What Makes a Commercial Copy Machine Different from a Basic Printer

01/01/25

When you’re shopping for office supplies and equipment, you’ll encounter a lot of options that seem pretty similar. What’s the difference between a copier and a printer? Is a commercial copy machine that different from a printer or another copy machine? Unless copiers and printers are your business, you have no reason to know what the differences are, especially if you’re buying one for the first time. You’re busy running your business, so you don’t have time to become a copy machine expert. Luckily, you have the team at Merrimack Valley Business Machines to do that for you.

Let’s look at two very different options: a commercial copy machine and a basic printer. Here are the key differences.

Type of Ink

There are several types of printer ink, but the two most common are toner and inkjet ink. Toner isn’t actually ink at all but a dry powder used in laser printers. Most commercial printers use toner cartridges rather than ink because it dries almost instantly and resists smearing and smudging. Inkjet printers use traditional ink cartridges. These inks are better for printing in color, but they take longer to print and so are not very good for high print volumes.

Print Volume

The print volume is how many pages your office or company typically prints within a set time, usually a month. If your company primarily operates online and rarely prints hard copies, a less expensive inkjet printer will serve your printing needs. However, if you print hundreds of pages a month, an inkjet printer isn’t going to cut it. A commercial printer or copy machine that uses toner cartridges is much more practical. The upfront cost of the machine is more expensive, but you’ll save money in the long run on supplies and refills.

Printing Speed

If you print often, you want to print fast. Commercial printers and copiers have much faster printing speeds than inkjet printers. Depending on the model, you can print hundreds of pages in a matter of minutes with a commercial printer.

Functions

Commercial copiers and basic printers also differ in their functions. Most printers have a copy function, but it’s usually not very efficient for copying multiple pages at once. A commercial copier is set up to make copies of multi-page documents quickly and easily. Commercial machines usually have more connectivity options and multiple trays for different types and sizes of paper.