Hackensack (NJ) – The world's leading authority on document imaging devices, Buyers Laboratory Inc. (BLI) today announced the winners of its Summer 2011 "Picks" in the critical color printer and printer MFP categories, with awards going to Dell, HP, Lexmark, Kyocera and Ricoh. Presented twice each year, BLI's "Pick" awards acknowledge the devices that are the best of the best and clearly stand above their respective peers.

After BLI analysts and editors spent months evaluating lab test data in such critical performance areas as reliability, image quality, ease of use and cost of ownership, the following seven models from five vendors were selected by BLI as "Pick" winners:

Dell Inc.
Dell 2150 Series
Outstanding A4 Color Printer for Small Workgroups

Hewlett-Packard Company
HP Officejet Pro 8000 Enterprise Printer
Outstanding Business Inkjet Printer

Kyocera Mita America, Inc.
Kyocera FS-C5250DN
Outstanding A4 Color Printer for Mid-Size Workgroups

Lexmark International, Inc.
Lexmark X548 Series
Outstanding Solutions-Capable A4 Color MFP for Small Workgroups

Ricoh Americas Corporation
Ricoh Aficio MP C400 Series
(also sold as Lanier LD140C and Savin C240)
Outstanding A4 Color Printer for Mid-Size Workgroups

Ricoh Aficio MP C300 Series
(also sold as Lanier LP130C and Savin C230)
Outstanding A4 Color MFP for Mid-Size Workgroups

Ricoh Aficio SP C430DN
(also sold as Lanier LP137CN and Savin CLP37DN)
Outstanding A4 Color Printer for Large Workgroups
Ricoh Wins for High-End Color
Ricoh was awarded "Picks" in outstanding color devices in three categories. "Though a relative latecomer to the high-end A4 color MFP market, Ricoh really delivers quality and performance with the MP C300 and MP C400 series," said BLI Senior Analyst for Printers and A4 MFPs Marlene Orr. "Both devices offer the full functionality and ease of use of the company's copier line, are built on Ricoh's open architecture platform to allow for seamless integration with software solutions and include flexible and robust management utilities. Adding to the package are fast speeds, bright color saturation and the ability support heavier paper weights than many competitive models."

Ricoh also earned a Pick for the SP C430DN printer. "One of the most compelling things about the SP C430DN is that it ran at nearly identical speeds in simplex and duplex, so users don't have to sacrifice productivity to conserve resources," said BLI Associate Editor Carl Schell.

"We are honoured to be awarded BLI "Picks" for our MP C400, MP C300 and SP C430DN models," said Kentaro Fukutomi, MFP product manager for Ricoh Europe. "These colour MFPs provide great benefits for mid-size and large workgroups, combining productivity, reliability and ease of use in a compact device. Our new A4 MFPs enable customers to choose various solutions from our strong MFP and printer line up to assist them in their successful business."

Lexmark Brings Solutions to the Desktop
One of the first small workgroup MFPs to bring embedded software solutions to the desktop, the Lexmark X548 series combines high-level workgroup functionality with a small workgroup footprint and price tag. "The X548 series takes ease of use to a new level, incorporating Lexmark's eTask interface to not only simplify walkup functions, but also allow for customization and integration with software solutions to automate workflow," said BLI Senior Test Technician Tony Maceri.

"With the X548 color laser MFP series, Lexmark has delivered advanced features and functionality to the small workgroup environment that are commonly seen in enterprise devices, giving customers an innovative, solutions-ready MFP at an affordable price point that's ready to take on their workflow needs," said Marty Canning, Lexmark executive vice president and president of Imaging Solutions and Services. "Receiving BLI's 'Pick of the Year' Award validates that this product line is an ideal choice to bring efficiency to small workgroups, and we're honored to receive this distinction."

Robust Features Earn Kyocera "Pick" Award
Reliability, productivity and a robust feature set have won a "Pick" for the Kyocera FS-C5250DN in the mid-size workgroup category. "In the test that is one of the most key indicators of real-world performance, the FS-C5250DN's performance was at the top of its class, clearly proving this printer can handle just about anything workgroups will throw at it," said David Sweetnam, who heads BLI's European research and lab services. "High memory and paper capacities, loads of standard security features and long-life consumables make this unit that much more attractive."

"Reliability is a key feature of the Kyocera range, so we are delighted that BLI has recognized this as a compelling benefit of the FS-C5250DN," said Oliver Kreth, general manager of European marketing for Kyocera. "At Kyocera we aim to make high quality color printing easily accessible and very affordable for our customers. We are very pleased to win this coveted award."

Dell Wins with Fast, Affordable Desktop Printer
Winner of a BLI "Pick" in the small workgroup MFP category, the Dell 2150cdn delivers the features small workgroups need in a compact footprint. "In our evaluation, the 2150cdn's speeds were faster than average in nearly every print productivity test," said BLI Associate Editor Carl Schell. "Flawless reliability over 20,000 impressions, a simple control panel design and intuitive drivers that boost ease of use, and lower than average cost of ownership add to the package."

"Dell is honored to have been chosen by Buyers Laboratory as its 'Pick' for both Outstanding A4 Color Personal Printer for Small Workgroups and Outstanding A4 Color Printer for Small Workgroups," said Don Heath, marketing director for Dell Printing and Imaging. With both the 1350cnw Color Laser Printer and the 2150 Color Printer Series, we sought to deliver outstanding value in the form of world-class reliability and efficiency. We are dedicated to providing our customers with quality solutions to meet their diverse printing needs."

HP Wins for Enterprise-Level Features in an Inkjet Printer
An easy-to-use inkjet printer that combines the best of ink and laser worlds, the HP Officejet Pro 8000 Enterprise takes BLI's "Pick" in the business inkjet category. "A budget-friendly choice, with a purchase price and cost per page that are lower than the average of its peers, both inkjet and laser, the Officejet Pro 8000 Enterprise Printer offers an above-average feature set that includes security and management features not normally found on devices in this class," said BLI's Orr. "In fact, combined with its strong showing in our tests, the Officejet Pro 8000 strong feature set and aggressive pricing make it a more viable option than many low-end lasers for a variety of business environments."

"We are pleased that BLI has awarded the HP Officejet Pro 8000 Enterprise Printer with this distinction for its low cost of ownership, professional print quality and enterprise manageability," said Hatem Mostafa, vice president with HP's Imaging & Printing Group. "The HP Officejet Pro prints professional color for up to 50 percent lower cost per page than lasers and it is our first desktop inkjet printer for the enterprise with built-in support for HP's print management tools. IT managers can easily integrate the device into existing printing environments, increasing productivity and reducing management costs."

Stay tuned for the July 22 announcement of Buyers Lab "Outstanding Achievement" award winners.