How to choose a fax machine
Selecting a fax machine depends on several factors, including the volume of documents you expect to send and receive, the initial cost of the machine, and the ongoing cost over the lifetime of the machine. Many fax machines serve a dual function as a copier and/or scanner, and depending on the specific needs of your home or office, certain additional features might influence the type of fax machine you purchase.
Print Type
Ribbon transfer: Ribbon transfer fax machines tend to be the most basic models, providing a low up-front cost and space-saving designs, though their cost-per-page is usually higher than that of laser or inkjet fax machines. Because of this, ribbon transfer machines are best for those users who need the ability to send and receive faxes, but aren’t necessarily going to be making heavy use of the machine.
Inkjet: Inkjet models are capable of a higher volume of output when compared to ribbon transfer machines, at a somewhat higher initial cost. In exchange for the higher investment, however, inkjet fax machines provide a number of advantages: The printing (and where applicable, copying) quality is better, the cost-per-page is lower, and offer many more options, including color printing, copying, and faxing. Most small businesses would be able to meet their needs with an inkjet fax machine, and they’re suitable for many corporate applications as well.
Laser: Laser fax machines generally have the highest initial cost, but they also provide the highest-quality text and graphics, and the lowest cost-per-page. In addition, laser fax machines are very flexible, offering many optional features, and can handle high-volume output quickly and efficiently. Larger offices are well-served by laser machines, especially those that conduct their business primarily by fax, and even some smaller businesses may consider a laser fax machine if fax speed and volume are important enough.
Other Considerations
Modem speed: Since fax machines send data through a phone line, that line is unable to be used for phone calls while sending or receiving faxes. If the fax machine doesn’t have its own dedicated line, a higher modem speed can help by clearing the line more quickly. Additionally, the higher the modem speed, the more quickly the fax machine will transmit and receive data, which will help finish large projects faster.
Auto document feeder: Many fax machines have an automatic document feeder, which allows you to queue up multiple documents for unattended transmission, based on the size of the feeder.
Paper capacity: One of the basic concerns for your fax machine is how much paper it can hold. For homes and small offices, a lower capacity may be sufficient, while large departments might wish to look into a machine with multiple paper trays, to avoid running out of paper when the machine is unattended, such as after regular business hours.
Auto-dialing: Fax machines with the auto-dialing feature allow you to save frequently-dialed numbers into the fax machine’s memory. This helps to reduce the occurrence of misdialed numbers, and eliminates the need for an external list of numbers.
Broadcasting: Fax machines with broadcast capability allow you to transmit the same document to multiple locations quickly and easily. Simply scan the document once, input the list of destination numbers, and the machine will fax the document to each recipient in turn without further input from you.
Security: Some fax machines provide a security option, allowing you to specify a password needed before the machine can be used, in order to prevent unauthorized use, or simply to monitor who is using the machine. As an additional security measure, you might look for a fax machine that will store fax information in the machine’s memory, to prevent data loss in case of a power outage.
Memory: The larger a fax machine’s memory, the more information it can store and process at once. This allows a larger queue for sending and receiving documents, and in general provides better quality faxes, especially ones with fine details.
Design: Though often a secondary concern to function, the aesthetics of a fax machine should not be overlooked. Wherever possible, you should try to choose a machine that complements the workspace it will be used in, from color to size to shape. Consider also that some elements, such as a flatbed scanner, might not be available in the design you prefer.