Best Photocopy Machines For Small Business in 2019. Keep these things in mind as you consider which machine to buy for your business. And now that you know what to look for, here is our list of the top 10 best photocopy machines for small business in 2019. Top 10 Best Copiers For Small Business in 2019 Reviews August 6, 2018 April 9, 2019 Top10Perfect Copier is a highly efficient device expert in multifunctioning.
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Copiers and multifunction printers provide similar, if not the same, functions. In many cases, the biggest difference between these devices is scale: size, number of features and degree of flexibility. When considering either or both as a hardware addition to your office, evaluate which makes the best choice for your company by looking at how many people your device must serve and how much performance you need.
MFP Functions
Multifunction devices scan, print, copy and -- typically but not in all cases -- fax, combining the features of up to four pieces of hardware in one. Most of these devices look like small copiers, and fit a large feature set into a relatively small amount of tabletop space. In exchange for that small footprint, MFPs use tall casework and weigh too much for one person to handle. Their speeds and duty cycles suggest they make a better fit as a networked device serving a small office or workgroup rather than a large number of simultaneous users.
![Copiers Copiers](/uploads/1/2/5/2/125274113/532597682.png)
MFP Advantages and Disadvantages
Some MFPs only do one thing at a time. For example, while they scan, they can't print; while they fax, they can't scan. Others truly multitask, making them better suited to use by multiple people. Despite their many capabilities, they can be jacks of all trades and slightly less than masters of any of them, depending on the scan resolution, print flexibility, copy speed and other performance attributes you require. Inkjet-based MFPs can increase cost of ownership because of the amount of ink they use to serve as copier and printer.
Copier Functions
Today's copiers range far beyond the label in functionality. Many include all the features of a multifunction color printer on a grander scale and with greater speed, support for more sizes of paper, and finishing options that staple, bind and three-hole punch. Most copiers, especially full-size floor-standing models, use laser-based mechanisms that rely on toner, not ink. At the upper end of the price-and-performance scale, these machines come close to the performance of -- or actually qualify as -- digital printing presses.
Copier Advantages and Disadvantages
The more functionality you seek in a copier, the larger its price tag. Like big color laser printers, these devices use large-capacity consumable cartridges that can cost as much as the purchase price of some MFPs for a full set of toner colors. Copiers accommodate multiple paper sizes at the same time in separate paper trays or decks, and can mix sizes in a single document. Large copiers can require their own dedicated spaces, especially if you set up humidity control to manage paper handling and reduce misfeeds or jams.
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About the Author
Elizabeth Mott has been a writer since 1983. Mott has extensive experience writing advertising copy for everything from kitchen appliances and financial services to education and tourism. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from Indiana State University.
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Mott, Elizabeth. 'Copier vs. Multifunction Printer.' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/copier-vs-multifunction-printer-59303.html. Accessed 23 October 2019.
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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.The Insider Pick:Finding the best office printer requires a bit of thinking about how you plan to use it. Do you need speed? Color? Multiple functions? No paper jams? For a versatile printer that'll suit any office, buy the Brother MFC-L5900DW Business Monochrome Laser Printer. It offers amazingly good text printing at high speeds with a rare paper jam.Living in a paperless office sounds like a great idea. No more clutter, preserving trees, etcetera. However, when it comes to the reality of a paperless office, it sounds better as an idea delivered by an executive as part of a feel-good corporate plan than it actually works in reality.Even if your office still needs to print every now and then, it's a huge improvement over the days where people felt the need to print every important email they received. I think I still have a few of those stashed in a drawer somewhere. Although people now are using less paper than they used to, there’s still a need for paper and printing, so we've rounded up the best office printers you can buy.Key considerations for office printersBefore picking an office printer, think about how you want to use the device. Understanding your printing needs will help you make the right choice. Unfortunately, there’s no way to accurately predict just how many paper jams you’ll have to clear with any particular printer.Ink and laser cost: This is one of the toughest aspects of a printer to calculate. As Consumer Reports says, ink costs are incredibly high, costing more than $6,000 per gallon when you consider what you pay