How to choose an office copier? Basic features to consider when buying an affordable copier

One of the most important machines in the modern office is the copier. It seems like the copier never stops working. There are documents to copy for filing, letters to copy and mail and a copy machine is truly the center of every office.

So how do you buy a copier which will be reliable, and answer all your needs? There are many copiers out there. Some of them have amazing features and can do many things besides copying. Others just copy, and that's it.

In order to make the copy machine buying process easier, we've come up with a list of essential tips that can help you buy the right copier for you.

B&W or Color? First thing that you should think about is weather you need black and white or a color copier. This decision will cut your options by half. If you don't really need to produce color copies, then there is not much to discuss. Color copiers are more expensive, and they are also slower. But if your company prints a lot of promotional paper, advertisements or creative design - you will need to purchase a color copier.

Automatic Feeder. If you print many copies daily, or engage in high volume printing, you should consider a copier with an automatic feeder. This option helps you to make more copies, quickly and with minimum intervention. Instead of manually placing the papers, you just put the stack on the feeder and the copier automatically makes the copies for you.

Capacity. Even if you have a small office, you should definitely look for a copier with proper paper handling capabilities. You need a capacity of at least a couple of hundred sheets if you want to avoid constant feeding and refilling paper.

Security. If you want to prevent unauthorized users from making copies, or need more supervision on the amounts of copies made, look for a copier with security feature which require users to put in a special code before they make copies.

Negotiate. When people say "negotiating" they usually imagine an exotic market or political deals. But the truth is that hardly any copier is ever sold for its list price. You should defiantly insist on a 10% or 20% discount and remember that prices are always flexible.

Copy. If you find yourself with two possible options - ask the dealer to give a test drive for the copiers, in your office or visit the dealer and see the machines and their features. You can compare the ease of use and the quality of the copies, and see how the machines handle your printing needs.