The source for independent testing and evaluation of printers, MFPs, All-in-Ones, software and solutions...insight, experience, expertise

Wirth Consulting publishes exclusive Head2Head Comparison Reports that are designed to help end-users, decision makers and purchasing agents make the best decision when purchasing business-imaging equipment.  Head2Head Comparison Reports compare and rank business-imaging devices, and are presented in a convenient side-by-side format.  These are the only reports in the industry that actually pinpoint a device that is best in its category--you will not find them anywhere else.

Following are imaging devices that scored the highest overall rating and were awarded Best In Class. 

Summer 2010 - Ink Versus Toner Entry-Level Office MFPs

In our latest Head2Head Comparison Report on Ink Versus Toner Entry-Level Office MFPs, we took on perhaps one of our most interesting tasks, facing off ink-jet versus toner-based laser and LED entry-level MFPs for the office.  

Contrary to some current perception, virtually all but one of the ink-jet MFPs has a lower black cost per page compared to toner-based MFPs' black cost per page.  Similarly, all of the ink-jet MFPs' color cost per page is lower than that of their toner-based counterparts.  In fact, two toner-based systems have color cost per page as high as 18.5 and 21.4 cents.  Consequently, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) was considerably lower for nearly all of the ink-jet systems.  
    
At the same time, the ink-jet MFPs' energy consumption was as little as 4 percent  of toner-based systems' energy consumption.  (In fact, we recently performed an analysis using our TCO calculator that shows $300+ annual energy-cost savings when using an ink-jet versus toner-based system at a print volume of 4,000 pages per month.)
    
One area where the toner-based MFPs seemed to have an advantage is monthly volume, with the toner-based systems having the highest maximum monthly volumes, typically from 25,000 to 35,000 pages--however, they may not necessarily print faster or have higher consumables and paper capacities that would best support higher volumes.  Hewlett-Packard's Officejet Pro 8500 Premier has the highest maximum monthly volume among the ink-jet MFPs at 15,000 pages. 

In the end, we found that the system that provides the best overall balance among the group is the Officejet Pro 8500 Premier, with its low cost per page and TCO, plus an office feature set that virtually matches (and often surpasses) that of its toner-based competitors.  This feature set includes easy-to-use color touch screen, color scanning, network scanning, automatic duplex printing and scanning, network connectivity, and value-adds such as memory-card slots, PictBridge port, 500-sheet media supply, high-yield ink cartridges, and wired and wireless network connectivity. 

Spring 2010 - B/W Workgroup Printers From 31-40 PPM

Spring 2010 - SMB Ink-Jet MFPs

In Wirth Consulting's latest Head2Head Comparison Report For SMB Ink-Jet MFPs, we were faced with an interesting challenge--try to pinpoint the best ink-jet MFP/All-in-One for use in small and mid-size businesses.  Moreover, which of these devices could also serve as a workgroup device in the enterprise?

Our roundup included devices from Brother, Canon, Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark, Ricoh and Xerox.  They ranged in price from $349.99 to $1,299.00.  In spite of the price difference, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the more expensive units was lower than the cheaper units because of significantly lower cost per page, especially at higher monthly print volumes.

In the end, we determined that the Hewlett-Packard Officejet Pro 8500 Premier provides the best balance of the group: 

• Sufficiently high ink yields (1,500 pages for black, 1,000 pages for each color) and sufficient paper capacity (500 sheets standard) to handle moderate print volumes;
• A color touch screen that provides very easy, no-fuss operation;
• The ability to send scanned documents to network folders and e-mail servers; 
• Duplex scanning and automatic duplex printing. 
• A rich feature set that includes media card slots, as well as photo-editing and management software, very good photo reproduction, support for a wide range of media, etc., all of which is perfect for creative and graphic-arts applications. 
• Another plus is the ability to equip the Officejet Pro 8500 Premier with optional HP JetDirect network interfaces, expanding the system's ability to be managed via HP's Web Jetadmin, the gold standard for enterprise device management. 

Winter 2010 - Entry-Level Toner-Based Color MFPs

InfoPrint Solutions Company's Color 1826 MFP dn took top honors in Wirth Consulting's latest Head2Head Comparison Report for Entry-Level Toner-Based Color MFPs.  While the Color 1826 MFP dn is one of the higher priced units in this segment at $799, in the long run, its comparatively low cost per page translates into an overall low Total Cost of Ownership, so that real cost is competitive.  At the same time, it provides all of the basic features found in this class--color network print and color copy, as well as color network scan, fax, plus other features not always provided in this segment, including a duplexing automatic document feeder and automatic duplex printing, as well as support for legacy applications and alternative operating systems. 

Lexmark's X862 DTE took Best In Class honors in this Head2Head Comparison Report For Office A3 B/W MFPs. 

The X862dte 3, which Lexmark introduced in October 2009, features Gigabit Ethernet network interface, color network scan, new 9" color e-TASK touch screen, new system architecture, and the firm’s Embedded Solutions Framework (eSF) development platform.  ESF enables creation of custom workflows accessible from the touch screen, for instance, for automating the processing of scanning and routing documents to a network storage folder.  These capabilities, along with its economical $8,249.00 list price, enabled the system to score high in the Value category, while its 800 MHz CPU, Gigabit Ethernet network interface, and Lexmark's traditional support for alternative/legacy platforms, enabled it to score high in the Printer category.  InfoPrint's 1968 MFP, which is based on the X862dte 3, received co-Best In Class.   

Can't find what you're looking for? 

You can find a list of Head2Head Comparison Reports here.  Alternately, you can consult our Alphabetic Index of WYSK Evaluations where Best In Class winners are designated with an "*".