Simply put: If you don’t need 11×17 size (i.e. “A3”) printing in your office, you should be using a letter/legal size (i.e. “A4”) laser printer/multi-function laser printer, and not an overly expensive, overly complicated, overly sized traditional copy machine…
The “A4” Revolution has arrived in large and small offices all around America, and it has only been exacerbated by the Covid shutdown and home office revolution. Even the largest copier dealers and copy machine OEM’s have been scrambling over the past several years to be able to provide their dealers and customers with “A4” machines that can compete with the typical HP, Lexmark, or Brother printer or multi function printer (MFP).
Basically, an “A3” copy machine is your traditional copy machine that you probably bought from or leased from some sort of copy machine dealer at a very expensive price, perhaps over a three to five-year lease. What many people don’t realize is that you can now buy much less expensive “A4” laser printer MFPs instead that will fit into your budget much more reasonably. Typically, users will just have a better user experience with these, because they are usually easier to operate and far less complicated to use and maintain. HP LaserJet printers and multi-function printers, are a better alternative for most SMB offices for a variety of reasons:
- They are less expensive to purchase. You can get an amazing monochrome or color MFP/Copier/Scanner for under $500, which is especially nice for the rise of the Home Office. Depending on whether you purchase new or refurbished, color or monochrome, the larger HP MFPs can range between $1,300 to around $6,000.
- Supplies are less expensive and more readily available because you can choose to use remanufactured toner cartridges. (Also, all you have to change in an “A4” machine is usually just the toner cartridge. No messy toner bottles and separate drum units that you may or may not be able to replace yourself.)
- They are easier and less expensive to service, and many more people/companies service them. This is especially true for HP LaserJet Printers and MFPs.
- According to industry analysts, “A4 machines [laser printers] require less than half to a third as many service calls as traditional A3 copy machines.” Thus, they are generally less expensive to operate and are more reliable through the years.
- HP LaserJet MFPs are “feature rich” providing many of the same features and are easier for the office staff to learn to use. You can Copy, Scan, Print, and Fax at speeds of up to 60-75 pages per minute!
Many offices today that had an aging “A3” copy machine, have been migrating towards these cost-effective, feature rich “A4” machines. When it is time for you to get a new “copy machine” for your office, it would be wise to consider what HP, Samsung, or Lexmark has to offer instead of going to your typical copy machine dealer. This also puts you in more control of your purchase by not being coerced into buying the only product that the dealer sells. [Note: “A3” and “A4” in essence refer to maximum paper size. “A3” is 11×17, which most offices don’t need anyway today. And “A4” refers to machines that print up to Legal size paper.]
If you ever need any help determining the best printer or multi-function printer solutions for your office or home office, just email me or give me a call anytime to discuss… As an example, here is a link to my Printer Profile on our “Like New” Refurbished HP LaserJet M630 MFP Series Machines: https://www.carlisle-enterprises.com/printer-profile-refurbished-hp-laserjet-enterprise-m630-series-multi-function-laser-printers/
Helping you print smarter, faster, and cheaper: 630-289-0747 or kent@carlisle-enterprises.com