The Best Copiers, Printers, and Fax Machines

Since I work at a Copier and Fax Co., my knowledge on this subject is greatly enhanced. I get a lot of feedback from customers as well as our technicians here at work.  In my opinion, the best printers for home or small business has to be the HP.  They are always improving upon their machines, which is another reason why I appreciate their brand.

Also, their printers are user friendly and low maintenance.   Toners aren't too bad price wise.  And since I am on this subject, I will also give shout out to Brother for creating some pretty impressive printers, quality is great and so is the price.  One thing I have learned is the cheaper the printer, the more expensive the toners. Kinda crazy, huh?

As far as big businesses go, that need a big copier machine, I would suggest Xerox, or Ricoh copiers any day.  These machines are really awesome, in that they can do most anything from duplexing to sorting to stapling.  This is a big help when time is precious and you need a reliable copier to get the job done. Lanier copiers also have a good line and a good reputation for being dependable.  I would highly recommend these 3 brands of copiers for the busy workplace.

There are a few other copiers that I like, which includes, Canon Imagerunner Series,  Kyocera Series, along with the Konica-Minolta Bizhub series, and Toshiba line is reliable as well.  My personal favorites would be the Xerox, Ricoh and Konica-Minolta lines though, I think because I know the brands so well and have worked with them for the last 25-30 years.

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Top 5 Ways Nonprofit Organizations Can Save Money

It doesn't matter whether the economy is booming or busting - nonprofit organizations are always interested in saving money.  Of course, "saving money" doesn't necessarily have to mean "cutting corners" or "doing without altogether."  There are plenty of ways nonprofit organizations can save money and still operate effectively and efficiently.

1. Accept Donations

Whether you need a few simple pieces of equipment like telephones and cameras or larger pieces like computers and fax machines, chances are there's a family member, friend, or another business or organization that's already in the market to upgrade and willing to donate old supplies to you.

2. Buy Refurbished Electronics

If you can't find everything you need through donations, consider buying refurbished electronics.  Buying refurbished office equipment like refurbished machines, copiers, printers, fax, telecom systems, computers,  and even cameras is a great way for nonprofit organizations to save money.

After customers return them to the stores (either because they've changed their minds or found some minor problem with the way the electronics functioned), manufacturers inspect the items and make any repairs before certifying they're ready to return to store shelves as "refurbished" items.  The manufacturers can't sell the items at the same prices as they'd sell brand new items, so they sell them at significantly lower costs.  Purchasing refurbished electronics at lower costs than brand new electronics at regular costs helps nonprofit organizations save money.

3. Look for Volunteers

Many nonprofit organizations already acquire much of their own legwork through volunteer efforts, but they can also find volunteers to donate time and skills to things like building and designing websites, creating logos for contact cards and stationary letterheads, and writing copy for websites, newsletters, and fliers.

4. Do It Yourself

While many people have family members or friends (or friends of friends or family members!) who are skilled at tasks like writing and website and graphic design, not everyone will agree to provide these services for free.  If you can't find someone willing to donate his or her services, consider doing the jobs yourself.

There are many free and easy-to-use website templates available; these days, setting up a website, costs a little more than just the price to purchase server space.  If your nonprofit is a local chapter of a national organization, use the national logo and create your own stationary letterhead and contact cards.  If you need to know how to effectively write simple copy for a newsletter, advertisement, or your website, do a little research online for tips on how to keep your words brief yet effective.

5. Find Freebies

Volunteer work is free for you and many do-it-yourself projects are either free or cheap, but keep in mind that there are also tools available that are completely free and in constant supply.

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Do Compatible Toners Work For Scanners, Printers, Fax Machines, and Copiers?

The topic of compatible toners is widely talked about and very important to office goers.  Lots of people find compatible toners a much more efficient way of running their office when it comes to meeting all of their printing, scanning, faxing and copying needs.

There are often rumors that the compatible toners are less desirable to use in the office because of the quality but this is not true.  They are tested and made to work and last just as long as original toners.

Before a compatible toner is even made, every part of the toner is tested, inspected and approved.  

They are then tested after they are built and again picked at random off the shelf to be tested as well. 

They are built to work just as well as the original.

The percentage of pigments in the compatible toners is the same and they hold the same quality within the carefully designed formula just as the original toner cartridges are made.

These toners are made from recycled parts that are still good to use.  They are also made from repaired parts to recycle and conserve resources.  This will help you to give back.  You can go green by helping to reduce the amount of waste coming from toner use in communication equipment.

Compatible toners work for all different types of machines.  One might think that they only work when used for a printer.  The truth is, a fax machine, copier and scanner all have the basic internal structure when it comes to toner use so you can use them for all of the machines.

Most fax, copy scanning and printing machines used in the office are all in one machines now. Multi-functional machines have grown to be the most popular office tool, so it has become more of a priority for compatible companies to make sure they are top quality to satisfy all business communication needs.

Top compatible toners are made to fit many different brands.  Whether they are made from original parts, refurbished or re-manufactured parts they have been tested and approved by professionals before they are allowed to go out on the market for sale.

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What Do You Need to Know Before You Buy a Used Copier Or Printer?

Are you considering purchasing a used copier printer all-in-one office equipment from a company out or going out of business? You need to think a minute about this. The company is going out of business for a reason and the majority of the time it's because of cash flow.

