An office copier is a significant investment for any business, and an essential tool that everyone in the office will probably come to rely on daily. The pressure to choose the right copier for the job can be immense.
The “right” copier for the job depends on the tasks you and your business need it to perform. Not every copier needs all the most cutting-edge features to be the right fit. It’s mostly a matter of deciding what you need a copier for and locating the best place to get it.
This article will take you through the major features of office copiers and how best to decide which one is right for you.
Office Copiers and Their Features
Businesses come in all shapes and sizes, as do the copiers that serve them. That’s why it’s a $9.8 billion global industry. The needs of a production house that requires color-accurate glossy prints won’t be the same as an office that needs to print out reams of data.
Besides the brand names, price tags, and overall quality of the machines, every office copier comes with a different combination of features to suit varying customer needs. To this end, some models have more advanced features than others.
To get the most out of your machine, you need to choose that magic combination of features that meets your needs, but won’t cost you an arm and a leg in the process. Here are the major areas to consider:
Color, Monochrome and Everything in Between
Choice of color is the first thing most people look at when choosing a printer. We all know the score: black and white is far cheaper to print than color, and the ink and toner are easier to replace, but you don’t get the quality and range of colors that color printing provides. Beneath the surface, however, there’s a whole lot more to color choice.
Not all office copier color options are created equal. The prints created by high-quality Pantone printers on glossy paper will differ wildly in quality from those from a budget printer offering color as an added bonus. Add color accuracy – which is important for print media and design – to the equation, and things can get complicated, and expensive.
Skimping on color accuracy in depth can be a mistake in some fields, but make little difference in others. Consider how important color will be to your business before making a decision in this regard.
Image Quality
The scanner component of an office copier is often as important as the printer. Needless to say, the quality of the scanner can vary greatly too. Not every document requires 1200 PPI (pixels per inch) scans, after all. Some copiers have features (quite often included with the software) that allow for advanced customization of recent scans, and offer more editing options.
Such bells and whistles are nice to have in a scanner, but don’t come cheap. So, ensure that your office will need as many scanner features as possible before opting for a high-end copier that offers them.
Wireless Functionality
Most office copiers come with LAN network functionality. Technology, however, is increasingly going wireless. Having a copier that can process print orders from wirelessly connected laptops, smartphones, and tablets can be ideal for employees on the move.
Speed
Ask any employee in a hurry, and they’ll tell you that speed is everything in a good copier. This feature is actually more multifaceted than you might think. Several factors (besides having a meeting in five minutes) can impact how “fast” or “slow” an office copier is seen to be. These factors include:
- The actual print speed of the machine, measured in pages per minute (PPM). Larger printers can average 60ppm, while smaller models print at a slower 25ppm.
- The start-up time and warm-up cycle of the copier. This can range from almost instantaneous up to a minute.
- The speed of the scanner and copier features.
- The wireless or network connectivity of the copier. Long queues for a copier with limited processing and printing power can cause lengthy delays to office workflow.
Just like most modern conveniences, you’ll pay for more speed. But not every business needs to be churning out stacks of paper at high speed every day. Again, consider your output needs before deciding to spend extra on a much faster machine.
Paper
Different copiers are designed to handle paper of varying weights (measured in gsm) and texture. Just putting photo paper into a standard copier doesn’t mean that it’ll print without issues. In fact, it’ll probably jam. Custom paper sizes that differ from standard copier sizes also need special consideration.
Be sure to ask your retailer about the paper weight and dimensions a copier can handle, to make sure it can deal effectively with the type of paper you’ll need to print with it.
Security
Printers are a notorious weak point when it comes to network security. Being part of a network, running an operating system of its own, and servicing many devices all combine to make an office copier vulnerable to being hacking. But copier security is often overlooked, with disastrous results.
Choose an office copier with a decent level of security. This could include data encryption, app or biometric user access, and regular deletion of old data. What’s more, ensure that the software is regularly updated to prevent unwanted access.
If you’re planning on buying your copier from a retailer that offers managed print services, enquire about their network security capabilities.
Finishing Options
High volume copy machines often offer finishing options to make large print jobs easier to organize. Many models offer a variety of trays for paper sorting, while some are advanced enough to fold and staple paper automatically, or even make booklets.
These are great features to have, but not always necessary.
Supplies and Parts
An office copier will always cost more than the initial investment. There are toner and paper costs to consider, and the inevitable costs of repairs that follow years of tireless printing. So, considering the cost of replacement parts, especially in the case of certain brands, is vital when choosing a machine. Does the manufacturer supply parts locally? Are there repair experts readily available to fix your type of copier?
More advanced office copiers may be more reliable, but can eat through toner and more expensive paper more quickly. If the price of supplies is beyond your budget, consider a more basic machine.
The Right Office Copier Partner
The features of an office copier are important considerations when making your investment. Bells and whistles are great, but only insofar as you need them. Your valuable cash-flow is probably better spent elsewhere than on office copier features that you never use.
Discussing your needs with a knowledgeable retail partner can greatly simplify the process of deciding which office copier is best for you. And if you’re in the New York, Totowa, Cherry Hill, Edison, or Ft. Washington area, we are that partner.
At Docutrend, we have over 20 years of expertise at delivering the best copier for the best value possible. Contact us to discuss your needs and get a quote today.