Print & Photocopier Solutions Australia.

Multifunction printers or "MFPs" put together, in one single machine, the features of a printer, a copier, a scanner, and sometimes also of a fax machine.

By definition, MFPs are necessarily connected to a computer by wired or wireless connection but can sometimes be operated directly from their own control panel like standalone copiers.

In 2020, multifunction printers can be:

• Inkjet multifunction printers, almost always allowing colour printing as well as black-and-white printing,
• Black-and-white laser multifunction printers,
• Colour laser multifunction printers,
• 3-in-1 multifunction printers (print-scan-copy) using either inkjet or laser technology, printing either in black-and-white or in colour,
• 4-in-1 multifunction printers (print-scan-copy-fax) - because fax is falling out of favour in Australia, multifunction printers sold on this market now rarely have fax feature.

Note that black-and-white versions can scan images in colour.

Advantages of these machines include:

• Convenience in usage compared to separate devices,
• Much smaller footprint than a combination of all respective devices,
• Cost savings related to lower electricity consumption.

Deciding factors which can be looked into to select the best multifunction printer include:

1. Number of functions (with or without fax),
2. Colour printing support,
3. Printing technology (laser is better for fast printing, inkjet better for colour printing),
4. Scanner resolution (if you need high-resolution scanning, check the scanner resolution of the model carefully. Scanner resolutions for multifunction printers are often low),
5. Printing resolution (the standard resolution of 300 dpi will be good enough for most printing, unless you require photo quality),
6. Available connections (wired, wireless, network like Ethernet or Wifi or simply local like USB),
7. Related applications and software, especially for mobile printing,
8. Multitasking capabilities,
9. Total cost of ownership and cost-per-page.

A standalone photocopier traditionally refers to single unit-machines entirely devoted to copying functions.

As standalone photocopier machines, they put together the features of a copier, a printer and a scanner and can work entirely on their own, without the need to be controlled by a computer or external device.

The introduction of multifunction printers (MFPs) has however blurred the line between photocopiers and printers, as most of these multifunction printers can now copy documents with their own built-in interfaces, in addition to being connected with computers. On their side, most photocopiers in 2020 can now also be used as printers when connected to PCs.

However, professional photocopiers remain different in terms of productivity as they feature:

• very fast copy speeds (over 50 pages per minute),
• large and economical ink toners,
• cabinets containing thousands of pages and big document feeders,
• sophisticated document management features such as stapling, binding, sorting and sizing,
• the ability to copy and print different sizes of paper,
• robust mechanics for high volume of use.

Standalone copiers usually offer a lower cost-per-page than multifunctional devices and are ideal for businesses with medium to high copy needs. Document finishing features such as binding, sorting and stapling are far less common and less durable in multifunction printers.

Photocopiers for small businesses are therefore a kind of crossover between multifunction printers and professional photocopiers trying to provide volume copying capacity with reduced footprint.

Best photocopiers for small business include models from reputable manufacturers such as Canon, Epson, HP, Brother, to name but a few.

Recommendable models from these manufacturers include:

1. Brother's DCPL 2550 DW, for fast, double-sided, black-and-white copying,
2. Brother's MFC L5900 DW for high-capacity (250 page-tray), double-sided black-and-white copying,
3. Brother's MFC L8900 CDW for high capacity (300 page-magazine), reasonably fast (33 pages per minute) double-sided colour laser copying,
4. HP's LaserJet Pro M477fdw for colour laser copying,
5. Canon's imageClass MF247dw for high-capacity (250 page-tray), double-sided black-and-white copying,
6. Canon's Imageclass D1550 for high capacity (500 page-magazine), reasonably fast (35 pages per minute) double-sided colour laser copying.

The office space used to be quite simple: there were printers to print, photocopiers to copy, scanners to scan, fax machines to send or receive faxes... The introduction of versatile, standalone machines, together with the zeal of some marketers made it awfully difficult to know which type machine exactly does what... as all pretend to do everything. In the end, business users can't really tell which is best: photocopier or printer with copier features.

The difference between printers and photocopiers has been blurred

Multifunction printers can also be copiers and photocopiers connected to a computer can also be used as printers.

It's even more complicated to tell the difference between "MFPs" and "MFDs", as both refer to multifunction machines. Indeed, these acronyms stand for "MultiFunction Printers" or "MultiFunction Devices", respectively. The term "MFD printer" is even used to refer to "MultiFunction Device Printer", which basically means... MultiFunction Printer!

