An essential piece of kit for any bona fide business, photocopiers come in all styles, shapes, and sizes. With such an overwhelming amount of choice out there, it can be hard to pick the perfect photocopier for your business – but that’s where we come in.
When searching for your next photocopier, you need to ensure the supplier has a strong reputation for delivering great value products. You should also confirm whether it’ll be easy to call out an engineer if something goes wrong.
As always, we practice what we preach, which means that our list of the six best UK photocopier suppliers will tick the boxes above.
Keen to learn more about each brand? Then carry on reading to see our individual reviews and looking for quick and free quotes from trusted photocopier suppliers? Well, it couldn’t be easier – take a minute to share some details on your requirements, and said suppliers would soon be in touch with a selection of bespoke quotes.
In this guide to the best digital copiers of 2020, we’ll help you pick the very best photocopier – which digital copiers are also known as – for your needs.
Modern offices often need digital copiers, even if you may feel they are a bit archaic these days. In this guide to the best digital copiers, we’ll show you that these are as cutting edge and feature-packed as many of the other devices in your workplace.
As well as standalone digital copiers, there are also affordable multifunction printers (MFPs) that combine printing and scanning functionality in one device and slash the cost of producing printouts using inkjet or laser technologies.
At the same time, MFPs have made significant improvements both in terms of quality, value for money and onboard features.
From usage tracking to improve security, auto duplex, mobile and wireless printing or digital touchscreen display, there’s now a flurry of options available on the market, for the occasional printout and mailing to digital agencies.
What are the best brands of photocopiers and its different models?
Brother
Best for low prices. Brother is one of the biggest names in the photocopying business, specialising in smaller models for SMBs. These models are among the most economically priced on the market, meaning you can’t really go wrong with a Brother photocopier at your side.
Best known for its specialty fabric printers and industrial sewing machines, the Brother company also manufactures and sells multifunction laser copiers for home use, SMBs and large businesses.
Ideal for any home office or small business, this 3-in-1 colour LED laser printer offers wireless and network solutions, copying, and scanning. It’s quick, quiet, and easy to use.
Brother MFC-L8690CDW
Brother has endowed this hefty laser printer with all the features a small business might need. It can hold 300 sheets of paper and turn out mono or colour pages at the rate of 31 per minute. There is a fax facility and electronic document feed for automated tasks. It also makes wireless printing from a mobile device, or scanning documents to the cloud very easy using its built-in Wi-Fi and a slick iOS/Android companion app. Both Google Cloud Print and AirPrint are covered.
Brother DCP-L3550CDW
This three-in-one laser printer offers a lot of features for your money. The main paper tray is deep enough for 250 sheets of A4 paper, and the automatic document feeder can hold another fifty, which means you can schedule a fifty-page photocopying job. There’s no dual-side copying on this budget model, but there is duplex printing. Documents are scanned quickly at a crisp 1200 x 2400 DPI and printed at a reasonably prompt rate of 18cpm (copies per minute). You can even enlarge your photocopies by up to 400%. There are Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct available for making a wireless connection with or without a network, and there are USB ports available both front and back. It’s all controlled by a conveniently placed colour touchscreen.
Brother MFC-J6945DW INKvestment Tank
The Brother MFC-J6945DW is the best budget all-in-one printer and copier. It’s ideal for small businesses that need to lower printing costs and want an MFC that is easy to operate and maintain.
It offers about one year’s worth of ink in each Ultra High-Yield cartridge and is equipped with the Brother Page Gauge to track how much ink it has used and how much remains.
Canon
Best for print quality. Canon is the UK’s largest photocopier supplier, providing an impressive arsenal of top quality printers.
Canon’s small desktop copiers are popular for their attractive design, quality scanners and low entry price.
With Canon’s printers, you’re guaranteed its trademark attention to detail, with some of the highest printing resolutions around. While its printers are suitable for any type of business, they’re best suited to creative companies that require lots of colourful printing.
Pixma MG5750
In true Canon style, the Pixma MG5750 provides crystal clear colour printing (with 4,800 x 1,200 dpi) and multifunctionality. A robust printer despite its small size, it would suit most small creative companies looking to impress customers and clients.
Canon i-Sensys MF735Cx
Canon is aiming this mid-priced device at the small to medium-sized business by loading it with key features and giving it a fast photocopy speed. There’s room for 250 sheets of paper in the main tray, plus 50 more in the multipurpose tray. It makes a fine photocopier with dual-sided scanning and duplex printing and makes it easy to print and scan via the cloud thanks to Canon’s helpful companion app for iOS/Android devices.
