If you are in the market for a computer printer, you obviously want to get the best piece of equipment for your money. Here are some tips that can help you do just that.

Shop at national chain stores like Best Buy or Circuit City that carry the best-known computer equipment brands, such as Hewlett Packard and Lexmark. You can pretty much expect to get a competitive price on a quality product at any of these stores.

Watch for sales events. Sometimes you can get a printer almost for free when you buy a computer system to go with it. Or you can get terrific rebates from the manufacturer and the store, so that you end up paying a fraction of the original sales price. Even if the store where you wish to purchase your new printer is not currently running a sale, chances are it will meet a competitor’s price if you show an ad of the other store’s printer ad.

Go in person to view the printer you wish to buy. Make sure that the features operate the way you want them to, and check for options like color printing that you may not need, which can raise the price. Look for a printer that offers only the services you will actually use. Even if you expect to use color printing once or twice a year, it may be cheaper in the long run to hire out this copy project.

Also find out about the number of copies printed per minute. Some printers put out as few as twelve, while others hustle to churn out eighteen. Of course you will pay for the difference, so decide if the extra cost is worth it. Also ask the price of a toner cartridge, as these can be expensive, sometimes more than the printer itself, so you want a printer that will use minimum, affordable replacement cartridges.