Fast print speeds and a lot of features--including wireless capability--would make the IP4000R a good buy even if its printing costs weren't so low.

The Lexmark X6570 isn't particularly cheap, and there is obviously the question of whether the text output would really be good enough for business work -- in many cases, a cheap mono laser would be a better bet. However, you do get good fax facilities and colour printing, and if the wireless facilities are of interest then this makes a very decent buy.

The Canon Pixma iP4500 offers excellent speed, sharp print quality, and useful features for a good price. If your colour output tends more toward photos and graphics than charts and memos, it could be a good alternative to an entry-level colour laser.

Lots of office-oriented features, quick performance, and high-quality printing make the MFC-8840DN a great workhorse for busy offices.

With a load of features, cheap consumables and an intuitive menu system, the PIXMA MP610 is possibly the best value multifunction on the market. Its print quality may have some flaws when compared to its bigger brother, the MP970, but its scanning quality and lower price tag more than make up for this.

Should your business need to add scanning to basic mono print facilities, the HP LaserJet M1120 MFP will cover both tasks with reasonable aplomb. It's not super fast, and you won't want to rely on it for huge print jobs, but for running off a few text documents it'll more than suffice. Should you not need scanning, though, you can find better dedicated printers elsewhere.

The focus of the Brother HL-2140 is clear, and as a good little text churner this laser packs the goods. Use it extensively and, in the long-term, you'll end up paying considerable amounts. But for the typical family, this is an excellent complement to a quality inkjet and thus an ideal way to arm your home with strong text to go along with great colour graphics.

Because of its extensive features, the Photosmart 8150 would make a nice centre for the amateur digital photographer, but printing costs are high.

As far as multifunction photo printers go, the RX650 is a great choice. It offers incredible print quality, bundled with a host of features and above average speed.

Pumpkin-coloured people aside, the Canon Pixma MX700 is, overall, one of the strongest multifunction packages we've seen to date. It stuffs a lot of functions into a fairly user-friendly package and offers scads of software to help you along.

Although it might not be the best choice if you’re looking to print lab-quality photos, this workhorse will definitely increase office productivity.

The MFC-685CW is a burger with the lot, with wireless connectivity thrown in for good measure. Its print quality for documents is adequate, and its scanning capability is good, but it's not a good choice for photo prints.