Do you think they would spend their last few dollars having their copier repaired or maintained? Buying a used copier printer from a company going out of business is like buying a used car from a dirt lot 100 miles from a city. It's buyer beware and check your pockets before you leave because the seller will be gone!

Last week we received 11 service calls from companies who purchased used copier printers multi-function office equipment from a business going out of business. This is how most of the copier repair calls start: "Hi, I need somebody to come out to clean a copier because we are getting lines." or "Hi. we are getting paper jams and we need it fixed right away." Then the person tells us they just purchased the used copier at a great price from a business that failed. Now the company is gone and they can not get a hold of them.

Do you think once you buy the used copier they will help you if a problem occurs? They sold you the used copier printer, closed the business and left town for the mountains.

The bottom line is that the average repair on the clients' copiers cost more than what they paid for the used copier.

How to prevent this problem:

1. Contact a company who specializes in the used copier printer. Do not ask you neighbor doctor, nephew lawyer or next door electrician. Get a certified technician to review it.

2. Have the copier repair tech check the following: last copier maintenance cycle, the amount of life left of the toner, developer and drum. Get an unbiased view from a technician who will give you a report before you spend a dime on the refurbished or used printer copier.

3. Better yet, get the used copier printer from actual copier printer dealer. You may pay a few dollars more but it will prevent exposing yourself to problems and hundreds of dollars in repair bills later. May companies will give you a quick over the phone estimates of costs to check the equipment before you buy it. It only costs you a phone call and could save you hundreds of dollars!

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Printer Buying Guide

Printers are essential peripherals, performing a critical role as they render electronic information into tangible records or material output.  You're simply not using your computer to its fullest potential if you are unable to print reports, presentations, letters, photos, or whatever it is you need to output. Choosing a printer can be confusing, in today's competitive, ever-changing landscape.  This buying guide rounds out some of the more important criteria to consider before you make that all-important purchase decision.

Printing Technologies

This is the biggest decision to make before anything else.  Your choice should be based on how you work and the kind of output you will be expecting from the printer.

Dye-sublimation: Dye-sub printers can print continuous tones and a superior range of colors that laser printers are unable to, making them ideal for more demanding graphic applications or color printing. Dye-sub prints are also less prone to fading and distortion over time than dye-based ink prints.  In addition, many consumer-based dye-sublimation printers can print directly from digital cameras and also accept memory cards.  They are, however, more limited in the range and size of printing media that can be used -- usually letter-size paper or smaller.

 Laser: Laser printers are the perfect choice if you need to print large amounts of text documents. They print faster than inkjets and have a lower cost of operation over the long-term -- even though they may cost more to buy initially.  There are trade-offs, however.  Monochrome laser printers produce crisp black-and-white text but cannot be used for color printing.  Color lasers deliver excellent text and graphics but are much more expensive and can be costly to maintain.

Paper Handling

Paper is obviously an important issue in printing. Here are some important tips on paper handling for printers:

o When buying a printer, make sure that it's equipped to accommodate all the paper sizes and types that you'll be using.  If you need to print on heavy stock, for instance, make sure the printer can handle the heaviest paper you use.  For this purpose, a printer's paper path can give an indication of how it handles paper: Inkjets generally use straight-through paper paths, while lasers use S-shaped or U-shaped paths.  Generally speaking, the straighter the path, the thicker the media that can be used. However, the curved paths typical of laser printers also makes it possible to have more flexible configurations for input and output trays.

o Using the correct type of paper will also make a difference to your printing. Inkjets can print on a variety of matte or glossy photo paper, but make sure you choose the right kind of paper for your printer to obtain optimal print results.  For example, matte papers are suitable for both pigment and dye-based inks, while luster finishes are generally more suitable for dye-based inks.

o In terms of size, most inkjets and lasers can handle printing of letter and legal sizes.  If you need to print larger prints, however, consider a printer that can handle sizes like 11 by 17 inches.  You may also consider getting a printer with multiple paper drawers if you'll be switching between different paper sizes on a regular basis.  For a laser printer, multiple output trays, duplexing (double-sided printing), collating, and automatic stapling can be additional useful features.

o If you plan to use third-party paper, make sure it works well with your printer.  Before you buy a large quantity of third-party paper, try a few samples by printing the same photos on both the printer manufacturer's paper and the third-party paper, and then compare the results.

Printer Specs and Key Features

Printers feature various specifications, so navigating the spec sheet intelligently requires familiarity with what each specification entails according to the printing technology involved or for the type of usage planned for the printer.

o Resolution: For laser printers, 300 dpi is adequate if all you need is to print black-and-white text, but choose at least 1200 dpi for photo realistic grayscale or color printing.  For inkjets, choose one featuring 1200-dpi or higher resolution with a droplet size of 4 picoliters or smaller for sharp, clean output.  With photo printers, resolution varies according to technology: Output at 300 dpi by photo printers using dye-sublimation technology is comparable to photo printers using inkjet technology outputting at 1200 dpi or higher.

o Speed: Speed ratings vary greatly, and the print speeds cited by manufacturers usually refer to printing in draft mode or at the lowest resolution.  For laser printers, a more accurate way of measuring actual print speed is to time just how long it takes from the minute you hit "Print" -- to the time that it takes the printer to warm up, spool the job into the print queue, and for the printed output to finally come out.  For inkjets, print speed is not one of its stronger suits; so don't be overly concerned with this spec.

o Memory: Extra memory will come in handy for laser printers to enable them to handle large graphics and documents more easily.  Check the maximum upgrade-able memory allowed for your printer, if it features a hard drive with similarly upgrade-able memory, and if the printer can use generic memory or needs the manufacturer's brand.  In the case of inkjets, memory is built-in and not upgrade-able, but this is not an issue inasmuch as processing occurs on the side of the computer -- so there's no need for large amounts of installed RAM to begin with on inkjets.

o Connectivity: Most printers today no longer support the older parallel connection but feature instead USB 1.1 or Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0 or 3.0) -- either of which should work fine with USB computers.  For printers to be used on a network, it will need to have an Ethernet port to enable printer sharing.  For more flexible printing options, you may want to look for printers with infrared input/output ports that allow wireless printing from notebooks or other devices with infrared ports.  And if high-speed or long-distance printing is what you need, consider printers with a FireWire port.

