ALL-IN-ONE printers make economic sense because it is cheaper to buy one multi-tasking item rather than several standalone devices.

Also, AIO printers are great space savers.

Most consumers opt for inkjets for their ability to print decent text and good photo prints. However, monochrome lasers are catching up in popularity as students and small businesses begin purchasing them for high quality volume text-printing.

Photograph printing

Inkjet AIOs remain unrivalled against lasers when it comes to producing photographic prints affordably and at high quality. Some models are also specially designed to make direct photo printing fuss-free: you bypass the need to hook up to the PC to print.

Take the HP Photosmart C6380 and Canon Pixma MP988, both equipped with the PictBridge direct photo printing standard, memory card slots like CompactFlash and SD and preview screens.

The mid-range HP Photosmart C6380 has a 2.4-inch screen, about the size of the LCDs on entry-level digital cameras. People with bigger budgets will find the 3.5-inch screen on the Canon's flagship Pixma MP988 easier on the eye, its TFT display is as large as that of the iPhone 3G's.

While the Epson TX300F has no preview screen, its Durabrite Ultra ink promises prints that remain good-looking for up to 120 years and, are water- and smudge-resistant.

While entry-level machines are cheap, the cost of replacing colour ink can run up over time. That is because the cartridges work on a three-colour ink system and an entire cartridge has to be replaced once any colour runs out.

All three inkjets featured here use the better individual colour cartridges and therefore save you some money. For those who are particular not just about colours but also grey tonal gradations, the Canon Pixma MP988 has a special grey colour ink to bring out extra shades.

Faxing

You do not want to take a dozen steps to be able to fax a document. Neither do you want any incoming faxes misplaced.

With the Epson TX300F inkjet AIO, which has a transmission speed of up to 33.6kbs, it takes just three seconds to transmit each page of fax. The machine's 180-page memory should be ample for receiving faxes over the weekend holiday trip when no one is around to monitor the machine.

Media handling

Flip cover open. Position document to be copied. Close cover. Press copy button. Flip cover open. Remove document. Position another document. And so it goes.

When time is money, you want to avoid such mindless manual work. Automatic document feeders (ADFs) like the one found in the Brother DCP-7040 monochrome laser AIO let you work on the spreadsheet or take a needed break while it labours. Its ADF has a 35-page capacity while the inkjet Epson TX300F's ADF is similarly convenient with a 30-page capacity.

You would also want to minimise time reloading paper trays too, for print jobs large or small. This AIOs standard paper tray holds 250 sheets or half a ream of paper.

Wireless link

Printing without the hassles of cables is easier today when Wi-Fi and optional Bluetooth wireless printing capabilities appear on mid-priced models like the HP Photosmart C6380. With the 802.11g Wi-Fi standard becoming more common, users spend less time waiting for printouts as compared to the older 802.11b, which is three times slower.

Take a break while the Brother DCP-7040 monochrome laser AIO does the work with its automatic document feeder.

Design

It is not just the prints that should look good - some users want the printer to look good too. The Samsung SCX-4500 laser monochrome AIO measures just over 16cm in height and spells sophistication with a piano-black finish and neon-blue LEDs.

Its smooth glossy surface is kept clutter-free with touch-sensitive buttons and zero protrusions. At $298, you do not need to pay designer-prices for this sleek machine. For inkjet buyers, the all-black Epson TX300F measuring a compact 23cm in height would fit the bill.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life on 5 November 2008.

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.