Buying a mid-level business photocopier, one that can put out 20 to 50 pages per minute and deliver thousands of copies per month, can be a significant expense for smaller businesses. Price tags of $3,000 to $8,000 and up lead many to decide that a copier rental is their best bet.

Most businesses turn to copier machine rentals to avoid the significant capital expense involved in buying a new copier. In addition, because the technology changes quickly, some copier rentals allow you to trade up to a newer model at regular intervals. This lets you upgrade without buying new.

As with most products, however, photocopier rentals will cost you more in the long run. Many copier rental agreements charge on a per-copy basis and may include monthly copying minimums. Be careful — complex language around minimums can disguise higher costs in the future. Other types of copier rental allow you to walk away from a machine at any time, increasing your financial flexibility if you can not afford ongoing monthly payments.

Copier machine rentals can be a great deal if you choose the right dealer. Ask questions like these:

• How long have you been in the photocopier rental business?
• What is the policy on breakdowns? Is there a time limit for repair responses?
• How many in-house technicians are available for this model in the local area?
• How much of your business is copier rentals?

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