Consumables and cost per page

The purchase price of the printer is just the beginning of its overall cost because over time, the hidden cost of ink or toner, paper, and parts will add up.  These "hidden costs" are the consumables; dividing the total cost of consumables by the number of pages that can be produced from the consumables gives you the cost per page.  Laser printers offer the lowest cost per page, using relatively inexpensive toner and normal-weight, uncoated paper.  

On the other hand, cost per page for inkjets can be four or five times as much, depending on how much ink you use and the cost of the paper -- normally more expensive, coated, glossy paper for higher-quality color output.  The tank configuration for inkjets should also be taken into consideration.  Inkjets with a single cartridge for the colored inks will incur higher replacement costs because the cartridge must be replaced as soon as one color runs out -- even if the cartridge still contains plenty of ink for the other colors.  To save costs, get an inkjet with separate cartridges for black and each individual color.

Print Quality

All the specs and fancy features in your printer won't mean a thing if you don't have good, solid print quality -- whether of text or photos -- to back it up.

o Text: Text should be smooth and crisp. At the smallest font sizes, the individual letters should be clearly readable, and they should not bleed into one another. Medium-size fonts should have no fuzzy edges, and the largest fonts -- especially bold ones -- should be filled with solid black, not a muddy brown or bluish tone. You should also be able to see well-formed and well-rounded counters (the openings) in letterforms; if you don't, it's usually a sign of the printer laying down too much ink. (Remember, however, that inkjet printers will display some wicking on plain, 20-lb. paper, as the ink bleeds along the paper fibers.)

o Graphics: For color printing, look for gradients -- or areas where a color goes from dark to light.  Color should transition smoothly, and you should not see any color banding, where distinct bands progress from dark to light.  On a test page, you will likely see a gradient bar that goes from black to white through a series of progressively darker gray shades; the transition from shade to shade should be smooth without a noticeable line. Also, look for a nice balance of colors in color-graphic printing -- something that's not overly saturated nor flat and washed out.

o Photo: A good photo print should like the original photo. Colors should be accurate and balanced, vivid but not oversaturated.  Good detail should be present in all areas, with no jagged lines or pixels or any other visual artifacts.  Good contrast should exist between shadow and highlight areas -- not muddy or flat and without color.  You may not always be able to tell the difference from one great print to another, but almost everyone can recognize a bad print when they see one. Trust what you see.

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MDF Copiers and MFD Equipment - Which One is Right For You?

Copier printer scanner MFD office equipment is getting more complicated and the choices are increasing.  The merging of the traditional printer and copier machines has presented companies with hard decisions.  What is the best manufacturer for the money?  Lowest cost?  Best options and functionality?  Most durable?  Canon, Toshiba, Minolta, Ricoh, Gestetner, Xerox, HP, Sharp, Lanier, Copystar, Lexmark, Brother?

Now compound the many brands with companies that only specialize in one or two brands and it's clear to see why companies have problems with selecting the right equipment or getting in the wrong lease.  If you get your equipment from a company which specializes in one brand take care.  Why?  Because you will receive a bias view.

If a vendor only represents Canon or Sharp how will you know if you should get a Gestetner, HP or Ricoh may be better.  So what should you do?

Do some basic research online using the buyer's lab reports.  Look for awards and low failure rates.  If the model is brand new; wait a few months so the manufacturer has time to get the bugs out.  Do not assume that a BIG NAME means the best choice.  Did you know the Lanier / Gestetner/ Ricoh / Savin are the same company? Mita / CopyStar / Kyocera too!  Did you know HP laser printers are actually Canon based?

It's a challenge to make an educated selection.  Be careful.  Ask questions.  Get referrals.  Check the service record of the company you choose.

When is your equipment lease up?  Does it offer a lump sum or $1.00 buy-out clause at the end of the lease?  What is the current value of the equipment?  What is the estimated life of the copier/printer? Most of these questions are simple to determine with a few keystrokes on the internet.

Get all the answers before you commit.  Ask questions.  Look at the terms.  Know you page counts and be very careful not to fall for low ball tactics of some copier printer leasing companies.

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Guidelines For Choosing a Printer

Buying a printer is a complex decision and because of all the options available in the market it is difficult to decide on the best one.  Nowadays printers have become essential for office use as well as domestic use.  A good printer at a workplace helps the progress of the work and increases speed of the work accomplished at offices everyday.  There is no point of using the computer to create documents and reports if one is not able to produce the end result in a printed form.

