What kind of copier do i need

While the notion of a paperless office sounds great in principle, the reality is that many small or home office SOHO businesses still have a need to copy printed documents frequently enough to consider having an in-house copier. The old-style standalone office copy machines have nearly disappeared in the digital age, replaced by multifunction printers that combine the functions of printing, copying, scanning, and optionally faxing into a single device.

Inkjets are capable of printing at much higher resolutions making them more suitable for graphics, especially photographs. Printer manufacturers sell the devices at or below cost and instead make their profits on selling ink and toner. That bargain inkjet or laser may not be as great of a deal as you thought when it comes time to replace the expensive ink or toner cartridge s. This requires a subscription service, the cost of which is based on the number of pages you print per month.

While a subscription service might save you time over ordering or driving to a store, you want to factor in the monthly cost versus your printing output. Fortunately, most inkjet and some laser toner cartridges can be refilled at a much lower cost. Companies such as Costco offer one-hour inkjet refills. Refill kits are also available for the do-it-yourself types, but refilling inkjet or toner cartridges is messy and not for the mechanically-challenged. You can also reduce the amount of ink you use by using smaller fonts, previewing and proofing your document before printing, and using "Draft" or "Print in Grayscale" options.

Also, note that you still have more ink in your cartridges even when you get the "low ink" warning. The number of pages that can be printed with a particular cartridge, referred to as ISO yield, will give you a rough idea of how often the cartridges will need replacement.

While it might not be necessary for your needs, there are advantages to two-sided printing such as saving paper. Along with saving on paper costs and the environment, double-sided printing can make stapling packets of paper easier as well. In this additional article, we break down all the pros and cons of leasing an MFP rather than buying it outright. Regardless of your budget, there are always options available. Some of our customers will opt to buy a refurbished used copier, which is traditionally much less expensive upfront but, depending on the age of the device, also means it may cost more to keep serviced.

Consumables such as ink or toner cartridges can become quite an expense over time. You also need to decide if you will pay for service on a time and materials basis or if you will purchase a service contract. The ease of replacement and cost of replacement of supplies are both significant factors to look at when choosing a copier.

After all, replacing toner and ink will likely be one of the most common services performed on the copier over its lifetime. Does the company you are buying or leasing from having an easy ordering process or do you have to jump through hoops, wait on hold, or contact the manufacturer? For example, at Office Interiors, we offer our customers a few different options to acquire their supplies. There are a number of trusted brand names in the industry like Ricoh, Xerox, Konica Minolta and others ; each offering their own unique products and features.

Having options available to you when shopping for a new copier can help you make the most informed decision. You want to trust that the brand you are choosing will continue to offer support and parts for your copier well into the future.

Companies with well-known and respected names in the industry have worked for decades to build their reputations. However, even more, important than picking a reputable manufacturer, is picking a reliable local dealer.

The local dealership from whom you buy your copier will be your service provider and the customer experience can vary wildly between dealerships.

Ask them about their typical response times, their billing process, how you are to order additional toner and consumables and what is or is not included in their service agreements. Are you a Mac office or a PC office? Does it even matter when choosing a copier? Hint… It does. Having a reliable printer for your business is as essential, if not more essential, than having a copier.

Many businesses now rely on their copy machine as the communal office printer. Most multifunction printers can be connected to your network, allowing staff to send documents to the copier right from their desk. You can utilize all the features of the copier right from your desktop computer, including stapling, double-sided printing, hole-punching, etc.

Buying less office equipment and using the time-saving features of a copier could ultimately save you money. There are often instances when your business will need a scanner. A multifunction printer can also double as your office scanner. Advanced scanner options for multifunction printers include:.

There are some instances where you will need to send a fax. Fortunately, with a multifunction printer, there is no need to have a separate fax machine. Multifunction printers can send and receive faxes. Depending on your network interface, some multifunction printers can also send a fax from a computer.

Most multifunction printers have email capability. You can enter and store frequently-used email addresses into the machine for quick recall. You can scan documents and send them to an email address. The ability to print double-sided copies is a common and convenient feature. A large document printed double-sided uses half the amount of paper that would be required for one-sided printing, saving you money and sparing the environment. By collating, each copy of the multipage document will print in its original order.

Some of the edits that can be made to your document include:. If your multifunction printer will be receiving confidential faxes or have restricted access to only a few, you will want some built-in security. Some devices can be locked and require a code for use. If you are receiving confidential faxes, the faxes can be stored and locked until the code is entered. Copiers consume a decent amount of electricity.

The benefits of this feature include:. With an automatic document feeder ADF , you set all the pages in a tray. The feeder pulls all the pages, copies the pages, and prints the copied pages. Some copiers offer a sorting option. Some copiers have advanced finishing options. Depending on the finishing options your machine has, there may be an extra cost.

Some of the available options include:.