All-In-One Printer Comparison

Technology in printing and imaging is advancing at such a rapid pace that there has not only been shrinking sizes but falling prices as well. Imagine owning a printer, scanner, fax machine, copier and phone, all separately. Not only will they occupy a significant portion of your desktop’s real estate but also make it look cluttered. Thanks to convergence, we have All-in-one printers that can handle all the tasks seamlessly.

AIO printers not only print, but also work as a scanner, fax machine and photocopier. They make your desk less cluttered but also add a certain level of grace and classiness, and more than anything else, they come integrated with three or four functions in one package. Some AIOs come with PictBridge technology that enables users to print photos directly from their digital cameras. Some even come equipped with an LCD display for previewing images before printing them. Printing photos cannot get easier with the presence of a flash memory card reader and image editing functions built into the device. You have to insert your memory card containing the images you want to print, enhance the pictures on the fly and fire a print command—as simple as that! You don’t need to rush to a photo lab which will take another few hours to do the job.

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Some AIO printers which have a built-in network adapter are a boon for office users. You can not only fire print commands over the network but share such a device with multiple users on the network. A Wi-Fi adapter is more advantageous as you can print wirelessly from Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as laptops or smartphones.

Such printers not only eliminate wire clutter but also make life a whole lot simpler. If your daily tasks involve sending and receiving faxes, an AIO with built-in fax function will be a blessing. Those featuring an answering machine and a handset are the most advanced all-in-one devices. Apart from these features, they also have an automatic document feeder so you don’t need to feed paper manually into the scanner when you want to copy or send faxes. Such machines may seem intimidating at the first glance, but even a first-timer will be able to use them without any hassles, thanks to the user-friendly interface AIOs offer today. We now have devices that come with navigational aids such as jog dials an directional buttons that make operation a breeze.

In this comparison we tested seven AIO devices. While some are ideal for home use, others are best suited for photographers or office desks. And yes, owning such a device is no longer expensive. You can buy one for as low as Rs 5,600.

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HP Officejet J3608

The smallest and most compact AIO you can find in the market is the HP Officejet J3608. The printer has an excellent build quality with ergonomically designed folding input and output trays and an aesthetically good looking scratch-resistant body. At first glance it looks like an ordinary plain paper fax, but it can spew text documents at a good 12 pages per minute. Along with good speed, the AIO does not compromise on quality—the 4x6-inch photo printing test shows that the 4800 x 1200 dpi AIO can is not only a document printer and fax, but can also double as an excellent photo printing device.

Unfortunately, it printed a 4x6 photo in over two minutes while the others could complete the task in just over a minute. Other great features include a 200 page memory fax machine which can store your incoming fax documents even if the paper runs out. The J3608 has a dot matrix LCD display but the buttons on the control panel are made of rubber which makes the device slightly sluggish when operating.

This AIO is a superbly priced, compact AIO for an office desk.

Good: Compact size, good features and well-priced.
Bad: The quality of color scanning quality is a bit disappointing.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Specs

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 16.7 x 8 x 13-inches

• Print resolution: 4800 x 1200 dpi

• Connectivity: USB

• Price: Rs 6,773

Lexmark X5650

Priced at Rs 7,500, the Lexmark X5650 stands midway between performance and price. Inspite of an excellent build quality, it looks bulky and a bit ugly. It is feature-rich with an ergonomically designed control panel and buttons. The front features a memory card reader along with a Pictbridge port and an additional USB port in case the AIO has to be connected urgently. The Scanner lid which comprises of the ADF is actually designed badly. It does not stay firmly open but slams down threatening to break either the scanner glass or the ADF unit. So if you opt for this printer, we advise you to handle the scanner section with extreme care.

It did not perform very well in the font print quality test—it spews average quality prints at almost 14 pages-per-minute. The 4x6 photo printing quality test turned out to be above average, which is the same with the photo scanning quality. Another drawback is that the startup or initialization time is almost 30 seconds.

Taking into consideration the performance, feature-set and the price this AIO sells at, there is little chance for it to survive in the market.

Good: Good build quality.
Bad: Average quality prints.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Specs

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 18.3 x 8.1 x 11.6-inches
• Print resolution: 4800 x 1200 dpi
• Connectivity: USB, PictBridge, MMC card reader
• Price: Rs 7,500

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Canon Pixma MP496

Another AIO standing mid-way between price and performance is the Canon Pixma MP496. The MP496 features an average looking design with a high-gloss and white body which can be easily scratched if not handled carefully. The control panel is thoughtfully hidden using a flap which also holds the 1.8-inch color LCD screen. A good set of buttons, menu navigation and intuitive menu interface makes the AIO easy to use.

The build quality does not seem to be up to the mark as the body seems like it’s made from a thinner gauge of plastic. The scanner lid, the input and output trays are so flimsy that they might break if handled carelessly. The MP496 is similar to the Canon MP276, in terms of features. The only difference is the enclosed front control panel which houses a 1.8-inch color LCD display and a neatly hidden MMC card reader which the MP276 lacks.

This AIO would have bagged the title of Best Value if it wasn’t for its price difference of Rs 1,400. The performance tests reveal that though the printer prints good quality text its photo prints are of average quality. Good value for money.