Canon iR Advance 8205 PRO
The iR Advance 8205 PRO is a black and white photocopier that can print and copy at the very fast speed of 105 pages per minute.
The paper capacity is 7,700 sheets to enable uninterrupted high volume printing, and the resolution of prints is up to 1,200dpi. The iR Advance 8205 PRO has a range of impressive features including automatic duplex printing, duplex scanning and the ability to handle multiple media types.
Canon VarioPrint 110
If you are looking for high speed, the VarioPrint 110 could be the photocopier for you as it can process an astounding 113 images per minute, making it one of the fastest available.
The VarioPrint 110 is easy to use, can handle paper up to size A3 and prints in high 600 x 2400 dpi resolution. The standard paper capacity is 4,000 sheets which can be upgraded to a maximum 7,800 sheets.
This model is designed to efficiently and professionally handle even the biggest jobs and a number of finishing options are available to give your documents those final details.
Canon Océ VarioPrint 6320 Ultra+
This high-speed multifunction copier can print and copy at a lightning-fast rate of 314 pages per minute. The massive 24,000 sheet capacity means it can continuously print for four hours!
This is a truly remarkable high volume black and white copier that has been designed to increase productivity and efficiency. The features include binding and finishing options as well as faxing abilities making it an impressive all-rounder for the busiest of offices.
HP
Affordable photocopying with touchscreen ease. HP’s affordable multifunctional copiers are popular because they come in a variety of configurations and sport one of the best touchscreen interfaces of any printer brand on the market.
HP LaserJet Pro MFP M227fdw
If you have the space for it, this multifunction device will serve a small business well thanks to its useful 35-sheet automatic document feeder and automated photocopying skills. This is a mono machine, and it’s not the fastest laser on the block, but it’s quicker than any inkjet and offers an attractive blend of features and performance.
HP Color Laser MFP 179fnw
HP has managed to shrink a four-in-one laser copier slightly further than anyone else. In fact, you have to extend the man paper tray to load your A4 paper. Perhaps more significantly, it has managed to keep the price at rock bottom without losing any features. It can print, scan copy and fax with Wi-Fi and a USB port for connectivity. The automatic document feeder (ADF) can hold another 40 sheets of A4 for scheduled photocopying. There’s no auto-duplex mode, sadly and no duplex scanning either, but it prints quite quickly at 18ppm, and it’s not only cheap to buy but pretty economical to run too.
Epson
Epson has been manufacturing electronics goods since 1942 when they were founded in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. From humble beginnings, they built up a reputation that is second to none and in the process have managed to be at the cutting edge of printing machine design in particular, from the legendary electronic Epson copier, the EP 101, onwards.
With offices all over the world, in every continent other than the Antarctic Epson is truly a global leader and continues to innovate and manufacture products accordingly.
Epson makes high-end photo printers and fabric printers as well as business-ready multifunction copiers. Quality runs throughout the Epson line, from its compact series of home office machines to its commercial wide-format and graphics printers. Epson also makes specialised printers for printing signage and art reproductions as well as healthcare labels, dot matrix receipts and more. Its EcoTank printers are an excellent choice for microbusinesses to minimise ink costs. The cartridge-free printers include up to two years of ink in the box and sport refillable vessels that can be filled with inexpensive bottles of ink.
Epson EcoTank ET-M2140
A refillable ink tank cuts the print cost of this photocopier. This three-in-one multifunction device might seem expensive for an inkjet, but as with its other cartridge-free solutions, Epson includes a generous amount of ink. The bottle of black ink in the box is good for 11,000 photocopies, and Epson reckons you’ll make savings of around 90% compared with cartridges. You can fit 250 pages in the main paper tray, scan at high resolution and print crisp duplex pages with a very quick first page out time. The fairly large LCD screen makes it easier to use, and the distinctive design picked up a Red Dot award.
Konica Minolta
Best for growing businesses. Originally from Japan, Konica Minolta was founded in the early 20th century and has gone on to become highly regarded across the UK.
Konica Minolta offers a full range of copiers, including multifunction office systems and large production printers, which are known for their ability to handle high print volumes.
What sets these printers apart from the rest is the company’s own operating platform, Bizhub. This means users don’t have to learn an entirely new technology when upgrading or changing photocopier models.
Also, each model has the customer support phone number and reference number printed on its side, making it quick and easy to call out an engineer.
