The Lexmark P915 is priced low and includes common features like media card slots and a color LCD, but they don't make up for the poor print quality and expensive consumables.

Although this versatile unit requires a hefty initial outlay and its upkeep will cost you close to $20 for each of its six ink tanks, the quality of its photo prints, scanning and photocopying is excellent.

The Lexmark P450 offers home users the convenience of printing from a wide variety of media sources and doesn’t require a PC to use. It is let down by slow printing, slow burning and the cost of additional adapters.

Canon's LBP-5200 offers straightforward colour laser printing for a single machine or small workgroup. Unfortunately, you'll be struggling to get it to work with Mac OS or Linux

HP Officejet 6210 All-in-One is a compelling printer for a demanding home, however inadequate paper capacity will lessen its appeal for a business market.

Easy access to consumables, adequate paper capacity, fast print speeds, and impressive quality help make the Epson AcuLaser C4200DN a fantastic networkable laser for a demanding small office.

Canon's LaserShot LBP-3000 runs quietly, quickly and offers acceptable print quality for work documents or assignments - provided you run Windows.

HP's LaserJet 4345mfp squeezes the complexity out of buying, maintaining, and using a corporate printer/copier/scanner. It delivers fast performance and good image quality, and it works with a useful assortment of HP paper-handling hardware and workgroup document-management software. Copier aficionados might notice a few missing high-end features, but the 4345mfp provides everything most offices need.

Samsung's unit is impressive for a sub-$500 laser multifunction printer. While it is ideal for home, relatively slow print speeds will bog down a busy small office.

The LaserJet 3015 is a capable entry-level multifunction laser device for a small business or demanding home. HP has cut a few corners to save cost and desk space, but this won’t be an issue unless you need to scan books or magazines.

Rich colours, zippy print speeds, an easy-to-use interface, and a two-year on-site warranty help make the C2600N a solid printer for small business

This new model's high-quality photos and low per-print cost should land it on any amateur photographer's shortlist.