The basic tools for today's office - evaluation

Nation's Business, Feb, 1990 by Jon Pepper

The Basic Tools For Today's Office

Matching office equipment to your business needs is a complex job. Product choices have grown rapidly in recent years as dozens of manufacturers have been competing for your copier, facsimile, and electronic-typewriter dollars. Even choosing among vendors can be challenging, because their numbers have grown in proportion to increases in the numbers of high-technology products.

The good news is that this increased competition has brought down the prices of office equipment at all levels of technological sophistication.

Even the so-called notebook computers, as essential to some firms as the basic office equipment - copiers, fax machines, and electronic typewriters - are becoming less expensive. These briefcase-sized computers are ideal for small-business executives who are constantly on the go. Although electronic notebooks weigh less than 6 pounds, they are heavyweights in terms of computing power, capable of handling everything from simple memos and reports to more complex electronic spreadsheets.

This special section describes features available on low- and high-priced office equipment and notebook computers.

COPIERS

Many newer models of copiers feature assorted electronic bells and whistles, yet they perform essentially the same functions as the plain-vanilla copiers that have been the mainstays of the office-equipment market for years.

Don't make the mistake of buying more copier than you need. High-technology options are nice, but don't buy them unless you need them.

If you are unsure of your future needs, choose a basic copier designed to accept options that you might buy as your business grows. Above all, choose a manufacturer with a reputation for high quality and reliability, and choose the dealer offering the best service contract and warranty.

Some copiers to consider include:

Kodak ColorEdge (Eastman Kodak Co., 343 State St., Rochester, N.Y. 14650; 1-800-255-3434). This is not a brand new machine, but it still is a top choice for high-volume, full-color copying. The $59,500 ColorEdge can churn out 23 color copies per minute, and it sports a full range of features.

Konica 1790 and Konica 3290 (Konica Business Machines U.S.A.; 1-800-648-7130). The 1790 copies 17 pages per minute (ppm) and is designed for print volumes of 30,000 copies a month. At $3,495, this model has as standard equipment a long list of features, including zoom, reduction and enlargement, and manual printing of two sides per page (called duplexing). Options include a 10-bin sorter and an automatic document feeder.

Also designed for a monthly volume of 30,000 copies, the 3290 is almost twice as fast (32 ppm) as the 1790. Standard features are much the same as the 1790, but the 3290 option list is more robust, including color copying (red, blue, and green), a 20-bin sorter, and automatic duplexing. List price: $5,795.

Lanier 6272 (Lanier Worldwide Inc., 2300 Parklake Drive, N.E., Atlanta, Ga. 30345; 404/496-9500). If your copying needs tend toward high volumes or high speeds, then the 6272 from Lanier (formerly Harris/3M Document Products) is worth examining. This office heavyweight can produce 72 copies per minute, can handle up to 100,000 copies per month, and lists for $22,800. The 6272 features automatic duplexing, automatic zoom reduction and enlargement, and automatic stapling. Add-on options permit automatic sorting, stapling, and adding of cover sheets to produce finished documents.

Minolta EP4230 (Minolta, 101 Williams Drive, Ramsey, N.J. 07446; 1-800-USA-DIAL). The EP4230 features Minolta's optional Simul-Color II process, which can enhance black copies with two or three colors (from a choice of red, blue, green, or sepia) in a single pass through the machine. Other notable features include zoom (50 to 200 percent), duplexing, and frame erase, which permits selective erasure of material from any of three sections of the original. List price: $4,295.

Sanyo SFT-62 (Sanyo Business Systems Inc., 51 Joseph St., Moonachie, N.J. 07074; 201/440-9300). At $1,349, the SFT-62 is designed for a monthly copy volume of 1,000 pages. The 10-ppm copier can print copies ranging from business-card size to letter size. It has an 80-sheet cassette and a sheet bypass, which lets you make copies on types of paper different from those in the cassette. Red or blue color-copying modules are optional.

Sharp SF-6000 (Sharp Electronics Corp., Sharp Plaza, Mahwah, N.J. 07430; 201/529-8200). Buying a copier doesn't necessarily mean emptying your bank account. The SF-6000 lists for only $1,495, yet it doesn't skimp on features. Its speed is 8 pages per minute, copies can be made in any of five colors (black, red, blue, brown, and green), and there are automatic exposure controls and enlargement/reduction ratios.

Xerox 5028 (Xerox Corp., P.O. Box 24, Rochester, N.Y. 14692; 1-800-832-6979). Xerox has become synonymous with high-quality copying, and now the company backs up its image with an exclusive three-year free-maintenance warranty on its desktop-series copiers. At the top of the line is the 5028, a 28-ppm workhorse with almost all the bells and whistles, including zoom (64 to 156 percent), computer-controlled copy quality, and automatic paper-size sensing and paper-tray switching. Optional features include a 40-sheet maximum document feeder and a 10-bin sorter. Price is $8,215.