Quick tips

Multifunctional devices
Many fax machines can be connected to a computer to serve as a printer and/or a computer scanner. Almost all can be used as “convenience copiers” – they don’t offer the full range of features or the speed of a dedicated copier, but for a couple of copies, they can save you a trip down the hall. If you use a printer for mailing purposes, check if you can print onto envelopes or labels from the fax machine you're considering buying.

Legal-sized faxes
Firms that receive faxes on legal-sized paper should look for a machine with two paper drawers. This will allow legal- and letter-sized faxes to be printed on appropriately sized pages without switching paper trays.

Incoming fax pages
Some fax machines print the pages of incoming faxes last page first, meaning you'll have to reshuffle the pages into the correct order before reading. If you find this a hindrance, don't purchase a machine with this feature.

Spam’s not just for email
Sending unsolicited advertising faxes is a form of spam – and it’s illegal. Make sure you only fax offers to customers and prospects who have requested them. On the flip side, if you receive annoying spam faxes, fax machines that save incoming messages for printing later can be useful. Just preview the fax before you print it, and delete spam without printing.