One of the most frequent questions we get asked is… How much does a copy machine cost?" or "What options should I consider before I buy?"
If I was shopping around, I know it's the question I would ask!
Our clients and prospects sometimes become frustrated when we say, “It depends.”
We often get the response: “What do you mean, 'it depends'? I'm sure you have a pricing sheet somewhere!”
That's true. We do.
The honest answer is still the annoying one, though; it depends. Let me explain why it depends, and then I'll share the actual costs for a copy machine.
All multifunction printers and copiers range in price. Most Black and White printers and copiers cost around $300.00. For more advanced multifunction printers, prices vary between $2,000.00-$15,000.00+.
Copy Machines and Cars They are Not Much Different…
Have you ever bought or owned a car? Okay, that may be a stupid question because most adults have purchased or leased a vehicle in their lifetime.
Purchasing a car for yourself or your family isn’t much different from buying a copy machine for your business.
- They are both a significant investment.
- You have the option of purchasing or leasing them.
- There is a maintenance contract to consider.
- You want to ensure you are in good standing with the warranty and that they both keep running for years. Ensure you understand the warranty because not all parts are under warranty, and you don’t want to do something to your machine that could void it.
- Finally, consumables are needed for both. For a copy machine, you need toner and paper. For a car, you need gas, oil, and tires.
Related Article: Who Are the Best Copy Machine Companies — Mfrs. or Local Dealers?
Now do you see all of the similarities?How Much Does a Copy Machine Cost?
With all of that in mind, here's a breakdown of the cost of a range of color and black-and-white copy machines.
When you see “MFP,” it means Multi-Function Printer, but just think “copy machine.” PPM (pages per minute) is the fastest print speed for each device, and IPM (images per minute) is the fastest scanning speed for each device.
B&W and Color Printers: $300–$2,500
This size of a printer is generally for individual or small workgroup use. In this range, you can find a B&W printer with speeds of about 47 ppm. Color printers in this range output at 27 ppm (in color and B&W).
Black and White MFP Desktop: $800–$2,100
If you need one small device to copy, scan, print, and fax, there are a variety of options at a reasonable price point. A good choice for low-volume use. But don’t fall for those retail discounted versions.
Color Desktop Printer: $800–$2,100
Again, a small device for individual or small workgroup use. Color speeds approach 32 ppm. Wireless printing capabilities are also often available at this price range.
Higher-Volume Copy machines
As you need more functionality, speed, and output quality, prices rise (don’t be surprised). Depending on your office environment and volume needs, the device with the lowest volume and cost could be a perfect fit, or you could need to mix and match devices and locations within your office to meet your business’s needs.
Many of these copy machines can also enable business apps (scan to cloud or email, print from anywhere, pull printing capabilities, etc.)
- MFP B&W | 50 ppm (up to 120 images per minute) $2,000-$7,000
- MFP B&W | 80 ppm (up to 220 ipm): $6,000-$11,000
- MFP Color | 30 ppm (100 ipm): $3,000-$8,000
- MFP Color | 70 ppm B&W, 65 ppm color (220 ipm): $7,000-$15,000
Add-ons (options)
Many of the copy machines and printers you can buy have a range of add-ons:
- Paper trays – additional paper trays expand input options and can double standard paper capacity, allowing longer uninterrupted operation.
- Finishing options – Do you need to staple? Make booklets? Create tri-folded materials? Options vary by copy machine and manufacturer.
- Hardware wipe kits – copy machine hard drives can be a source of insecurity because this is where documents are stored. Wipe kits allow these documents to be digitally shredded. Encryption options are also available.
- Card readers – restrict access to authorized users with swipe or RFID cards and can provide you full reporting by department or individual costs.
- Output trays – larger output trays allow you to walk away while large print jobs are running. If you are doing high-volume copying each month, this can save labor costs by having to refill machines with smaller capacities.
These and other options help you configure your equipment to meet your exact needs and directly be reflected in the cost.
Buying Considerations
So, what do you need to buy? I'm sorry to say again – that depends. Here are a few things you'll need to think about when deciding on the right mix of equipment:
- Total employees – how many employees, their locations (all in one office, lots of mobile workers), and their responsibilities
- Total impressions volume – how much do you print? Each month? Each year? Do you anticipate this to increase in the coming years?
- Level of scanning – Do you need to scan documents? What is the expected volume of documents? Will scanning be ad hoc or bulk?
- Line-of-business applications – Do you need to scan-to-email or other frequently used business software?
- Integration of existing infrastructure – Will your equipment fit seamlessly (or with minimal disruption) with your current print equipment? How easy is the ongoing management of the printing drivers with your IT infrastructure?
- Workflow and document management needs – Ensure that your equipment will operate with the software you currently use (or are looking to implement).
- Configuration of options—(i.e., finisher, paper capacity, fax) – what add-ons do you need?
Related Article: Should I Lease My Next Copy Machine For My Business?
Then there are issues of support and maintenance. Can your in-house IT staff troubleshoot copy machines, or will that waste more of their time than they have? Do you need a regular maintenance contract, or do you want to pay for maintenance as you go? Do you want to buy or lease your equipment? Is a managed IT services partner (someone helps you with placement, selection, and user training and then maintains and services your equipment for the life of the contract) your best alternative?
It's never as simple as just asking for the cost of buying a copy machine. Like any technology, your copy machines and printers are business tools – what do you want to accomplish with them?
Once you know the answer to that question, you can start looking for the right copy machine for you.
Here at AIS, we've been helping businesses in Las Vegas, Palm Desert, Orange County, Corona, and San Diego to find the perfect copy machine and office technology solutions for our clients. If you live in Las Vegas or the Southern California area and would like to know more about AIS’s services, contact us, and we will match you with one of our Business Consultants. Let’s start a conversation so we can show you office technology that can provide you peace of mind and help you win more business.
