Sharp EL- 2192R Review

All places of business have calculators on the desks of most employees. The majority of these calculators are simple in design and functionality since the necessary functions at most businesses involve only simple math. One business calculator that performs these basic functions but takes up a little more desk space is the Sharp EL-2192R Desktop Business Calculator, an adding machine for the business or home office.

Calculator Commentary:

This Sharp calculator is large in size and this fact needs to be taken into consideration before you decide to add this to your home or business office. I have one of these at my office and I don't think I would ever consider one for the home. The reason is because the large size takes up too much valuable home desk space. Unless you need to add numbers all day long at home (like in the case of a home business), then this unit will likely be too large and too impractical to devote the necessary space to set it up.

For the workplace however, this calculator can come in handy. Yes, it is big. But its size has some advantages. First of all, the large display panel features large numbers that are easy to see and read. They are angled outward, so you don't need to lean forward and look down, like you do with most other calculators. The numbers are close to 10 mm (about three- eights of an inch) in height, so they are easy to see, even from across a room.

Because this unit is large and relatively heavy (when compared to most calculators), it is well-grounded. It won't slide around as you press the keys. The printed tape is clear and easy to read, and it's nice to have the positives and negatives distinguished with their own unique color. Besides that, having the printed tape makes for a good back- up system. You can pull off the tape and quickly spot a mistake.

As for the cons, there are a few with this calculator, just like with any other electronic device. The first thing worth mentioning is the tendency of the ink to run out. Depending on how critical the printed tape is, you might want to consider turning off the tape print function to conserve ink. If you have lots of numbers to punch and you use your calculator with great frequency, there is a good chance the ink will dry up in a matter of a couple of months. When this happens, you must replace the ink rollers. They are inexpensive- costing only about $5.00 each. But it can be a real pain having to constantly change them so it is best to use the print function sparingly.

Another obvious disadvantage of this calculator is its limited computing abilities. Quite simply, this is no substitute for a scientific calculator. It has only the basic functions and is intended for those who don't need to have a multitude of functions on their calculators. It is best suited for an office administrator, accounting clerk, or other accounting/finance professional who needs a device for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing but not much else.

Bottom Line Viewpoint:

Overall, this is a good calculator for those who spend a good deal of time performing basic math functions. It can use up tape and ink quickly with overuse, so you should avoid using the tape function if you can help it. It's large and bulky, but this makes it sturdy and durable. It won't solve algebra or calculus problems, or even square roots or exponential functions. But it's a good device for what it does best- computing simple math problems and printing them out on the cash register- style tape.