Epson Workforce 600

Most multifunction printers, especially those that include a dedicated fax function, are bulky affairs, but the compact Epson Workforce 600 fits the bill for those with limited desk space. At 18 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches (without trays) and 18 pounds, it is smaller and lighter than most other multifunction printers in its class. The drawback is that it has a small paper capacity -- a single 100-page input tray. Otherwise, reviews say you get good and speedy document and photo printing, scanning, copying and faxing, as well as auto duplexing (printing on both sides of a page). The Epson Workforce 600 has Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking built in, and Bluetooth is an extra-cost option. While the lowest-quality setting (draft mode) is very fast, reviews say the prints don't look good. Some owner reviews say setup could be more straightforward.

If you have a subscription, ConsumerReports.org offers a chart on its website that provides an easy way to compare printers. The reviews are based on very thorough testing but are shorter than those at Macworld and HardwareCentral.com. We found more than 150 owner reviews at Amazon.com. They are overwhelmingly positive, and most of the low scores are from people who received a unit that was defective from the get-go.