Mutlifunction Printers Under $150

[pschmid]

You can get a basic multifunction printer-scanner-copier for under $100. For this article we ruled out the loss leaders, focusing on midrange models priced at under $150. In our investigation, we found decently-made all-in-ones for that price and even less.

 

[shushikiary]

Got typo? Mutlifunction = Multifunction? for a second I thought it was malfunctioning printers under $150... which more accurately describes most inkjet printers than not, IMO... lol

 

[tdfisxs]

Why were no Brother MFP's included?

They ALWAYS seem to beat the others in initial cost AND cost per page.

They are also more compact in their use of desk space. I would have loved to see how they stacked up.

 

[bmz06e]

The replacement of the Canon MP500 is actually the MP600, not the MP510 as stated in the article. The MP510 is designed to be a less-featured model at a cheaper price.

 

[tokataro]

Does Tom's do any tests on overall endurance? The last HP multifunction I purchased stopped feeding paper correctly within one or two ink cartridges, so now its multiple functions are scanning and really pissing me off.

 

[tdwebste]

All look the same from my prospective.
This comparison study is lacking.....

1) Tom's needs to check OS support as well. Not ever computer is running Microsoft XP. This particular true of small business with printers connect to a server.

Right now HP has great linux support. So to me this whole comparison is useless.

Perhaps I am wrong and other brands have great linux or Mac X OX support. It is job Tom's check to this too.

2) Paper jams are the biggest complaint I have with cheap printers in general. Are any of these printers any good?

 

[kinburn]

Where did you get the picture and function list for the Dell AIO 926?

I just bought one and not only does the one in your article not look like the one on the Dell Website, it doesn't look like the one sitting on my desk.

And...one of the pictures shown in the article (close-up photo) describes it as being from a Dell 944.

Could you please clarify.

BTW...it is an excellent product.

 

[joex444]

I do agree that the printer discussion belongs in the DVD burners section, congrats!

 

[bardia]

Let me preface this by saying that I have always been a huge Toms hardware fan. Most of your analysis of computer hardware is top notch, but I am usually left disappointed after reading a printer review.

First off, granted I am a fanboi, but you guys always seem to short change Epson. The review of the RX700 was the worst review I have ever read. Several blatent inaccuracies, and the top features of the printer were never mention.

CX6000 review was equally disappointing. The printer's strongest and second strongest features were never mentioned ONCE in the article. One would think that the only thing your reviewers care about is cosmetics and print speed.

Comparing a fully pigment based printer with all dye based printers without mentioning the strengths and weaknesses of that difference would be like doing a Car review and not appreciating the difference between disel and unleaded.

Meh... there's a reason why 90% of professionals use Epson, and why I hate the inks on one of my Canon printers... and yet those reasons completely escape your reviewers. This review is not up to the generally high standards of tomshardware.

 

[digitalprinting]

Hello:

Here would be my thoughts from a commercial printer:
Things should be looked at from 2 points of view. Either point of view involves consumables and that’s where the printer company hopes to make good if not great money.

Home use with low quantities are the printers that are going to be fairly inexpensive but the consumables will be high priced if you are replacing the cartridges quite a bit. Companies that buy these low end machines and try to produce work on them in large quantities will be most likely disappointed in the consumable costs and how well the machine holds up. I am partial to HP machines but none of these sub $500 machines are going to hold up to long term commercial use. You will be lucky if they do.

For the commercial use machines that are made to do 100’s or 1000’s of copies a day or week you are going to spend significantly more to purchase upfront and then you will have maintenance contract and consumable costs. If you add all those costs together and divide by the number of copies I have ran into very few companies that do better than just going to a commercial printer and paying for them to do it. That being said Canon, Epson or Xerox docucolor on the low end would be what I would recommend from an equipment standpoint if you still feel the need to go this route. The maintenance and consumables are what need to be focused on for costs over the long term.

Good Luck.
Buzz
The Odee Company.com - Dallas Printer