The RX690 lacks the intuitive software interface of its competitors, but makes up for this in its functionality and photo customization options.

If you need to print large volumes of colour documents each month, this printer is ideal. It's perhaps the best colour laser printer in its class and at $1699, the initial outlay for this unit isn't extravagant.

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.

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

Lexmark's budget-priced colour laser delivers fast, high-quality text. Albeit without the option for a duplexer, but you can increase your paper tray to a 530-sheet tray for an additional cost.

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.

Mostly a very good MFD for the money, the CLX-2160N offers good quality, features, and performance at this level. It's a shame it's marred by the slightly skimpy paper catch and paper curl.

A robust printer with network support and excellent opportunities for expansion, the 2700dn is also extremely fast. Colour reproduction could be more accurate, but for offices with a little less to spend, the 2700 merits attention.

The Photosmart C5280's mediocre speed and sparse connectivity options restrict it to a small or home office. Those users, however, will enjoy a highly capable, easy-to-use device with excellent photo output.

A low price and great-looking photo quality helps this model stand out, but its toner cartridges are expensive.

With fast printing, quality output, easy networking, and a built-in duplexer, the Brother HL-5250DN would be a great choice for a small office.

The Canon Pixma MP600 is an excellent printer and a solid copier that delivers top-notch print quality at high speeds. If you don't need fax and can live without an automatic document feeder and film scanning, the MP600 is a solid choice for everything else it offers.