What To Look For To Replace Your Copier Or Printer

Though the idea of a paperless office is appealing in theory, many small or home office (SOHO) firms do continue to copy printed documents often enough to justify investing in an in-house copier.

In the modern era, standalone office copy machines have almost vanished, replaced by multifunction printers that integrate writing, copying, scanning, and optionally faxing functions into a single unit.

In today’s words, a “copier” is typically a printer with built-in scanning capabilities, allowing a paper to be copied to be read and replicated by the printer.

Copier/printer machines, like most appliances, are getting cheaper while offering more capabilities, and the ease of copying at home rather than going to a print/copy store can’t be beat.

Office equipment supplier in Concord, California

Here are some of the things to consider before replacing your copier or printer:

1. Consider the cost.

Although you can exclude printer and ink/toner charges from your income, you do have to pay for them up front, which can add up quickly.
Consider the cost of ink or toner when purchasing a printer or copier, particularly if you’ll be printing or copying frequently.
Printer makers benefit from the sale of ink and toner rather than pricing the printers at or below cost.
Many businesses equip their units with ink/toner cartridges with embedded microchips that prohibit “unofficial” cartridges from being used or with “starter” toner cartridges that have half the usual ability to ensure they get their money’s worth.

2. Consider the volume.

Most small business printer/copiers aren’t designed to handle a lot of work, so review the unit’s suggested use (pages per month duty cycle).
The ISO yield, or the number of pages that can be written for a single cartridge, can give you a general estimate of how frequently the cartridges will need to be replaced.
Even if you have an in-house printer/copier, it can make sense to outsource larger print/copy jobs or specialized printing, such as brochures, to a local or online copy/print provider.
Large-volume printing/copying on less costly printers/copiers is clearly not cost-effective, particularly for color documents or images, due to the high cost of ink and toner.

3. Consider its connectivity.

To use as a printer, you must have the necessary equipment attached, such as your phone, to issue the print order. Apart from direct USB connection to a PC, most printers/copiers have network access, which can be wired, wireless, or a combination of both.
This has the benefit of reducing cables and allowing you to print from a range of devices, such as your tablet or computer.

4. Consider the different printing methods available.

Select a copier that can accommodate a wide range of document sizes and weights, as well as other media including transparencies and index cards.
If you’re worried about copying from books, look for copiers that provide flatbed copying. Many have sheet feeders, which come in handy if you need to copy several documents at once.
The ability to print/copy from both sides of the page is known as duplexing. Though it might not be sufficient for your needs, two-sided printing has benefits such as saving paper.
Double-sided printing can make stapling packets of paper faster, in addition to saving money and the environment.

5. Consider response time.

Warm-up-free printers and copiers are suitable for small and home offices, where the computer can sit idle for hours or days.
High print/copy speeds are fine, but they won’t save you time if you have to wait minutes for the machine to warm up when it wakes up from sleep mode.
Printers and copiers now have a first copy time of under 10 seconds.

Are You Looking for A Business Photocopier Near Concord, California?

Office Machine Specialists has been servicing and selling office equipment since 1995. A family-run business that has dedicated our efforts to providing the best equipment options and after-sales service to our clients. Our goal is to ask the right questions and guide our customers to make smart decisions about new machine leases and purchases. We were servicing copiers long before the internet was a viable resource, and have transitioned to the digital workflow environment of color printing, scanning, account control, and fleet management. With over 20 years in the industry, we have extensive experience with many brands and consider OMS to be a valuable resource to any organization. Contact us for all of your copier needs here!

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