Top UK Colour Copiers For Businesses In 2017
A colour copier is an asset to the majority of companies and a must for the modern office. As well as the choice to work in black and white or full colour, the copier can be used to reproduce graphs, charts and company reports, where colour can create a greater impact. They can also be used to copy photographs, which can be added onto promotional literature or flyers.
This article will give you an overview of the best colour photocopiers available in the UK, and what factors you should consider when purchasing or leasing one for your business.
Choosing a Colour Photocopier
Photocopiers have come a long way since 1959, when Xerox introduced their first automated photocopier - the Xerox 914. These days, machines are more like computers, with the ability to scan, fax, laser print and copy, all in one unit.
When choosing a photocopier, there is a wide range available, so you need to consider the needs of your business, as well as which options you can live without in order to save costs.
In general, a colour copier tends to cost around 20-30% more than the cost of a black and white (mono) machine. Most offices require the ability to copy in both colour and black & white, therefore a feature allowing you to switch modes between the two can be beneficial and also keep costs down.
Features and Functionality
The majority of machines today are multifunctional, although many of the features are "add-ons" that can be purchased later if required. Multifunctional machines are generally space saving, and staff can send faxes from their computers or prepare stapled documents without even leaving their chair.
You should also consider whether you would like to save additional space by having an inbuilt scanner, printer, binding function, wireless connectivity, and a host of other features that may differ for each brand.
Speed and Volume
The speed of a copier is usually ordered by copies, pages or outputs per minute and refers to the number of A4 sized prints the machine can cope with when it is running at maximum speed. The industry measures this speed in segments ranging from 1 - 6. Segment 1 is capable of 15 - 20 copies per minute and this increase up to Segment 6, which can process as many as 91. The most popular machines are those which run in segments 2 - 4 as these can deal with the volume created by the majority of businesses.
If the documents you are copying are more complex, this can affect the print speed. Complex copying includes double sided prints or multiple single copies which will reduce your printing speed. You need to factor this in when making your decision.
The next step is to consider the volume of copying you are likely to do in a month. If you already rent a machine, you can refer to the page counter. If you presently do not have a machine, you can get an idea of likely volume by looking at your paper usage and receipts over the month.
Once you have gathered this information, you need to consider whether the machine will be networked as well as account for the future growth of your business. You should increase the volume by 20-30% if you are likely to connect your machine wirelessly and an additional 15% to allow for future growth. Underestimating and overworking a machine can lead to faults, slow processing and frustrated staff, so it is always wise to overestimate usage, rather than underestimate.
Best Colour Photocopier Brands
For UK businesses the manufacturers of choice for their office colour copying solutions are Canon, Sharp, Xerox, Brother and Ricoh.
Canon Review
With a client portfolio including high profile organisations such as Rolls Royce, The NHS, Marks and Spencer and the GMC (General Medical Council), Canon have a well established reputation within their industry, making them one of the first choices for UK businesses looking for colour copying solutions.
For the SMEs or office start-ups looking for a low volume copier that will offer optimum power and productivity, the Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE C2220i provides an ideal option with a raft of functions such as scanning, faxing, HDD data encryption, secure water marks and password protection of print jobs. It can scan to a USB stick or send documents to internet-connected devices as well.
It can print up to 20 ppm in both black/ white and colour, and is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux and As/400 devices.
For a mid to large office, the environmentally designed Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE C5255 incorporates recycled materials in its construction and carries Energy Star accreditation. The modular design allows flexibility to suit a number of offices seeking a copier solution with consistent levels of quality and multifunction use.
This model includes navigation on a 21.3cm touchscreen and print speeds of 55 ppm, with a maximum paper capacity of 5000 sheets. It can process paper up to SRA3 size with optional PCL printing, offering optimum functionality at all times.
Sharp Review
Founded by Tokuji Hayakawa in 1912, Sharp Electronics has since expanded around the world and is recognised as a top industry manufacturer with a comprehensive range of copiers for businesses of all sizes.
For the office with a low to mid-volume output requirement, the Sharp MXM623U makes an ideal copier solution. It boasts printing speeds up to 62 ppm, a 3100 sheet paper capacity as standard and 150 sheet dual scanning document feed, allowing for high rates of productivity and the speedy processing of print runs.
Integrated document management on a PC through the 80GB hard drive makes document and data sharing simple and the addition of finishing options such as saddle-stitch, 100 sheet stapler and inserter provide for the creation of high quality marketing and promotional media.
For larger offices and professional printing shops, the Sharp MX-6240N is a great solution that includes a host of features like faxing and scanning to email, PC, USB memory or Network folder with a 35,000 document filing capacity.
A 10.1cm touchscreen offers full internet browsing and printing options, and with 62 ppm speed it is one of the most versatile and fast solutions for a busy office.
Xerox Review
Since their earliest beginnings, Connecticut based Xerox have been providing technically advanced copier solutions to the global marketplace and show no signs of losing their spirit of innovation and cutting edge design.
With new technology such as the cost conscious Solid Ink colour printing, customers may choose from a range of effective solutions to suit their own specific requirements.
The Xerox WorkCentre 6605 is a multifunctional desktop model capable of printing, copying, scanning, faxing and emailing off its small but versatile touchscreen. It includes a 50 sheet duplex document feeder, booklet layout, advanced photographic copying and Wi-fi connectivity, to name just a few of its features.
Brother Review
Brother is a Japanese company established over 100 years ago that has built a trusted business in Europe and the UK since 1959. Their photocopier solutions focus on small to mid-size businesses and offer a number of cost effective solutions with features that only come as add-ons on most other brands and models.
The Brother MFC-9970CDW is a compact laser colour printer that offers a host of features like faxing, scanning and duplex printing with speed and accuracy. It includes Wi-fi connectivity, and software to protect your documents with added security. For such a small model, this photocopier is a great solution for small businesses looking to get the most from their machine at a very affordable cost.
Ricoh Review
Since establishing their UK arm in London in 1980, Ricoh UK Ltd have designed a service which offers end to end solutions for all of their European and UK based customers, including production printing, complex office solutions and document management services.
The small office, the Ricoh Aficio SP C242SF is a great printer, scanner, copier fax solution for small spaces with tight budgets. This speedy machine produces copies at 20 ppm for both black/white and colour documents, and can hold a maximum paper input of 750 sheets of paper ranging from A6-A4 sizes.
For larger offices with more demanding copy processing, the Aficio MPC 7501SP delivers a high quality, high productivity system. It is meant for businesses demanding an office 'workhorse' to meet deadlines, and deliver a fast turnaround of print jobs while maintaining optimum levels of reliability and functionality.
Automatic duplex printing and document feed is featured as standard, with a warm up rate of less than 60 seconds and a first copy ready at just 6.4 seconds. It also has a maximum 7400 sheet capacity for continuous operation and 70 ppm print speed, attesting that this system certainly cannot be faulted on productivity.
Paper sizes can be accommodated from A6 - A3+ and from 52.3 - 300g/m2 weight. Connectivity is through standard USB 2.0 interface with optional Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet, Wireless LAN and Bi-directional 1EEE 1284 available.
Next Steps
If you are interested in hearing about photocopier prices or buying or leasing one for your business, then fill out the form at the top of this page and a select group of excellent suppliers will get in touch with you.