However, the following distinctions can be made:

• MultiFunction Printers are small, tabletop printers with copier and scanning functionalities, but relatively slow printing speeds (less than 30 pages per minute) and paper capacity (about 100 pages); they are mostly sold for home use. Multifunction printers for small businesses however do make sense and as long as these MFPs have a network connection and a decent capacity and printing speed, they can be suited for light professional use.
• MultiFunction Devices have the same functionalities but deliver faster printing speeds (up to 90 pages per minute), big document feeders and cassettes (over 300 pages), and sometimes even different paper format support.
• The difference between photocopiers and printers with copy functionality is basically the same as the difference between MFDs and MFPs, respectively. In fact, in many offices, MFDs are simply called "photocopiers"!

Deciding whether to hire or purchase a stand-alone printer, photocopier or a multifunction printing device will come down to costs alongside your specific printing needs. Standalone printers and photocopiers tend to be more robust than multifunction devices, though the latter are often more economical.

Typical contract duration varies between plans and providers

Copier or printer service contracts are often chosen by businesses because of four reasons:

• The copier is needed just for a short time,
• Low rental fees make printers accessible for small businesses,
• The pricing of printer-and-maintenance contracts is usually attractive, as compared with other maintenance arrangements,
• All-inclusive, hardware and service plans are hassle-free solutions for businesses.

A service contract can be taken out with a specialist provider of printers and photocopiers to cover servicing, repairs and maintenance on printing equipment (often with the option of supplying all consumables monthly) for a set length of time. The minimum period for a printer-copier service contract is nearly always 12 months, up to an agreement for a maximum of 5 years.

This kind of plans, when they include hardware rental, make high-end copiers affordable for small businesses.

However, the longer the commitment, the more vital it is to bear in mind that:

1. Contracts for printers are often based on "clicks", that is, a minimum number of "intentions to print a page as manifested by a click on the computer", which must be paid for every month no matter if it is actually used or not. In fact, this monthly volume is only relevant for the pricing when it's exceeded and triggers additional charges.
2. Reading and understanding the fine print is really an absolute must, as some printer hire contracts include options which will be useless to many businesses and punishing concepts of "maintenance".
3. Cost-per-page is the most important factor in order to understand the actual cost of the printer contract plan.

- Provided supplies like toners, paper, ink, staples may actually be far more expensive than if purchased separately. But changing these supplies yourself is often forbidden in some contracts, resulting in a breach of contract, sometimes even with penalties.

Take the time to compare the quotes from several suppliers in photocopiers before.

The laser printer VS inkjet printer debate has been going on for decades and answers have never been so confusing.

Results of a comparison between printers using inkjet technology and printers using laser technology largely depend on the print job, that is, what it is users will most often print with the printer - and how much of it will be printed.

This simple criterion actually breaks down into five factors when making a comparison between printer technologies:

• Initial Price. Quite surprisingly, when one compares laser printers with inkjet printers, the price difference is not really significant anymore. The price of laser printers has come down quite significantly and in 2019, some inkjet printers and laser printers can be found at the same price - colour laser printers are still a little bit more expensive though.
• Cost per page. Ongoing costs still tell a very different story though, with toners lasting much, much longer than ink cartridges while they don't cost that much more, making laser printer more economical.
• Size. Size does matter in cramped offices. The smallest laser printers, even tabletop models, still use about 30 % more place than inkjet printers - and at this size, they offer weaker performance in some areas.
• Printing speed. There's another surprise here: laser printers are no longer necessarily faster than inkjet printers. In fact, the cheapest multifunction laser printers, which price is on par with multifunction inkjet printers, will usually be slower than these multifunction inkjet printers. High-end laser copiers can, however, print at speeds up to 90 pages per minute, which is still double than the best inkjet printers in that respect. However, such super-fast laser printers are in a totally different league in terms of price.
• Printing quality. That's where what you print becomes really the key. In 2020, laser printer still beat inkjet printers for plain text and simple business graphics like charts or tables, because the printing is sharper and does not bleed: it's almost instantly dry. However, the difference between inkjet and laser is still also quite important when it comes to printing complex, colour graphics and photos, and inkjet still does a better job.