Wide format printer and photocopier rental London

If you're thinking about leasing a wide format printer or A3 multi-functional photocopier, before doing so, here are a few tips to bear in mind.

Here we will look at the 'ins and outs' of leasing, renting or hiring an A3 colour laser printer, and also consider a couple of the best products on the market today, helping you to decide which product is best suited to you. We'll also think about other considerations which could affect you, including contract lengths and costs of consumables such as toner.

Firstly, decide which type of wide format printer you need.  Will it be an A3 mono laser printer or an A3 all-in-one laser printer?  It goes without saying that mono,(black and white) wide format printers are considerably cheaper than the all singing, all dancing, colour all in one's. The one you select will be dependent upon the purpose you are intending it for. If you're an artist who wants to reproduce high quality colour prints of your work, then the mono A3 laser printer isn't for you.  If, however, your needs are simpler, and you don't need colour, then mono A3 printing should suffice.

Whatever you choose, wide format laser printers aren't cheap! If you've been considering buying a high-quality A3 colour laser printer, you'll be aware that the 'up-front fees' for these models reach around £1,500. So it may pay to think about leasing your A3 printer, rental or short term hire.

What are the benefits of hiring an A3 Laser Printer?

There are many benefits to hiring an A3 large format printer over direct purchase. Here are a few…

• Cost savings
If you intend leasing your A3 printer, shop around before you do so, as you'll find providers often try to undercut each other, so you can get some excellent rates. Good providers will offer you upgrades to the latest machines when your current machine becomes outdated, something you wouldn't get were you to purchase one outright. Upgrades are usually free, so savings can be significant. This is a particular advantage for the smaller business, who need to be able to upgrade to a more powerful appliance as they grow.

• Inclusive fees
If you rent your A3 printer, over outright purchase, then you'll also save money as such contracts usually cover replacement toner cartridges, consumables and any maintenance/repair issues that you may have.  If you intend to use your printer intensively, you'll be surprised at the amount you could save.

• Short-term leasing
Many suppliers of wide format printers will also offer rental, leasing or short term hire packages, for those who prefer this over outright purchase. Rental periods range from around three days to longer term leases of over a year or more, helping to spread your costs. Short/long term leasing/rental is therefore an excellent way to have access to the best A3 printers, when you need them, at an affordable monthly cost, saving you money on paper, toner ink etc. Therefore renting an A3 printer gives you greater flexibility, choice and better savings than outright purchase.

• Hiring options
Many options are available with regards to hiring an A3 colour laser printer with specific features. Here are some of the important ones;

• Monochrome or colour printing
• Ability to process non-standard paper formats
• Office network capabilities
• Variable printing speed

When hiring, it's worth finding out what maintenance support is offered by the supplier, as well as the price of consumables.

Other considerations and hire costs
Obviously, the hire costs of wide format laser printers are dependent upon the specifications of the model you choose. Less advanced mono printers will be less than a colour A3 laser printer with more features. Hiring for shorter periods, under a week, for example, will cost around £30 or more for a mono A3 laser printer, whilst a colour A3 laser printer for the same period will set you back around £50 +. Top of the range models are significantly more.

Longer rental periods of a year or more will give you extra perks, such as some free copies included in your rental cost. Monochrome A3 models will cost a monthly rental of around £25+ per month, whilst colour A3 models can cost more than £35+ per month.  A word of warning here…. There are some rental packages that have a minimum print level requirement, meaning you have to reach a specific print target each month, anything below this and you could be penalised, so shop around for the best deals.  Good providers want your business and will therefore give you a free quotation that you can then compare with others. If dealers offer you a price match promise, then so much the better.

An important consideration is to check whether your printer rental provider will do onsite printer repairs if your printer breaks down and whether this is included in the agreement. Also check whether there are any charges for getting out of your contract earlier than expected, say, if your circumstances change.

Conclusion
Before entering into any contract, find out exactly what you are signing up to and how much it will cost!  Get a detailed account of what's included in the package and determine whether your contract includes maintenance of the machine and all the consumables, such as toner.  Also, research the best A3 & large format laser printers that are currently available to you.  Doing this will give you some idea of their specifications and prices.  It's worth considering how long you'll need the A3 printer for, as you don't want to pay for something that isn't going to be utilised to its full capacity. 

Paragon Comment
There is certainly something to be said for hiring, short term printer rental and longer term photocopier leases, especially when you are on a budget.  If you purchase, the equipment that you buy is ultimately yours, yet often costs are prohibitive to many businesses, who prefer to use their capital against other important areas and keeping their options open.  Photocopier leasing & short term printer rental costs a little more in the long run, yet when the printer or photocopier expires, it can be upgraded at no cost, and all repairs and maintenance are also included.

Paragon Document Solutions has a wealth of knowledge in the hiring, rental and leasing wide format printers.  We have a wide range of A3 office printers suitable for large format production environments, from some of the world's leading manufacturers. 

Take for example, the Canon image PROGRAF LP17, specifically designed for office environments. It comes combined with Canon's Poster Artist software to easily design and print signage including, posters, sales graphs and project plans. Its features enable you to;

• Create signage in 5 easy steps
• Scan to enlarged print when combined with a Canon multifunctional Device
• Economy mode for cost effective printing
• Incredibly fast A2 prints in just 20 seconds
• Superbly vivid colours
• Borderless prints for maximum impact

At the higher end of the spectrum, why not consider the Canon iPF9100, the flagship of Canon's 'Fine Art and Photography Large Format Printer Range'.  This model delivers exceptional colours and outstanding productivity for prints up to 60". Its features include;

• 12-colour LUCIA pigment ink system for exceptional colour reproduction up to 60"
• Twin print-head design, the iPF9100 delivers exceptional quality at speed.
• Cost effective printing technology
• Easy to operate with advanced software options
• Borderless prints (up to 42") for maximum impact

These are just two examples from Paragon's selection of A3 office printers for hire, rental or lease.  For details of all our large format printers & photocopiers, contact us today.

Paragon is renowned for its excellent service, unbeatable prices and for the flexible photocopier leasing services that we offer, which allow you the option of upgrading your lease should your circumstances change at any point during the leasing period. So for your wide format, A3 printer leasing, rental and printer hire, within London and Nationwide, contact Paragon today.