Copiers DC

One of the first comparisons you need to make is the difference between analog and digital. Traditional analog machines are certainly simple to use; working on tried and tested technology, they use an old-fashioned Xerox process to make copies. However, most companies are phasing out analog copiers, and new analog copy machines are now few or none.

Digital copiers offer a range of advantages that is helping make them standard kit for most offices, big or small. First and foremost, they can be connected to your office network, and so can be used not just to make copies of existing paper printouts, but also used as printers, combining the ease of use of a printer with the functionality of a copier - as well as being more cost-effective. These modern copiers can also be used as fax machines - so you can create and send a fax from your desktop without having to get up or ever creating a paper copy, helping reduce costs, tackle storage issues, and minimize waste.

Digital copiers are also quieter and generally more reliable than analog copiers. For all these reasons, unless your budget is such that you may find a new digital copier prohibitively expensive (and costs are coming down all the time), an analog machine should be seen as a second choice.

There are also a host of extra features available for photocopiers, such as document feeders, sorter bins and finishers, and we will look at these below.

When choosing a copier for your business, such as Xerox, Canon copier, or another kind, you should bear in mind two main factors; what tasks you are going to require the copier to fulfill, and the performance you will need from it in terms of volume, speed, and so on. By thinking clearly about both aspects, you will get a clearer idea of the sort of money you will need to spend on new copy machines.

First, what are you going to use the copier for? If your needs are limited, and you’ll just be using it for making copies of paper documents, a basic black and white copier will probably suffice. Even so, most modern digital copiers are multi-functional devices, capable of copying, printing, faxing and even scanning. In some cases you may be able to get these additional features as optional add-ons at a later date, so if you’re not sure about your requirements in this respect, that might be a useful option to explore.

The other main issue to consider when choosing a new copy machine is the volume and speed you’re going to need from it. Does your business print off large runs of documents, forms, letters or other printouts? Copiers vary significantly in terms of speed of output – ranging from 15 pages per minute to 100. If your business regularly prints large batches of paperwork, this could tie up a slower machine for most of the morning! In that case, you would want to consider a more powerful copier (or, of course, look at sourcing more than one copier to save time).

Do not overlook the importance of choosing a copier that can handle the volume of copies you’re going to make every month. If your business will be making more than about 750 copies per month, you should think about going for a proper “business” copier that will be able to handle what you ask of it.

The temptation is obviously to answer “yes” to this question, but once again you need to be honest with yourself about your office’s needs. Color copies are significantly more expensive than black and white; color machines themselves run at around 20% more than regular copiers, and color consumables like copier toner attract a similar premium. For these reasons alone it’s worth asking yourself if you’re really going to need that extra functionality.

If you seldom require color copies you may find that it is better to go for a black and white copier – you can always go to a specialist reprographics business for special projects. If you are going to need multiple copy machines, consider selecting just one color copier, as this could well be enough to handle any color copying needs you may have. You can then use black and white copiers to handle the bulk of your copying, thereby saving you valuable resources.