Multifunctional office equipment can be a vital part of your business set up, depending on your needs and space. Most offices or home offices need a computer, monitor, and printer, but some also require the ability to fax, scan, copy. In these situations, from both a space and cost perspective, it can be difficult to justify purchasing each individual machine. This is where a multifunction printer comes into play.

Multifunction machines are a single device that will perform a number of functions including print, fax, scan, and copy. Some of the higher end machines will also collate, work wireless, and print digital pictures off a memory card. These machines integrate all those functions into a single machine that saves space and improves efficiency. In many cases, these units can even perform different functions like faxing and printing at the same time.

While these all in one devices can be a great help, it's also important to understand their features:

Print speed - Depending on the model, you may find that you are going to be sacrificing some print speed (measured in PPM or pages per minute) with an all in one compared to a standard inkjet or laser printer. Most inkjet and laser printers will print at least 8-10 PPM, while the lower end all in one machines will generally print 5-6 PPM. The higher end all in one machines will print faster, but they won't print as fast as a comparable laser or inkjet printer.

Faxing - Like printing, most all in one machines won't transmit a fax as quickly as a traditional stand alone fax machine. This is especially true if the machine is processing a number of different functions at one time.

Paper capacity - Most printers have a fairly large paper well that will accommodate anywhere from 50 to 100+ pages of paper. Unfortunately, most all-in-one machines have a smaller well and may only hold around 50 pages of paper.

Auto feed - Nearly every printer/copier has an auto feed function where you can multiple pages of a document at one time to be copied. Some of the budget model multi machines may have a limit on the auto-feed feature. This means that the user has to sit at the machine and input the paper to be processed (copied, faxed, scanned, etc.) on a sheet by sheet basis. The better quality multifunction machines will have an autofeed function that will accommodate at least 10 sheets of paper without manual intervention.

As you can see, these type of machines certainly have their place in the office or home office world. Evaluate your needs, space, and budget to decide if a multi-function machine is right for you or your business. Rather than going out and purchasing the first all-in-one machine that you see on sale, follow some of the general guidelines listed above so you can make an educated buying decision.

We feature a wide variety of multi-function printers below at discounted prices.