How to choose a low-cost multifunction printer

Anecdotal evidence shows that printing is actually the third biggest expense for organisations, just behind payroll and rent. It’s an interesting thought, especially when companies often spend so much time and effort trying to reduce costs across staffing and infrastructure; but the little old printing set-up often slips right under the radar.

But let’s not be too quick to blame the staff for printing excessively, and instead look to the actual printing equipment and ways in which it can save you money. Why? Because when it comes to buying a low-cost multifunction printer (MFP) for the office, it goes far beyond just the price you pay for the machine.

This then begs the question: what exactly do you need to consider when it comes to saving money on office printing and buying the actual equipment? Glad you asked...

If you’re in the market for a fleet of low-cost multifunction printers and you want to save money on printing costs, there are four important things you should consider:

1. Consumables

You might go for the cheaper printer, but if the toner needs to be replaced twice as much as the other one you were considering, your ongoing costs are going to leave a bitter taste in your mouth long after the sweetness of the low purchase price subsides.

So remember, toner and drum replacement can be the most expensive ongoing cost of owning an MFP, and you want to really do some research into the lifespan and print-life for each toner and drum.

Be sure to get some clarity on the amount of printing your business currently does and if you don’t know get a professional site audit and find out.

Also be sure to consider what the print capacity per toner is for the equipment you are looking to buy. For example, the Kyocera MFP is engineered to reduce the consumables needed and has a drum life that can produce up to 600,000 prints.

2. Ongoing maintenance schedule

When it comes to maintenance schedules for printing equipment, you need to check the manufacturer provides written service and support for its MFPs.

Are periodic maintenance, software upgrades and consumable availability all included as part of their service promise? Check there is an easy-to-reach support line and that the turn-around for maintenance requests is acceptable to your business’s needs.

3. Energy costs

Draining excessive power, taking up too much office space and not having equipment with power-saving features can cost you money and increase your carbon footprint at the same time.

Take a look at the equipment’s energy star rating and if you’re environmentally conscious, be diligent in finding printers that are environmentally friendly, too.

4. Delivery, installation and training costs

Often overlooked until it’s too late, delivery, installation and training costs can add up and can blow the budget quite easily if it’s not included in the purchase agreement.

Will there be a need for ongoing training with software upgrades? What does the warranty say about delivery and set-up in relation to faulty machines that may be taken off-site?

If you want to know how to save money on printing and it’s been a while since you’ve audited and reviewed the printing equipment you have, it might be time to consider an energy-efficient fleet of low-cost multifunction printers.

Just remember, the equipment costs more than what’s listed on the price tag. By choosing a great MFP, you’ll not only experience better efficiencies, you’ll save money on printing costs, too.

Printing is typically the third-highest business expense after rent and payroll, but it's often overlooked or calculated using only the sticker price. Download our Guide to Calculating Total Printing Costs to learn how to correctly assess your device's total cost of ownership and avoid unnecessary expenses.

KYOCERA Document Solutions provides document management solutions with long-life print technology that keeps printing and maintenance costs low, reducing the total cost of ownership while delivering greater productivity, reliability and uptime.