What to Look for in a Multifunction Machine

By Hewlett–Packard

Multifunction machines come in a couple of popular combinations: those that have printing, scanning, and copying features, and those that add faxing (and sometimes PC faxing) to these three core functions. Since a multifunction machine assumes the tasks of four separate machines, purchasing one can save you space and money.

Not sure if a multifunction machine is right for you or your business? Consider the following features and benefits.

Printing capabilities

Inkjet All-in-One Machines

Being able to print in color and on many different types of paper makes a big difference if you're printing photographs, greeting cards, or transfers to be ironed onto t–shirts. Multifunction machines can print in color (as long as they use inkjet instead of laser printing technology), and they can also print at much faster speeds than you might expect.

Some print color copies at up to 16 pages per minute (ppm) — and black–and–white at up to 19 ppm. The sharpness of an image is measured in dots per inch (dpi), and some inkjet multifunctions can print up to 2400 x 1200 dpi in color on premium photographic paper, and, in the case of laser multifunctions, at 600–dpi in black–and–white text.

Scanning capabilities

It used to be that scanning pages from a book or any bound document was either not possible or quite a chore, but this is no longer the case. Many multifunction machines are built with flatbed technology, which is similar to what photocopiers use (e.g., a piece of glass on which originals are placed). You can also choose flatbed scanners that accommodate oversized pages.

If you want to scan separate loose pages, you can get a multifunction with sheetfed capabilities — or you can get a model that has both a flatbed and a sheetfed scanner. Sheetfed multifunctions can even scan legal–sized documents. High–quality color scanning doesn't have to cost much, and the results may produce up to 600 x 1200 dpi and 36–bit color. Some multifunctions include software that enhances resolution, potentially increasing it to 2400 dpi. And some multifunctions let you scan and attach a document to email with the touch of a button.

Copying capabilities

Laser All-in-One Machines

When you work with graphics software, and you're ready to print your work, your computer will often slow down during the printing process — and that's often when you want to start working on another project with a different program.

A multifunction can really help you move on to other work because you can print one copy of the graphic, close the graphics program, and then use the multifunction's photocopier function to make up to 99 copies automatically while you work on a completely new project with different software. With paper trays that hold up to 250 sheets, you don't have to worry about running out of paper while a multifunction automatically prints copies for you. Copying speeds can reach up to 18 ppm for black–and white and 16 ppm for color. You can also use the copier feature to reduce and enlarge copies.

Faxing capabilities

If you choose a multifunction that combines flatbed scanning technology with faxing capability, then you can fax pages from a book — and some multifunctions even send and receive faxes in color. You don't have to use your computer to fax, but the added benefit of using the fax feature on a multifunction connected to your computer is that you may be able to edit a document that was faxed to you. Many multifunctions with fax capability come with a keypad, automatic document feeder, memory presets for common numbers, and one–touch dial–up capability.

OCR and networking

Many multifunctions come with a scanner application called Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This application takes a scanned document and translates it into a word processing document on your computer.

Some multifunctions are also network–ready out of the box, and with others you can choose a USB or parallel connection for your stand–alone system. Another advantage to a multifunciton is that it only takes one driver, which is the software that tells hardware how to communicate with your computer once they are attached. If it's important to you to limit the number of cables, ports, and drivers you have to work with, then a multifunction would be worth considering.


Hewlett Packard, © 2002.

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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.