The choices that are available for color printers and multifunction color printers are astounding. So, what are the key features and specifications to focus on when buying a new color printer?

While it is not always the same for everyone, here are the areas of particular importance:
* Initial cost of the color printer
* Cost of the supplies (toner, drums, etc.)
* Maintenance cost
* Reliability
* Print speed
* Print quality
* Warranty
* Right machine for the job
* Energy consumption
* Waste (environmental impact)

The more of these factors you can take into consideration, the easier it will be to make the best decision for your church.

The initial cost is often misleading. U.S. consumers have always focused on how much it costs now and not how much it is going to cost over the life of the product. This may be partly due to the fact that, often, the person purchasing the equipment is not the same one who will be purchasing supplies for the printer. Focus less on the initial cost and more on the other key areas, if you want a product that will meet your expectations over time.

A key area to focus on is the supplies cost. What supplies have to be replaced, and how often? In the case of color laser printers, you will not only have toner, but imaging drums, fusers, and rollers that will add up to many times the cost of the printer over its life. Do your research upfront and find out what will need to be purchased to keep your printer operational.

Are you buying a disposable color printer? In many cases with lower-cost printers, they are not designed to handle the demands of business, and you will find yourself replacing these units more frequently. An easy method of determining a printer's reliability is to look at what the printer manufacture call the "Duty Cycle." The duty cycle is the maximum capacity that a printer is rated to handle. This information can be found in the specifications of the printer and is stated in the number of pages monthly. A higher number means a more reliable printer. To keep your printer at its peak performance, your monthly usage should be no more than 10% of the Duty Cycle. A sports car may be able to run 180 miles per hour, but you would not consider driving it at that speed all the time. A business printer should have a duty cycle of at least 85,000 pages monthly, even if you will only be printing a small fraction of that.

Do not believe everything you read when it comes to print speed. It does little good to know a printer can print 45 pages per minute if the color print quality is unacceptable at that speed. Try and determine what the useable print speed is. The useable speed is the fastest speed that documents are printed at an acceptable quality. This is typically less than half of the top rated speed of the printer. You should also look at the "Time to First Page." This is how long it takes the printer before the first page is printed. Since most of the things we print are less than 10 pages, it does little good to have a printer that can print 45 pages per minute if it takes 45 seconds before the first page prints. There are multiple factors involved in providing a fast time to first page. The processor in your computer and the processor in your printer determine how fast the document can be processed and printed. If the printer has to warm up, this will also slow down the time to first page. You will find the manufacturer's estimated time to first page listed in the printer specifications.

What about the warranty? If the printer you are considering does not have at least a one-year on-site service policy, I would question its ability to meet the requirements of your church. If the printer manufacturer does not offer on-site service, then that should be your first clue that this might not be the printer for your church.

If you are concerned about the environment, look for printers that reduce the amount of waste produced over the life of the printer. Did you know that a color laser printer will produce well over 200 pounds of waste over its life, while a Solid Ink color printer will produce less than one-eighth of that.

If you follow these tips and get the right printer for the intended task, you should be pleased with the final choice and should not have any surprises down the road.

Dennis Walthers is the president and chief executive officer of FreePrinters.com, Inc., a Texas-based corporation that provides free, high-performance color printers and copiers to organizations across the nation.

Product Roundup  

Canon imageCLASS MF4690
Delivering enhanced "big office" features in its smallest digital laser MFP, Canon's imageCLASS MF4690 MFP is designed for small offices. The imageCLASS MF4690 model offers advanced send features so users can scan to:
* E-mail
* File
* Fax
* USB memory port
The built-in networking features, along with the device's duplexing capabilities, make it an ideal small office solution for single or multiple networked users.
www.usa.canon.com

Duplo's DP-430e
Duplo's DP-430e is a good option for churches. The system features:
* One-touch operation
* Impressive 300 x 600 dpi resolution
* Low cost-per-image
* 1,200 sheet feed-and-stack capacity
* Large LCD control panel
With ruggedness and durability, the DP-430e's reliability upholds the countless printing demands of the church environment.
www.duplousa.com

HC5500 by Riso
The HC5500 by Riso combines speed, versatility and low running costs, all in one easy-to-operate unit. The unit:
* Prints at speeds up to 120 pages per minute
* Offers costs as low as $.03 per page in full color
* Handles envelopes and card stock with ease
* Can be networked to print documents straight from the desktop computer
* Is easy to use, with an intuitive interface
The HC5500 is available with an optional in-line finisher that offers such capabilities as offset stacking, stapling, hole punching, and booklet-making functions.
www.us.riso.com

Lanier LD425c
The Lanier LD425c is an affordable digital MFP that extends the convenience of full-color copying, printing, scanning and optional faxing to everyone in a workgroup. It delivers up to 25 copies and prints per minute and maintains high productivity, whether printing a full-color presentation or copying a simple, black-and-white report. Features include:
* Accepting paper sizes up to 12" x 18"
* Full array of advanced scanning features
* Large, intuitive, color LCD touch screen
Versatile paper handling capabilities, built-in duplexing and a range of finishing options make it simple to create any document quickly and easily.
www.lanier.com

Xerox Free Color Printers Program
Xerox Corporation offers free color printers to qualified businesses and organizations nationwide through the Xerox Free Color Printers Program. Members receive:
* A Xerox Phaser solid ink color printer
* Online and toll-free telephone support
* Online ordering of supplies
* Access to a members-only Web site featuring valuable tools and templates.
Thousands of churches have already qualified to receive a free networked, color printer through this program and are seeing the advantages of brilliant color printing.
www.freecolorprinters.com

Sharp's AR-M355/AR-M455
Sharp's sophisticated workgroup MFPs offer the most advanced multitasking capabilities in their category. Both models feature:
* A fast 300 MHz multitasking controller
* 40 GB hard drive
* Sharp's Scan2 technology, which scans two-sided documents in a single pass
They help even the busiest workgroups manage document workflow and process jobs faster.
www.sharpusa.com