Purchasing a Copier? Here Are the Copier Features You Need

Which copier features do I need?

Copier features vary widely; your business’s size, copying volume and other needs will dictate your choice. 

“Today’s copier is more than a copier — it’s a digital multifunction printer (MFP) enabling copying, printing, scanning and often faxing capabilities,” explained Robert Covington, senior product manager at Toshiba America Business Solutions. “By sharing common components, what was once four separate pieces of office equipment is now one that often outperforms its standalone predecessor.”

Consider the following essential features most businesses should look for when choosing a copier.

• General multifunction features: A multifunction (or all-in-one) copier will serve most companies well. Multifunction copiers can copy, print, scan, email and fax documents.
• Automatic document feeder: Most copiers feature an automatic document feeder that can feed multiple original pages into the copier without an operator manually positioning each one.
• Size options: Another helpful feature is a copier’s ability to reduce or enlarge the size of a document. Many copiers can enlarge a document by up to 600 percent, while others also allow printing onto nonstandard-sized paper and envelopes as small as 3 inches by 3 inches. Some support printing on legal paper (8.5 inches by 14 inches), oversized paper and many standard paper sizes between the minimum and maximum settings.
• Large paper drawer capacity: Businesses with high-volume copying needs will want a machine with a significant paper drawer capacity. Companies that frequently need different paper sizes should look for multiple drawers that accommodate various paper stock sizes.
• Automatic sorting: An automatic collator will collate multiple copies of a long document. Machines with automatic collators usually have binding equipment to staple or otherwise bind copies of collated documents. To evaluate the performance of feeders, sorters, collators and binders, consider how long the original document can be and how many copies can be made, collated and bound in a single batch.

What are the types of copiers?

Businesses typically use one of two types of copiers: analog and digital. 

Analog copiers

Analog systems are an older technology that uses an internal mirror to copy the original document’s image onto a drum inside the machine. Then, using static electricity, toner particles create the mirrored image on the drum. The machine uses a heated element to dry and set the toner in place on a sheet of paper, creating a copy of the original document.

Modern systems are rapidly replacing this copier type, which lacks many of the features businesses expect today. However, you can still find analog copiers from established vendors at reasonable prices.

Digital copiers

A more modern approach uses a digital system to copy the original document into memory. A laser imprints the information copied from the original document onto a drum inside the machine. The machine then applies toner and prints a copy of the document. 

Since you can link a digital copier to different networks in an office, you can use digital document sharing to send an image to another networked device. Digital document sharing is an extremely useful feature for many businesses.

Whether you have a home business, a small to midsize business or a larger enterprise, you can find digital system copiers to serve your needs. Consider the following:

• Home business copiers: At the home business level, copiers are compact and designed for tabletop use, typically featuring a single paper tray and a single output tray. They have high ink costs and a high cost per page (CPP), but require little investment or maintenance. Copiers at this level have a useful life of three to five years and are designed to be replaced rather than repaired.
• Small business copiers: Small business copiers usually offer full functionality, including sorting, stapling and producing multiple sets of documents. These copiers are either purchased or leased and typically come with maintenance plans. They generally have a useful life of five to 10 years. You can often sell or trade in used machines for new models. Even with maintenance costs included, the CPP for these machines is usually excellent.
• Commercial-grade copiers: Commercial-grade machines are designed for use in copy and print establishments, post offices, coffee shops and busy offices — anywhere people need to make multiple copies in various sizes, formats or bindings. These machines typically feature sophisticated touch screens that support departmental accounting, access codes and card-reader attachments. At the high end, they can produce comb-bound reports, saddle-stitched catalogs and documents in multiring binders. Speeds are blazingly fast, even for color, and the CPP is very low.

Copier features and costs compared

Here’s a look at the costs and general features of the three main copier tiers: home business, small business and commercial. 

What else should I consider before choosing a copier?

When selecting a copier vendor, consider your business’s specific needs in the following areas:

• Copy volume: Consider the volume of copying you’ll need on any given day or week. If the workload is expected to be high, you may want to invest in a sizable multifunction copier with a high pages-per-minute (PPM) rate, an automatic feeder and sorting functions. If your expected copy volume is currently minimal, do you anticipate it increasing in the near future? The more likely it is that your workload will grow, the more worthwhile it may be to invest in a more comprehensive system.
• Finishing options: Finishing options refer to the final touches a copier can apply to documents. One example is cover interposing, which automatically inserts cover sheets into printed documents. There’s also a feature called a “mail bin,” which sorts copied or printed documents into different bins for various employees within an office.
• Network features: Your business may have unique technical considerations that your copiers must support. For example, you may need network security features to control which employees can access the machine, the number of copies they can make, or whether they can print in color. Your copier may also need to send alerts over the network to specific users if there’s a paper jam or the paper drawer needs refilling. This feature allows the copier to be serviced shortly after an issue arises.
• Energy conservation: Many businesses are interested in conserving energy, and specific copiers can contribute to this goal. Some copiers feature automatic sleep modes that activate when the device is not in use. There are also toner-saving settings and duplex (double-sided) printing options that conserve resources and help the environment while reducing paper and toner waste.
• Accessibility: Consider if any employees need accessibility accommodations when using a copier. Many copiers include accessibility features such as adjustable handles, enlarged and tiltable displays, Braille label kits, and voice-recognition software to assist users. It’s crucial to consider the needs of all your team members and appropriate business accommodations when choosing a copier.