for each tiny ink cartridge. Laser costs are cheaper in the long run. Some printer manufacturers will provide you with a cost per page to use the printer, but their measurements don’t always match up with how you’ll be using the printer, so your costs probably will be different. Another aspect of ink cost depends on the number of ink cartridges the machine uses. A color inkjet printer that’s made for photography may have up to eight cartridges, for example, which can be more expensive to replace over time than a simple black-only laser cartridge for a monochrome printer.Paper handling: Different printers will be able to make use of different sizes of paper, as well as different thicknesses of paper. A printer may use a paper tray that can hold 100 or more sheets of paper, or it may use a paper feeder that can hold a couple dozen sheets. Some printers can even print on both sides of the page automatically.Resolution: Printer manufacturers will list the resolution of the printer in dots per inch, or dpi, according to CNET. If the printer resolution is listed as 1200 x 1200 dpi, for example, the printer will lay down 1,200 dots horizontally and vertically per square inch of paper. As a comparison, that’s a better quality of resolution than what you’d find at 300 x 300 dpi. A higher resolution of printer works better with photographs, while a smaller resolution works fine for text documents.Size: Bigger printers tend to have better print speed and larger paper capacities than smaller printers, so a large model may fit better in your office. However, many smaller versions are now available, as PC Mag notes. Or you may even want a small battery powered printer to allow for printing anywhere.Speed: Printer manufacturers list a speed rating for their devices based on the number of pages per minute you can print. These ratings often will be different in black and white versus making color prints. Understand that these ratings are made under the best possible printing conditions, so your real-world results may be slower. Inkjet printers are faster than they used to be, but the top laser printers still can create the fastest black and white prints in the market.Types of office printersYou will encounter a few different terms when looking for an office printer. Understanding what each term means will ensure you have better luck selecting the best model for your office.Laser vs. inkjet: Laser printing is much more affordable than it was several years ago, so this is an option well worth considering. A laser printer is cheaper over the long run when you need to make a lot of text document prints, which makes it a great small business printer, according to Office Depot. Laser printers also are much faster than inkjet printers. Inkjet printers typically are better with graphics, photos, and odd-sized paper than laser printers, as inkjet prints look better on glossy and matte types of photo paper. Color laser printers have improved quite a bit from several years ago, both in terms of quality and cost, but they still carry a higher price tag than a comparable inkjet printer. An extremely busy office that needs speed, a lower cost per print, and high-quality text documents will appreciate the power of a laser printer. If your office needs photo printing for brochures that use odd-size paper, or if you need a lower upfront cost, look for an inkjet printer.Printer-only vs. all-in-one: Some printers only offer print functions, while others offer multiple functions. These all-in-ones will work as copiers, scanners, and fax machines, in addition to their printing capabilities. For a smaller office that doesn’t want the expense or clutter of multiple machines, an all-in-one device makes a lot of sense. For a larger business that needs separate machines to handle the volume, a printer-only option will work better, as print jobs won’t tie up the machine when it’s needed for scanning or copying. However, printer-only devices are becoming harder to find, according to Digital Trends, because of the popularity of all-in-one units.Specialty printers: Several types of specialty printers are in the market, but they may not fit your particular office need. According to Officeworks, some specialty printers include wide format printers for poster-sized prints, mobile printers for battery powered printing, and 3D printers to create objects. Another option is an external tank inkjet printer, which has large tanks of ink, meaning you don’t have to worry about constantly swapping out inkjet cartridges. Large tanks of ink will be cheaper over the long run versus small cartridges.Connection options: Nearly all office printers are able to connect to a network, either through a Wi-Fi connection or an Ethernet cable connection. You also can print through a direct USB connection with a computer or tablet with the majority of printers. Some printers will even print over a Bluetooth or NFC connection with a mobile device.With all that in mind, read on to see which of our top printer picks is best for your office's needs.Although the Brother MFC-L5900DW Business Monochrome Laser Printer is our top office printer pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Canon PIXMA Pro-100 Color Professional Inkjet Printer, the Brother MFC-L8900CDW Business Color Laser All-in-One, the HP DesignJet T120 Large Format Color Printer, and the Epson WorkForce WF-100 Wireless Mobile Printer.