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Xerox Phaser 8860MFP. |
Spending Smart
Printers that can do it all
Speed, quality, and price are the biggest variables among the all-in-one office tool
By the time you buy a printer, a scanner, and a fax machine for your office, and start paying for all the different kinds of ink and toner for each one, you’ll start to see that an all-in-one device can be more efficient - and economical.
Many popular manufacturers make all-in-one machines. The Globe tested three: the Brother MFC-9450CDN at $649.99; the Oki Data MC560n for $999; and the powerful Xerox Phaser 8860MFP for $3,999.
The Brother and Oki Data models were very similar units built on a color laser printer. They offered comparable printing - great for text and a just a bit choppier than the Xerox for photos.
The Brother says it produces 21 pages per minute for black or color, which was true with black, but when we printed color photos, it was closer to 10 pages per minute. The Oki Data came in at about 30 pages per minute for black and about half that for color.
Both Brother’s spokesman Jeff Sandler and Oki Data spokeswoman Jade Trombetta said a number of factors can affect print speed.
Most manufacturers say their printers can print a certain number of pages per minute, but that’s usually a company test under ideal conditions. If you’re using low quality paper, printing big photos, or printing a lot of different files, it can take longer to process or print the data.
“The published performance specifications are based on laboratory testing. This means that the printer will move paper through the unit at rated engine speed,’’ Trombetta said. “However, there a few variables that will cause the printer [to delay] the start of the print job. This includes the complexity of the file, size of the print job, time to process the file, etc. Once the job is processed and paper starts to move, the printer will run at engine speed.’’
The Xerox really blew us away, though. The Xerox machine uses a new solid ink technology that’s more ecological and cheaper to restock than laser toner cartridges over the product’s lifetime.
The Xerox took the speed trophy with 30 pages per minute for black or color. Then it wowed us with quality. We found that it was serviceable not only as an office or workgroup printer but also for professional-quality brochures, signs, fliers, and newsletters. The printouts look like you paid to send them out to the print shop.
Solid ink is still a fresh technology. It’s cartridge-free. All you do is plop in actual sticks of colored or black ink, and there’s no trash to throw out when the ink is gone. One of the only drawbacks we found was that while the ink sticks are cheaper than toner cartridges, the printing capacity of a single stick is lower.
XEROX PHASER 8860MFP
$3,999
Pros: The Phaser is a great product that prints, copies, faxes, and scans like a real champ.
Cons: The price is a true commitment.
The final word: This machine won’t let you down, and it’s “green.’’
OKI DATA MC560
$999
Pros: The MC560 offers good print speeds and inexpensive toner. Text prints out crisply and looks professional.
Cons: The design is a bit confusing with buttons all over the place. The device is basically an Oki Data color laser printer with the scan-fax-copy module on top.
The final word: The MC560 is overpriced for what comes in the box, but it’s still a good machine that does everything your office needs.
BROTHER MFC-9450CDN
$649.99
Pros: The MFC-9450CDN is the least expensive on the list. It’s also pretty fast and prints on both sides of the page.
Cons: Print quality for color and photos is not as good as the more expensive Xerox solid-ink printer.
The final word: Value is the word here.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
