How Do I Know What the Best Fax Machine is For My Business?

Everybody knows what a fax machine is and most people know that they have changed considerably over the last 20 years. Now they are made as combination printers, copiers, scanners. Some are still using black thermal film, some use inkjet cartridges and now some now use laser cartridges, plus you can now send color as well as black.

Which is the best one to use? It depends on many different questions;

Question: I use a fax machine one to ten times a month and maybe make a copy once in a while, what should I buy?

Answer: Honestly, they still make thermal roll, very simple to use, fax machines that start out at about $75.00 each. The cartridges run about $24.00 for a name brand or about $17.00 generic and at the rate you are using the machine you will probably get about a years worth for one cartridge. When you purchase a machine it will include a starter cartridge but it will probably only contain about one half of the size of the refills*. But be careful, because every fax you get or copy you make and the roll will spin 11 inches, regardless of the content of the fax

Question: My office sends and receives around 100 faxes each month some it color and we have a copier, do I need a laser fax machine to be able to receive color?

Answer: You probably could use a color laser fax machine; however an inkjet fax machine would be far less expensive to purchase. The ink is more expensive for the amount you get so your cost per fax will be higher. But they will produce quality color output faxes. You should stick to the name brand cartridge until the machine is about 5 years old**.

Question: I have a fast paced office where the fax machine is used as a copier, color is not an issue, but I am buying inkjet cartridges every week.

Answer: Your answer is a monochrome laser fax machine. They are faster than inkjet models are and you will save in the long run on the toner. They have dropped in price since the advent of color laser fax machines and since color is not an issue you do not need purchase the more expensive machine. You are best advised to choose a model that has a high capacity cartridge choice. After the warranty expires, you should at least try to use an off brand cartridge for further cost savings. ***

Question: My office is huge, we have seventeen attorneys and their secretaries plus interns who are constantly using the fax machine for copies and faxes and it is always breaking down. What should I do?

Answer: A color laser multifunction machine that you can network to all the computers in your office is the probable answer however you are best served to confer with your IT professional and receive a couple of quotes from office machine professionals who not only sell, but know how to provide service in case of a problem****. You purchase these machines because time is money and your office will increase its productivity by over 15% just by having the right machine and using it properly.

*Every machine will come with a starter cartridge, which is ordinarily about half the size of the refills. The best use of the starter cartrididge is to go ahead and purchase the refill at the same time you buy the machine and load it instead, mark the starter as the emergency refill and put in a nearby drawer. You should always order only one cartridge ahead as you can never be sure when you will upgrade, and you don't want stuck with an extra cartridge. They can be impossible to return after a long period of time.

** After about 5 years, most name brand machine manufacturers will sell their rights of OEM (Original Equipment Merchandise) to the off brand manufacturers for their cartridges, this lowers your price but offers you the same quality of the original. Inkjet refill are notorious for not working correctly in the first few years and this is because they are not OEM but recycled refills. Whenever you purchase off brand merchandise make certain they come with a money back guarantee. Another little hint, big box stores use their own brand ink and toner for huge profit margins so this is an item that should be purchased from a smaller type of supplier, they are in your area.

***Some manufacturers are very particular about their warranties and if you use an off brand while the machine is still covered you could possibly be voiding the warranty and you do not want that to happen

****Buy your fine jewelry from a jeweler and buy your most important office machines from a local to you office machine specialist. They are in your area and can be recommended by fellow businesses or the Better Business Bureau.

I am by night an article writer, but by day I sell office supplies and the truth is I know quite a bit of factoids about office supplies and equipment that I take for granted. I know a lot of the secrets big box stores use to lure customer and I also know some of the tactics they use once they have you.

So I thought, since I am mostly a local supplier and am not trying to sell anything in California. I would share some of these insights with interested readers.

Not all at once, mind you, but just one subject at a time.

I will have additional small ideas at my blog so please visit and if you have a particular question I will offer my email address from there and do my best to answer.

So if you own a business, big or small or you do the purchasing for a business that uses office supplies, here is your big chance, your moment to know something nobody else does about office supplies. http://russhasofficesupplyanswers.blogspot.com/