We are looking into the possibility of printing our own stuff (double sided two-color 8.5 x 11 sheets). Our product values often change depending on what we are printing, so it is not cost effective to print large quantities to achieve volume discounts (just like most small presses!).

We are also pricing short digital runs of 25, 50, 75 sheets, etc. I have researched some HP printers online and I'm trying to calculate ink cost per page, paper cost, # of pages per the life of the machine, etc. to determine if we would save money in the long run by handling this in-house. We would also consider leasing a machine.

I would appreciate any recommendations re: the most cost effective way to handle this situation as well as recommended color printer brands and printer vendors. It seems difficult to adequately assess a machine from reading the info online. The printer I was looking at was the Color LaserJet 5550 Printer Series (for 11 x 17 paper).

Dear Sheila,

You are entering a minefield here. It's easy to find out how much it will cost using an external supplier. For instance, a lot of places online have a quoting facility—and there's no need to give them your contact details (so no hard sell) until you're ready to order.

The difficulty comes when you set out to buy your own printer. Be clear about the toner coverage you need. Some companies will quote a 'cost per page' but that's normally _base_d around minimal toner coverage - maybe _base_d on text only. As soon as you start adding charts or photos, watch your costs rocket upwards.

Do the design in house and send the job out to be printed!!