Learn More About Fax Machines

What type of fax machine do you need?

Plain paper thermal fax machine

Ideal for: Home or small offices that send and receive faxes infrequently (fewer than 10 a day). An economical and reliable choice.

Key features:

• Thermal or thermal transfer technology uses heat to imprint text and images onto plain paper. Offers adequate print quality and easily fits on a desktop.
• All have an LCD display, showing function status (when in use), time/date, and auto dial/redial for fast access to frequently called numbers or retrying a busy number.
• Transmission speed is approximately 15 seconds per page.
• Typically has a 10–page auto–document feeder, 50–sheet paper tray capacity, and 20 to 28 page memory. Page memory is a must; it stores outgoing and incoming pages, saving information when the machine runs out of paper.
• Some machines have the ability to send one fax to 20 to 99 recipients/locations.
• Some models have caller ID (if available in local area), which allows you to screen incoming faxes. Some models also come with a cordless phone.
• All print terminal transmission identification on each received page, indicating date, time, fax number, and sometimes name or company of sending party.

Inkjet or bubblejet fax machine

Ideal for:  Regular use (10–20 times a day) in a small or home office. Offers higher quality print and is faster than a thermal plain paper fax machine. Certain models can print in both black and white and color.

Key features:

• Text and images are printed on plain paper (sold separately) with ink that is forced through a print head (the same technology that is used by an inkjet printer).
• Moderately priced. Unit easily fits on a desktop.
• Operates faster and with clearer output than thermal fax machines.
• Transmission speed ranges from 3 to 9 seconds per page.
• Typically has a 20 to 50 page auto–document feeder, 100 to 200–sheet (letter or legal) paper tray capacity, and 20 to 485 page memory. Page memory is a must; it stores outgoing and incoming pages, saving information when the machine runs out of paper.
• Some machines have the ability to send one fax to 20 to 162 recipients/locations.
• All have LCD display, showing function status (when in use), time/date, and auto dial/redial function for fast access to frequently called numbers or retrying a busy number.
• Some models can also function as a copy machine.
• All print terminal transmission identification on each received page, indicating date, time, fax number, and sometimes name or company of sending party.

Laser fax machine

Ideal for:  Offices that use their fax machines frequently (25 or more times per day) and require high quality output. Burns text and images onto photosensitive drum using a laser, and then uses toner to print onto plain paper. These machines are the highest quality, but only print in black and white. Very reliable, requiring little maintenance, except for replacing toner and paper (both sold separately).

Key features:

• Dual access function, meaning you can scan a document in and receive a document at the same time. The scanned document remains in the machine’s memory until it can be processed.
• Transmission speed ranges from 2 to 8 seconds per page.
• Typically has a 15 to 50 page auto–document feeder, 200 to 250– sheet (letter or legal) paper tray capacity, and 80 to 600 page memory. Page memory is a must; it stores outgoing and incoming pages, saving information when the machine runs out of paper.
• Generally has the ability to send one fax to 20 to 282 recipients/locations
• Some models also act as a copy machine with the ability to enlarge or reduce documents during the copying process.
• Some machines will automatically reduce incoming legal size faxes to letter size so no information is lost.
• All print terminal transmission identification at the top of each page received, indicating date, time, fax number, and sometimes name or company of sending party.

Back to top

The information contained in this article is only an overview of the subject matter made for general guidance to the reader, and is subject in all cases to limitations and disclaimers set forth in Staples' Legal Terms and Conditions.