The holiday gift giving season is upon us, and all the technology magazines are offering their “Best of” lists for 2004. What do they consider the best printers and scanners for 2004? And why?
The melding of everyday inkjet printers and photo printers continues, to the point that it's hard to separate the two. There are still plenty of photo printers that are dedicated mainly toward providing high-quality photo reproduction, and it's unlikely that those will go away, especially those that are portable (so that you can print out quick 4x6 prints for Grandma) or that are professional quality.
But in other cases, the quality of the inkjet output has advanced to the point where many "everyday" inkjet printers are being classed as photo printers. For the most part, they will be just fine for normal family photos -- and will serve you well in your day-to-day printing needs. But be aware that the really down-and-dirty under-$80 inkjet printers will probably not do as well on the family photo album.
All-in-one devices -- printers that also scan, copy, and sometimes fax -- have also become more popular, and have also come down in price. They range from very inexpensive ones that do basic tasks and are ideal for the home that needs an occasional copy or scan, to more complete models that offer fax modems (so you can send or receive faxes without having to turn on your computer) or even duplex (double-sided) printing. Prices have come down to the point that, even if you don't immediately need an all-in-one, you may consider getting one on the off-chance that you may want to make a few copies one day.
For those who have small or home-based businesses, a laser printer could be a really useful item. They tend to be faster than inkjet printers, and can pump out the pages quickly and cleanly. They can also sometimes be cheaper in the long run, if you do a lot of black-ink printing -- while the toner cartridges used by laser printers tend to be more expensive than ink cartridges, they also last a lot longer. Small, relatively inexpensive monochrome printers are now becoming much more common, and much more available (they're even small and lighter, so you don't have to be a wrestler to be able to get one onto your printing table). Color-capable lasers are coming down in size and price as well, but they are still a bit too upscale to be on anyone's gift list.
Follow these links to find the printers, all-in-ones, and scanners that have been cited by several of the top technology publications as their favorites for 2004.
