It's the compact photo printer that comes in a big green bucket. What else needs to be said? Ok, it prints 4x6 and card-sized photos only, it's a dye-sublimation printer (so it's kind of fun to watch, since you can see each pass the printer makes on the photo and how that changes the result), and it supports a wide range of media cards. If it came with the battery and Bluetooth options it'd be even better, though admittedly a whole lot more expensive. But if you're looking for a fun, portable photo printer, or need a big green bucket for some reason and don't mind having a photo printer as well, the Canon Selphy CP790 is the way to go.

Photo courtesy Canon

For nearly $300, the Lexmark X204n wasn't the fantastic laser printer I expected it to be. It did a fine job and produces extremely sharp monochrome pages. But it was sluggish on most print jobs, so you might want to consider some faster--and cheaper--competitors.

Photo copyright Lexmark

Shutterbugs have it easier these days than when I was a kid, hauling around a rock-heavy Canon single-reflex camera--and then shelling out big bucks to see the results of my experimental shots, which were all too often disappointments. With digital cameras affordable, and photo printers downright cheap (not to mention excellent, and often free, digital editing software), once the first investment is made, there's no reason why aspiring photographers can't keep trying till they get what they like. But finding the right photo printer is not always easy. I've got a list of the Top Budget Photo Printers, which can help those with an eye on the bottom line, and a full set of in-depth photo-printer reviews for you to peruse. PC Mag has some more suggestions. M. David Stone's How to Buy a Dedicated Photo Printer asks the questions that should be asked before you invest in a dedicated photo printer, such as: How much do you print? Do you need to print in color or black and white? And how are you going to connect? Thanks again to David for his excellent articles!

HP has several new printers that I'll be looking at soon. The HP 6500, according to HP, is fast, economical, and eco-conscious--it uses as much as 40 percent less energy than a laser printer, the company says. At under $100, the HP 6500 printer is likely to be a great buy. The big-brother version of the HP 6500, the HP Officejet Pro 8500, can print color documents for up to 50 percent less per page, HP claims--and, if you're using HP's high capacity cartridges, you'll save money on consumables compared to laser printers. Read more about the HP 8500 specs.