Multifunction Printers

CNET reviews the most multifunction printers and covers all types. Reviews spend more time on design and features than performance, but comparison charts do show the speeds and image quality scores of each… model relative to the competition. Users can contribute their own opinions as well, some of which contrast starkly with the conclusions drawn by editors. In some other cases, readers hold certain multifunction printers in much higher regard than the editors do. No recent models receive Editor's Choice awards, even the favorably reviewed HP Photosmart Premium Fax and Canon Pixma MX860.

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Mike Pasini reviews a handful of printers a year, testing on Macs predominantly, but also on computers running Windows. Reviews are exhaustive, covering everything from installation to maintenance. Although… they are not strictly comparative, reviews often refer to competing models in passing, allowing a good sense of how they rank as far as price, features and performance. Pasini likes the Canon MP line, calling it "well engineered." He singles out the Pixma MP620 and MP980 for praise most recently.

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Britain's PC Pro reviews and rates a few multifunction printers mixed in with standalone printers. Each all-in-one printer gets a short report that delves into the high and low points but not in much… detail. Printers are not compared in the write-ups, but they are given numerical scores and ranked on the landing page, so it's easy to see how editors think they stack up. Unfortunately, the quality of these reviews varies greatly, and the numerical scores aren't always consistent with the overall conclusions of the reviews. The Canon Pixma MX860 gets a Recommended rating from reviewer Jonathan Bray, who says it has "absolutely everything" and only falls short in output volume.

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Peter Piazza, About.com's guide to printers/scanners, maintains a small but fairly up-to-date review database. Piazza doesn't compare printers with each other, but the reviews are easy to read and based on… hands-on testing, including comments on start-up times, installation and print speeds. This site is worth a look once you narrow down your choice. Reviews are not dated, so it's hard to tell which reviews are more recent. Piazza's current top picks are the laser Brother MFC-7840W and the inkjet Epson WorkForce 600. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

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This chart lists PC World's current top 10 inkjet multifunction printers. Canon and HP are equally represented, with three printers each. Links lead to full reviews and test reports. The rare direct… comparisons are only within manufacturers' lines and are usually limited to features instead of performance. The Canon Pixma MX700 is rated first for blending home and office features, while the number-two HP Photosmart C6380 scores the same and is recommended more for home use.

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Eric Grevstad reviews a multifunction device every couple of months or so. Scores provide the only distinctions. The HP OfficeJet 6500 Wireless scores a very good 14 out of 15 for its speed, features and a… very low print cost per page. Reviews include product photos and screen shots, but prints and scans are not reproduced. Some reviews are adapted from HardwareCentral.com's sister sites, such as SmallBusinessComputing.com.

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PCMag.com conducts occasional service and support surveys of its subscribers. A chart shows how owners fared with printer-brand reliability and tech support, as well as what percentage of printers from each… brand needed repair. They also assess the owners' likelihood of recommending the brand to others. Owners report that multifunction printers need more repairs than standalone printers. Kodak wins the Readers' Choice for all-in-one printers, although Canon also scores consistently well in many categories.

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