The 11×17 Paper Tray – Does it Matter?

One of the items that correlate to the price of a new multi-function printer are the available paper trays.

Most copiers and digital printers in the United States offer 8 ½ x 11 paper trays. These are typically known as standard US letter paper size. These standard paper trays are also available with extended options. The extended paper trays provide additional capacity that avoids having to repeatedly refill the paper drawer. Customers that make in excess of 500 copies a day can greatly benefit from the extended paper tray – no more refilling the copier one ream at a time!

11×17 paper size is commonly referred to as ledger, B-size, or tabloid sized paper. This paper size option is used in specific circumstances. Most commonly, this is seen in engineering and architectural environments, where large plans can be scaled-down for portability – but large enough to be legible. The paper size provides a convenient and portable size for use in the field, especially for CAD drawings.

11×17 paper is often used for making newspapers, when folding in half length-wise 11×17 provides for a common ‘tabloid’ newspaper size.

It’s important to determine if 11×17 is necessary for your needs. Most Kyocera multi-function printers have the option for 11×17 printing, but it does slightly increase the cost of the machine. If the 11×17 paper tray is not needed, there are opportunities to save money over the course of a lease. If 11×17 is an important aspect of your business, then 11×17 trays will be necessary and slightly add to the cost of a machine.

The additional cost, when factored over the lease of new equipment is not dramatic, but it’s important to determine if this technology is necessary or not prior to making a purchase decision. Our staff of technology consultants can assist in determining which technology is best for your business.

If you are unsure what paper sizes your business will utilize, then we encourage you to contact us for a free consultation and our experts will be glad to walk you through the various options and price points. If you think it’s something you might ever have a need for in the future, the safest bet is to ensure the tray is available in your new Kyocera hardware. Having multiple paper trays makes on-demand printing a breeze. The Kyocera driver software allows you to select a tray during printing, so you can pull from the 8 1/2 x 11 tray, a 8 1/2 x 14 tray, and if added as an option you’ll be able to select the 11×17 tray.