Tests: 3 Multifunction Printers for 2010

Product Unavailable Our suggested alternatives: Editor's Choice Canon Pixma MG6250 Touchscreen, Connected Inkjet HP Photosmart 7510 e-All-In-One Affordable Photo Printer Epson Stylus Photo PX730WD

Lexmark and HP have both made a break with the past and gone in different directions with their new multifunction printers.  New features include programmable services, WiFi and the continued march of touchscreen interfaces.

The HP Photosmart Wireless, also known as the B109n, has, following the lead of the rest of the range, moved over to separate cartridges for each colour of ink.  Documents now print faster, and some of the physical buttons have made way for touch-sensitive controls.

In Lexmark's camp, we've tested the S305 and S505, two cut-down versions of the S605 that we also recently tested.   The quality of printed documents and the time it takes to print them is the same across the whole range, which has the same hardware on the inside.  All that changes is various extra features which are by no means indispensable and can help bring costs right down--the S305 is half as expensive as the S605, for instance.

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