Dell printers are one of the most commonly purchased brands in the market. However, before you decide to purchase one yourself, even as part of a computer package, there are a few things you need to know about the equipment so you can make the right choice and end up with a printer that you are going to be happy with for years to come.

Dell Computers Not Really Dell
One of the most important things you should know about Dell printers are they are not manufactured by Dell. Instead, they are created by Lexmark. While Lexmark is also one of the biggest names in the printer industry, their products don’t always score well in terms of reliability. Basically, what happened is that Dell originally received its printers from a number of different printer manufacturers. About six years ago, they decided to become monogamous with Lexmark and began selling Lexmark printers that had been re-branded. Interestingly, just under one-fifth of all Lexmark printers are actually sold to Dell not directly to consumers.

Dell & Ink Issues
All inkjet printers are expensive to use for a lot of printing because of the cost of those replacement cartridges. However, Dell tends to be a bit higher because they sell two types of cartridges: one known as standard and the other called high-capacity. The price different is about 20% but the amount of ink in each printer ink cartridge is about 50% different. People who purchase replacement should always go for the high capacity cartridge because it will be a better deal in the long run. Also, if you are considering re-filling the cartridges you should know that Dell and Lexmark have added features to their cartridges to make it more difficult for the machines to recognize refilled ink.

Price of the Printer
In comparison to other similar printers, the price is affordable. When purchased with a computer package, you can sometimes even get the printer at no extra cost. Even when you do have to pay for the printer, you won’t have to pay very much. That’s one of the reasons why Dell printers are so popular with consumers.

Reliability
One of the biggest drawbacks of Dell computers is its reliability. While some printers on the market are known to be long-lasting, Dell is not one of them. Lexmark printers, as mentioned above, are well known for causing problems to their users. Even though the number of complaints about Dell units is not as plentiful as those for Lexmark units, they still are far from perfect. Plus, Dell has had some customer service issues in the past. Thankfully, the company has expressed their commitment to improving these situations.