All in One Printer Buyer's Guide

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Convergence of technologies in one device is happening in the world of printers almost as fast as it is with mobile phones. You can now buy an all-in-one (commonly described as multi-functional devices or MFDs in the US) that will give passable print, copy, scanning and fax results for less than the price of a good quality printer. If colour reproduction and image manipulation matters more then you will need to pay more - but you can still get great results and have the convenience of just one peripheral on your desk.

Some all-in-ones can be bulky and take up valuable desk space and on other models, the speed of the individual components, the copier, for example, can be considerably slower than dedicated devices. You may also find that the cost of printer consumables like ink and paper can be high. And, of course, if one element should break down, you may be without the other facilities while it is fixed. But an all-in-one is hard to beat for convenience and integration. Our guide to all-in-ones identifies three different types of user and suggests what might be best for them and gives you the low-down on the features that are really worth paying for.

User types

Key features

Inkjet: The original advantage of the inkjet printer was that it could reproduce colour when only very expensive laser options could. That price differential has all but disappeared, but inkjet technology can now produce photographic quality outputs. Print speeds and text quality can be lower than laser-based versions and running costs can be considerably higher. An inkjet is the right choice for all-round use.

Laser: A laser printer tends to be faster than an inkjet and while toner cartridges for laser are more expensive than ink, they last a lot longer. Laser printers generally give clearer and sharper text reproduction and may be better for handling envelopes, cards and non-standard paper sizes.

Monochrome or colour: All-in-ones with monochrome printers (most common among laser-printer types) may well have colour scanners but are only able to print in black and white. Most inkjet printer are able to print in colour and black and white, but some cheaper inkjet printers can print both but not at the same time. If you want to print a page which contains black and white text and colour images you will need an inkjet printer with four colours.

PictBridge: Allows you to transfer images from the memory card in a digital camera directly to a compatible all-in-one without a computer or editing software. Print size and layout can be set using the controls and the LCD on the camera. PictBridge is becoming the standard for digital image transfers and replacing proprietary solutions.

Consumables: There is a reasonably close correlation between the low price of some machines and their high running costs that means that some machines are not the bargains they might at first seem. A higher-priced machine with a lower running cost in terms of ink cartridges is likely to pay for itself pretty quickly. Comparing costs can be difficult but will save you significant amounts on even average usage.

Bit-depth The higher the bit-depth of a scanner the higher the quality of the scan. Most colour scanners are 24-bit and collect 8 bits of information about each of the three primary colours red, green and blue. This gives excellent quality. Scanners with 30 or 36 bits are also available.

Memory: All-in-ones require printer memory to store and process information while printing. Measured in megabytes (MB), the more memory the device has the faster it will print.

Drivers: Usually supplied with the software for the machine, a printer driver controls the communication between your computer and the all-in-one. Updates to drivers are commonly made available from the manufacturer's web sites.

Individual functions: Many all-in-ones allow you to operate their major functions without the need to turn on a computer. Copying, scanning and even faxing can be done independently on some machines.

Maximum printing speeds: Print speeds (usually expressed in pages per minute) for all-in-ones will vary so if they are going to be important to you, you should compare competing models. Most models on the market will print between 20 and 25 black and white pages per minute. Colour pages will take longer depending on the quality selected.

Power consumption: Some all-in-ones can be wasteful in power consumption particularly when in stand by mode.

Print modes: Most all-in-ones will provide three different modes for printing - typically draft, standard, and best designed to keep running costs down.

Media types: Better equipped all-in-ones will be able to print on different sizes and types of including glossy for photos. They will also be able to output overhead transparencies, labels and CDs or DVDs. Better equipped all-in-ones will be able to print on different sizes and types of including glossy for photos. They will also be able to output overhead transparencies, labels and CDs or DVDs.

Fax type: Faxes can be sent either directly from your computer or by printing a document and feeding it through to send.

Fax memory: Will store faxes sent to you when machine is not in use.

Speed dial: Allows you to store frequently used fax numbers and speed dial them for quick access.

Connections: Most all-in-ones use USB connections but some, particularly those aimed at the business market are also equipped for Ethernet or Parallel links for use by more than one computer.

Twin-sided printing: Sometimes called duplex mode means you can print double-sided documents.

Accessories

Ink: The price of replacement ink cartridges will have a significant effect on running costs for an inkjet-based all-in-one. The high prices have seen a small industry spring up in the refill market with 50 per cent savings to be made. However, continual refilling may eventually have an effect on the printer and may cause some conflict with manufacturer's warranties. Avoid colour cartridges that combine three colours - when one runs out you have to throw away what remains in the other two sections.

Toner cartridges: Toner cartridges for laser-based all-in-ones can be more expensive initially but last longer which brings eventual running costs down.

Paper: Glossy sheets for photographic images, 6" by 4" for prints, plain white for copying, heavier weights for business cards - most all-in-ones can handle a variety of paper types and sizes. Specific paper is available for inkjet printing to reduce "bleeding".

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