Want to jump straight to the answer? The best copy machines for most people is the Xerox VersaLink C405 or Kyocera TASKalfa 3553ci.
You shouldn’t have to put up with slow copy machines that require constant maintenance and lack up-to-date features. Multipurpose printing and copy machines offer modern technology upgrades to improve speed and productivity.
The Top 5 Best Copy Machines
- Xerox VersaLink C405 – Best for Smaller Teams
- Kyocera TASKalfa 3553ci – Best for Enhanced Security
- Brother MFC-J6545DW – Best for Infrequent Ink Replacements
- Sharp MX-C304W – Best for Multi-Sheet Document Feeding
- Kyocera ECOSYS M3550idn – Best for Low Running Costs
Continue reading our guide to decide which multipurpose copy and printing machine is the right fit for your business.
Xerox VersaLink C405 — Best For Smaller Teams
The Xerox VersaLink C405 Multifunction Printer is the best fit for small teams. The machine can copy, scan, print, fax, and send documents via email and to the cloud.
It’s best suited for teams of up to 10 people, and it’s a relatively smaller model physically. The product allows users to print in color, and it comes with a control panel with different apps.
The user interface comes with apps like Copy, Email, Fax, Scan To, Address Book, Jobs, Device, USB, Xerox App Gallery, and Print and Scan for Google Drive, DropBox, or OneDrive.
It has tablet-like navigation, and the interface is fully customizable. Users can change their view, expand functionality, and download or create customized apps. Users can log into their account using the panel, exit apps using the Home button, and reset the entire system if necessary.
Xerox color correction technology ensures color documents are clear and vibrant. It comes with True Adobe PostScript 3 and PANTONE-approved solid-color simulations. The machine has two-sided output, can handle 85,000 images per month, and has the option to connect to Wi-Fi.
Users can print and scan from anywhere at any time, including from desktops and mobile devices. From their mobile device, they simply need to open a page and select Print, choose VersaLink C405, and edit details like number of copies, paper size, color, and orientation.
The machine comes with single-pass duplex scanning which scans color documents at 27 images per minute (ipm) or black and white documents at 52 ipm. It also comes with a scan preview feature.
It can print up to 36 pages per minute (ppm) letter speed and 35 ppm A4 print speed. Its standard capacity is 700 sheets, but it can hold up to 1,250 at a time. Its first page out time is 12 seconds for black and white and 13 seconds for color.
Its copy resolution is 600 x 600 dots per inch (dpi). Its copy first page out time is 8.8 seconds for black and white and 10.6 seconds for color. Copy features include auto exposure, sharpness, reduce and enlarge, lighten and darken, color saturation, color balance, collation, cloning, auto fit, and two-up output.
The VersaLink C405 can connect with DropBox, Google Drive, and Microsoft One Drive through the cloud. For printing, it includes features and apps like Google Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint, Mopria, NFC tap-to-pair, and Xerox Print Service Plug-in for Android. It comes with both wired and wireless support and available Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct.
For security purposes, it protects from unauthorized access, data transmission, and network intrusion. It also comes with secure overwrite and stringent data encryption, and extra security can be added to individual documents.
The VersaLink C405 can be purchased from Xerox, CDW, or Staples starting at $1,099.
If you want to find a vendor near you, simply click the product link at the top of this section and select Other Ways to Buy under the pricing info. From there, you can enter your ZIP code and find a distributor near you.
Kyocera TASKalfa 3553ci — Best For Enhanced Security
The Kyocera TASKalfa 3553ci is the best machine for enhanced security. Kyocera’s printers have some of the best security available. The TASKalfa 3553ci can protect printed documents, address books, and more.
Its three signature security features, Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA), protect users from threats like denial-of-service attacks, data alteration, and information leaks.
Kyocera’s philosophy is to “do the right thing as a human being”. The company takes an eco-friendly approach with its printers by reducing their energy usage and saving you costs.
The multi-purpose printer comes with a 10.1-inch color touchscreen panel that’s easy to navigate. It comes with helpful actions like Print, Copy, Send, Fax, USB Drive, and Internet Browser.
Printing resolution is at 1,200 x 1,200 dpi, and it prints at high speeds of 35 ppm. The product can scan up to 120 ipm with simplex pages or 220 ipm with duplex pages. Its time to first print is a speedy 5.1 seconds with black and white documents and 6.5 seconds with color documents.
The TASKalfa 3553ci warms up in under 17 seconds, its max input capacity is 7,150 sheets, and its max output capacity is 4,000 sheets. Its copy features include auto magnification, page number, blank page skip, form overlay, specified color removal, preview, rotate copy, and border erase. Its maximum original size is 11 inches x 17 inches, and its zoom range is 25% to 400%.
To purchase this product, you can visit Kyocera’s website and customize add-ons to narrow down a specific price. You can also purchase it from a third-party vendor. This machine is on the expensive side, with most sites pricing it in the four- to five-figure range.
Brother MFC-J6545DW — Best For Infrequent Ink Replacements
If you’re sick of an office printer and copy machine that runs out of ink at inconvenient times, and/or having to spend half your office budget on ink refills, get the Brother MFC-J6545DW INKVestment Tank Color Inkjet All-in-One printer.
The printer comes with up to one year of ink included in the box. The device can copy, print, scan, and fax up to 11-inch x 17-inch sheets, and it includes wireless mobile device printing.
The simple ink pods are placed in an internal storage tank to give you maximum capacity. It includes a Page Gauge that shows users how much ink is left in each color, so they know when it’s almost time to replace them. Users can also upgrade to XL Extended Print for up to two years of ink in the box.
