How to Choose the Right Office Copier for Your Users and Print Volume

Choosing a copier that cannot keep up is like riding a bicycle from Los Angeles to Las Vegas: you have picked the wrong equipment for the journey.

The right copier should fit your printing volume, the people sharing it and the documents you produce—not just your purchase budget.

Start with how much you print

Look at monthly printing totals and busy periods. A CPA office during tax season may need more capacity than its average month suggests. A real estate office creating color flyers has different needs from a law firm producing mostly black-and-white document sets.

• How many pages do you print and copy each month?
• How many people send large jobs at the same time?
• Do you need color or mainly black-and-white?
• What paper sizes, scanning and finishing functions do you use?
• How much room is available for the copier and accessories?

Use team size as a starting point

Based on our experience at Copier Liquidation Center, a two- or three-person office with moderate black-and-white printing can start by considering the Ricoh IM 4000.

At around five users, look closely at waiting time and the size of jobs. Five computers connected to a copier do not mean five people print heavily.

For ten or more users with frequent, substantial black-and-white printing, consider a heavier-duty machine such as the Ricoh IM 7000. A small team with intense printing may need this class of equipment too.

Match color and finishing to your documents

If you produce property flyers or other color materials, compare a color model such as the Ricoh IM C4500. Request a sample of your actual document on the paper you intend to use.

For stapling and hole punching, specify the appropriate finisher and punch unit. For folded, center-stapled booklets, ask for a booklet finisher. Confirm optional fax equipment if needed. Include all required accessories in the quote.

Compare the complete cost

Ask about the individual used machine's condition, supplies, maintenance, warranty, delivery and installation. Compare the complete configuration, not a base price on one machine against a fully equipped package on another.

A faster copier can help when people wait for long jobs, but speed alone does not describe monthly capacity or operating cost. Share both your typical volume and peak workload so the recommendation matches your office.

Bring your own job to the comparison

A representative document gives a better picture than a short demonstration page. Include typical photos, paper sizes and finishing requirements. Tell us what your current machine struggles with and what you want to improve.

Let us help you choose

Tell Copier Liquidation Center how many people share your copier, what you print, and what slows your office down. We can help you compare machines and accessories for your workload and budget.

Call 714-696-6082 or text us. Available every day, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific.

Serving Orange County, the Inland Empire, and Southern California. Ask about warranty, delivery, installation, and the complete equipment package.