MFPs Without Fax

An emphasis on photo output and/or value

Instead of a fax, some multifunction printers have enhanced photo printing and scanning features. Those may include larger preview screens, more ink cartridges, borderless printing and adapters for scanning slides and negatives. These multifunction printers are aimed at families and photographers as opposed to small offices.

For just a bit more than $100, the Canon Pixma MP480 (*Est. $110) is a viable budget choice, replacing the well-received Canon Pixma MP470 from last year. The new printer hasn't changed much from the older model, and it gets a pair of good reviews from About.com and Macworld.

The chief criticism of the MP480 multifunction printer is speed, but that might be a compromise for the low price. The Pixma MP480 has a two-tank ink system instead of four or more cartridges you'll see on more expensive all-in-one printers, one tricolor and one black (*Est. $45 for the pair). It has no networking features, and the LCD preview screen is just 1.8 inches. One idiosyncrasy is that you have to install Canon's proprietary software in order to scan. Both Macworld's James Galbraith and About.com's Peter Piazza say the Pixma MP480 multifunction printer is a sound budget choice, with attractive photos and very good text quality but poorer copy and scan quality. About.com's Piazza notes that it makes an "alarming grinding noise" at startup, a complaint we did not read elsewhere. This all-in-one printer measures a compact 18 inches wide, 13 inches in depth and just 6 inches tall.

Reviewers say that despite the differences in looks, the HP Photosmart C6380 (*Est. $200) is essentially the $250 HP Photosmart Premium Fax C309 (discussed earlier), only with the faxing and auto-document-feeding features removed. Justin Yu at CNET thinks that the speed and price are good for the HP all-in-one printer, though not particularly outstanding. Photo quality is a bit below the standard of other HP multifunction printers and not quite professional grade. Still, Simon Williams at TrustedReviews.com differs, saying that photo quality is "everything you could hope for from an inkjet," and he gives the C6380 a Recommended rating. PC World's chart of top-10 inkjet all-in-one printers ranks the Photosmart C6380 second only to the Canon Pixma MX700 (Est. $135). Melissa Riofrio says this all-in-one printer is best suited for home use. She finds the 2.5-inch LCD too small, noting "orangey" flesh tones when using HP's photo paper, and concludes that the C6380 is a bit lacking in features for its price.

For the best photo quality, reviews point toward the Canon Pixma MP980 (*Est. $300). What sets this Canon all-in-one printer apart from others in its price range is its ability to scan and copy 35 mm film and slides with its included film adapter. The two input trays include one straight path for heavier media (like photo paper) and a 150-sheet plain paper tray. A large 3.5-inch LCD assists with PC-less printing.

Reviewers, including PCMag.com's M. David Stone, agree that photo output is terrific. The MP980 uses different ink than its predecessors, including the addition of a light-gray cartridge. Reviewers say that as a result, monochrome photos are especially nice -- the best in this price range, according to Stone. Mike Pasini at Imaging-Resource.com has high praise for the photo-oriented MP980 all-in-one printer, and is especially impressed with its film negative scanning performance. For Pasini, this MFP goes "beyond mere convenience," excelling at every separate function.

The Canon Pixma MP980 is pretty bulky for a fax-less MFP -- it measures about 18.5 inches by 15 inches by 9 inches and weighs about 23 pounds. It has both wireless and wired networking, but reviewers all agree that setup is a little clumsy for Wi-Fi, and another quirk is that you cannot use both types of networking at the same time -- you have to choose either wired or wireless. Simon Williams of Trusted Reviews, though, feels that the networking options help compensate for sluggish duplex prints and media handling. The other downside in reviews is text printing. Most say text printing is fine for larger fonts (10 points and higher), but not as readable in smaller fonts. CNET's Justin Yu goes so far to say that text quality as a whole is unsatisfactory. User reviews are quite good, with a majority at Amazon.com giving it a perfect score. Those who aren't completely happy cite a cumbersome setup and fast ink usage.