Choose the Right Printers, Copiers & Fax Machines: A Shopper’s Guide to Top US Stores

Why the right print solution matters for home and business

Want to stop wasting time wrestling with slow, jam-prone printers or overpaying for ink? Picking the right printer, copier, or fax machine can feel like choosing a new car — you want a model that fits your daily route, your cargo, and your budget. Whether you’re printing photos, shipping labels, invoices, or T-shirt transfers, the right hardware reduces headaches and boosts productivity. Think in terms of pages per minute, duty cycle, and cost per page — but also footprint and flexibility. That’s why shopping at the right stores and comparing options matters: some retailers excel at consumer inkjets while others are better for heavy-duty copiers, specialty equipment like heat presses, or receipt and label printers.

Where to shop: quick overview of reliable stores

If you’re hunting for printers and related gear in the US, several familiar names should be on your radar. The HTML data highlights Cerqular and Walmart — two very different options. Walmart offers broad, affordable choices ranging from receipt printers and heat presses to screen printing starter kits. Cerqular appears on the list for wall art prints in common sizes, which may matter if you’re pairing finished prints with framing or display gear. Beyond those, consider Best Buy for consumer models, Staples and Office Depot for business-grade copiers and managed print services, B&H Photo for pro photo printers, Amazon for variety and fast shipping, and specialty suppliers like Zebra or Dymo for label solutions. Each retailer has strengths depending on whether you’re a hobbyist, a small business, or a production shop.

Cerqular: art prints and wall-ready sizes

Cerqular’s listings include art prints with names like “Nordic Simplicity” and “Branches And Blossoms” in sizes such as 24 x 36 inches, 30 x 40 inches, 16 x 24 inches, and 32 x 48 inches. If you’re decorating an office or retail space, buying prints in standard inch-based sizes makes framing and mounting far easier. Cerqular-style retailers are useful when you need consistent print dimensions for gallery walls or to match a specific frame size, and they can save you the hassle of custom trimming. The key is to know the wall real estate you’re working with: a 24 x 36 inch piece reads as a bold focal point, while a 16 x 24 inch works well in a cluster or as part of a bookshelf display.

Picking the right print size for your room

How do you know whether a 24 x 36 inch print will dominate or complement a wall? A simple trick is to measure the wall in feet and aim for art that occupies 60% to 75% of the furniture width beneath it. For example, over a sofa that’s 6 feet wide, a 40-inch-wide (about 3 feet, e.g., 30 x 40 inch) piece can look balanced without overwhelming the room. Use inches for accuracy: mark out the outline with masking tape first. If you’re creating prints yourself, make sure the printer and paper can handle the target size, or get larger sheets and trim down to 24 x 36 or 30 x 40 inches as needed.

Walmart: budget-friendly variety from receipt printers to heat presses

Walmart’s product mix in the data runs the gamut: Star Micronics receipt printers for point-of-sale systems, multiple Intsupermai heat press machines for hobby and small-business apparel printing, 15 x 15 inch flat heat presses ideal for t-shirts, and Techtongda screen printing kits and lab instruments. That breadth makes Walmart a convenient one-stop for entrepreneurs building a home-based print business or makers testing new product lines. If you’re setting up a small apparel side hustle, a 15 x 15 inch heat press plus a basic screen printing kit and a reliable label printer can cover most needs without breaking the bank.

When a dot matrix or impact receipt printer makes sense

Not every receipt job needs thermal. For multi-part invoices, carbon copy forms, or environments with heavy dust, an impact dot matrix or impact receipt printer like the Star Micronics model from Walmart can be a rugged choice. They’ll print multiple copies in one pass and survive rougher working conditions, though they’re louder and slower than thermal alternatives. If you print continuous forms or need durability over crisp graphics, an impact printer is worth considering. Just remember they’re measured in inches and pounds, not finesse — they’re workhorses that get the job done.

Heat presses and screen printing: small-run apparel made simple

Machines like a 15 x 15 inch flat heat press are perfect for transferring vinyl, sublimation, or heat-transfer paper onto shirts. For multi-color designs and small production runs, a 4-color, 2-station screen printing press can be a game-changer. Screen kits let you print dozens of shirts per hour once you’re dialed in. If you’re balancing space and output, that 15 x 15 inch press is compact enough for a home studio yet large enough to handle adult-sized T-shirts. Pair it with quality inks and a workstation that’s at least 6 feet by 8 feet to move comfortably while printing and curing garments.

Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot & other national options

Outside the two stores highlighted, national retailers fill important niches. Best Buy tends to stock consumer inkjets and laser printers and often runs bundle deals. Staples and Office Depot are go-to choices for businesses needing copiers, managed print services, or leasing options for high-volume machines. B&H Photo is a pro favorite for large-format photo printers and archival inks, while Amazon offers a broad selection and fast shipping for many models. For label and industrial printers, look to dedicated suppliers such as Zebra, Dymo, or Uline. Choosing the right store depends on whether you need fast support, on-site installation, or the lowest price on a single desktop unit.

