Multifunction Printer Review

All-in-one or standard printer?

Multifunction printers (MFPs) -- also called multifunction devices and all-in-one (AIO) printers -- are inkjet or laser printers that, in addition to printing, can scan, copy and, in some cases, send and receive faxes. If you don't think you really need to scan or fax, you can save money by going with a standard inkjet printer. MFPs also generally take up a lot more desk space, so if you don't have a lot of space to spare, you'll want to look for a more compact model or go with a standard printer instead. ConsumerSearch covers inkjet printers in a separate report.

PCMag.com reports on many all-in-one models, and its editors outline their testing procedures and provide standardized speed testing for accurate comparison. CNET's reviews aren't as thorough, but the site covers more multifunction printers than just about anyone else. ConsumerReports.org has significant gaps in its coverage, and its reviews lack details, but its latest report does include more than two dozen multifunction printers.

You can find a basic multifunction printer without a built-in fax modem for about what you'd pay for a regular inkjet printer. For instance, the printer-only Canon Pixma iP4600 (*Est. $100) and the Canon Pixma MX330 (*Est. $100) all-in-one sell for about the same price. While MFPs promise to be do-everything devices, reviews show that they are not equally adept at printing, scanning, copying and faxing. Often, a model that excels in one aspect falls short on others. However, if you only occasionally need to fax, copy or scan in addition to printing, a multifunction machine can save you having to buy two or three separate devices, particularly if you don't need the very best output quality.

Though you can find budget all-in-one printer-scanner-fax machines for around $100, not all budget MFPs are created equally, according to reviews. One example is the Dell V305W All in One Wireless Printer (*Est. $130), which fares poorly in the eyes of experts, whose concerns are echoed in user reviews.

Justin Yu at CNET points out that, despite the low initial cost, the Dell multifunction printer comes with some major caveats: Output quality and print speeds are below average, and the cost of refill cartridges is high -- especially considering the V305W's poor economy in ink use. The British magazine PC Pro backs up this claim, finding that the V305W has the worst color print economy of all MFPs tested. (Replacing the standard black and tri-color cartridges costs about $40.) PC World's Melissa Riofrio also notes that the Dell printer has some quirky controls. She is more sympathetic overall, citing that plain text prints crisply and quickly. However, she agrees that the ink costs are shockingly prohibitive, at around 10 cents per page. "Unfortunately," she concludes, "this printer doesn't print money." Operating costs, therefore, can turn a budget MFP into a money pit.