Three configurations of this model are possible—the standard 5230 that only copies, a version that copies and prints and the A model, which can copy, scan and print. The A model also has the ability to email. It prints and copies at speeds of up to 30 pages per minute, and connection is offered via ethernet hookup only. The machine has a memory of 512 MB standard that can be expanded to up to 768 MB if needed. A convenient 40 GB hard drive space is also included.

Inside the machine, you can hold 1,100 sheets of media. If optional paper trays are used, up to 5,100 pages can be fit inside. Most standard sizes and types of media are supported, and it even has a few print features that most competitors’ products do not include. Some of these features are booklet printing, duplex printing, delayed print, banner sheets and mirror image printing. There are also scan to features like scan to email, desktop, home and mailbox. There is also a network scanning feature.

The unit has the ability to create resolutions as high as 600×600 dpi, which should be perfect for a business environment. It will leave documents looking sharp, professional and precise!

When using the Xerox 840 ink sticks needed for this unit, resolutions as high as 1000 dpi are possible. A black, cyan, magenta and yellow ink stick are all needed and can be found easily online or in stores. The cost per page using these sticks is very low, making the Phaser 840 a relatively affordable unit.

Something that might turn people away from the 840, though, is its speed. The fastest this machine can operate is 10 pages per minute, which won’t do much for even home users who print a lot. However, for those who may only use their printer occasionally, this will be more than enough pages. Photos aren’t suggested for the standard edition of this unit, but its Designer, Plus and Extended models can print about 2 photos again. Once again, the speeds aren’t very good, but for some it will work out fine.

The standard 840 comes with 32 MB of memory, the Plus comes with 64 MB, the Extended and Designer models both come with 128 MB. A hard disk only comes with the 840 Extended version; however, it can be added to any of the models for an additional price. A 50-page automatic duplexer can be added to any of these Energy Star compliant machines as well.

If you think any of that is impressive, wait unit you hear about the incredibly fast speeds. Using black or color Xerox 9203 ink, up to 50 pages per minute can be printed. It does, however, offer flexible print speeds from 38-85 pages per minute. Not only is that impressive, but that is innovative. Also, the first page out time for prints is as fast as 8 seconds. It is going to be hard to find a solid ink printer with speeds like that—it’s virtually unheard of!

Four Xerox 9203 ink sticks are needed for this unit.  They come in cyan, magenta, yellow and black, and each one is a different shape so the wrong ColorQube 9203 ink stick never gets loaded into a slot. These shapes will make loading the ink sticks easy and effective. Multiple sticks of Xerox 9203 ink can be loaded into the multifunction unit at one time, meaning offices won’t need to replace ink often, but when they do, it is affordable.

It has a few addition features that many buyers will be crazy about as well.  The automatic document feeder can hold an astounding 100 sheets of paper, and the unit itself is both Windows and Mac compatible.  An 80 GB memory comes standard, as well as network connectivity options. It should fit fine in your office too, with its dimensions of 55×28.4×45.5 inches.

Generally speaking, the Phaser 6110 is designed more for the home or small office on a budget, it comes at a much lower cost than the Phaser 6130, but it also has slower speeds and smaller capacities.

Print speed is a major factor with any model.  The 6110 can print black documents at up to 17 pages per minute and color at up to 4 pages per minute.  The 6130 is more consistent between the two printing modes, at 16 pages per minute for black and 12 pages per minute for color.

Processing power is similar for both models.  The 6130 has a 333 MHz processor while the 6110 has a 300 MHz processor.  In this respect, they are generally evenly matched.  Both models connect via USB, and both also have a network-capable model available as well.

The paper capacity of the 6110 is 150 sheets, which is well-suited to the home or small office user, while the 6130 adds a bit more at 251 sheets, which includes a single-sheet slot feed for alternate media.  This is a convenient factor that could be important for some users.

Looking at the big picture, each model has its benefits.  The 6110 is clearly intended for the smaller office, and it is both more compact and more affordable.  For buyers who may find its features, speed and capacities limiting; however, the 6130 offers better speeds and more capacity in almost every respect.  Of course, this comes at a higher price and the machine takes up a larger footprint in the office.

To get some insight on this subject, let’s look at a popular printer model such as the Xerox Phaser 6180. The Phaser 6180 toner cartridges have three high-yield color toner cartridges with a capacity of 6,000 pages each, and a high-yield black cartridge with a capacity of 8,000 pages. Prices for these cartridges when buying directly from the Xerox website are $205.99 for each color cartridge, and $199.99 for the black cartridge. Buying all four cartridges would total $817.96. This gives buyers a cost per page of about 10 cents for color and about 2 cents for black.

When we compare this to third-party compatible cartridges, the difference is obvious. Buying all four cartridges would cost only $369.00, a savings of $448.96! Even if a business only replaced the cartridges twice a year, that is a savings of almost $1,000. Also interesting to note is the difference in per-page costs. Compatible cartridges result in a per-page cost of around 4 cents for color, and about 1 cent for black. That is a difference of 6 cents for every color page printed, and half the cost for each black page, at 1 cent difference. Few costs in business can be reduced so quickly and easily.