This review will help you out with the confusing task of buying a printer.  The different types of printers available in the market are toner-based printers, liquid injet printers, solid ink printers, dye-sublimation printers, thermal printers and UV printers.  The best way to differentiate the quality printers from the others is to compare their different features.  The print speed and the print quality of the printer matters a lot when it comes to buying a printer.  

The speed is determined according to the prints that the printer can produce per minute.  In the latest printers there is the option for users to transfer the media and images for printing directly from USB devices, memory cards and flash drives.

When buying a printer one must keep in mind what the printer will be used for.  Nowadays printers are available suiting different kinds of work loads.  Some are designed for domestic use, and others for small business work and large complex business work.  

Once you are able to determine the function of the printer you will have a better idea of what printers fall under for your requirements.  When you are buying a printer you should surf around the market and visit a number of places before you make your final decision.  This will give you a rough idea as to what the market price of the printer is, and than you can buy the one that fits your budget.

Keep in mind that the price of the replaceable ink cartridges is also affordable as sometimes the cost of the ink cartridges is more expensive than the actual printer and users face a lot of problems in the future when the cartridges need to be changed.  You can also find, refurbished models that come with a warranty but aren't as good as new.  You can check them thoroughly before buying them and this can be a very good deal.  This kind of deal saves a lot of money and you still receive perfect results from these printers.  Take your time when you are buying a printer and I am sure my tips will help you tremendously in buying a printer.

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Taking Care of Your Office Equipment Properly to Avoid Malfunctions

Just like the machine that our human body is, your office equipment also suffers from downtime.  Much like a very unwell body, when your copier or fax machine goes out of order, a lot of office tasks are put on hold.  This means reduced productivity, not to mention stress and unmet deadlines.  This can be avoided.

Downtime, whether for a short or long period of time, ultimately results in loss of revenue.  There are techniques and tips which can be used to help you prevent downtime.  There are many ways which you can avoid this:

1. Adequate practical knowledge of office staff - It doesn't really take a genius to troubleshoot common office equipment problems, especially when the staff have sufficient technical familiarity, common sense will also do, with these types of equipment.

2. Regular maintenance checks - Prevention is better than cure.  Habitual check-ups of your office equipment keep them well-oiled, so to speak, and avoid any possible downtime.  Although, of course, it doesn't really make it foolproof, you're definitely reducing any possible downtime.

3. Quality office equipment - Quality comes with a price, that's a fact.  However, in the long run, it may prove to be a more practical choice than purchasing a lesser priced counterpart.

With these tips, you will be sure to have lesser occurrences of downtime and a longer life for your office equipment.  You save money by not calling in maintenance for every little technical problem that arises. You can also save money when there is less downtime at the office.

What if your copier suddenly throws up all the papers you feed it and you need all the copies in the next 30 minutes for the upcoming board meeting?  Can you possibly wait for the maintenance crew to show up and repair it?

When it's an emergency such as this, you will have little choice; but to do the job yourself, if you want to get your tasks done on time.  Not only that, it really helps to have some knowledge on how to deal with urgent situations.

Here is a simple step by step procedure on resolving your copier emergency:

1. Try feeding the copier different sizes of paper.  It might be because one of the paper sizes is jamming the machine.  Is the paper simply stopping, or is it crumpling up?

2. Listen to the machine.  What kind of noise does it make- whining, does it seem to be spinning its rollers or does it seems as though its off?

3. If only one size is jamming the copier, then it means that the trouble lies in one of the cassettes.  All you need to do is switch the position of the cassette and there you go.

4. If possible, clean the cassette as well as the rollers which turn the paper.

5. However, if all cassettes seem to be jamming and the paper stops in the machine without crumpling, it's possibly because of worn out rollers.  You can perform the same procedure as above to clean out the rollers.

6. If the machine is jamming and the paper is crumpling, then follow the path of the paper carefully and determine if there is something inside which causes the paper to stop.

7. Listen to your machine; it can save you a lot of time.  If it appears like it is just spinning, its probably  rollers then.  You can try and look at them, since they move the paper through the machine. 

If the copier whines or if it groans just before jamming then you will have to call for service.

It will really help if you are able to address simple office equipment glitches on your own.  Saves you a lot of time and money, and helps you meet your deadlines without waiting for the maintenance crew to arrive and fix these downed machines.

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Konica Minolta Printer and Printers

An environment full of professional approach is one thing that every office around the world craves for. Professionalism needs not only to be practiced by the employees, but from the office management as well.  Apart from soft skills like human management, offices need to create an ambiance that promotes and catalyzes professional atmosphere.  Advanced hardware tools like high-tech workstations and facilities for communication and printing add to overall look of an office.  You don't need your office boy/s to run here and there with loads of printing work.

Talking about printers, it is such a necessity in any office these days that one can hardly do away with it. Everyone in the office needs printouts for different purposes like for notices, press releases, projects, training's, designs, slips, schedules, programs, etc.  Hence, having a multi-function printer is always a better option.

Multi-function printers serve not only your printing needs but they also work as a laser printer, copier and scanner.  Loaded with hi-tech features, they give fast print speeds, and up to 200 sheet input capacity.  Some of the added / optional features of a Multi-function printer that will surely be handy in any office are:

•          24 bit color
•          Direct printing from digital camera
•          Receiving digital faxes from a PC
•         Automatic document feeder
•          Up to 96 MB RAM

Available in stylish and professional designs, your investment is sure to give your lasting returns.  Famed for giving complete customer satisfaction with optimal performance, all leading brands are offering these Multi-function printers.  If you wish that professionalism should prevail in your office then buy one for your office.

