Commercial duty copier, in a home-sized package
Written: Dec 18 '03 (Updated Dec 18 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Scan once, print many technology, with enhanced image quality and laser printing from PC.
Cons: No document feeder....need that? Canon's iR 1330 is for you.
The Bottom Line: Go ahead, and while you're at it, hook it up to your computer for a laser printer...it's part of the deal!
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| mattgordon's Full Review: Canon imageRUNNER® 1310 Printer |
Disclaimer: I'm a Canon copier salesman professionally. I work in a small town in southern California. Odds are, unless you live in my town, you and I will never do business....here's my take on a great little unit.
Don't be misled by it's size...this little imageRunner is a business grade, copier. Yes, it looks just like the "PC" labeled model you can buy at large big-box office supply stores, but it's not. What makes it different? Well the supplies you have to buy for it for one thing. The type of warranty coverage you'll receive for another thing. Oh, and the initial machine cost too.
Canon's nomenclature "PC" essentially stands for their "Personal Copier" line, rolled out in the early '80's when tv's The Odd Couple's own Jack Klugman was the PC copier pitchman.
Well, the main theory behind their PC Copier line, is that all the normal service parts are manufactured into an all-inclusive and owner replaceable cartridge, "eliminating" any third party service (unless it actually breaks...)due to the fact that each new cartridge has a whole bunch of new parts, and the toner supply pre-packaged into it. These cartridges are typically quite pricey, based on their life-span in number of copies they produce before failure or exhaustion of product inside.
Well, if you make an exceptionally few quantity of copies, this cost is less important than the convenience of having a small, easy to use copier in your home for that occasional use. Fact is, for most businesses of all but the smallest, least paper-dependent type the economics of this cartridge-fed design soon become all too costly for business level usage.
I digress, the imageRunner 1310 looks VERY similar to the Canon's digital PC line available at the big-box office stores, but that's where the similarity ends.
The iR1310 uses a toner-only cartridge which runs about 30 bucks, but yields about 5000+ pages (compare with a PC all-in-one cartridge running 150-200 dollars, but yielding only 1500-2000 pages!)Additionally the iR1310 will, at some point in time need a drum replacement, which will cost about 120 dollars.
If you add the cost of these items, and then divide that cost by the yield, or amount of copies received you'll calculate your "cost per copy". Typically cartridge based systems run between 10 and 13 cents per page, not counting the paper! A business grade unit, like the ir1310, should deliver your copies for approximately 3 cents per page or less without paper!
Let's talk warranty. A business grade unit such as ir1310 is typically purchased from a local authorized dealership with a factory-trained repair department and parts. Buying a PC at a "big-box" superstore is great, unless you need repairs...you're usually on your own unless you're fortunate enough to require help when the transaction is "fresh' enough to march in and get a replacement (like if your check hasn't cleared, or your credit card hasn't been remitted to the retailer yet). But isn't your time worth something too? How about the drive back, wait on line, and explanation to some high-schooler behind the counter?
So, if you plan to do MORE than an occasional, once-in-a-blue moon copy, consider spending a bit more initially on a imageRunner 1300 series, and enjoying numerous economic and convenience benefits throughout the life of that unit.
Recommended:
Yes
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mattgordon
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Member: Matt Gordon
Location: California
Reviews written: 85
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