34406 - 37477 Multifunction Devices

The Bottom Line: The HP Officejet Pro 8500 wireless makes a convincing inkjet argument for offices with a high volume of prints. With a function touch screen, multiple networking options, and an astoundingly fast print speed, it makes perfect sense to give this workhorse an Editors' Choice award.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 2400 x 4800 dpi

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-990CW is a speedy, fully capable all-in-one device that earns our recommendation for an individual or a family that will make use of its touch screen and telephone/answering machine. Mechanical issues notwithstanding, this is the highest-scoring Brother printer we've tested to date.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 1200 x 2400 dpi, Cordless handset

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-3360C does decent quality text and graphics, but anyone printing a large volume of photos won't be happy with the extremely slow output speed. If you're set on buying a multifunction printer, put your $90 toward a more capable device, like the Canon Pixma MX330.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 600 x 1200 dpi, Corded handset

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-5890CN all-in-one is hands down the worst printer to take up space in our lab. From the irritating initial set up to the horrendous output quality and slow print speed, this device is the easiest way to flush $200 down the drain.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 1200 x 2400 dpi, None

The Bottom Line: The Canon Pixma MX860's auto-document feeder, large LCD screen, and quick print speeds are sure to increase your productivity, but it also includes plenty of software to nourish your creative interests. At $199, this multifunctional printer earns our recommendation.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 2400 x 4800 dpi

The Bottom Line: The HP Officejet J4680 offers more features at a cheaper price than most of its competitors, and small offices and home professionals will appreciate its print quality as well. Unfortunately, its negatives far outweigh the positives: your office productivity will take a major hit because of sluggish output speeds and faulty paper handling. For a better rounded all-in-one printer, we recommend picking up the Lexmark x7675 Pro or investing an extra $90 in the HP Officejet J6480.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 1200 x 2400 dpi

The Bottom Line: The HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One printer makes it easy to increase productivity thanks to its streamlined user interface. The fax, copy, print, and scanning features boast helpful extras like double-sided printing, wireless connectivity, separate photo trays, and quick-access control panel buttons, all while maintaining lab-quality photos and a low cost to print. We highly recommend this printer to anyone who can benefit from its multifunctionality.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 4800 x 4800 dpi

The Bottom Line: The Epson Artisan 800 produces impressive color prints, photos, and text documents, and it outpaces the competition in almost all of our speed tests. We're impressed by its performance, but hesitate to recommend this printer based on the poor build quality and error-prone software.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 4800 dpi

The Bottom Line: The HP Officejet J6480 has a lot of built-in features that are rarely found included in a $200 printer. Shoppers looking for an all-inclusive multifunctional unit will be impressed with the robust hardware and rich print quality.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 4800 dpi

The Bottom Line: The Canon Pixma MX7600 multifunction is a huge improvement over the previous model. With additional features such as an autoduplexer, increased faxing options, and an upgraded control cockpit, we have no problem recommending the MX7600.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 9600 x 4800 dpi