Users can navigate the interface to scan documents and send them to their PC, to their email, to an FTP or SFTP server, a SharePoint server, or directly to a network folder. It comes with ledger-sized paper handling for things like financial reports, budgets, schedules, and more. It comes with a 50-sheet automatic document feeder to handle stacks of paper.
The machine does not allow duplex copy, but it can copy in black and white and color. It can zoom from 25% to 400%, and it includes stand-alone copying. Its copy resolution is 600 x 600 dpi, and its max copy speed is 15 ppm in black and white and 11 ppm in color. It has a sheetfed copy design style, and it also includes a poster function.
The machine comes with built-in wireless or ethernet. Its mobile features let users print or scan straight from their devices. It’s compatible with leading cloud apps like OneNote, OneDrive, DropBox, Google Drive, and Evernote. Users also get continual access to customer support via phone, live chat, and online.
This printer costs only $375 on Amazon. It can also be bought online from stores like Office Depot, Best Buy, Newegg, Zones, and B&H. Brother’s website includes a search feature if you want to locate a local retailer near you.
Sharp MX-C304W — Best For Multi-Sheet Document Feeding
The Sharp MX-C304W is an easy-to-use machine that produces high-quality output. It has many advanced features included on larger machines and includes an award-winning seven-inch touchscreen display.
This product has advanced security features, and it has won multiple accolades including Buyer’s Lab 2020 Pick Award, Highly Recommended, and Reliability Certified honors.
Scanning can take forever, especially if you’re forced to manually scan each page, one-by-one. To increase productivity, the MX-C304W comes with an impressive 100-sheet duplexing document feeder. This allows users to add a big stack of paper, and the machine can automatically scan both sides.
This machine can print, copy, scan, and fax. It can feed statement size, legal size, letter size, and business card size, and it has a 2,700-sheet maximum paper capacity. To increase cloud and disk storage efficiency and decrease network traffic, it has a Compact PDF feature. This tool can adequately decrease color scanned documents’ file size.
It comes with an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tool that converts scanned documents to Microsoft Office and PDF. Users can then search converted documents by text.
Users can print directly from computers, tablets, and mobile phones. Qualcomm DirectOffice technology lets users print Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word documents straight from a thumb drive.
Sharp Cloud Connect integrates with cloud services like DropBox, Google Drive, Box.com, SharePoint Online, and Microsoft OneDrive for Business.
To find out where to purchase this printer, head to Sharp’s website and look up a store near you. Most websites price it in the low- to mid-four figure range, and prices can also vary depending on add-ons purchased.
Kyocera ECOSYS M3550idn — Best For Low Running Costs
The Kyocera ECOSYS M3550idn is the best machine for keeping running costs low. The product has some of the lowest printing costs in its class, uses a low power consumption, has a minimal environmental impact, and it has a low noise mode. The device can copy, fax, double-sided print, and color scan.
This machine comes with a seven-inch color touchscreen, mobile printing support, and it can print up to 50 ppm. It takes around 21 seconds to warm up and has 8 seconds time to first print and copy. It can handle up to 2,600 sheets of paper at once, comes with a 100-sheet multipurpose tray, and includes a 75-sheet reversing document processor.
The machine’s copy resolution is 600 x 600 dpi, its copy zoom range is 25% to 400%, and it includes auto and manual exposure modes. Image adjustment options include graphics, maps, text, and photos.
It also comes with digital copy features like copy density control, priority print, split copy, automatic duplex copy, ID-card copy, scan-once-copy-many, and more.
Kyocera offers a standard one-year warranty for this product, and it guarantees the developer and drum for 500,000 pages or three years. The Kyocera ECOSYS M3550idn is available from several online retailers. It costs in the low four-figures and can be purchased in the three-figure range used.
How to Find The Best Copy Machine For You
When shopping for a multipurpose printer and copy machine, verify important details like maximum paper capacity, cloud integrations, financial investment required, and copy and printing speed.
Paper Capacity
To maximize productivity, look for a machine that can handle large stacks of paper at one time. A machine with a high paper storage capacity reduces the number of times you need to refill it. Also, a machine that automatically scans several pieces of paper at once is a huge time-saver. It’s also helpful to find one with a duplex feeder, which takes advantage of both sides of each sheet.
Cloud Integrations
Cloud integrations help you set up and connect your multipurpose machine to third-party apps. From there, you can easily send printing jobs from your desktop or mobile device apps. Choose a machine that integrates with the cloud solution your business uses. Examples include Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive.
Financial Investment
Since multipurpose printers and copy machines range so widely in terms of price, it’s important to bring this up. If you’re with a startup business looking to go lean, you can find a good business print and copy machine for a few hundred dollars. However, more advanced printers can cost north of 10 grand. Many businesses rent or have financing plans for expensive machines, so consider this if you want to go with a high-end one.
Speed
There’s nothing more aggravating than a sluggish machine that takes forever to print documents. Choose a copy machine that can power up in less than 30 seconds, that can print at least 25 pages per minute (ppm), and that can copy at least 10 ppm. Some machines can print up to 50 ppm, and devices like these should be considered if saving time is important to you.
The Top Copy Machines in Summary
The best copy machines and multipurpose printers come with features like cloud integration, touchscreen panels, and security enhancements. They’re fast, powerful, and significantly better than outdated legacy copiers.
To find the best copy machine for your business, follow the recommendations and methodology explained in this guide.