Good: Regular office/home AIO needs.
Bad: Below average build quality, non-scratch-resistant glossy body.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Specs

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 17.8 x 6.1 x 13.2-inches
• Print resolution: 4800 x 1200 dpi
• Connectivity: USB, PictBridge, MMC card reader
• Price: Rs 6,995

Canon Pixma MX328

Similar to the Canon Pixma MP496, is the Pixma MP328 which features a built-in fax and an ADF. But priced at around Rs 8,595, the product seems to be priced quite high when compared to other AIOs from the same manufacturer. The built-in fax can hold only 50 pages in case the paper runs out. The product bears a dot matrix LCD display on the easy to use and intuitive control panel.

The AIO has a white glossy exterior which can be easily be blemished. The build quality is much better than the MP496 and the MP276, except for the paper tray which seems flimsy. The AIO features a 4800 x 1200 dpi printer which prints good quality text documents but at a slow speed of only eight pages per minute. The photo printing test offered good quality prints with above average reproduction of details and colors. The printer can only print a maximum of eight pages per minute which is the same in case of the other two AIOs from Canon.

The printer uses two ink cartridges, one for black and the other for the three colors (C, M and Y) and can be bought for a combined price of Rs 2,350. In all, it’s an average performing AIO.

Good: Good quality and evenly spaced control panel buttons.
Bad: Glossy finish.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Specs

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 18 x 7.8 x 16.1-inches
• Print resolution: 4800 x 1200 dpi
• Connectivity: USB, PictBridge
• Price: Rs 8,595

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Canon Pixma MP276

The Canon Pixma MP276 bagged the title of the Best Value due to the ration of the combined scores of the performance, build quality, ergonomics, features and warranty and support to its selling price. This AIO is available for a price of just Rs 5,595 and is definitely a very good deal considering its features and performance. This 4800 x 1200 dpi AIO performed quite well in areas such as photo and text printing. It is very similar to the Canon Pixma MP496 with the same build quality, glossy white finish body, the only difference being the control panel which sports a 7-segment display. The control panel is very intuitive and easy to use.

It starts up in an amazingly short duration of only one second which is great for those who are in need of urgent prints or photo copies. The printer sports a PictBridge port in the front which is great for those who need a photo printer for their home. With just eight pages per minute, this printer is an ideal unit for a home or small office only—those looking for a fast printer with a small price tag should look elsewhere.

A great AIO at a great price.

Good: Good value for money, good quality photo prints.
Bad: Glossy finish attracts stains and finger prints, flimsy paper trays.
Rating: 3 out of 5

Specs

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 17.8 x 6.1 x 13.2-inches
• Print resolution: 4800 x 1200 dpi
• Connectivity: USB, PictBridge
• Price: Rs 5,595

HP Deskjet K209A

Scoring barely 27 percent in the features section, the HP Deskjet K209A seems to be priced too high for the features it offers. The unit is simply a printer combined with a scanner which doubles as a copier machine.

The lack of a PictBridge and MMC card reader makes this AIO almost useless for those looking for a fine photo printer. It has a good build quality with excellent quality paper trays, but won’t appeal to many as it has a vague design and color on the scanner lid. Also, the body isn’t scratch-resistant. The easy-to-use control panel is on the extreme left and has a good button size and quality. The control panel looks delicate, but is quite tough and rugged.

The AIO scored quite well in the copy and photo printing quality section. The print quality is very good even at draft modes and at a maximum speed of 17 pages per minute. A 4x6 photo prints in barely 65 seconds (the fastest in the lot) and the result was also quite impressive with very good results in image details and skin tones.

A good performing printer, but low in features.

Good: Speedy, good quality photo and text printing.
Bad: Passable looks, doesn’t support PictBridge.
Rating: 3 out of 5

Specs

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 17.5 x 6.3 x 22-inches
• Print resolution: 4800 x 1200 dpi
• Connectivity: USB
• Price: Rs 8,179

Brother MFC-490CW

The best of the lot, the Brother MFC-490CW left all the other AIOs way behind in the features scoring 86 points out of 100. It features a 6000 x 1200 dpi printer which is great for printing quality photos. The printer uses four ink tanks which makes it more economical because you only need to change the ink tank that has exhausted, unlike other printers that have a common color ink tank.

The MFC-490CW offers the network printing option (both wired and wireless). It also has excellent ergonomics due to a good button placement and intuitive menu operations. It sports a large 3.3-inch wide-screen color LCD display which can be tilted to an angle for a convenient usage. The printer performed quite well in the photo mode, but lacked in the quality of text printing. Scanning quality too was below average.

As far as pure performance is concerned, this printer did not match any of the others in the competition, but due to the combined scores of features, performance and ergonomics, the Brother MFC-490CW bagged the Best Performance title.

An excellent AIO device for small offices.

Good: Network printing support.
Bad: Average text printing quality.
Rating: 4 out of 5

Specs

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 15.34 x 7.1 x 14.8-inches
• Print resolution: 6000 x 1200 dpi
• Connectivity: USB, PictBridge, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, MMC card reader
• Price: Rs 10,990