Despite the obvious savings, the question still remains: are compatible inks safe? When buying from reputable sellers, the answer is most definitely yes. Reputable sellers of compatible cartridges offer a satisfaction guarantee for their products. If it does not perform as expected, you can simply return the product for a refund.

Many buyers are also under the mistaken impression that using compatible cartridges will void the manufacturer’s warranty on their printer. This is not true. In fact, it is usually against the law for printer manufacturers to void a warranty based on the user using competitors ink, as it violates Federal Trade laws. If the compatible ink is shows to have caused a problem, there is a possibility the manufacturer may not cover the problem. For this reason, many compatible cartridge sellers offer their own warranty, which covers the buyer in case of a problem like this.

Buying compatible cartridges can save a business a considerable amount of money. As long as you buy from a reputable company who stands behind their products, there is no reason to be concerned about the quality or safety of compatible cartridges.

Xerox provides excellent Web-based network management tools, and an alphabetized index with links to all of the functions can be found with ease. General system management is available in all public folders. You can configure the Web pages as either public or, private folders, or set up passwords, assigning administrative tasks and accessibility to your choice of authorized users.

The Workcentre C2424 uses a solid-ink system instead of the classic and more commonly used toner. This allows for thick, rich text to be produced with smooth transitions. Workcenter printers have excellent text and graphic output that can be tweaked to personal perfection with the incredible technical capabilities. The unit’s general settings are slightly cheap with the amount of ink released during printing, but can be pushed further for higher quality and stronger color tones.

Making copies on the Xerox Workcenter is as simple as pushing a button. You can quickly reduce or enlarge, lighten or darken, set the number of copies you wish to make, and choose from a variety of options like, “create a booklet”. This machine is perfect for any office or home in need of a multifunction printer, and can handle the traffic of a big office better than any printer in its class.

1. Cost

Solid ink printers tend to be more expensive than their laser counterparts, at least initially. This is somewhat balanced by the lower operating costs and lower waste associated with solid ink technology, but is still a consideration for buyers on a budget.

2. Warm-up time

A certain amount of ink needs to be melted before printing. If the printer is in standby mode or turned off, there is a wait time while the printer warms up before the first page can be printed. Once warm, this wait time is no longer necessary.

3. Cannot be used with laser printers

Solid ink prints will melt under the heat of a laser printer, so letterheads and other stationary printed on a solid ink printer can not later be fed through a laser printer.

4. Ink dumping

If a solid ink printer loses power, the melted ink is dumped into a waste tank and cannot be recovered. This could be resolved with the use of a battery backup unit in areas where power loss is common.

5. Moving the unit can cause damage

Solid ink printers have sensitive parts that may be damaged if the unit is moved while still warm. The printer must be allowed to cool completely before moving. In many printers, there is a procedure and a menu option for locking down sensitive parts before moving.

6. Noise

Solid ink printers tend to be somewhat louder than laser printers, though mostly during the ink melting process. This will likely only be a major concern in smaller offices where workers are in close proximity to the printer.

I even soaked a printed page in hot water to see what would happen to the Xerox 8560 ink, which was nothing.  The solid ink stayed where it was printed even in the presence of water. The paper did however fall apart but there was no running of the colors and graphics.  The ink sticks have been pretty inexpensive if bought through third party vendors. Unfortunately it is not designed to produce full bleed documents, but this is the case with most printers I considered before purchasing the Xerox 8560.

Setting up the printer was a breeze, all I had to do was plug it in and insert the CD-Rom and it printed its test page and menu map.  The Ethernet connection is great for easily adding it to my home office, plug and play. Although the print quality is fantastic, there is a little dithering in printing photos but it is acceptable.  The unit is a bit heavy and you will definitely need some help when moving it to a new location.  All in all this is a great printer for graphics and small offices in need of quality color prints.

These nozzles apply the melted solid ink to the drum; there are multiple arrays of spray styled print heads contained in the printer itself to apply ink in a more uniform and precise manner. The print heads are made of stainless steel to ensure durability and long life; they are guaranteed for the life of the printer. Each time the drum makes a revolution any combination of toner colors may be transferred to the paper simultaneously creating any shade or hue needed for the data to be printed. After the toner is applied to the rolling drum it is offset, or transferred, to the media and the drum is reset for the next line of the document to be printed.

The solid ink does not become part of the fibers of the paper. It in fact freezes, or solidifies, on the surface of the page much like a laminate or sealer used on wood or paint. This allows the images and data to be more vibrant and more true to life in color. The fibers of the media in use can influence the color of the toner typically making them lighter and reducing the quality of the intended effect of color. After the page is finished printing the drum is simultaneously cleaned and reset for the nest print.