What the Buyers Lab and BLI awards actually mean for office copiers
Quick definition
Buyers Lab (BLI), now operating as Keypoint Intelligence, is an independent testing laboratory that evaluates office imaging products. BLI awards (Pick of the Year, Outstanding Achievement, Reliable A4 MFP, others) signal that an independent testing organisation has verified the device meets specific performance criteria. The awards are a useful procurement reference rather than a guarantee of fit for any specific office.
What BLI actually tests
BLI runs office MFPs through standardised testing protocols measuring print quality, productivity (sustained throughput, first-copy-out time), reliability (under controlled duty cycle), feature usability (touchscreen interface, driver experience), and total cost of ownership. The testing follows defined methodologies that allow cross-brand comparison on like-for-like criteria.
The main BLI award categories
BLI awards take several forms. Pick of the Year recognises best-in-class devices within a category. Outstanding Achievement Awards recognise specific innovation or technical excellence. Reliable A4 MFP / Reliable A3 MFP awards specifically address durability and reliability under sustained use. Line of the Year recognises strong performance across a vendor's full product lineup. Each award has its own evaluation criteria.
How to use BLI awards in procurement
BLI awards are most useful as a starting filter rather than a deciding factor. Devices winning BLI awards in your category and price range deserve serious procurement consideration. Devices winning none of the relevant awards may still be appropriate for specific use cases. The awards filter the field but the final decision should consider your specific volume, workflow, regional dealer relationships, and total cost on your specific usage profile.
What BLI awards do not measure
The awards do not directly address dealer service quality, multi-year reliability beyond the testing period, or compatibility with your specific office software stack. The awards verify the device's capability in laboratory conditions; the operational result in your office depends on factors outside BLI's measurement scope.