Many people would like to print pages that are larger than the normal page these days and a laser printer 11 x 17 will allow you to print a tabloid-size page that is twice the side of a normal page.  These 11 x 17 laser printers are less common and therefore more expensive than conventional laser printers, but it's often worth it for the ability to do large fast and high quality prints that can't really be done any other way.  You can search online to find the best prices on a laser printer 11 x 17 and also see the local computer stores that sell accessories like printers.

A normal laser printer is great because it can make quick, high-quality prints that don't smudge when wet.  However, most laser printers are built around a normal 8.5 inch by 11 inch piece of paper unlike lots of ink jet printers these days that are able to print both normal sizes and large oversized pieces of paper. If you do find yourself needing to print fast quality 11 by 17 inch prints most days, it may be worth it to find a larger laser printer. 

You should definitely be prepared to pay more for a laser printer 11 x 17 as compared to a more normal size.  Most offices don't need something like this and therefore fewer are made and the prices are higher.  In some cases, they can be incredibly helpful.  If you work at a newspaper or an architectural office, many times a small printer is just not enough to see your products at full size.  A larger format magazine will also be harder to proof on a normal document-sized laser printer.  In addition to the printer being more expensive, the toner cartridges will also be harder to find and more expensive than the smaller cartridges that you have probably purchased in the past. Perhaps the perfect storm is an 11 by 17 color laser printer since it will need four cartridges that are each 11 inches wide!  It's likely that replacing all four cartridges will cost you hundreds of dollars but this may be worth it for the privilege of printing full color tabloid sized documents on-demand and at higher speeds than most ink jets.

When buying a laser printer 11 x 17, it's important to take into account the size and weight of the machine: these are larger and heavier than the conventional laser, and you may need to clear off some space on a very solid table or counter in order to hold it!