Color MFP Buying Guide: What You Need to Know

A color multifunction printer, or color MFP for short, combines the most essential paper-related tasks in the modern office into one handy device. But it can be daunting to figure out which one is best for you. There are so many different makes and models with different functions and features and widely varying costs. These days, you also have the option of either buying or leasing a color MFP. So, how do you choose the color MFP that’s just right for you? Let’s take a look at some of the most important considerations.

The Benefits of a Color MFP

Most color MFPs today will take care of all your printing, photocopying, scanning, and even faxing needs – and, as the name implies, in a wide range of colors, not just black and white. Some models also add bells and whistles like binding, paper shredding, stapling, and hole-punching.

What’s more, many of the latest color MFP models come with a built-in hard drive for storing documents. Most of the latest color MFP models also feature digital network integration, allowing users to connect to the machine via smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even from remote locations.

Saving Space

Before the arrival of the color MFP in the 1990s, companies needed a different device for each of those functions. In other words, they needed to buy a separate printer, photocopier, scanner, fax machine, binding machine, and paper shredder. That took up loads of space, and, needless to say, involved forking out money for all those different machines.

A color MFP combines all those devices into one, greatly reducing the space required, and significantly bringing down costs.

Cutting Costs

It’s not just the cost of buying all those different devices that a color MFP eliminates. Printers, scanners, and copiers are all delicate pieces of equipment that need regular maintenance and sometimes malfunction or break. Unless you’re leasing a color MFP on a managed print plan, you’ll have to take the broken machine to a technician for repairs. You might even need to have a technician visit your company, which might incur a service call fee on top of the cost of the repairs.

A managed print solution consolidates all those costs into one simple, manageable monthly fee. But even if you’re buying a color MFP instead of leasing, the costs of maintaining just one machine are bound to be much less than maintaining several different machines.

Also, without an in-house color MFP, companies have to pay an external printing company to create all their color documents, such as presentations and advertising campaigns. A color MFP removes those outsourcing costs.

Boosting Productivity

A color MFP in the office enables workers to perform all required paper-related tasks in just one place, on just one device. That saves time since workers no longer need to move between different machines to consolidate their workflows. And time is money, as the old saying goes.

So, now you know how a color MFP can benefit your business. Next, let’s take a quick look at the different types of color MFPs available to choose from.

The Different Types of Color Multifunction Printers

Color MFPs come in a great variety of makes, models, shapes, and sizes, with costs ranging from hundreds of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. But in terms of the technology they use, they come in three basic varieties:

Laser Printers

Laser printers use a laser beam to produce an image on a drum. The drum then rolls through toner, which is then transferred to the page by a blend of heat and pressure. This process allows laser printers to print faster than the other types.

Inkjet Printers

Inkjet printers use magnetized plates that spray ionized ink to produce the required output on the page. Because they use special, high-quality ink, they are capable of producing very high-quality color prints, approaching photograph quality.

Solid Ink Printers

Solid ink printers melt sticks of wax-based colored ink and then apply the ink to the page using a stainless-steel print head with minuscule holes. They can print vibrant colors on a wide variety of surfaces.

Comparing the Different Types

Quality: Inkjet printers will generally provide the best print quality of the three options, with laser printers edging out solid ink printers for second place. However, laser printers will generally deliver less smudging and color fading.

Speed: Laser printers are the fastest, with solid ink printers faster than inkjets. However, the trade-off is resolution, with inkjets generally able to deliver four to eight times the resolution of the other two types.

Cost: Solid ink and laser color MFPs usually have significantly higher start-up costs than inkjets, but laser and solid ink MFPs are cheaper to operate and maintain in the long run. Although the toner for laser printers is more expensive than for inkjets, both the machine and toner will last much longer, saving on toner replacement and printer maintenance costs.

Choosing the Right Color MFP

There are several things to consider when deciding which color MFP to buy or lease.

What Does It Need To Do?

The most important consideration is your specific printing needs.

If you’re only anticipating printing limited amounts of color documents or photographs where high quality is of the essence, an inkjet is probably the right choice for you. However, if you need to print larger quantities, you’re definitely better off with a laser or solid ink machine; especially when printing of the highest quality isn’t critical. And if you need to print on a variety of materials, a solid ink color MFP offers by far the most flexibility of the three types.

It all depends on what you need to do.

Fitting Your Budget

Another important consideration is of course the cost – not just the upfront cost of purchasing the machine, but the costs of replacing consumables like toner, ink, and paper. The costs of maintaining and repairing the machine are also a factor here. You’ll need to make sure the machine you choose fits not just your requirements, but your budget, too.

Integration

Another important consideration is the integration of your color MFP into your existing office set-up. Will the machine integrate smoothly with your existing devices, network, and software? What kind of devices will need to connect to the printer? Will advanced security measures or networking capabilities be required?

The answers to these questions will inform which color MFP is the best choice for you.

A Trusted Partner

Whether you’re looking to buy a color MFP or lease one, you’ll need a trusted, established service provider to take care of your requirements swiftly, professionally, and as cost-effectively as possible. If you’re in the Troy, Detroit, or Flint areas, look no further than Elite Imaging Systems. With over 30 years in the business, Elite is a leading provider of office technology solutions with over 1,500 clients. Contact us today for a quote.