The results from the Sift Mediia printer survey are in and colour, multifunction printers are the winners by a long chalk. John Stokdyk reports.
In conjunction with other Sift Media communities, TrainingZone members are rating their devices via an online questionnaire that will help us compile a Business Buyer’s Guide to printers.
While the desktop category features a barrage of different inkjet, laser and multifunction printers, the corporate sector is leaving black and white behind and investing in high-volume, all-in-one colour laser devices.
According to Lexmark product manager Tony Lomax, colour laser multifunction printers (MFPs) not longer carry such a premium on the acquisition price - but can creep up to surprise the user in consumable costs if everyone uses them as their default output device.
In terms of market share and customer satisfaction, HP, Canon and Brother are setting the pace. Of more than 100 machines identified by survey respondents so far, HP has the largest representation with 20+ models, followed by Canon with 17 and Brother with 10+ separate models listed.
Brother currently boasts the highest average score, with 3.50 out of a scale of 4. HP and Canon, meanwhile, are locked together on 3.31. The online printer survey is still live awaiting your feedback. The information gathered will underpin a set of Business Buyer’s Guides to be published next month. The user ratings cover quality, speed, reliability and cost assessments and will ensure our recommendations are based on solid frontline evidence from frontline
Based on the responses so far, here is a selection of contenders in the main product categories:
Desktop
- Konica Minolta PagePro 1300w mono laser (£130 approx)
- Kyocera FS 1300 desktop mono laser (£130)
- HP DeskJet 6940 - Colour inkjet (£100)
- HP OfficeJet Pro 8000 - 35ppm colour thermal inkjet (£103)
- Brother DCP165 - compact, multifunction colour inkjet (£51)
- HP 6410 colour multifunction (£150 approx)
- Kodak ESP 7 colour inkjet all-in-one (£149)
- Lexmark Impact S305 (£90)
Workgroup
- Brother HL5350 - Fast-selling workgroup mono laser (£195 approx)
- HP 4015 mono laser printer (replacement for much loved 4100, 4200 and 4300 series models, £559 approx)
- Dell 1320c - colour laser printer (£115 approx)
- OKI C3450 - 16ppm colour laser (£187)
- Brother MFC-7440N Multifunction mono laser (£195 approx)
- Canon Pixma MX850 Multifunction Inkjet Printer (£190 approx)
- Samsumg CLP-300 series colour lasers
- Sharp MX-2600 - 26ppm A3 colour laser MFP
Networked/Enterprise
- HP LaserJet CP4005 - 30ppm colour laser printer with duplex (£522)
- HP LaserJet CP3525 - 30ppm colour laser printer (£500 approx)
- OKI C5650 - 32ppm colour laser (£276)
- Brother MFC8880 - 30ppm mono MFP (£389)
- HP LaserJet M3027 - 25ppm replacement for M4345 mono MFP (£850)
- Canon i-SENSYS MF9170 21ppm laser MPF with fax (£1,200)
- Dell 3115CN - colour laser MFP (£507)
- Xerox Phaser 8560 - successor to Phaser 8550 colour laser MFP (£1045)
Has your printer made the list? Please take a minute to ensure it’s included in our online survey results.
