office devices at once: it copies, prints photos, sends faxes, and makes electronic copies of documents.
- Depending on the model, it can work without connecting a computer.
- In terms of print speed, the MFP printer is also not a rival. The all-in-one works twice as fast.
Types of MFPs
We heard that there are laser, inkjet and LED devices, but which MFP should you buy for home use? To work well and not overpay for functions that will not be used, we will consider each type.
laser - after the paper is in the photoconductor, there is contact with the sensitive surface. The image is superimposed with a thin laser beam, then along the contour it is filled with color or black and white powder. Then the paper is sent to the fixing part of the device, so that a high-quality, not smeared image is obtained.At the output, we get a sheet or photographic paper with a photograph or text.
From the pros:
- highlight the high speed of work,
- economical ink consumption,
- inexpensive service.
Of the minuses:
- to buy a color model, you have to overpay.
Jet - from the name you can understand that the application of paint occurs by supplying a jet. Extrusion of ink occurs by supply of hot air. The elements heat up in a second, so in addition to high-quality photos, it works quickly.Droplets of paint are in the nozzles and, after being squeezed out, are immediately filled with others.
Pros:
- well suited for printing color photographs,
- cheaper than laser
- MFC can be configured.
Of the minuses:
- inferior in speed to laser and conventional printers,
- if not used for a long time, the ink dries out and needs to be replaced.
LED Have you heard of diffusion? Here LED MFPs work exactly on this principle. Some molecules are replaced by others, the heat acts on the paint, and it begins to evaporate, leaving a pattern on the surface of the paper. Moreover, the contrast depends on the heating of the MFP elements. If the temperature is low, the color is pale, and if it is high, then it is bright. The paint is quickly absorbed and dries, the photos are not smeared and have a clear image.
Advantages of the LED MFP:
- bright and high-quality photos,
- the paint does not dry out if you do not use the device for a long time.
Minuses:
- expensive multifunctional device,
- prices start at 35 thousand.
Advantages of multifunction devices for the home
How to choose an MFP for home use? What is better to buy? What company and with what functionality? From the types listed above, we realized that there are inkjet, laser and LED MFPs.
But why not just buy a printer for the home? It is simpler and cheaper and takes up less space, which are the advantages of multifunctional devices:
- execution of several working commands by one device: we already talked about this above, the printer only prints and scans;
- no need to visit several service centers specializing in the repair of printers, copiers and faxes;
- high print speed: if we perform ordinary black and white printing, then the MFP copes with it much faster than classic office printers;
- a large selection of modifications: you can choose a professional model if, for example, you are engaged in photography and want to make money on it.Or you can use a simple one for printing multiple images and text documents;
- affordable price: for home use, you can choose an MFP from 7 thousand rubles, and if black and white is enough, then it’s cheaper.
The best MFPs for home (top-rated)
HP DeskJet 2320
Inexpensive model of color inkjet MFP, suitable for home and office, works with A4 paper. Print speed of color images 16 pages per minute, black and white 20 pages per minute.
MFP Canon Pixma MG 2540 S
Color inkjet multifunction machine, two kinds of printing, color and black and white, A4 sheet size, can print photos on photo paper. Two types of consumables are suitable, regular and increased capacity.
HP DeskJet 3639
Inkjet, 3 in 1 format, printer, scanner, copier, supports wireless communication via a mobile application. For printing texts and images in color and black and white.
HP Laser 135R
Monochrome, laser. Connected via USB cable, prints in black and white 20 pages per minute. Flatbed scanner and digital copier.
HP DeskJet Plus Ink Advantage 6475
Inkjet MFP with support for color and black and white printing. Compact device, connects to a Wi-Fi network, prints color images 4 pages per minute, black and white 17 pages per minute.
MFP Inkjet Canon Pixma G3411
Color photo printing on photo paper is not very fast, but the images are clear and high-quality 5 pages per minute of color printing. MFP for home.
Inkjet printer Canon Pixma TS704
Color monochrome printing, you can print documents on both sides. Four color support, compatible with Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows. Fast print speeds up to ten pages per minute, wireless networking. The maximum paper size is A4.
For printing in color and black and white, an inkjet MFP for the home is recommended, the print speed is low, but the cost is low.
Not everyone is ready to pay several tens of thousands for a professional device.Laser - are used mainly for the office, for black and white printing, and LED - for professional photography.
