With the holiday season approaching, it's sometimes hard to think of the best gift for a family member or friend who loves gadgets. A printer or scanner can be a great idea; they're not expensive and they're the most practical gift you could get. Here are some inexpensive ideas.
1. Best Basic All-in-One: HP Deskjet F4280
Photo copyright HP
For only $50 or $60, this entry-level all-in-one printer is a great gift. True, it lacks a fax machine, and it's not the fastest printer ever; but for the money, you'll get a great machine that really puts out a quality color print.
2. Best All-Around All-in-One: Brother MFC-6490CW
Photo copyright Brother
Wireless and fast, this all-in-one isn't as cheap as the HP 4280, but then it's a whole lot more machine. It can print at sizes up to 11x17, making it a true rarity, and it has built-in security functions to ensure it's business only. Despite it being an all-in-one, photos come out looking just as good as on smaller photo printers. Its only drawback is a lack of duplex printing option.
3. Best Budget Monochrome Laser Printer: Brother MFC-7840W
Photo copyright Brother
Brother gets the prize for best budget monochrome laser printer. Like its inkjet cousins, it's wirelessly networkable, a huge boon for those who don't want to be boxed in by a big machine. It warms up quickly and of course the output, as with most laser printers, is exceptional. It's strictly black-and-white, so it's limited in its uses; but its scanner, fax, copy functions all accessible over the network
4. Best All-Around Photo Printer: Epson Stylus Photo RX680
Photo copyright Epson
It's a bit bigger and more expensive than other photo printers (though it's not much over $100), but it does put out some great prints. One reason is that Epson's Claria ink really makes photos look wonderful. Another is that it's easy to use, with a Specialty Print button that takes most of the work out of photo correction, and it can print on a DVD or CD. Plus it has a scanner and copier! So, while it's not quite up to the task of replacing a dedicated all-in-one, it's still a great buy.
5. Best Fun Photo Printer: Polaroid PoGo
Photo copyright Polaroid
Ok, Canon's Selphy puts out a much better looking print and definitely wins the prize for best compact photo printer. But when it comes to having fun, stick the PoGo in your back pocket and print directly from a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone to a tiny photo that you can stick anywhere! It may not be practical, but I had a ball using it.
6. Best Photo Scanner: Fujitsu ScanSnap S510
Photo copyright Fujitsu
Well, this scanner may not fit into the 'budget' category, but it's an amazing piece of machinery. It can scan both sides of a document or business card as fast as the paper can move through it, and the quality is unmatched. This is the perfect tool for anyone who needs to digitize an office or home. Want a budget version? Try the ScanSnap S300 which is cheaper and smaller (and can run via USB), but isn't quite as good.