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Comparing Digital Copiers

If you're ready to upgrade to the new models and designs in digital copiers, then you might be surprised at some of the features that are available to you.  It can be very easy to be wooed by the biggest and best copier machines available on the sales floor.  All the different features that they offer can seem amazing and well worth the money spent.  Before you invest that kind of money, you need to look at the way your business works and what your true needs are.  You need to make sure that the one you choose is right for your business.

Look at Extra Features

Today's digital copiers seem to do everything but make coffee and answer the phones.  At least, the high-end digital copiers seem to have features that make the copy machines of yesterday look like Stone Age equipment.  Sorting, stapling, document imaging and even memory storage make today's digital copiers more like computers than ever before.  You need to ask yourself, how many features in a copier machine does your business really need?

Most businesses don't make thousands of copies per month.  In fact most make hundreds of copies rather than thousands.  The vast majority of businesses that use a copy machine on a regular basis make less than 3000 copies each month, while another large portion of businesses make less than 10,000. The true heavy hitters that make tens of thousands of copies per month are going to need a much larger and more substantial copy machine.   Most small and medium-size businesses won't need anything so elaborate.

If your business will use the copier machines as a printer as well as a copier, you may need a more substantial machine because that does add to the wear and tear, and you may also want to consider a machine that can scan and fax.  These add to the cost, but make the one machine much more efficient and can save space by eliminating other office equipment.

There's also a cost discrepancy between black and white copiers and color copiers.  If you're going to use the copier as a printer a great deal of the time, you should look at some of the color digital copiers.  If you're only going to need color printing occasionally, you may wish to invest in an inexpensive color printer and choose a black-and-white digital copier instead.  Digital copiers cost more when they can print in color, and you might not find the price difference is worth it if you rarely need that feature.  You may also choose a faster copier that costs more if you want to be able to print pages much more quickly.

Keep Security in Mind

Digital copiers today are computers with chips and memory inside them.  That means that sensitive documents that are scanned and copied are stored within the copier.  If your business regularly handles very sensitive information, you'll want to consider the risk that a digital copier poses and take steps to make sure that no one can access the memory.  Talk to the salesperson about the type of memory your copier has and steps that can be taken to protect the information.

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Multifunctional Copier For Your Business

Investing in a powerful, multi-functional copier for your business is one of the best investments you can make for the productivity of your office.  That said, there are several factors you'll need to consider when looking for the right copier, the most important being how often will the copier be used.  When working out how many copies are made per day or month, you will be better able to determine whether you will need a color or black and white copier, the size of the copier as well as its tray's capacity.  The second aspect to ensure about your copier is that it has a duplex option.  This will allow for double, and single sided printing and copying, with the option of making one or the other the default.  This will save plenty of paper.  There should be an option to use single sided printing as well, but ensure this feature should only be used when absolutely necessary.

Ensure that the copier chosen uses a tiny amount of standby power, and that it automatically switches between standby and active mode when not in use.  Plenty of the newer copiers automatically enter into standby mode the moment they are not being used and have awfully fast start up times.  A comparison of some new copiers shows that they only consume 3w of energy as opposed to 690w for some older copiers.  Yet another aspect to consider before deciding on a copier, is whether a multi-functional copier will be a worthwhile investment.  These copiers are able to take on the workload of a scanner, printer, and copier and even fax machines, all in one.  It can also save you a lot of space, if you are running a small office, and will save you money in running and servicing costs should you need to utilize each of these machines for your business.

The resolution of the copier establishes the clarity of each page such as the crispness and clarity of an image, which may be very important depending on the copier's purpose.  Resolution is calculated in dots per inch.  There are copiers equipped with very high resolutions, but save you and require a regular amount of prints with exceptionally clear images, this will certainly impact on the running costs of your copier.  Consequently, dramatically high resolution copiers are mostly only worthwhile to designers and printing businesses.  The next aspect to take into consideration is the speed at which you will require your copier to perform.  A copier's speed is measured in pages per minute.  If you and a lot of other people will be using the copier on a regular basis, it is advisable to get a copier that performs at a faster rate in order to aid productivity.  The software available for the copier should be thoroughly researched to see which capabilities it is equipped with, should you need to make use of it in the future.  Some software may be very useful, particularly for larger organizations where you can keep tabs on what is being printed, and instigating departmental quotas on printing.

A copier is a large investment to make, thoroughly research any decision before making it, and only buy from trusted, accredited suppliers.

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Solving Some Troubleshooting for Ricoh Copiers

Ricoh is one famous brand name manufacturer of copier machines that you can choose as the best optional choices of equipment for your offices and also personal needs.  These copier machines are available in various choices of sizes, functions and also abilities.  It is one professional choice of copier products that will need a complicated treatment than any other choices of machine you will ever have. In the daily operation, you will need to deal with some common troubleshooting technique's that you need to solve.

It would be better if you can solve the troubleshooting problem by yourself instead of calling the professional assistant to repair it for you.  Generally, in some cases, you can resolve it by using some simple tools such as a cotton cloth, along with some common glass cleaner.  If you have a problem with your machine where you can't clear an error code or message on the display, you can try to just turn off the machine by holding the power button or switching off the power supply.  If that does not work for your machine, you can sometimes on some machines, try to just unplug the power plug and give it a few moments; before powering it back up.  Instead of those steps above, you may also try to resolve it by, restarting your copier machine and leave it for a moment.

