Macromac's guide to buying a photocopier
Here at Macromac, we want each of our customers to make the best decision to suit their needs when buying a office copier. Our dedicated team are on hand to talk you through the current options and help you in making the right choice. Give us a call today and we will be happy to help! We also understand that some customers would like to do a little research before finding out more. For this reason, we have added a buyer’s guide to our site, which we hope that you will find useful. You can also take a look at the history of the office copier.
Most modern copiers have a number of paper feed trays which accommodate different sized paper (for example, A4 and A3). Faster machines tend to have at least one large-capacity A4 bin that takes 1000 to 5000 sheets, plus an A4R tray to cover reduction of A3 originals to A4 copies.
Again, usage and volume are the deciding factors here. A rule of thumb is that, on average, you should not expect to fill your machine with paper more than once a day.
A formula for calculating the size of the main bin would be: (Copies per month / working days per month) x 1.5 to allow peaks in usage and round up to nearest 500 (paper ream).
So an office with an average monthly volume of 30,200 copies working a 5-day week would work out at (30200/20) x 1.5 = 2265, rounded up to 2500.
A Canon iR2530i has a standard capacity of 1,100 sheets with an option of another 1,100 sheets. It would be a close call as to whether the 2500-capacity side paper deck would be necessary. If the office, were to expand in the future, it would be wise to add it.
When trying to decide which machine is best for your organisation, it is very useful to have an idea of the estimated monthly volume of copies you intend to make. If you are upgrading, information of current use can be obtained from your present copier or through invoices from your supplier. Remember to factor in if there are peaks and troughs in your Office copier usage. If the usage is not spread evenly, it is worth considering a faster machine to meet demand during the busy times.
| Copier Range | Average Monthly Vol (copies/month) | Recommended Speed Range (ppm) | Comments |
| Low | less than 8,000 | up to 20 ppm | Be careful - very low speed copiers/multifunction devices are only suitable as desktop machines doing a few hundred copies/ month |
| Mid | 8,000 - 10,000 | 20 - 25 ppm | Most copiers in this range now come with advanced options such as document feeders, sorters, finishers etc. |
| Mid | 10,000 - 20,000 | 25 - 35ppm | If speed is a priority, then keep an eye on the more economically priced 40 ppm machines |
| Mid | 20,000 - 30,000 | 35 - 45 ppm | Some vendors promote a 50 -60 ppm machine for this range but this isn't really necessary |
| Mid | 30,000 - 40,000 | 45 - 49 ppm | Upper mid-volume territory. Consider 50-60 ppm if speed is a priority |
| High | 30,000 - 40,000 | 50 - 60 ppm | If on a tight budget or speed is not a priority, then consider a 45 - 49 ppm |
| High | 40,000 - 75,000 | 50 - 90 ppm | The 50-60 ppm recommended above can go higher than 40,000 copies/month. However, speed will be the determining factor. |
| High | 75,000 - 100,000 | 75 - 100 ppm | This volume is in the high volume usage range. You will need to get competitive quotes and to get the best buy for your money. Analyse all the features carefully! |
As with paper capacity, replenishing the photocopier toner needs to be taken into consideration. Most modern machines have come a long way in this field and it is now something that needs to be done less often and with greater ease. Some of the more advanced machines will even let you change toner without halting production.
This is a decision that really does come into play with the smaller machines. Nearly all our machines listed will handle A4 paper size, which is fine for most applications. If being able to copy / print in A3 is a requirement, then this will discount a lot - but not all - the desktop photocopiers.
Most copiers have a reduction / enlargement option but it is always worth checking that this will meet your requirements.
Unless you are a company that likes to socialise around the photocopier, then a document feeder option is well worth considering. Make sure that the ADF capacity will match the stack and size of the original documents you normally copy.
Finishing options are not just limited to the production environment. Stapling, collating or hole-punching are some of the finishing options that will help to boost the efficiency of your office photocopier. Again this really depends upon how much these features would be used to offset the cost of the option.
Some machines have P.I.N. (Personal Identification Number) access features that provide control over access and allow some basic data on usage for cost-recovery purposes. Networked digital copiers usually have a "secure print" option that allows a confidential file to be sent to the copier, but not printed until the sender releases this with a code at the copier itself.
Many modern digital photocopiers have the ability to be connected to a network. This can be a great advantage since network copiers acting as a printer can greatly reduce printing costs. Productivity increases by allowing automatic downloading and production of multiple first-generation copies. The scan-to-file option on many modern copiers has the advantage of moving towards the "paperless office". By digitally archiving documents, offices will no longer have to keep hard copies of the original documents, thereby saving valuable office space and resources.
When planning to buy a new photocopier, it is advisable to do a few calculations that will give an indication of the machine's Total Cost of Ownership over its planned life cycle and to translate this into an effective net cost per copy. This is not always an exact science as in some circumstances the cost per copy can be more but the improved efficiency in the office may result in cost savings overall.
The total cost of ownership is the capital cost plus the total copy charge, minus other savings factors.
The capital cost can either be the purchase price of the copier or the lease charges over the period. The option to lease or to buy outright depends on the company situation. Leasing a copier over a five-year period would give a capital cost at around 20% higher than an outright purchase. However, not funding the initial outlay and spreading the cost over the five-year period would in turn have its advantages. Copy charge or service charge is sometimes also known as "pay per click". In most cases this will cover maintenance of the machine and repairs if something were to go wrong. It may cover toner but would not cover other consumables such as staples or, of course paper. The "pay per click" charge will vary depending upon the machine and volume.
Colour is no longer out of budget for the average office and with the enhanced presentation of documents that it provides, it is a worthwhile consideration. Although consumables are more expensive with colour, do remember that the best business MFPs offer mono and colour simultaneously. It's also possible to disable the colour on the MFPs if you do not need colour now but will do so in the future. High-end models apply all four colours in a single application. Low-end machines take four passes of the same image, rolling the paper around the drum four times to apply each color. Whilst low-end technology is less expensive, it also makes for slower copying speeds.
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“CUSTOM MADE” SOLUTIONS FOR YOU
Outright Purchase Photostate Machine
Lease a Copier
Rent-to-Own Photocopying Machine
Short Term Rental of Photocopier Machine
Maintenance & Repair Copying Machine
Consummables (Toner, Drums), accessories, supplies and replacement parts e.g. cartridge.
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