Single & Multi-Function Copiers

Copiers are essential office equipment for making copies of documents. They're available in different sizes and with varying sets of features. Compact desktop units are ideal for home and small offices, while large offices need bigger, high-speed, and high-capacity models. Browse the large selection of business equipment and productivity tools at Staples to find copying machines from leading office equipment brands like Canon and Brother.

Choose between single-use and multifunction copiers
While a single-use model can only make copies of documents, a multifunction unit also prints and scans documents. Some multifunction copying machines also have faxing capability. These all-in-one machines provide excellent value through cost- and space-saving benefits. An office can save on the total cost of essential equipment by choosing a single device rather than a standalone printer, scanner, and photocopier. This is an attractive option for offices looking to keep their equipment budgets low. A multifunction device takes up less space than the machines it replaces.

A single-use photocopier also has its benefits. With only one function, it usually has more copying features than an all-in-one machine. Large offices may prefer single-use models to cope with their heavy workloads. A machine that only copies documents won't be held up by those looking to print and scan documents.

Features to consider when shopping for photocopy machines
The most important factors to consider are copy volume, copy speed, and paper handling. Copy volume describes the number of pages copied at the office in a month. Choose a unit with a duty cycle that's higher than the office's copy volume. Copy speed refers to the number of copies or pages the machine can make per minute (cpm or ppm). Look for one with a copy speed between 20 and 40 ppm for a small office. High-speed models can copy pages twice as fast with select models copying as many as 100 pages per minute.

Most photocopiers need to warm up before they start turning out pages. A model with a short warm-up time takes only a few seconds to deliver its first page. This is a feature to consider when picking a unit for busy offices where employees intermittently make one or two copies of documents. The maximum paper size accepted by a copying machine varies too. Most office units can handle sheets as big as legal-size pages.

What additional factors are important when shopping for multifunction copiers?
Consider print volume and speed, as these factors determine the performance of the all-in-one device as a printer. For scanning features, compare optical resolutions and note the image formats supported. Optional features, such as automatic document feeder and duplexing are also useful. Duplexing helps offices reduce paper usage when printing and copying documents. Lastly, consider available connectivity options. Wired models connect to computers and office networks via USB and Gigabit Ethernet ports. Wireless models can connect via Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth and some can print documents sent from mobile devices.

Can all photocopiers reduce and enlarge documents?
No. These features are useful for resizing images. Offices also need them to make copies of the same page size from documents of varying sizes. When shopping for models with these features, make sure to note their reduction and enlargement factors (quoted in percentages).

Should you get a color photocopier?
A color unit is best for those that regularly copy documents with color graphics and images. For example, most marketing departments use color models to faithfully reproduce posters, brochures, and other promotional materials. On the other hand, offices that mostly handle text documents only need monochrome copying machines.