Best Economy HP Printer

Graphics output is superb, with no flaws worth mentioning. *

SMBs in search of a color laser printer that will make handouts look like they came from an expensive printer will find a match with the HP Color LaserJet CM2320nf all-in-one printer. It's huge and heavy, and it can be quite slow in printing large files; but the color output is extraordinary enough to help you overlook most of its shortcomings.

The 1020's low capacity makes sharing the printer impractical in a small office. Performance was generally good for the price and engine speed. Setup is typical for a low-cost laser, with little to do beyond installing the toner cartridge, running the automated setup program, and connecting the USB cable. *

The HP LaserJet 1020 is a good deal for home users who have light print needs, but just a little bit more money can get you more features and better print quality.

There's something important to note about the A826: even though it is a compact photo printer, that doesn't mean it's portable. The menu is very intuitive, and I was able to crop photos, add or remove effects, type captions, add frames, and insert clip art with zero hassle. *

It's also an entertaining creative tool for the kids, a stand-alone device that Grandma can use to easily print shots from her digital camera, a great tool for scrapbookers, a makeshift digital picture frame, and a fast and easy way to get prints without dealing with PC software. Print quality is excellent, however, particularly for a three-color printer. Detail is very good, and we saw no dithering, though color intensity was a bit exaggerated. The included “starter” cartridge is good f... *

The HP Photosmart A826 snapshot printer offers an attractive design, is easy and fun to use, and works better without a PC than any other snapshot printer we've reviewed thanks to its huge touch screen, but we wonder who will spend $250 for a dedicated photo printer.

The bottom line: HP markets the Officejet H470wbt to the mobile business professional, but it chose aesthetics over performance. The sleek design and cost-effective cartridges give its rating a slight boost, but the degradation of print quality from the previous model is definitely a deal breaker.

Text quality is a touch subpar for an ink jet but good enough for most business purposes. Graphics quality was typical for an ink jet, making it easily good enough for most business purposes. *

Our photos and images looked fantastic, with good colour matching and text was crisp and dark as well. *