When purchasing a printer, especially an Ink Jet Evaluate the following.

Evaluate the desire for a inkjet or laser printer,
Evaluate the desire for a multifunction printer (scanner copier & fax),
Evaluate printer Quality (ask for a demo or samples of pictures & text)
Evaluate The Monthly Duty Cycle
Evaluate Compatibility (PC, Mac, Windows or O/S version, Usb or Parallel, small 
     or large Footprint - printer dimensions, resolution, postscript, professional
     printing svc's,
Evaluate the rated cost per page (if manufacturer published)
Evaluate your Printer Cartridge Yield (amt. of pages per cartridge black & color)
Evaluate your cost of replacing all printer cartridges (cost per cartidge to replace)
    -Copying services can be expensive, a low cost inkjet, multifunction or 
    laser printer can be a budget & time saver for all consumers & business 
    persons.

*P.S. Please be advised this list is not a complete guide, this is an addendum to most guides. Most guides do not include reference to printer spec's such as printer cartidge yield or printer average cost per page. Including those two can help the average consumer get a system that will truly be compatible with their budget.