The different types of copiers and printers

Discover the most frequently asked Copiers and printers questions

What is a stand-alone photocopier?

Stand-alone photocopierA standalone photocopier traditionally refers to single unit-machines entirely devoted to copying functions.

As standalone machines, they put together the features of a copier, a printer and a scanner and can work entirely on their own, without the need to be controlled by a computer or external device.

The introduction of multifunction printers (MFPs) has however blurred the line between photocopiers and printers, as most of these multifunction printers can now copy documents with their own built-in interfaces, in addition to being connected with computers. On their side, most photocopiers in 2019 can now also be used as printers when connected to PCs.

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However, professional photocopiers remain different in terms of productivity as they feature:

very fast copy speeds (over 50 pages per minute),

large and economical ink toners,

-  cabinets containing thousands of pages and big document feeders,

sophisticated document management features such as stapling, binding, sorting and sizing,

-  the ability to copy and print different sizes of paper,

-  robust mechanics for high volume of use.

Standalone copiers usually offer a lower cost-per-page than multifunctional devices and are ideal for businesses with medium to high copy needs. Document finishing features such as binding, sorting and stapling are far less common and less durable in multifunction printers.

Photocopiers for small businesses are therefore a kind of crossover between multifunction printers and professional photocopiers trying to provide volume copying capacity with reduced footprint.

Best photocopiers for small business include models from reputable manufacturers such as Canon, Epson, HP, Brother, to name but a few.

Recommendable models from these manufacturers include:

Brother’s DCPL 2550 DW, for fast, double-sided, black-and-white copying,

Brother’s MFC L5900 DW for high-capacity (250 page-tray), double-sided black-and-white copying,

Brother’s MFC L8900 CDW for high capacity (300 page-magazine), reasonably fast (33 pages per minute) double-sided colour laser copying,

HP’s LaserJet Pro M477fdw for colour laser copying,

Canon’s imageClass MF247dw for high-capacity (250 page-tray), double-sided black-and-white copying,

Canon’s Imageclass D1550 for high capacity (500 page-magazine), reasonably fast (35 pages per minute) double-sided colour laser copying.

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