February 12, 2020
Multifunction printers can streamline many of your office tasks into a single device, saving you time and money. Having a multifunction printer enables you to get rid of, or at the very least, reduce your number of single-capability devices, such as scanners and fax machines. This also saves your organization office space and money by eliminating the need for individual device supplies. Below, we'll explore some factors to consider as you choose a multifunction printer for your office.
What To Look for When Buying a Printer
1. Printing
Printing is a daily task that employees in every office use. When selecting a multifunction device for your office, consider how often your employees print and what types of projects are being printed.
Multifunction printers are equipped to print tens, hundreds or even thousands of pages of high-quality text per day on a wide variety of print media. You can print on standard printer paper, letterhead, thick cardstock, recycled paper, envelopes, labels, banner paper and more. These functions should increase printing capability within your office, as most standard personal printers are limited by the types of paper or other media they can successfully print on.
Additionally, multifunction printer functions include black and white or color printing, 1-sided, 2-sided or multiple pages per sheet printing and secure printing. These machines offer advanced functionality to your staff and are capable of creating shortcuts for routine printing tasks to streamline these processes.
2. Copying
A multifunction printer has the ability to create high-quality copies of documents, in black and white or color. They can quickly copy large or small documents and have the ability to turn 1-sided documents into 2-sided, or vice versa. As with printing, a multifunction device can copy from or onto a wide variety of paper types and sizes or onto other media.
3. Scanning
Capturing high-quality text and images from scanned documents is another feature of multifunction printers. In addition, you are able to load USB devices with scanned documents, send them to pre-registered email addresses or new contacts and save them directly to your server.
You can quickly and easily scan hard-copies of files to your computer for safe digital storage. Or if you only have printed copies of images that you need on your computer, a multifunction printer can scan them and send them right to your email for easy access. Scanning is a feature many offices use often and eliminates the need for a separate fax machine; with a multifunction device you can complete these tasks with higher quality and faster than before.
4. Faxing
Although faxes are less common today because email has become standard, many offices still require the faxing capability. Multifunction printers integrate faxing with the other print functions and you are able to continue to print and scan while sending and receiving faxes.
5. Support
Even the best multifunction printer is likely to need maintenance at one point or another, so you'll want to know what your support contract covers. Ask your print provider what support comes with the printer and what additional coverage is available for purchase.
6. Several Connection Options
Multifunction printers allow you to print from desktops connected to a server, USB connection or via wireless connection. This is a valuable feature because many offices print from a variety of desktops, laptops, tablets or even cell phones. Clients that come into your office with documents on their own devices that need to be printed can be accommodated as well.
7. Size
Multifunction printers are available in a variety of sizes; your printing needs will determine the size and/or quantity of multifunction printers you need. A print provider will be able to assess those needs and your overall business goals to define the correct number of printers you will need to optimize your print environment.
8. Cost
The total cost of ownership is the final thing to consider when choosing a multifunction printer. This will include the cost of the machine as well as supplies, maintenance and more. Working with a Managed Print Provider could generate cost saving opportunities by identifying the best way to set up and provide the ideal print environment for your office.
What's the Best Multifunction Printer for a Small Office?
Each office's needs will vary depending on multiple factors, including the size of the office, its needs and standard practices. A great place to start is by identifying your budget and then consider how you can meet the printing needs of your office. And if you're wondering what to look for when buying a printer, these examples will help.
Konica Minolta Bizhub 227
The Bizhub 227 provides productivity features to speed your output economically, including 22 ppm printing, color scanning, powerful finishing options for right-size scalability and enhanced control panel which now features a new mobile connectivity area.
Konica Minolta Bizhub 287
The Bizhub 287 provides productivity features to economically speed your output, including fast 28 ppm printing, color scanning, powerful finishing options for right-size scalability and enhanced control panel which features a new mobile connectivity area.
Konica Minolta Bizhub 364E
The Bizhub 364e puts you in total control, with a color touchscreen that’s as simple to operate as a tablet - to print and copy at up to 36 ppm, scan both color and black and white documents at up to 160 originals per minute, and control the solutions your business depends on. You can add 4-line fax, security options, auto finishing and more - everything you need for higher productivity.
Konica Minolta Bizhub 554E
Higher productivity begins at your Bizhub 554e color touchscreen: flick, drag, double-tap, pinch-in/pinch-out and perform control functions more quickly and intuitively. With multifunction printer and copier solutions as close as your screen, you’ll be able to speed up your workflow - and standard dual scanning lets you capture both color and black and white documents at up to 160 originals per minute.
Konica Minolta Bizhub 754E
The Bizhub 754e brings you the solution of a printer, copier and scanner all in one - with a large color touchscreen that’s as simple as a familiar tablet, control hardware and software functions for a total solution that speeds up your workflow. High-speed monochrome print/copy output, and standard dual scanning for both color and black and white at up to 180 originals per minute.
All of these printers come with the standard printer features, enabling users to print, copy, scan, fax, collate, staple and fold. But as you saw, the capabilities and functionalities vary from model to model. Work with a Marco technology advisor to find the best multifunction printer for your print environment.
