A Guide to All-in-One Printers - Part 2: A Comparison of Top All-in-One Printers

As discussed in Part One of this article, All-in-One printers (also known as AIOs or MFPs - multi-function printers) combine the features of multiple devices in one package. The most basic All-in-One printers offer a laser or color inkjet printer combined with a scanning unit so that it can act as a printer, a scanner, and a copier. Additional functions include sending and receiving faxes, and downloading photos directly from your camera via its memory card.

Other high-end features may include an automatic document feeder (ADF), which is very useful if you plan to copy large numbers of documents; an upgraded scanner that is a flatbed and/or includes a transparency negative adapter for scanning slides; or a virtual photo lab complete with a small color LCD viewer that allows you to preview the images on your memory card and enhance them before printing.

A Comparison of Top All-in-One Printers

In a June 2007 survey of 1,971 consumers, Hewlett-Packard and Canon topped the list of user-preferred peripheral manufacturers for All-in-One devices, as well as stand-alone printers and scanners. The chart below compares three of the top All-in-One printers priced from $89 to $349, with information on their different features.

Canon PIXMA MP810 All-in-One Photo Inkjet Printer, Scanner, Copier Amazon Price: $229  Buy Now

The Canon PIXMA MP810 is a powerful photo kiosk. It offers flexible photo printing from digital cameras, DV camcorders, memory cards, and 35-mm film, along with fast print and copy speeds.

Product Features:

• 3" high definition TFT display delivers sharp previews of your images, viewable from up to a 170-degree angle
• 4,608 precision nozzles create exceptional resolution - up to 9600 x 2400 color dpi
• High-resolution CCD technology delivers exceptional scans up to 4800 dpi with vibrant 48-bit color depth
• Microscopic 1-picoliter sized ink droplets produce exceptionally detailed photos
• Print from compatible digital camera memory cards: no computer is needed
• Print wirelessly from a compatible Bluetooth device in another room, using the optional USB Bluetooth adapter
• Dual paper trays hold up to 50 sheets of paper
• Built-in 2-sided printing
• Easy-Scroll Wheel makes it easy to navigate menus, crop and select photos
• Uses 5 separate ink cartridges (C,M,Y,K and black) for easy and economical replacement
• Smart Copying: Dual Color Gamut Processing Technology automatically optimizes copy quality based on the type of originals you are copying

Epson Stylus Photo RX580 All In One Inkjet Printer, Scanner, Copier Amazon Price: $89  Buy Now

Product Features:

• All-in-one printer - full-featured scanning and copying plus Ultra Hi-Definition printing for photos, documents, and CDs
• Borderless 4x6 photos in as fast as 13 seconds; up to 30 ppm black/color text
• 2.5" display and card slots to select, rotate, crop and enlarge photos from memory cards, digital cameras and mobile phones - no PC needed
• Uses 6 Claria™ Hi-Definition Inks for smudge, scratch, water and fade resistant prints (C,M,Y,K,Lm,Lc)
• Includes Epson's DX5 print head technology that lets it print 5 variable-sized dots as small as 1.5 picoliter for smooth tonal gradations and increased detail
• Automatic photo correction, red-eye removal, lighting adjustments
• Direct printing onto inkjet printable CD/DVDs - no messy labels
• High resolution scanning - maximum 1200 x 2400 optical dpi - with a "Color Restoration" feature that improves faded photos (up to 5x7-inches in size) automatically during scanning
• Includes the ability to make greeting cards without turning on a computer
• Prints banner photos from a computer with a maximum size of 8x44 inches

HP Photosmart C7180 All-in-One Printer, Fax, Scanner, and Copier Amazon Price: $349  Buy Now

Product Features:

• 4800 x 4800 dpi Optical Resolution Scanning with 48-bit Color, 256 Grayscale Levels
• 4800 x 1200 dpi Black Copying with 1200 Scan dpi, reduce or enlarge options
• 4800 Optimized dpi Color Copying
• Print Speeds of up to 32 ppm Black and up to 31 ppm Color
• Convenient Fax from Glass functionality allows you to copy, fax, and scan one document without having to move it to different parts of the unit
• Set up as a fax machine, the C7180 automatically monitors incoming calls for a fax tone, so it won't interfere with regular calls or require a separate line - it can also fax in either black and white or color
• Oversized, 8.5 x 12-inch Scanning Glass, Built-in Slide and Negative Adapter, Automated 4 x 6-inch Tray for Dedicated Photo Printing
• Efficiently designed ink system with six economical, individual ink cartridges
• Provides multiple ways to print from camera phones, notebooks and other devices, and features convenient memory card slots that accommodate CompactFlash, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital, Media Stick, Memory Stick Duo and XD-Picture Cardsr
• Panorama printing option prints any size up to 8.5 x 24 inches, with or without borders
• Built-in Bluetooth wireless technology and Ethernet wired/wireless networking enable easy sharing of printing, faxing, scanning, and copying capabilities on a small computer network
• Intuitive control panel with convenient one-touch buttons that are easy to us
• The HP auto paper type sensor optimizes print and copy quality by automatically adjusting settings to accommodate different papers

Summary:

As always when choosing a printer, calculate your TCO (total cost of ownership) by comparing the price of the unit, the cost of ink cartridge refills, the print speed and quality, and the device's additional features/functionality before selecting an All-in-One printer for your home or office.

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