How do I choose a copier?

Choosing the best copier for your office can feel overwhelming, especially with the numerous features available on the market, technical jargon to parse, and a wide range of pricing options. Following the steps below can make the process easier.

• Evaluate your copier needs: Determine how often your office will use the copier, how many people will rely on it and which additional features they may need, such as scanning, finishing or sorting. Then, gauge how much physical space you can allocate for the machine. “As the number of users sharing a given MFP grows, it becomes easier to justify investing a little more to provide more benefits,” said Covington.
• Factor in your budget: Account for a copier’s long-term expenses, not just upfront costs, including maintenance, toner and employee training. Weigh the costs of a higher-powered model against its lower-powered counterparts, as the former may ultimately be the more cost-effective option for your business. “A higher-speed device will be more productive,” Covington explained. “Usually, these offer a lower CPP, too. They can usually hold more paper and manage higher volumes more economically.”
• Anticipate future tech needs: When evaluating your copier needs, don’t just think about the present; plan for the future as well, as technologies are rapidly evolving. “People often overlook that today’s MFPs connect to networks and PCs with ever-evolving operating systems,” Covington noted. “While the MFP you have today may connect to your office infrastructure today, it may not in a few years.”
• Avoid underpowered models: If your business relies on frequent printing and copying to support daily operations, steer clear of entry-level models that may not meet your needs. “Don’t be fooled into skimping on a lower-end device,” Covington warned. “Doing so is not productive or dependable if you’re overburdening it with volume — and in the end, you have a higher CPP and a higher total cost of ownership (TCO).”
• Assess vendor reputation and contract options: Evaluate the vendor’s reputation for support and service. Ensure it has solid customer reviews, fair warranty terms, and responsive, communicative support in case any issues arise. Be sure to compare contracts as well; some companies may require long-term commitments, impose monthly printing limits or charge additional fees that others don’t.
• Prioritize security features: The larger your office, the greater the chance of accidentally exposing sensitive business information to the wrong parties. To help prevent a cyberattack, choose a machine with sufficient safeguards to protect your data, especially in a shared office environment. “Networks and operating systems change,” noted Covington. “New security threats and countermeasures evolve, and your peripherals need to as well.”
• Test before committing: When possible, request a trial period or demo to ensure the copier is right for your workplace. This allows your team to test the machine’s features and see how well it integrates with your day-to-day workflow. You may discover you need to invest in a machine with more functionality — or, conversely, scale back to a less-powerful model.

Top copiers to consider

To help you make an informed copier purchase decision, we’ve identified some of the best multifunction printers and copiers that may be suitable for your business.

• Xerox VersaLink C415: This copier is our top choice for small businesses with two to 10 employees. It has a highly dependable track record and quick job times. It’s also affordable and cloud-compatible.
• Brother MFC-J6955DW INKvestment Tank: This budget-friendly machine offers high resolution, can handle large files, and features two paper trays with a capacity of up to 500 sheets. This model is another good choice for small businesses.
• Sharp MX-C304W: This machine features hands-free functionality and Braille kit add-ons for the touch screen. It is also highly customizable to suit a business’s unique needs, offering advanced security options and a maximum capacity of 2,700 sheets (when outfitted with optional tray expansions). However, the additional customization does affect the pricing.
• Toshiba e-STUDIO9029A: This is a great choice for businesses that rely on fast and consistent document flow. This model has the highest print output and fastest printing speed — up to 90 pages per minute — among its competitors. There’s also a companion e-BRIDGE Print & Capture mobile app, which adds printing and scanning features.

Copier glossary

Here’s a quick-access guide to standard copier terms. 

• ADF (Automatic Document Feeder): A feature that allows multiple pages to be automatically fed into the machine for copying or scanning, without manual input for each page.
• CPP (Cost Per Page): The average cost of printing or copying a single page, including toner, paper and maintenance. Lower CPP generally means better long-term value.
• Copier: A machine that creates an identical copy of a document or image.
• Copier drum: A component of the copier, charged in certain areas with static electricity to attract toner.
• Cover interposing: A system that automatically inserts a cover sheet onto a copied or printed document.
• Document feeder: A system used to feed original pages into the copier to allow for automatic scanning and copying.
• Duplex printing: The ability to automatically print or copy on both sides of a sheet of paper.
• Mail bin: A function that sorts copied items into different paper bins for various employees.
• Multifunction printer (MFP): A copier that can perform more than one function; usually includes a copier, printer, fax machine and scanner all in one device.
• Paper jam: When a sheet or multiple sheets of paper get stuck inside the copier.
• Paper tray: One or more bins that contain blank paper for use in making copies (the size and number of trays are key factors in copier selection and pricing).
• PPM (Pages Per Minute): A measurement of the copier’s speed; indicates how many pages the machine can print or copy in one minute.
• Toner: A powder stored inside the copier; used to form the copied words or images from the original document on a clean sheet of paper.

Sean Peek contributed to this article.