The consumer website below (Consumer Search) collects and
consolidates reviews for all types of products and makes recommendations based on their analysis of various reviews. The links below are for their latest recommendations/compilation of reviews for multifunction printers (Last updated in January 2010):
http://www.consumersearch.com/multifunct ion-printer-reviews/compare
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You may also want to look into Consumer Reports...the last time they did a review on a wide spectrum of printers in their December 2009 issue. They also publish a yearly "Electronics Buying Guide" which includes printers. Both of these (the magazine and the Electronics Buying Guide) should be available at your local public library.
Or, for $5.95/month (auto-renewing, but you can cancel at any time), you can subscribe to their online version, which offers full ratings/reports on many types of printers.
Below is a link to their main printer review page.
(ONCE YOU GET TO THE PAGE, YOU'LL NEED THE SUBSCRIPTION TO VIEW IN FULL):
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/elect ronics-computers/computers-internet/prin ters/index.htm
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Lastly, Amazon and HP currently have deals (links below) (Amazon - about $137 - and HP $180) on the HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One (HP Model Number CD055A#ABA)
This printer prints, copies, scans, and direct digital photo prints. It offers automatic two-sided printing, prints up to 33 pages per minute, has black print resolution up to 600 x 600 dpi / Color print resolution 9600 x 2400 optimized dpi, among other features. It has a one-year limited warranty (I believe extended coverage is available, at a cost).
http://www.amazon.com/Photosmart-Premium -Printer-CD055A-ABA/dp/B002GWVZHW/ref=sr _1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1 271344605&sr=8-1
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shoppi ng/product_detail.do?landing=printer& ;storeName=storefronts&category=Phot osmart&catLevel=2&product_code=C D055A%23ABA
Here is a review of the printer (overview and full review):
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/printers/0, 39051175,45127100p,00.htm
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/printers/0, 39051176,45127100p,00.htm
Regarding ink costs, the HP brand higher-capacity inks for this printer may seem expensive (about $35/ per black cartridge and $18/for each color cartridge) but they do offer cheaper lower-yield ones (about $10-$12/cartridge) (the higher-capacity ones are a better deal in the long run).
You can find a listing of the cartridges, their price, as well as their page yields by scrolling midway down the page below (the HP product info page) - and clicking on the tab labeled "Cartridges":
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shoppi ng/product_detail.do?landing=printer& ;storeName=storefronts&category=Phot osmart&catLevel=2&product_code=C D055A%23ABA
Keep in mind that you could also save money by purchasing high-yield remanufactured cartridges for this printer:
http://www.castleink.com/search.php?bran d=hewlett-packard&tpl=22&catid=3 9&pg=16&type=InkjetsArray&mo del=PHOTOSMART+PREMIUM+C309a&Input2. x=23&Input2.y=11
Hope this helps,
Kerry
Castle Ink Cartridges