Xerox PE16 Toner
WorkCentre PE16 Toner Cartridges

Xerox PE16 Printer Review

The Xerox WorkCentre PE16 is a multifunction unit that uses Xerox toner with print, scan, copy, and fax capabilities. It is designed with the small office or home office in mind, and can effectively replace multiple devices with its many capabilities built in. The copy function includes what Xerox terms 'scan once print many' technology, which stores the scanned page in memory and allows the printer to then operate at full speed churning out multiple copies of the page. This is in contrast to many copy machines which continually scan the original for each copy, slowing down the printing process somewhat.

Print speed is around 17 pages per minute. This is a little slower than dedicated laser printers but is a sacrifice of its multifunctional nature. Scanning at resolutions up to 4800 dpi is possible, and though the printer is only monochrome, color scanning is available.

The unit also features a 30-page automatic document feeder, allowing users to load up to 30 pages at once to be automatically scanned or copied. This is especially useful for users wishing to convert and archive multi-page documents into digital format. Combined with optical character recognition software, this allows documents to be stored digitally and searched by keywords and other parameters. Xerox provides bundled software to handle many of these tasks.

The PE16 may not be for everyone, as it has its limitations. Larger offices or even medium-sized offices may find it restrictive when sharing among too many users. The unit has no ethernet port for network sharing, and many of its features are designed for a user to be directly connected by USB or parallel port connections. Because of this, it does not include features like network scanning to remote computers. Its monthly duty cycle of 10,000 pages also belies its design as a small office unit.

Overall, the WorkCentre PE16 is an impressive multifunction device at an affordable price. Home office or small office users will find its features and speed a great value. Users with higher volume needs or those who want built-in network support will want to look elsewhere.