Choosing an Office Printer or MFP: Laser vs Inkjet, Mono vs Colour, Lease vs Buy

The office printer is one of the easiest pieces of equipment to buy badly — too small for the volume, ruinously expensive on consumables, or missing the scanning the team actually needed. The specs can feel interchangeable, but a few decisions determine whether a printer quietly does its job for years or becomes a daily source of complaints. This guide walks through the real choices: laser versus inkjet, mono versus colour, single-function versus multifunction, and lease versus buy.

Laser vs inkjet: match to your volume

The classic decision. Laser printers excel at high-volume text: fast, crisp black documents with a low cost per page, which suits busy offices printing reports and correspondence. Inkjet printers handle colour, photos and mixed media well and cost less upfront, but per-page ink cost rises with volume. As a rule, high-volume document offices lean laser; lower-volume or colour-heavy, graphics-oriented work leans inkjet.

Mono vs colour: pay only for what you print

Colour office printers cost more to buy and run than mono. If your office prints mostly internal documents, a fast mono laser is cheaper to own and perfectly adequate. Choose colour only if you regularly produce client-facing materials, marketing or presentations where colour matters. Many offices do best with a fleet split: a mono workhorse for everyday printing and one colour device for the occasional job.

Single-function vs multifunction (MFP)

A multifunction printer combines printing, scanning, copying and often faxing in one device. For most offices an MFP is the obvious choice — it saves space and money versus separate machines and adds document scanning that modern workflows rely on. A single-function printer only makes sense as a dedicated high-speed print device alongside a shared MFP, or where scanning is genuinely never needed.

Sizing for your team

Match the machine's rated monthly duty cycle and paper capacity to your real output. A printer rated well above your volume lasts longer and jams less; one run constantly at its limit fails early. Consider how many people share it, whether you need large paper trays or duplex printing by default, and whether specialist output like labels is part of the workload.

Lease vs buy: how to pay for it

Buying outright is simplest and cheapest over a long life if you handle your own consumables and support. Leasing, often bundled as a managed-print or cost-per-page contract, spreads the cost and usually includes toner, servicing and replacement — attractive for offices that want predictable costs and no maintenance hassle. Compare the total cost over the expected life, not just the monthly figure, and check what happens to consumables and support in each model.

Quick reference: choosing an office printer

• High-volume documents: mono laser for low cost per page.
• Colour or photo work: inkjet or colour laser, only if you really need it.
• Most offices: an MFP for print, scan and copy in one.
• Size the duty cycle and paper capacity above your real volume.
• Add specialist output (labels, duplex) if the workflow needs it.
• Compare lease vs buy on total cost of ownership, not monthly price.

Frequently asked questions

Is a laser or inkjet printer better for an office?

For high-volume text printing, laser is usually better — faster with a lower cost per page. Inkjet suits lower-volume or colour and photo work. Match the type to your dominant workload.

Do I need a colour printer?

Only if you regularly print client-facing or marketing material. For mostly internal documents, a mono printer is cheaper to buy and run. Many offices pair a mono workhorse with one colour device.

Is a multifunction printer worth it?

For most offices, yes. An MFP combines print, scan and copy in one device, saving space and money and adding the scanning modern workflows depend on.

Should I lease or buy an office printer?

Buying is cheapest over a long life if you manage your own toner and support. Leasing or managed print spreads cost and bundles consumables and servicing for predictable expenses. Compare total cost of ownership over the machine's life.

Find the right office printer

Procure supplies office printers and multifunction devices for every volume and budget. Browse our desktop and office printers, or tell us your team size and print volume and we'll recommend the right machine and buying model.