Simple, secure printing is what you’ll get with the Bizhub C250i, but it doesn’t forsake brains for brawn. You can reduce your environmental impact thanks to its low power consumption, print 25 ppm, and access Konica Minolta’s multi-location printing feature.
Konica Minolta Bizhub C754e
This multifunction photocopier can scan, copy and print high volumes of documents in vibrant colour at high quality. The 60 print per minute colour output and 65 print per minute black and white output mean you won’t have to wait around.
The print resolution is up to 1,800 x 600 dpi, and the copy resolution is 600 x 600 dpi. The Bizhub C754e is easy to use thanks to its functions being similar to those of a tablet, and there are plenty of great additional features available such as binding and finishing options.
Ricoh
Best for large corporations. Choose a Ricoh photocopier for your large business, and you won’t imagine changing any time soon.
With a huge range of products, from all-in-one office printers to high capacity production machines and 3D printers, you can get tailored photocopier solutions to help support your large business ambitions.
Ricoh is the largest copier manufacturer in the world. It makes and sells its own copiers and printers under the Ricoh name and owns and operates several other well-known copier companies, including Savin, Hitachi, Lanier and InfoPrint Solutions Company (formerly the IBM Printing Systems Division). Still, the quality varies greatly by the brand name. Ricoh’s own branded office printers are known for their quality, versatility, capacity, speed, graphics, and comprehensive document workflow solutions and managed print services. Ricoh is a better match for established SMBs than micro-businesses or home offices.
Ricoh Pro C5100S
As Ricoh says, the Pro C5100S is where productivity meets profitability. This printer was built specifically for high-output printing environments, delivering high-quality prints at 80 ppm. With this machine, you can load up to 8,250 sheets, and choose from a variety of advanced finishing options.
The Pro C5100S can produce colour photocopies and prints at a rate of 60 pages per minute with an outstanding resolution of 4800 dpi. The innovative technology used on this copier, printer, scanner combination means you can print in full colour or black and white, use a broad array of media, experience superior document quality and get an impressive end result in each time.
Enhance your documents, add finishing touches and avoid problems thanks to the multi-feeding detection system with the Pro C5100S. It has so many features to help maximise the productivity and quality of your document printing workflow.
Ricoh Aficio MP6002
This is a black and white multifunction copier that can print, copy, scan and fax documents at a very productive 60 prints per minute. The operation panel is easy to use and has a customisable home screen for quick access to your most-used functions, and there is also a USB and SD slot for streamline printing.
The MP6002 is reliable and is designed to handle high volumes of documents; the 8,300 sheet paper capacity means you can avoid interruptions even during the biggest jobs. The print resolution is 1,200 x 1,200 dpi providing crisp, clear and professional results.
Ricoh Aficio MP 9002
The MP 9002 is a black and white multifunctional copier that makes light work of high volume printing, copying, scanning and faxing.
The 90 prints per minute speed offer consistent and reliable handling of large amounts and a very impressive fast pace. The print resolution is 1,200 x 1,200 dpi and the copy resolution is 600dpi so your prints will always be high quality. The MP 9002 features automatic duplexing, easy network connection and USB connections too.
Sharp
Best for small businesses. Sharp began producing photocopiers in 1972, and it hasn’t looked back. Today, it’s one of the most recognised names in the industry, producing a variety of photocopiers to suit all types of businesses.
While Sharp has a particularly strong range of low volume options for small businesses, it also caters well to large corporations.
Best known for televisions and monitors, Sharp is also in the printing business. It primarily sells office and production printers rather than a home office or personal-use machines.
Sharp MX-4071
Choose this printer, and expect to hear “Alexa, print my documents” reverberating throughout your office thanks to its handy hands-free feature, powered through Amazon’s voice control feature. The MX-4071 is no slouch either, with its 40 ppm and 150-sheet duplexing single pass document feeder.
Sharp MX-M1054
The MX-M1054 has a reputation for being powerful, reliable and quiet. Despite the incredible speed of 105 pages per minute the MX-M950 manages to operate very quietly making it perfect for any office.
This black and white multifunction copier has an incredible maximum paper capacity of 13,500 sheets, making it ideal for high volume usage. The MX-M950 is simple to operate thanks to its large touch screen control panel, and the print results are always going to be detailed and clear with a 1,200 x 1,200 dpi resolution.
Xerox
Best for all-in-one printers. Placed #318 on the Fortune 500 list, and currently serving over 160 countries, Xerox needs little introduction when it comes to printing solutions.