If you have a paper jam problem, you sometimes could have either a beep sound, flashing light, or error code indication on the control panel, when you're trying to restart your machine.  In some of the cases  the Ricoh copier series models, you'll have a screen that will show you the exact location of the paper jamming area.  In which case, you can sometimes try to use, if supplied with; the supplied  paper duster to clean your paper rollers.  In addition to that, you can also try to keep your glass, feeder and scanner parts clean and free from all kinds of dirt.  This type of troubleshooting is also used to solve problems by the error codes that are displayed on the control panel screen.  If all the steps above do not work very well, you can always begin to  just call for the nearest Ricoh copier repair service; to get a professional involved, to get the problems resolved for you.

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How to Remove Xerox Toner From Clothing

Stains in general are one of life's many annoyances, especially when it's something near impossible to remove.  Clothing is pretty expensive to begin with, and then you get stains and it's a whole different cost to get the dry cleaners to remove them--if they can.

If you've ever been elected as the lucky individual to change the toner in the Xerox copier at work (usually on the day you when you decided to wear that crisp white shirt and freshly dry-cleaned khaki's), you know that unless you're wearing a hazmat suit, you'll probably end up with some toner- from change induced battle stains.  Usually, this would mean throwing out the item and going shopping, with a chip on your shoulder all because of the stupid copy machine and its Xerox Toner needs.

Keep in mind though, next time you find yourself in that boat, just refer to the handy guide here to help you treat the stain and salvage your stained item of clothing.

Xerox toner is so hard to get out of clothes because of the special powder it's made of; which contains a highly concentrated amount of pigments and dyes.  Toner melts when heated, thus causing it to bond firmly to paper in the printing process.  When toner comes in contact with clothing it doesn't form an indelible bond right away, you have a window of time to treat it, and salvage your item of affected clothing.

Here are 5 steps to treat Xerox Toner stains in clothing yourself:

1) Remove the article of clothing as soon as possible and shake it out.  The sooner you attend to the stain, the less time the stain has to settle into the fibers of the item.  Shake it to get as much loose toner out as possible.

2) Use a Vacuum with an attachment to vacuum out those loose particles in the clothing.  The more Xerox toner you can get out without water, the less likely the stain will be to set.

3) Fill the sink basin with cold water and immerse the item.  Work with the item to try to get more toner out.  Drain the sink and run more cold water over the item, trying again to get more Xerox toner out.

4) Wash the item in a washing machine on the cold water setting with mild detergent only.

5) Air-dry the article in the shade or indoors.  You're air drying primarily because if there's any toner left, the heat from the dryer which will probably set the stain permanently.  This will make it much harder or down-right impossible to remove.

More Tips and Warnings:

Avoid touching the toner with your hands when removing the stained article of clothing.  This prevents the toner particles from accidentally being spread.

If you get Xerox toner on your clothing, shake out the article of clothing outdoors.  This avoids the Xerox Toner particles landing on other easily stained items like carpet, furniture upholstery, and other items of clothing.

DO NOT use warm or hot water when washing the item, as it will set the stain most likely permanently.

If the item is dry-cleaning only, inform your cleaners that toner was spilled before they dry-clean it.  They may also need to know what kind of toner was spilled on it to ensure proper treatment, based on the makeup of the toner.

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The Xerox Copier - Is It The Right Choice

When searching for a copier it doesn't matter if you are working in the corporate world or at home, you need a reliable copier that will do the job. While there are many different types of copiers that can economize good caliber print work, the Xerox Copier is reasoned to be one of the best copiers that on the market today.

Since the very inception of the company's history the Xerox Group has offered high quality products for its customers. They have also been recognized as one of the leaders in customer support. Now this is important, because when you have an issue with your copier you want it to be handled with professionalism and speed. Now if you want to select a desirable copier for your company you need to have a clear idea of what type of tasks you will need from this copier. Today, copiers have a wide variety of functionality along with a variety of prices.

This info will be imperative and can help you select the Xerox Copier that will give you the highest economic value in your work.  Now, I will tell you pay special close attention to the multi functional copiers.  You know the ones, they have the capability of faxing, printing and copying.  Although, they have improved a lot, they have more moving parts that are trying to function together. Common sense will tell you, more chances of some small failure.  Something you don't want to experience when you are trying to get that copy project done that has the deadline of an hour.

While there are quite a a number of copiers, all of these copiers can be divided up into two distinct groups.  One group is the color copier group.  The other group delivers black and white only copies.  And believe me there is a significant price difference in these two groups.  To see which Xerox Copier that you may need you should travel to one of their store fronts or you can visit an office supply store or a computer store.  All with have variation in selection and price.

From these places you can select the type of Xerox Copier that you can afford and one that will also provide first-class caliber work.  Remember, test the product to see what the outcome is going to look like.  I know this sounds like a no-brainier, but you would be surprised as to the amount of people who just buy the product without testing it first.  For any one who is not too sure of the type of copier that will be appropriate for their tasks they can ask for help in choosing these copiers.  The shop personnel should be able to give you a little verbal description of the functions of each Xerox Copier.  However, if they are good at their job (which we sometimes expect), then they will be able to answer your questions.

Now you can also find selective information for these Xerox copiers from various links on the internet. Here as you look through the many World Wide Web sites you will now be able to find performance evaluations.  Although, not all companies are delivering this information, many are trying.  You will also be able to find out what past customers have to say about the many different makes of Xerox Copiers.

