Multifunction Printer

Multifunction printers have their own scanner, and some models have a modem for faxing. They are often called All-In-One printers because they are not much bigger than a regular desktop printer. They can potentially replace up to four other machines: printer, scanner, photocopier, and fax. They are also kept as backups in case these other machines fail.

Multifunction printers have many advantages but also some drawbacks. The ink cartridges are expensive, and the resolution of the printer and scanner is relatively poor. This is especially true for the cheaper models.

One Machine, Many Roles

A multifunction printer can print a document from a computer, or print directly from the scanner. This means it can be used as a standalone photocopier. A document can also be sent as a fax via the printer's modem. The scanner can send it's output to the printer or computer, or it can use the modem to send it as a fax.

Lower resolution results in prints and scans that are not as sharp or vibrant, but they are good enough to satisfy most users. Also, the lack of features like CD/DVD printing and negative scanning is not much of a problem.

Another drawback of multifunction printers is that a fault usually means the loss of all functions. This could be a nightmare for a home office, but these machines don't fail too often and they are cheap to replace.

Ink Cartridges

The business model used by printer manufacturers is to sell cheap printers to boost the sales of expensive ink cartridges. Generally, the cheaper a multifunction printer is, the more expensive it's ink cartridges are, and the fewer pages they print. For printing jobs larger than a few dozen pages it is cheaper to use a regular photocopier.

Some cheap multifunction printers use a single three-color cartridge which needs to be replaced or refilled when one color runs out. This is a major cost factor for consumers who require a lot of color printing. They should look for a more expensive model that has more than two separate ink tanks. The extra cost will normally be made back within a year from cartridge savings.