Xerox’s multifunction printers are reliable and offer features to meet the needs of an SMB. They have an easy-to-use interface, mobile accessibility, and environmentally friendly features, such as energy-saving modes. Its MFPs have excellent colour quality due to the Xerox Color Correction Technology. Businesses will find them easy to use and appreciate the excellent customer service Xerox offers for all product inquiries.
It offers an excellent range of all-in-one laser printers, which all come with advanced security tools, simple-to-use interfaces, Wi-Fi connectivity, and cost control features.
With a printing speed of 35 ppm, capacity for 550 sheets, and one of the industry’s most intuitive touchscreen displays, the VersaLink C405 is certainly versatile. Large in stature, this photocopier should meet and surpass your expectations with its excellent interface.
Each of the suppliers reviewed on this page is a household name, providing industry-leading photocopier solutions to suit all businesses. Sure, you can’t really go wrong with any of these brands – but whether you need high-quality prints for your conglomerate or great value photocopiers for your small business, it’s important that you pick the perfect supplier to suit your exact requirements.
Xerox WorkCentre 6515
By Xerox standards, this is a modest machine, but it has an impressive specification that will meet the demands of any small to medium-sized business. Xerox makes faster printers than this, but the consistent quality of colour and monoprints here is impressive, and its photocopying skills are among the best of any four-in-one we’ve tested. The intuitive touchscreen interface is another plus point that gives easy access to a wealth of features such as dual-sided scanning and a broad selection of security features. This feels like a premium product, and it’s well supported by modular upgrades.
Xerox B215
Affordable photocopying with touchscreen ease. Xerox’s high-end photocopiers are a familiar sight in big offices, but this inexpensive four-in-one device is ideal for the small or home office. It can print, scan, copy and fax just like its big brothers and there’s room in the extending paper tray for 250 sheets of A4, while the automatic document feeder can hold another 50 readies for copying. The ADF has a manual duplex mode, which means that if you need to copy both sides of the document, you have to turn it over yourself when prompted. It will auto-duplex when printing, however, and at 30ppm (pages per minute) printing is faster than almost anything at this price. The sophisticated touchscreen interface is another welcome surprise.
Xerox VersaLink C7020
This is a serious multifunction device built to take care of heavy print loads in the small to medium-sized office. It can hold 620 sheets of paper, and there are upgrades available to expand this. It prints quickly in duplex mode and can copy a stack of 110 sheets in its automatic document feeder. It’s a big machine, and you can load up the drawer with A3 paper as well as A4. It is also built to last, and the sophisticated touch screen makes it very easy and secure for workers to operate it at the machine.
Xerox D95A
This high volume all in one photocopier can effortlessly print, copy and scan at impressive speeds of 95 pages per minute at an unparalleled quality of 2,400 x 2,400 dpi. The D95A can hold 2,050 sheets, and this can be upgraded to an 8,050 capacity if necessary.
There are also multiple finishing options such as booklet making and hole punching to help make your documents professional and finished to a high quality. With the D95A, you will experience top quality and speed combined with ease of use, low running costs and a streamlined workflow.
Lexmark
Lexmark makes multifunction copiers and offers industry-specific managed services, as well as unique features like Pantone colour matching, which is ideal for brand consistency. Lexmark’s enterprise and SMB printers are its star products. It has machines for teams of all sizes, with features to meet their needs.
Whether your business fills a room or circles the globe, Lexmark offers the imaging solutions, technologies and services you need to succeed.
Lexmark MB2236adw
It might look a little top-heavy, but this all-in-one A4 photocopier feels well made and offers plenty of features for the footprint that it takes up. Duplex scanning from the ADF and rapid automatic photocopying is performed flawlessly, while the print quality in both colour and mono is excellent. Duplex printing is not the fastest, but a wealth of security features and an easy interface more than makes up for the shortfall.
In 2020, expect the same big names to dominate the copier market, including companies like Canon, Kyocera, Toshiba and Xerox. Also, in the mix for market leaders are companies like Brother International, HP, Konica Minolta, Samsung, Epson and Dell. As they operate in a relatively established industry, these market leaders are unlikely to change much in the future.
As cloud-based technology has generated, though, the printer and copier industry has not been immune to the shift toward a digital-first mentality. Modern printers and copiers must exhibit connectivity with digital devices through the cloud, allowing users to print files directly from their mobile devices. Look for this trend to continue, as copiers that emerge in 2020 and beyond without this function are likely to fall behind.
Copiers have also been scrutinised by the movement toward “green” office culture. Expect copier manufacturers to continue to prioritise energy efficiency and recycled materials to reduce their environmental impact in 2020.