When you have finished with your information search you can go to the store that you feel will give you a good deal on the various Xerox Copier products and choose one of these copiers.  This also gives you an opportunity to get any last minute questions answered.

Before you you pull out your credit card to pay for the copier you should find out what the go back policy is regarding the Xerox Copier. This data will help you if you find any problems or defects in the product that you have just purchased.  So, do your diligence and research the various Xerox copiers. With this information you will be armed to make the right decision.

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Options of Brother Copiers

Everyday of our lives as we go about our businesses whether at home or in the office, we find ourselves with documents that need to be copied.  While there are many copier machines that we can buy in the market, none guarantees you quality like the Brother copier.  It comes in different varieties, all of high standards and values, available at affordable prices.

To be able to select the best copier, you must be specific about the tasks that you will expect the machine to perform for you.  Brother copiers come in two broad categories of either the color copier group or the black and white only group.  To get more information about their specifications, you can visit Brother copier computer store or their supplies offices.  The sales assistants will provide with all the relevant information and a practical demonstration on request on how the copiers are operated to deliver the best results.

If for any reason you are not able to go to them personally, you can utilize the Internet and find links to their web site or to their authorized dealers.  You will also be able to find reviews where customers of Brother copiers have given feedback on what they think about these copiers.  From this information you can be able to make a sober judgment and an informed decision about the copier you are going to buy.

Before you make an order or commit yourself to payment, find out what the return policy is and whether the copiers come with any warranty or guarantee.  This will save you a lot of agony just in case the machine decides to break down on you sooner than later.

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Copier Brands - The Best, Cheapest, Most Reliable Digital Printer Copier Manufacturers

Here are the 8 Major brands/manufacturers of digital office copiers and what makes each one distinctive:

Xerox/Fuji Xerox

They invented the first copier in the 1950s, are the most well-known brand name, and without question, makes the best heavy-duty machines.  A few years ago they confessed some financial issues that almost brought the company to it's knees, but since then (plus a few new CEO changes), they have made a come back.

Canon

They are the most popular and best selling by far of all brands...for decades.  They make great machines, but can often be over-priced compared to the others.

Panasonic

They make the easiest-to-use machines (by far) and the most innovative.  They swing from most reliable to not very reliable at all (so check with the testing companies, like Buyer's Lab, before you buy a newer model).  They have more techs working to innovate the industry and thus have more patents than any of the others - even Xerox.  This also explains the lack of reliability sometimes, because they are always pushing the envelop.

Konica/Minolta

They make solid, reliable machines, and make the best office high-res, graphical color machines.  Like Panasonic, they are also very innovative.  They also bought the national dealership, Danka, in 2010.

Sharp

They will often have the most 3rd-party awards of any other brand from the 3rd party testing companies.  They also tend to be pretty easy-to-use.

Ricoh Family (Ricoh, Lanier, Gestetner, Savin)

They are often the lowest priced in any given area and they win a lot of government bids because of that.

Toshiba

They make very solid machines at a good price.

Kyocera Mita Family (Kyocera Mita and Copystar)

They make good machines and a good price.

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Digital Copiers - Everything You Need to Know About Buying a Digital Copier Machine

All About Digital Copiers

Exactly What Is a Digital Copier?

Technology is truly something to behold.  Gone are the days when analog copiers reign supreme in the business world.  Thanks to the continuous search for the better and best, digital copiers are now the trend... and rightfully so.

One of the advantages of digital-copiers over their analog counterpart is that they have the ability to store documents into memory.  To put it simply, the information is imprinted on the drum through laser, the document gets printed, and the image of the document is saved in the copier's memory.

This leads to two benefits:

First, you can have a document copied just from the memory.  Say you forgot the document in your cubicle.  You can save yourself from a trip back if the document has already been copied and stored in memory.

Second, since the document is already in memory, you can send it electronically to other devices provided that they can receive the information.  Examples of which are computers, fax machines, and even some phones.  This saves time, not to mention paper.  You do not have to wait on documents from the main office to be sent through FedEx.

Another aspect of digital-copiers is that they can generate more than one set of copy with just one scan. You do not have to run the original document ten times to have ten copies.  If you only need two copies of a document, this is not much of a benefit.  On the other hand, if you are in the business where hundreds to thousands of copies are needed almost everyday, then you better invest on a digital-copier or two.  You can leave it all to the digital copier, do other pending tasks, and comeback for the copies later.

Next, digital copiers produce copies of unsurpassed quality.  Digital-copiers produce high quality copies that more often than not, are hard to tell the original from the copy.  Compared to other copiers, digital copiers are preferred by majority for this feature alone.

Best of all, maintenance cost is relatively cheaper.  The ink used by digital copiers create more copies than the cartridges normally used by analog copiers.  While buying a digital copier will cost you more than other copiers, in the end, you are really saving money.

If you are looking for a digital copier, Xerox, Ricoh, Konica-Minolta, Toshiba and Canon are some of the brands known for their digital technology, copiers included.

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Color Copier - Do You Really Need One?

Recently I was working with a client who was purchasing a new Toshiba copier.

Like many of my repeat and new customers one of his major considerations was whether he really needed to upgrade to a color copier or would the black copier be OK for his needs.

One of the first questions I ask in this situation is "how are you handling color copies and prints now?". Typically my clients are doing one of two things: 1) they outsource their color printing to Staples, Office Depot or a local printer or 2) they print them out on a desktop color printer.

