Konica Minolta appears to have fixed the problem with sluggishness that plagued our 5430DL test unit. However, the 5440DL's 14.7 pages per minute for text and 4.5ppm for colour still lag behind colour lasers that have a similar price and comparable paper capacity.

This is the lowest-priced colour laser we've seen -- and it offers top-notch print quality. Its only downfall is the cost of a networking adapter.

The Pixma MP210's real attraction is that it offers extra functions beyond printing for a printer-like price. But if your copying needs extend far beyond the occasional, look for a model that has better capabilities and controls, such as Canon's Pixma MP470, which costs only $60 more.

Getting the highest print quality out of the 5300 costs about 30 cents per photo, which is a pretty good result. And those ink prices may be hard to pass up.

The Pixma MP470's design shortcomings should be easy for many people to forgive, considering everything the MFP offers for the price. Its print, scan and copy functions are sound, and its software gives you lots of options.

With many photo-centric features such as film scanning, the easy-to-use Canon Pixma MP960 will appeal to photographers who work with both film and digital cameras. It performs most tasks quickly and makes superb photo prints.

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.

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

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 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.

In spite of the corporate edge, the overall verdict on the Konica Minolta Magicolor 2550EN has to be that it doesn't stand out from the competition.

This is a worthy but slightly dull MFD, enlivened by the presence of Wi-Fi.