Types of Copiers

Types of desktop copiers

There are two main types of copiers: analog and digital. Traditional analog copiers use light lens photocopying technology. Analog copiers scan the original document each time a copy is needed. Because each page is scanned before a copy is produced, this process takes a long time if you need more than one copy. Although most manufacturers have stopped making new analog models, these copiers are still widely available. Analog copiers used to be much cheaper than digital copiers, but the prices are now comparable. One remaining advantage is that analog copiers are easier to use. Once the machine is on, you usually just need to press one button.

Digital copiers only scan the document once, and the image is saved as digital information in the copier's memory. That makes producing multiple copies much quicker. Digital copiers usually produce a higher quality copy than analog copiers. Digital copiers also make less noise than analog copiers and are better at reproducing photographs. Better Buys for Business recommends buying digital copiers over analog models.

Monochrome (black and white) copiers are less expensive than color copiers. Only digital copiers offer color copying. Digital copiers also allow you to switch between black-and-white and color modes. However, no there are no desktop standalone copiers. If you need a small model that can make color copies, you'll need a multifunction printer.

The least expensive desktop copiers can make 15 to 18 copies per minute (or cpm) -- standard for a low volume copier. If you produce several thousand copies a month, you probably want a copier with a higher cpm rating. Some desktop copiers can spit out up to 30 pages per minute, but faster copiers are more expensive. The duty cycle of a copier tells you how many copies can be made each month. Most desktop copiers are rated for 10,000 or 15,000 pages per month.

Resolution determines the image quality, but high resolution only matters if you need to copy photos or graphics with fine detail, or if you need to print very small fonts. Most copiers have between 300 and 600 dpi (dots per inch.) Look for a larger amount of internal memory if you expect to produce many multi-page documents. Memory generally ranges from between 4MB to 256MB.