Leasing vs buying: what small businesses should consider

If your shop prints hundreds to thousands of pages each month, leasing a high-volume copier from Staples or Office Depot can make cash flow sense compared with buying outright. Leasing often bundles maintenance and toner, stabilizing monthly costs. But if you print light to moderate volumes under a few hundred pages a month, buying a reliable desktop laser or inkjet — either from Best Buy, Amazon, or a specialty seller — will likely be cheaper over time. When comparing options, calculate total cost of ownership in dollars per page, factoring in toner or ink cartridges, maintenance kits, and expected duty cycles.

How to compare printers across stores: a shopper’s checklist

Comparing models is easier if you use a checklist. Start with intended use: photo printing, office documents, labels, garment transfers, or receipts. Next, look at pages per minute (PPM), duty cycle (monthly maximum), and connectivity options (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB). Check the footprint in inches and the weight in pounds if you have limited space. Evaluate ink or toner costs — some printers use subscription ink plans that lower cost per page, while others have expensive cartridges. Don’t forget paper handling: can it accept 8.5 x 11 inch letter, 11 x 17 inch tabloid, or 13 x 19 inch wide formats if you need them?

Understanding PPM, duty cycle, and cost per page

PPM tells you how fast a printer gets through jobs; for home use, 15 to 25 PPM is fine, while offices might aim for 30+ PPM. Duty cycle indicates how many pages a machine can handle monthly — smaller units might rate at 10,000 pages, while production copiers could be rated for 100,000. Cost per page is the real money metric: total the cost of replacement ink or toner and divide by page yield to see the per-page expense in cents. If you print many pages, a laser printer with low cost per page will save you dollars in the long term despite a higher upfront price.

Specialty devices: label printers, receipt printers, and industrial gear

Not all printing needs are paper-and-ink. Label printers from Zebra or Dymo excel at shipping and inventory labels — think 4 x 6 inch shipping labels or narrow product labels. For retail, Star Micronics and Epson offer dedicated receipt printers. Industrial printing, like dot matrix machines, handles multipart forms or continuous-feed jobs. If you sell on marketplaces and ship daily, a thermal label printer will speed packing and reduce labeling errors. For retail checkout, a reliable receipt printer and cash drawer integration are essential. The right specialty device can streamline a specific workflow much better than a general-purpose printer.

Choosing the right label printer for shipping and inventory

Thermal direct label printers are fast and low-maintenance for 4 x 6 inch shipping labels — they don’t use ink and are measured in inches, so confirm label roll width matches your requirements. Thermal transfer models add a ribbon to create durable, long-lasting labels for inventory or outdoor use. Consider whether you’ll need wireless connectivity or a compact desktop unit. For high-volume shipping, pair a desktop thermal printer with software that prints directly from your order management system for the smoothest workflow.

Money-saving tips when buying printing equipment

You can cut the lifetime cost of printing by planning ahead. Buy high-yield cartridges or refillable tanks if available, or sign up for ink subscription services to reduce cost per page. Watch for seasonal sales around back-to-school and Black Friday when retailers like Best Buy and Walmart mark down printers and bundles. Consider refurbished or certified pre-owned units for high-volume copiers — these can come with warranties and save substantial dollars. Finally, buy a slightly larger machine than you need, not a significantly smaller one: underestimating volume forces costly upgrades and downtime.

Setting up a compact print shop at home

If you’re turning a hobby into a side business, start with the essentials: a reliable desktop printer, a 15 x 15 inch heat press for apparel, a label printer for shipping, and a small screen printing press if you plan multi-color runs. Allocate a workspace of at least 6 feet by 8 feet so you can move between pressing, curing, and storage. Shelving that holds paper rolls and inks keeps supplies organized. Use a small cart on wheels for the printer and press so you can reconfigure the space when you need room for drying or packing orders.

Final buy-or-lease decision: summary checklist

Before you click buy, ask: what’s my monthly page volume? Do I need color photo quality or simple mono text? Is countertop space limited in inches? Will I expand production in the next year? For occasional home use, buy an inkjet or small laser. For predictable business volumes, compare leasing versus buying for copiers and production machines. If you rely on shipping and inventory, prioritize a thermal label printer. Match the store to your needs: Walmart or Amazon for accessible combos and hobby gear, Best Buy for consumer tech, Staples or Office Depot for business services, and specialty vendors for pro photo or label hardware.

Choosing the right printer, copier, or specialty machine is all about matching the tool to the job. With the stores highlighted here — from Cerqular’s ready-made print sizes to Walmart’s broad selection of heat presses and receipt printers — you’ve got options for decor, small runs, and scaled operations. Measure your space in inches, plan capacity in pages per month, and remember to factor in long-term supply costs in dollars per page. With a little prep, you’ll pick equipment that works as hard as you do.