Excellent features and an innovative interface are dealt a killer blow by average print quality.

Not as capable as we’d have expected. You can do better for this money

Painfully slow with colour, and the quality disappoints

A great scanner, but the poor printer and lack of networking limit its appeal.

Printer manufacturers have steadily been increasing the number of ink cartridges in their top of the range photo printers on the basis that the more basic colours they have to work with the more precise the overall result.

Appealing in many ways – and could be ideal as an ‘occasional-use’ coffee-table tool

Very much a case of average performance for an average price

Is it finally time to ditch the LCD TV and grab a projector instead? Epson’s new SVGA model costs just $999, and gives us plenty to think about.

The initial purchase price of a printer can be difficult to see past when you're making a buying decision, and it's tempting to simply go for the cheapest available - but inkjet printing can be deceptive.

Just don't get a paper jam

A great value all-in-one printer that stands out because of its wireless printing ability.

From personal printers to home office colour, we put 12 lasers through their paces. Some are lightning fast; others produce dazzling colour. Some are tiny, and some are surprisingly cost-effective.

The HP Officejet Pro 8500 is one of the best office inkjet alternatives for under $350. Being feature packed, small businesses may be tempted to try this over the latest expensive laser printer.

Superb print quality at consistently high speeds, and it’s packed with useful features too.

Fast, great quality prints at a decent price – the only real competition for the other Canon

It isn’t cheap, but plenty of features and top quality propel this printer to the top of the pile

An uncompromising monochrome laser that gets the job done with speed and precision.

Great design, great photos and some clever features, but it struggles to justify the high price.

Cross-licensing agreement covers broad range of consumer products.

Cheap, easy to use and quick. But the quality on offer lets it down.