How to Choose a Multifunction Printer

The workhorse of your office is the multifunction printer. Combining three (or more!) machines in one, a multifunction printer can print, scan, copy, fax, and finish documents to keep your office document tasks streamlined and maximize productivity. No matter what industry your business serves or how your team operates, a multifunction printer can make your life a whole lot easier! Modern technology means you have a lot of options when it comes to any office equipment or business machine – and multifunction printers are no exception. So how do you choose the right multifunction printer for your business? Read on for tips from the pros.

Choosing the Right Features for Your Business

Your business has unique needs that call for a customizable multifunction printer. Whether you’re printing sales contracts, creating educational materials, or preparing documents for digital storage and delivery, you’ll find all the functionality you need with a multifunction printer. The key features to consider are:

  • Monochrome or Color: Consider whether you need to produce eye-catching documents that pop with color or if you only need to print black and white documents. You could save some money on a monochrome printer by only having to stock one color cartridge. But if you even infrequently produce color documents or copies, you’ll save in the long run by having the ability to do so in-house. 
  • Inkjet or Laser: Before you buy or lease a multifunction printer, consider the cost of replacing ink (for inkjet printers) or toner (for laser printers). Find out how many pages can be printed before you have to replace the ink or toner and divide that into the cost of replacement. According to your office’s needs, you may find that one option or the other is cheaper in the long run.
  • Production Quality: If you’re printing day-to-day text-based documents, you may not need a high-quality production printer. But if you’re regularly printing graphics, consider a multifunction printer with a higher dot per inch (DPI) capability.
  • Print Speed and Paper Capacity: When you’re looking at spec sheets for multifunction printers, you’ll see print speed listed by pages per minute (ppm). Don’t let a low print speed hold up productivity! Look for print speeds between 40 and 50 ppm – unless you need a faster printer for sales or other customer-facing processes. Paper capacity is another key function; pay attention to what types of paper the printer can use and if the capacity of the cassette or tray is big enough to accommodate your workload!
  • Wireless Printing and Memory: If your team works from laptops or other devices, you may want to ensure that your multifunction printer is equipped for wireless printing. You also want to consider choosing a multifunction printer with higher memory and RAM specs for faster scanning and processing.
  • Other Features: Depending on your business’s needs, you might need scanning, fax, or other functionality from your multifunction printer. You may also need a printer that works with attachments like finishing machines that can staple, bind, fold, or perform other functions. 

Choosing Whether to Lease or Buy

When you’ve found the right machine, it’s time to decide whether you’re going to lease or buy it. Sometimes, you can find deals on pre-owned or pre-leased multifunction printers. That works great if you work with a reputable dealer, you don’t need the latest technology, and a purchase is the best business decision. Usually, though, you’ll be deciding on whether to lease or buy a new multifunction printer.

Leasing multifunction printers has a lot of benefits:

  • Lease costs are tax-deductible as regular business expenses
  • Upgrades at the end of lease terms keep your office on the cutting edge of productivity
  • Low or no up-front costs for business machines
  • Support and maintenance throughout your lease

Find the Best Multifunction Printers and the Best Service at Central Business Equipment

Whether you choose to lease or buy your multifunction printer, the professional sales and service team at Central Business Equipment is here for you! We can help you choose the perfect machine for your office or business needs and advise you on the best-performing multifunction printers on the market. We offer machines for sale or lease and keep your business running smoothly with convenient options like regular maintenance, automatic supply refills, and award-winning service. Call or visit us today for all of your business productivity needs!