Most casual users just want the darn printer to turn on and print right whenever it’s called to service. They want it to print nicely and reliably. If you are that sort of casual user then you may just be very happy with a Lexmark Z22 printer using Lexmark Z22 ink, although nowadays it’s only available used or refurbished. If you are a business or a high-volume user, you just might want a faster machine.

This printer was usually liked by those who purchased it. Many wrote reviews that they were happy with the set up and print quality of the printer. Some of the better qualities most frequently mentioned was the reasonable price, ease of use, and decent color prints using Lexmark ink. You should recognize that this is an older printer made for older computers, so if you have Windows XP you will have to download a driver from Lexmark’s website. If you have Vista, I’m not positive this printer will work for you.

A major consideration for purchasing this printer is the reasonable price. At the time this printer was in production, it was known for being a good deal for what you got. If you have an opportunity to purchase this printer refurbished or used, make sure that it still is a very good deal for a used printer (and make sure it is in good condition too). Z22 printer cartridge is still available online for under fifty bucks.

The major con to consider is the speed of the printer. It only prints 6.5 pages per minute in black and white, and 3.5 pages in color. If you are running a business that requires a high-output printer, then this printer is obviously not for you. For many home users who are simply printing out shorter documents and pages from websites, this speed may be more than adequate for you – unless a super speedy printer has spoiled you already!

Another possible hang-up with this printer is the fact that it requires two separate types of Z22 ink cartridge, but only allows one to be installed at a time. This is how it works: you use one color cartridge to print regular color copies, and the other kind of cartridge to print photos. You will have to switch them out as your color needs change. Again, if you are a low-volume user, this might not be a big deal.

You will also want to know what it can do for you, and if that matches what you need from it. It will take paper as small as 3 by 5 inches, and as large as 8.5 by 17 inches. It holds one hundred sheets of paper at a time, and twenty pages of photo paper and ten envelopes. This printer can interface with your computer by either a parallel or USB cord.

As for Lexmark itself, the company itself is well respected as a manufacturer of computer peripherals. In fact, Fortune magazine listed it as number five in its list of the most admired companies of its kind. It now has grown to such a point that it makes about five billion dollars in revenue a year.