How to choose an office copier before you talk to a salesperson

Start with how much you actually print

The most common mistake in buying a copier is guessing the volume. Too small and it wears out early and spends weeks in repair. Too big and you pay for speed you never use.

If you have a copier now, the answer is on it: the meter. Divide the total count by the machine’s age in months, or compare two readings a month apart. Split it into black-and-white and color pages, because color pages cost more to make and should shape the decision.

Use this as a starting point. Your real meter history is the best guide, and we size every proposal from it.

Color or black & white?

A color copier prints black-and-white pages too, so the question is really whether you need color often enough to pay for it. Color machines cost more up front, and color pages cost more per page to service.

• Go color if you print proposals, marketing pieces, signage, school materials or anything a client sees.
• Go black & white if your printing is invoices, forms, case files and internal paperwork. Many law and accounting offices run a fast black-and-white machine and send the occasional color job elsewhere.
• Split it in larger offices: a black-and-white workhorse for volume and a smaller color machine where people need it.

Paper size, trays and finishing

Office copiers come in two sizes. Letter-size machines are compact and cheaper, but stop at 8.5 × 14. The machines on our site are full-size: they handle 11×17 for spreadsheets, drawings and folded booklets, and most go up to 12×18.

Paper capacity

Standard capacity runs about 1,100 to 1,200 sheets on most office models. Adding a large-capacity tray means fewer interruptions in a busy office and more paper types loaded at once: letterhead, card stock, envelopes.

Finishing

• Stapling: inner finishers handle everyday stapling; floor-standing finishers staple thicker sets, often 50 to 100 sheets.
• Hole punching for binders and case files.
• Booklets: a booklet finisher folds and saddle-stitches programs, newsletters and manuals in house.

Finishers are options, so you only pay for the ones you will use.

Scanning matters as much as printing now

Many offices scan more than they print. The document feeder decides how fast that goes.

• Single-pass duplex feeders read both sides of a page at once. On a large scanning job, that is the difference between minutes and an afternoon.
• Scan destinations: email, network folders, and cloud services such as SharePoint, OneDrive and Google Drive, set up for each user.
• Searchable PDFs so scanned files can be found later.

Check the feeder capacity and speed on each model in Compare; it varies more than print speed does.

Security and access

A copier is a computer on your network with a hard drive full of documents. Current models from all three manufacturers include encrypted storage, data overwrite, user authentication and firmware verification. What matters is whether they are turned on and configured.

• Card or PIN release so confidential prints wait at the machine until the right person is there.
• Department codes to track who prints what.
• Set up properly: NYBS configures these features to each manufacturer’s security guide when your IT team needs it, and supports them afterward.

Understanding the real cost

The monthly payment is only part of what a copier costs. Compare proposals on the full picture:

• The equipment: purchased outright or paid monthly over a term.
• The service agreement: usually a cost per page, with separate black-and-white and color rates and often toner included.
• What’s included: parts, labor, toner, drums and staples should be spelled out, along with any page allowance and the overage rate.
• How meters are read: automatic reads keep bills accurate; estimated reads lead to true-ups.

Konica Minolta, Canon or Kyocera?

All three make excellent office copiers, and in a given size class the differences are smaller than the marketing suggests. They show up in the details: the touchscreen, the scanner, finishing options, and how each machine fits your workflow.

• Konica Minolta bizhub: strong scanning and finishing, and remote care through vCare. Our Pro-Tech Service Award is from Konica Minolta.
• Canon imageFORCE: one platform and one interface from small office to print room.
• Kyocera TASKalfa: long-life components built for low running costs.

Because we sell all three, we can put them side by side for you. Start with Compare.

Your checklist before you call a dealer

• Current monthly page volume, split by black & white and color
• Largest paper size you print, and any card stock, envelopes or labels
• How much you scan, and where scans need to go
• Finishing you need: stapling, punching, booklets
• Who needs secure release or department tracking
• When your current lease and service agreement end, and the notice window

Common questions