Xerox WorkCentre 4118 — Review: Features, Specs, Performance & Business Use

The Xerox WorkCentre 4118 is a compact, monochrome A4 multifunction that was built for small offices and workgroups needing reliable black-and-white copying, printing and scanning (with fax on selected SKUs) without a big departmental footprint. It sits in the niche between a desktop laser and a full departmental MFP: more feature rich than a home printer, but simpler and more affordable than larger floor-standing Xerox systems. This review walks through the machine’s design, core specifications, real-world performance, total cost considerations, security/manageability and practical recommendations for business deployments.

Quick snapshot (what matters)

• Type: Monochrome A4 multifunction (print/copy/scan; 4118x adds fax and colour scanning options).

• Speed: ~17–18 ppm (A4 mono).

• Print resolution: up to 1200 × 1200 dpi (600 × 600 dpi typical copy resolution). 

• Paper handling: Standard 550-sheet tray + 100-sheet bypass; optional extra 550-sheet tray. 40-sheet ADF for duplex scanning/copying.

• Duty cycle: Designed for small workgroups; practical monthly volumes ~20,000 pages (mechanical ceiling higher but not intended for heavy production).

These headline items set expectations: the 4118 is conservative on speed but strong on features that matter in a small-office environment (ADF, duplex, optional fax/scanning, and decent print density).

Design & ergonomics

Xerox designed the 4118 to sit on a desktop or small cabinet. The control panel is straightforward — tactile buttons plus a small display — so walk-up users can copy or scan without complex training. Consumables (toner, drum) and routine access points are front-facing, which keeps service calls short and lets non-IT staff perform basic swaps or jam clearing quickly. Build quality is utilitarian: plastics and panels are durable enough for office handling but the unit isn’t intended as a heavy industrial workhorse.

Printing & copy quality

For everyday black-and-white documents the 4118 delivers crisp, high-contrast text and dependable halftone reproduction. The engine supports up to 1200 × 1200 dpi for print jobs, which yields sharper text and better greyscale detail than low-resolution desktop lasers; copy resolution is typically 600 × 600 dpi. For invoices, contracts, technical prints and internal forms the output looks professional — small fonts stay legible and charts reproduce with clean edges. If you need colour or photographic output, you’ll obviously need a separate device — this model is mono-focused.

Scanning, ADF & fax

A key advantage over simple desktop printers is the built-in 40-sheet Automatic Document Feeder (ADF). The ADF supports duplex scanning/copying which accelerates batch capture tasks (contracts, multi-page forms) and reduces manual intervention. The 4118x variant adds fax capability and colour scanning features, making that SKU practical for receptionist desks and small front-office hubs that still rely on fax or require occasional colour scans into email or folders. Scan destinations commonly include USB, network folder and e-mail depending on configuration.

Paper handling & finishing

Out of the box the 4118 provides a 550-sheet main tray and a 100-sheet multipurpose/bypass tray — ample for small teams and flexible for specialty media (labels, envelopes). An optional second 550-sheet tray expands capacity for busier desks or to reduce feed changes. Manual duplexing (or automatic duplex depending on SKU) lets you save paper on internal reports. There are basic finishing features (collation, N-up, booklet creation via drivers) but no heavy stapling/stacking finishers like you’d find on larger departmental models. For most SME uses, the paper configuration balances capacity and footprint well.

Connectivity, drivers & control languages

The 4118 supports standard office interfaces: USB and network connectivity are available (some older listings also show Parallel/IEEE-1284 for legacy environments). On the software side it has PCL 5/6 support and PostScript is available as an option on some configurations; this helps cross-platform compatibility for Windows and macOS clients. Basic remote management and driver delivery can be performed with Xerox’s CentreWare or standard print server tools. For small IT teams this keeps deployment and driver standardization relatively painless.

Real-world performance & reliability

Short jobs: The 4118 is responsive for single-page copies and short print jobs — first page out is quick and walk-up copy latency is low, which users notice in busy reception or front-desk environments. Sustained jobs: it’s not a high-volume production unit, but with the optional paper tray and scheduled maintenance it sustains reasonable bursts for departmental print runs. Field service and parts support are mature — this model family has been in enterprise channels for years, and service manuals and spare parts are widely available, which helps uptime and long-term TCO.

Consumables & operating cost

Toner yields and drum life vary by region and SKU, but common patterns hold: the 4118 uses separate toner and maintenance/drum parts sized for small-workgroup yields (toner cartridges rated for multiple thousand pages; drums for longer life). Because it’s monochrome, per-page costs are predictable and generally lower than equivalent colour devices. If you’re deploying several units, an MPS (Managed Print Services) contract or a predictable consumable stocking plan reduces service interruptions and can lower per-page costs via high-yield/cartridge bundles. Third-party supplies exist for older models, but for regulated environments stick with OEM consumables to preserve image quality and reliability. 

Security & manageability

While the 4118 predates some modern hard-drive encryption and advanced secure-boot hardware, it still includes practical security controls for small offices: user authentication options, basic account tracking and configurable network protocol settings. For businesses with stricter compliance requirements (healthcare, finance) consider supplementing the device with network print-server controls or using a newer Xerox MFP that offers HDD encryption and secure print release by default. For general SMB deployments, the 4118’s management features combined with standard network controls are adequate.

Best business use cases

Where the 4118 makes sense

• Small offices & branch locations that need a compact, all-in-one mono device for contracts, invoices and internal documents.

• Reception/front desk where walk-up copying, scanning and optional faxing are regular tasks.

• Legal/finance desks that prioritize crisp black text and searchable scans of multi-page documents.

• Education & non-profits that need robust, low-cost mono printing with moderate monthly volumes.

Where to avoid it

• High-volume print shops or departments that exceed recommended monthly duty cycles — choose a production mono device.

• Color-centric workflows — the 4118 is mono only (unless paired with colour scan support on the x SKU) and won’t satisfy marketing teams that need colour collateral.

Deployment tips & practical advice

1. Right-size options up front: add the second 550-sheet tray if you expect frequent mixed media use — retrofits are possible but costlier.

2. Standardize drivers: deploy a single PCL driver across the fleet and enable duplex/draft defaults to save paper and toner.

3. Stock spares: keep an extra toner cartridge and a maintenance kit at busy sites to reduce unscheduled downtime.

4. Plan scanning workflows: create one-touch scan profiles for common tasks (scan-to-email, archive folder) to speed adoption.

Pros & cons — quick list

Pros

• Compact desktop form factor fits space-constrained offices.

• Useful multifunction set (print/copy/scan; fax on x SKU) and 40-sheet ADF.

• Good mono print quality (up to 1200 dpi) for business documents.

• Broad service/support and spare-parts availability.

Cons

• Mono only — not suitable for colour printing needs.

• Older model: lacks some newer enterprise security/HDD encryption features.

• No heavy finishing options (stapling/stacking) for in-house booklet/manual production.

Final verdict

The Xerox WorkCentre 4118 remains a practical, no-nonsense choice for small offices, reception desks and branch environments that need dependable monochrome printing, basic scanning and copy capabilities in a compact chassis. It’s not cutting-edge, but its strengths are predictability, front-desk usability and Xerox’s established service ecosystem. If your organization needs a simple, durable mono MFP and you don’t require colour or production speeds, the 4118 is a cost-effective workhorse — just be mindful to size paper trays and service contracts to match your actual monthly volumes. 

Selected references

Xerox WorkCentre 4118 official datasheets and brochures.
Reseller/spec pages and user manuals (paper handling, ADF, optional trays and connectivity). 
Service manual and spare-parts listings for long-term support references.