Copier Prices and How to Buy

Copier prices are often dictated by the brand, functions and features. Therefore, we give below some factors that you need to look at before purchasing a copier that may determine the price you will have to pay.

Copiers are essentially differentiated in a 3-tier structure according to the varying needs they fulfill and priced accordingly. For example:

• Commercial Grade Copiers: The best copiers are used for high-volume commercial use such as instant printing shops or large offices. The copiers range between £20,000 -£50,000 and can print more than 100 pages per minute. The required output volumes must be very high (600000 + copies per month) to justify such an investment.
• Business Grade Copiers: These copiers are ideal for most small to medium sized businesses (and even in some large organizations). Business grade copiers are available in a wide range from less than £750 to over £5000.
• Personal Grade Copiers: These copiers, which are designed for home based business uses or personal uses and come with varying print capacities, are available in the range of £ 50 to £400.

Certain features may have to be purchased separately to enhance the utility of the copier. Such enhancements obviously affect the total price of your copier. Some of these additional features include:

• Network Printing : £250 to £1,000
• Automatic Document feeder: £500 to £1,000

There are different financing and purchasing options available with a copier as with any other office equipment. The options you can consider are:

• Outright Purchase: The cost of the copier must be completely financed by you by making a lump sum payment to the dealer. Ongoing maintenance, service or supply costs may not be included in the cost of the machine. You can opt for a separate service and maintenance agreement after evaluating the costs.
• Monthly Rental: You can also opt for a copier on a monthly rental basis. In this case you are required to pay a monthly rent and monthly service cost. The monthly rent is determined by the type of equipment, additional features, and the estimated number of copies to be generated per month. This option also allows you the freedom to upgrade your copier system as and when required. Usually renting becomes economically feasible if you need to rent at least 5 copiers.
• Lease-to-Own: The cost of the copier you wish to purchase will be spread over a specific period of time following which you can own the machine. Pay special attention to the interest rates and other terms of lease.