In the old days, all you needed to know about copy machines was that they came in liquid or powder, and that there were really only two major brands. These days, they’re a lot more complicated—you have to choose between black and white or color, analog or digital, Canon or Epson or any of a dozen trusted brands. To the first-time buyer, just looking at modern copy machines with all their features can be daunting.
Choosing a copier doesn’t have to be that hard, though. As with any other device, the trick for buying copy machines is to know what features you need and how much you should pay for them. If you’re on the market for copy machines, here are some things worth keeping in mind:
Copy machines have different working capacities, and it’s important to choose one that matches y
our level of use. To get an idea of the capacity you need, try tracking your paper consumption for a few weeks and estimate how much of it was consumed by your copier. If it’s less than 700 pages, you probably don’t need a business-grade copier—one of the high-end home models might be more practical.
Decide whether you need color or black-and-white copy machines
While you can make black-and-white pages from a color copier, it’s not always the most practical choice. Color copy machines cost around 25% more than black and white ones, and that doesn’t include the color toners which are also more expensive. Unless you print most of your pages in full color, a hybrid copier is a more economical choice.
Compare the print rates of various copy machines
In most copy machines, print rate or speed is the number of pages it can print out per minute. One thing to remember is that the advertised print rates are measured at the lowest quality setting possible (‘draft’ mode in most printers), so it may not apply to your own printing practices. To make up for the gap, overestimate your paper consumption by about 15%—this will also cover future growth for startup businesses.
Check for additional features on copy machines
Most copy machines are now ‘multi-copiers,’ which means they do more than just print. Your copy machine can double as a photo printer or film scanner. Some can even send and receive fax messages, or print files directly from networked computers. However, additional functions generally make copy machines bulkier and more prone to breakage. Make sure you’re getting only the features you need.
