Color Copiers
Buyer's Guide Introduction
Feeders
An automatic document feeder (ADF) allows you to copy multi-page documents without having
to lift and lower the cover for every sheet you copy. Instead, you drop a stack of originals
(up to 50 pages) into the feeder, press start, and the ADF automatically pulls each page
through.
If you copy lots of double sided originals, you should invest in a recirculating
automatic document feeder (RADF), which can flip pages inside the machine for simplified
double-sided copying.
Sorting and finishing
Digital copiers can sort copied sets electronically without the use of sorter bins.
Instead of separate bins, the copies are placed in a single tray at a right angle
or offset from each other, allowing you to easily identify where one set ends and
another begins. Bin-free sorting allows you to make unlimited sets at one time,
rather than only as many sets as you have sorter bins.
You may want a finisher if you are frequently going to copy many sets of multi-page documents.
The most familiar type of finisher is the automatic stapler, which can be a huge time-saver.
More advanced versions include three-hole punches, saddle stitch binding, folding, and
more. Finishers are optional on many machines, and usually carry an additional cost.
Paper supply
Each paper tray, cassette, pedestal, or paper feed unit is a separate paper source. The
number of sources is important if you want to be able to copy onto different paper stocks,
such as letterhead, legal size stock, or transparencies, without reloading the machine.
Paper sources typically hold a minimum of 50 to 100 sheets, and the largest-capacity
units can hold up to 3,000 sheets.
Typically, copiers include at least one fixed-size and a couple of adjustable-size paper
trays. Unfortunately, heavy paper stock often jams if you load it into a standard paper
tray. To get around this problem, most copiers include a bypass tray, a special tray that
provides a straight paper path for heavy paper and labels.
More Advice >>
