Evaluating laser multifunction products 11
Evaluation
Total cost of ownership is more than just purchase price and cost per page. To calculate the true total cost of
ownership, consider the following factors:
• Initial purchase price and any accessories needed.
Note To ensure accurate comparisons between products, be sure to compare street prices (or what the
customer actually pays) rather than list prices.
• Warranty and service costs.
• Energy consumption costs. (Some manufacturers require you to choose between fast warm-up times and
energy efficiency, while HP offers both.)
• User productivity costs. (How easy is it to learn to use the product? How easy is it to print, copy, and
scan your documents correctly?)
• Supported media types and sizes (Is the paper-handling system adjustable? Does the range of media
sizes and types supported meet your needs?)
• Supplies costs. (Do you have to buy an image drum as well as a toner cartridge? What does it cost, in
both expense and downtime, to replace supplies?)
• Cost per page.
It is difficult for end-users to calculate the cost per page due to many variables. Therefore, many
manufacturers provide a cost per page calculation. When assessing cost per page, keep the following in
mind:
• Make sure the cost per page associated with a product’s print sample represents that sample. Some
manufacturers may quote the cost of printing in a draft mode, when the sample they give you is
printed in their best mode, which requires more toner or ink.
• Take note of whether special paper is required for the print sample.
• Make sure all the supplies are included in the cost per page calculation and not hidden as service
items. Also, remember that supplies used during routine cleaning and warm-up cycles directly affect
costs, and are not always included in the supplies’ yields.
• Watch for other hidden costs (such as unusable output, which wastes toner and paper).
Value
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