When businesses invest in a copier, they often focus on the hardware — the print engine, the monthly duty cycle, or the print speed. But there’s something just as important that determines how well your copier performs: the accessories you choose to support it.
Copier accessories aren’t add-ons for convenience. They’re powerful workflow enhancers that help your office print more efficiently, create more professional documents, and reduce manual labor. The right accessories don’t just support your copier — they optimize your entire document management ecosystem.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll walk you through the most essential copier accessories, what they do, and how to determine which ones your home office or business may need. We’ll also highlight practical examples from Aztec product lineup, and close with a pathway to connect with our experts for customized recommendations.
Expanding paper capacity
Automating manual tasks (stapling, folding, hole punching)
Managing high-volume workflows
Improving document quality
Enhancing user accessibility
Adding connectivity to support modern hybrid offices
Whether you run a law firm printing legal packets, a school district managing daily notices, or a home office scanning and copying occasional paperwork, accessories play a critical role in supporting productivity.
Below are the four most essential accessory categories that impact performance in nearly every environment:
Cassette Trays
Feeders
Finishers
Connectivity Modules
Let’s break each one down.
A copier cassette — sometimes called a paper drawer — is a paper-holding tray that loads standard or specialty media into the machine. Every copier ships with one or two default trays, but adding more expands what the device can do.
Extra cassettes dramatically improve efficiency because they allow:
Multiple paper sizes (Letter, Legal, Ledger)
Different paper types (cardstock, labels, envelopes)
Larger overall paper capacity
Reduced downtime from constant tray refills
This is critical in high-volume environments where running out of paper mid-job creates interruptions and delays.
Aztec supports Sharp, Canon, and Brother copier lines, each offering multi-tray expansion options:
Sharp’s MX and BP series: Add 2–4 cassette drawers to expand capacity up to thousands of sheets.
Canon’s imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX series: Great for offices needing multiple paper sizes preloaded at all times.
Brother’s business laser line: Affordable cassette expansions for small teams with high mixed-media needs.
Schools printing a mix of handouts and admin documents
Medical practices switching between forms, labels, and patient documents
Legal offices printing large volumes daily
Home offices wanting different paper types ready (often Letter + envelopes)
If your team regularly swaps paper sizes, an extra cassette drawer will save hours across your workweek.
A feeder — typically called an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) — allows you to stack multiple pages for automatic scanning, copying, or faxing.
There are three main types:
RADF (Reverse ADF) – Scans one side at a time, physically flips the page
DADF (Dual-Scan ADF) – Scans both sides simultaneously
High-Capacity Feeders – Designed for bulk jobs of hundreds of pages
Without a feeder, everything must be scanned by hand — placing each page on the glass manually. For modern offices, that’s not practical.
Feeders enable:
Faster scanning
Large job handling
Bulk copying
Duplex (double-sided) automation
Smoother digital workflows (PDFs, searchable OCR, archiving)
Aztec provides feeder options across multiple OEM brands:
Sharp BP series: High-speed dual-scan feeders ideal for enterprise digitization.
Canon’s DX line: Known for reliable RADF and DADF units with advanced jam-prevention.
Brother: Excellent small-office ADFs that support quick scanning and copying.
Organizations digitizing paper records
HR departments processing multi-page documents
Accounting firms scanning invoices and tax forms
Schools copying exam packets
If your office handles stacks of paper daily, a high-capacity feeder will completely transform your workload.
Finishers automate the final stage of document production — saving time, maintaining consistency, and creating professional-quality output.
Aztec helps customers choose among several finisher options:
Corner stapling
Double stapling
Staple-free crimping (on some Sharp models)
Great for simple reports, packets, or internal documentation.
2-hole
3-hole
Universal punch patterns
Ideal for binders, legal files, and operational manuals.
These finishers staple through the spine to create booklets — perfect for:
Brochures
Training packets
Event programs
HR documentation
Depending on your copier series, folding modules can create:
Z-folds (useful for legal inserts)
Tri-folds for mailings
Half-folds for book creation
Just like finishers for production equipment:
Inner finishers sit flush with the copier
Outer finishers attach externally for higher volume
Deciding between them depends on:
Space
Volume
Document types
Professional requirements
Sharp BP-70C series: Modular finishers for enterprise booklet production.
Canon imageRUNNER DX units: Inner finishers ideal for school and business environments.
Brother MFC series: Cost-effective finishing options for smaller offices.
Businesses producing packet-heavy work
Law firms with client binders
Marketing teams developing brochures internally
Schools printing booklets or curriculum materials
Small and home offices wanting hands-free stapling
Finishers save enormous labor hours and guarantee consistent output quality.
Wireless and network connectivity accessories are essential today—especially in hybrid work environments.
They allow:
Wireless printing from laptops, phones, and tablets
Secure authentication-based printing
Cloud scanning (OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive)
Remote management
Touchless print-release workflows
Wi-Fi modules (for copiers that don’t come with built-in Wi-Fi)
Wired Ethernet expansion cards
Mobile printing enablement kits
Bluetooth or NFC authentication modules
In hybrid work environments, employees come and go with multiple devices. Ensuring your copier communicates reliably with your network is essential for modern workflows.
Aztec configures connectivity add-ons for:
Sharp (industry-leading cloud integration)
Canon (excellent mobile print compatibility)
Brother (top-tier small-office Wi-Fi support)
Every office has different printing needs, and Aztec’s approach begins with a workflow consultation:
We analyze:
Print volumes
Document types
Number of users
Space constraints
Media requirements
We recommend the right mix of:
Cassettes
Feeders
Finishers
Connectivity add-ons
Aztec technicians configure your copier, accessories, tray logic, finishing presets, and workflows to ensure maximum efficiency.
As your printing needs evolve, we help you adjust and scale your accessories to match your business growth.
A copier is only as powerful as the accessories that support it. Whether you're running a home office or managing daily print operations for a large organization, choosing the right accessories will:
Improve print consistency
Increase document quality
Support hybrid workflows
Expand paper and media options
Speed up scanning and finishing tasks
At Aztec, we help organizations choose the accessories that make the biggest impact — whether you're adding something simple like a cassette tray or building a full-scale finishing and scanning workflow.
👉 Ready to upgrade your copier setup? Contact Aztec today to get a customized accessories recommendation and discover the perfect fit for your office or home workspace.