PRINTER/ SCANNER COMBOS FOR UNDER £230
Affordable printers with benefits: scan, copy and print from all your devices
The printers tested here show just how useful a mix of multifunction capabilities can be
The paperless office is a myth. We all need to print, so we all need a printer. But we also need to watch
our budgets. You might think a multifunction printer/copier/scanner will either be walletbustingly expensive or not worth touching. The phrase ‘jack of all trades’ might even come to mind. However, the four different devices tested here show just how useful a mix of multifunction capabilities can be, even at the affordable end of the market.
We included both inkjet and laser printers in our round-up. Everyone will have their own key requirements, so the technical print process should be seen as simply another point of differentiation. Of course, if you’re just into printing photos, get an inkjet and some good photo paper; if you need other features, all of these printers are worth considering.
Each of the products we tested is a very capable networkable desktop printer, with the ability to connect directly over USB, by Ethernet, and over Wi-Fi. They each support Bonjour for almost sinfully simple setup, as well as AirPrint for printing directly from iOS devices. They all also support duplex (two-sided) printing, and they’re all genuine ‘multifunction devices’, so they can operate as copiers and desktop scanners as well. Two even include full fax support, if you’re in need of 20th-century communications tech! (We jest, but faxing isn’t entirely dead for everyone yet.)
Each one of these devices would be a useful purchase. As well as support for ultra-easy setup and use, particularly for Macs and iOS devices, they scan fairly well – for general requirements at least – and they take up less space than a printer and separate scanner. Deciding between them is not easy, but they do have their own individual key points.