How to choose a multi-function machine

Printers, scanners, copiers, and fax machines all have their uses in a home or office, but purchasing and storing a separate device for each application is both expensive and bulky.  If you find yourself needing more than one of these machines, you might consider saving space and money by investing in a multi-function machine -- they’re designed with this situation in mind, allowing you to use one device to complete all of these tasks.


Function

When buying a multi-function machine, the first thing you must determine is what tasks you need the machine to perform.  The most common functions for a multi-function machine are printing, copying, scanning, and faxing, though some have additional capabilities.  Be sure to look for a machine that will satisfy as many of your needs as possible, while also keeping in mind that generally, the more functions a machine can handle, the more expensive it’s likely to be.


Print quality

The volume and nature of work your multi-function machine needs to perform can help determine the print quality you choose.  For many businesses, monochrome laser technology is ideal -- this allows you to print, fax, and copy quickly and efficiently in high-quality black-and-white.  In addition to boasting the lowest average cost per page, monochrome laser machines are very popular, which means they offer the widest range of options.  For offices that require color capability, there are two options available.  Color laser technology has the advantage of being quite fast, although this type of machine tends to cost more.  Color inkjet technology is slower than laser technology, but it makes up for its lower speed in increased quality -- if your business needs photo-quality color, then inkjet is the way to go.


Other considerations

Once you’ve decided on the major questions of function and print type, you can narrow your search further by taking some of the following options into consideration:

• Scanner:  The scanner portion of a multi-function machine can either be a flat bed of glass (like traditional copy machines) or a sheet-feeder (similar to most fax machines).  If your copies are limited to flat sheets, a feeder is sufficient, but if you find yourself needing to copy or scan from larger sources, such as books, you should consider a machine with a flatbed scanner.
• Paper size:  Be sure that your multi-function machine can handle the sizes of paper you’ll be using.  While most machines can accommodate most standard document sizes, not every multi-function machine is designed to handle such things as envelopes, card stock, or paper with irregular dimensions.  If your office needs to print on nonstandard paper, be sure your multi-function machine is up to the task.
• Paper capacity:  The higher your machine’s paper capacity, the less often you need to refill the paper.  While this tends not to be an issue in smaller offices, it can be a problem in environments that receive heavy fax traffic after office hours, or when the machine is otherwise unattended.
• Double-sided printing:  Many multi-function machines are equipped with automatic-duplexing-- the ability to automatically print on both sides of a page, which lowers waste and increases productivity.
• Auto document feeder:  With an automatic document feeder (ADF), your multi-function machine can process a queue of documents to scan, fax, or copy without requiring someone to monitor the process.  This allows you to let the machine do its work while you attend to other business.
• Auto-dialing:  Multi-function machines with the auto-dialing feature allow you to save frequently-dialed numbers into the machine’s memory.  This helps to reduce the occurrence of misdialed numbers, and eliminates the need for an external list of numbers.
• Broadcasting:  Multi-function machines with broadcast capability allow you to fax the same document to multiple locations quickly and easily.  Simply scan the document once, input the list of destination numbers, and the machine will fax the document to each recipient in turn without further input from you.
• Security:  Some multi-function machines provide a security option, allowing you to specify a password needed before the machine can be used, in order to prevent unauthorized use, or simply to monitor who is using the machine.  As an additional security measure, you might look for a multi-function machine that will store document information in the machine’s memory, to prevent data loss in case of a power outage.
• Compatibility:  You need to make sure to purchase a multi-function machine that’s compatible with your computers, whether your office uses PCs or Macs! Some are optimized for one operating system or the other, while other multi-function machines are designed to be used with multiple platforms.
• Speed:  Your multi-function machine needs to keep up with the volume of work your office generates, so speed is an important factor.  If you use the machine infrequently, a slower speed probably won’t be an issue, but if you have multiple users making frequent use of the multi-function machine, make sure it copies, prints, scans, and faxes quickly enough to keep up.