Once I have established what they are doing now my next questions is "how many color copies or prints are you doing per month and year?"  Many times my customers don't really know their true volume so we have to do a little investigative work.

One helpful strategy is listing out on a piece of paper all the different types of color copies and prints they do throughout a year and then listing beside each project the approximate number they do for that project per month and year.

I think it's important to look at this annually because many times there are printing projects that are only done once or twice a year and the customer tends to forget about those projects if we are only thinking in a monthly context.

In the case of this customer once we listed out all of his annual color printing needs he only did about 500 color prints per year.  I consider this a very low color volume.

I advised him that this didn't justify purchasing a color machine and he should continue to send those jobs out to a printer.

I did also find out that he was sending his jobs mostly to Office Depot. OUCH!! can you say expensive.  I advised him to find a locally owned print shop or go online where in either case the prices would be significantly less than Office Depot or Staples.

In the situation of a company doing thousands of color copies and prints per month I would recommend considering a color copier.

It comes down to doing the math.  How many color prints and copies do you do per year times what you pay per copy/print at a local print shop versus what you would pay to do them in house on your own color copier.

Once you know these numbers you have to consider the added cost of a color copier versus a black copier.  Your purchase price or lease payment will surely be higher for a color copier than a standard black copier but in many cases it's worth it.

Another consideration is the time involved in calling a printer, driving there to drop off artwork if necessary and then driving back to the printer to pick up the job.  As we all know during the business day Monday-Friday our time is money and I feel this is a legitimate consideration when deciding to buy a color copier or a black copier.

When it comes to local printers I have seen color copies/prints done in the range of 15 to 35 cents each. This is just my experience and your local printer may do them for less.

With a Toshiba copier (which is one of the brands I sell) you can make a color copy or print for anywhere from 7-10 cents each.  Where you would fall in this range depends on what size color copier we are speaking of.

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Toshiba Copiers

With the rise of technology, offices use a variety of equipment.  Various functions are to be performed by various types of equipment as found suitable.  One such piece of equipment is the copier, found in almost every office today.  A copier is used to copy various types of documents required in the day- to- day activities of an office.  Since such documents are to be used to run projects or are normally given to other people it becomes important to use quality copiers.

Such a quality copier are Toshiba Copiers.  This brand of copier has a wide range of uses, and as such; one can choose from the many types available for them.  This brand of copier comes in both small and large sizes.  In choosing an ideal copier for business, it would be wise to consider the volume of work to be performed.

If your business is small-scaled you may need to use a small sized copier known as the Small Work group which handles copying twenty pages a minute.  Though document copying in this type of Toshiba Copier is mainly black and white, it is normally of high quality copying.  In case you venture in the medium size business, you will require a medium to large size copier product.  They come in either black and white or color style, and are capable of copying out larger scale batches of copies.  These medium sized copiers, copy on average twenty to forty-five copies per minute.

The larger copiers are ideal for mass production of copies.  For this last style of this brand of copiers, one can get up to 135 pages copied in a minute.   For this large size copier, one can get either black and white or colored copies.  This type is also capable of multi-tasking, as it can print, email, copy, scan, and fax your various documents; making this a truly versatile piece of equipment for your office.  With the different Toshiba Copiers available in today's market, whether your budget allows for brand new or just the more affordable refurbished, you can get many different types of copiers that will help realize your business potential. 

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Top Brand of the Best Color Laser Printer

Printers are necessary devices today.  It would be difficult to carry out office functions today without a printer. Printers are essential in order to keep hard copies of important documents and establish an appropriate filing system.  The best laser color printers can easily fulfill all your printing demands.  There are many different types of printers available today.  Printers were first designed as inkjet or drum printers.  However, since technology has grown immensely, laser printers have been invented.  Laser printers are fast, easy to use, and reliable.  By using a laser printer, you can print grayscale documents as well as photos and other documents heavy in color.

Several different brand name laser printers are included below so you can see which one is right for you and your needs.

Lexmark printers are typically all-in-one laser color printers.  They can be found in various prices.  If you want to get the best bang for your buck, you can buy the best laser color printer for around $600-700. Although this may seem a little costly, you will find that these printers are totally worth it.  The best part is that they don’t work just as printers, they also can fax, scan, and make photo copies.  With this factor in mind, it is definitely a great package with all the features, which makes the price a little bit more worth it.

Samsung is also another trustworthy brand.  One can buy a laser color printer for around $300.  This is the lowest price ever!  This printer is light and mobile which adds to its appeal.  Another great feature is that it can connect to either a home or office network.  As one can clearly see, this laser color printer definitely offers a lot of great features and functions for the price.

Dell is another brand name everyone has heard of and loves.  This brand ranks number one in printer reviews.  This printer also has many great features available.  The Dell’s printing quality is outstanding and color output is excellent.  Anything is printable in any DPI resolution.  They are fit to work with Macs, Windows, and even Linux operating systems.  Even if what you choose to print is small, the printer will be able to read it due to its super printing quality.  On average, you can print about 200 grayscale pages and approximately 1000 color pages with the starter toner cartridge.  This brand is definitely admirable because of its excellent printing quality and price.

These are some of the finest and most trustworthy brands you can find.  You can choose the one that fits your budget best.  However, be sure to bear in mind that there are many generic versions of these printers which are often lower quality.  You should purchase printers from established showrooms only.

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