The first consideration when choosing a printer is the number of pages you expect to run through the machine. Low-volume dot matrix printers sell for only a few hundred dollars; however, these machines are not designed for high-volume printing. If the printer will be used to print more than 50 pages per day, make sure to get a machine designed for high-volume usage.

A second consideration is the number of parts used in the forms to be printed. A good rule of thumb is to look for a printer that can handle just the number of parts you need to print. This will ensure that the printer does not work harder than it must to print through the parts, thereby increasing the life of its printhead.