When Should you Consider a Photocopier Rental?

How to get the best possible copier rental rates

Written by Steven Bryan

In this uncertain economy, businesses are keeping a closer eye on the bottom line, which means that even the purchase of basic office equipment may come under scrutiny. If you are looking to cut costs but still stay competitive, photocopier rentals can offer the best bang for your buck.

When does a photocopier rental make sense?

During the fiscal year, there definitely are situations where a photocopier rental can make better economic sense that owning the equipment outright. It should be noted that photocopier rentals and copier leasing are two different things.

• Political campaigns, which need a high-performance photocopier for just a few months
• Fundraisers that only need a copier machine for a few weeks at a time during the year
• Milestones on the company calendar, such as tax season and regular government audits, when you need a dedicated printer instead of tying up existing office equipment
• Conventions and trade shows, where a rental saves you moving and equipment costs
• One-day special business events

There are other benefits that come with a photocopier rental:

• It’s a short-term company expense
• You can trade up to keep pace with the latest photocopier advances
• Pickup and delivery

Photocopier rental fees are based on the size and capacity of the machine, the length of the rental contract plus the cost of ink, toner, and paper. Many rental companies will even throw in free copier training as a bonus.

Questions to ask before signing a rental agreement

So you're ready to start comparing photocopier rental rates. When you're comparing rates, keep these questions in mind:

• How many copies does your staff make in an average month?
• Do you need to rent more than one copier?
• Would it be less expensive to rent by the month?
• Do you need a specialized photocopier that also acts as a printer and fax machine?
• Should the copier also perform basic clerical functions, such as collating and stapling?
• Is service/repair included in the rental cost?
• How much do toner and ink cartridges cost?

Decided to purchase instead of rent?

Photocopier rentals definitely are good for short-term needs, but your business actually may be the ideal candidate to buy a copier machine. If you operate a medium- to large-sized office, you can connect a dedicated copier to your in-house network, allowing employees to send documents to the copier electronically.

Purchasing a copier also provides different tax benefits than renting. When leasing office photocopiers, you can write off the cost as an operating expense in the current tax year. The price of a copier purchase, which can run into the thousands of dollars, may need to be spread over several tax years.

Compare photocopier rental rates

Rates are from Canon, Ricoh, Sharp, Konica Minolta, and others.