Konica vs Ricoh: A Drastic Difference Between Costs

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Konica vs RicohIn our next installment of comparing office equipment manufacturers, we are looking at the differences between Konica Minolta vs Ricoh copiers. I can tell you right away that there is a greater difference between Konica vs Ricoh copiers than any of the other copier companies we have compared up to this point.

To be fair, there is a significant difference between Konica and any other photocopier brands because it uses expensive, proprietary parts. The upfront cost to buy or lease a Konica Minolta machine is comparable to other brands. Where the difference really comes into play is the cost of maintenance.

No one likes to consider the cost of maintenance on a new machine because no one wants to imagine their machine going down. A fact of life is that a machine with moving parts will inevitably require maintenance, and even the most well-made copier is no exception.

Maintenance must definitely be considered when buying or leasing a machine, and with Konica Minolta, you’ll be paying far more compared to maintenance on other brands. I’ll explain why.

Konica vs Ricoh — What Makes Konica So Expensive

Konica Minolta uses a proprietary piece of equipment in its machines called imaging units. If you’ve ever dealt with equipment that has proprietary parts before, think of Apple, for example, then you know how expensive they can be to fix or replace.

A Konica machine uses multiple imaging units, and each one costs about $500 to replace. Konica machines cannot run properly without all imaging units being functional, so there’s no choice but to replace an imaging unit if it’s not working.

Even if $500 doesn’t sound like a lot compared to your other business expenses, it’s going to add up to a lot more over time if multiple imaging units go down more than once. Not to mention Konica Minolta service providers capable of repairing or replacing imaging units are few and far between. With that in mind, you’re taking a real gamble if you buy or lease a Konica machine without a service contract.

The cost of maintenance on a Konica machine can be offset by a service contract, which will cover the cost of parts and maintenance for 3-5 years. For an affordable monthly price, you can ensure your Konica machine stays up and running, regardless of how many imaging units need to be replaced.

Make no mistake, Konica Minolta makes a reliable machine and I would never discourage a customer from leasing one as long as they know what they’re getting into. Since we’re comparing Konica vs Ricoh, I would be remiss not to mention the drastic differences in the cost of maintenance.

If you’re dead set on getting a Konica machine, then take my advice and don’t let it leave the dealership without a service contract.

In Summary

Konica Minolta makes an excellent machine, though it is more expensive to maintain and the upfront cost is more when comparing Konica vs Ricoh. In the grand scheme of things, Konica may not be the best choice because of the cost of items that are required to maintain the machine over a period of time. Both will produce good copies, but Konica is always more expensive and Ricoh can be maintained very inexpensively. In my opinion, that is tough to beat.

For information about service contracts, please inquire about our affordable maintenance agreements.

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