Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: printers
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.
Yeah, yeah... we know -- paper is so 20th century. But truth be told, there are still a lot of us that have use for the old-fashioned printed page. Whether you're a student who needs to output seven copies of that term paper, or an aspiring photog looking to cut down on professional printing costs, we have some thoughts on what to look for this holiday season. Perhaps you're ready to take those homemade Christmas cards to the next level? Print them yourself! Who doesn't love an early present? Read on past the break to see just what caught our eye this year.
Inkjet
Canon PIXMA iP4920
If you're looking for a solid, well-rounded inkjet printer, this may be your best bet. The iP4920 handles both text and photos well and its prints will even outlive you, lasting up to 300 years thanks to Canon's ChromaLife100+ technology.
Key specs: 5-color ink system with laser-quality text output, borderless 4x6 photos in 20 seconds, turns HD clips into high quality prints, print directly on CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray Discs.
Price: $77.47 on Amazon
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Epson WorkForce 40
Nothing too flashy here, but the WiFi and Ethernet connectivity are nice additions. You'll also get laser-quality text and excellent photo output with images that are dry to the touch immediately after printing.
Price: $99 from Epson
HP Officejet 7000
Looking to go a little larger with your prints? You won't find a much cheaper 13x19 printer than this wide-format machine. You'll be able to share this bad boy via Ethernet with up to five other users as well.
Price: $125 on Amazon
Laser
Brother HL-2280DW
Color? We don't need no stinkin' color. Sometimes you only need plain old black and white to get your point across, and this machine can do just that, on a budget. It also boasts wireless networking and automatic duplex printing -- so you can print on both sides of the trees you sacrifice for that Tolstoy literary analysis.
Key specs: 27ppm, wireless / Ethernet connectivity, 250 sheet capacity tray, automatic duplexing for two-sided printing.
Price: $125 on Amazon
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Brother HL-4150CDN
If you're needing a color laser printer, you're going to pay dearly for it. And with that being a given, you might as well go all out with this selection. Networking, color printing and duplex capabilities may soften the blow, a little.
Price: $315 on Amazon
HP LaserJet Pro M1217nfw
Sure, it's technically an all-in-one, but for a few extra dollars you can grab copy, scan and fax options. Wireless networking make this a nice option for your home office, especially if color just isn't your bag.
Price: $197 on Amazon
All-in-one
Epson Artisan 730
If it's a jack-of-all-trades you're looking for, this may very well be it. You'll get copy, print, scan and photo capabilities all in the same box. Not only that, but you'll be able to plug those microSD and CF cards directly into the printer for easy access via a built-in touchscreen panel.
Key specs: 4-in-1 functionality, WiFi, 2.5-inch LCD touch panel, 4x6 photos in 10 seconds, printing from mobile devices, CD / DVD printing without labels, Claria Hi-Definition dye inks.
Price: $125 on Amazon
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HP Photosmart 6510
A 3.5-inch touchscreen lets you make sure everything looks great before you start cranking out that print job, letting you avoid that absurdly pricey ink. Memory card slots and iOS compatibility allow quick printing should the need arise.
Price: $120 on Amazon
Epson Artisan 837
Still have to send those pesky faxes and have a little extra coin to throw down on a printer? This beast does it all and features a 3.5-inch LCD on its 7.8-inch touch panel. WiFi is still good to go, as are memory cards slots and an automatic document feeder.
Price: $229 on Amazon
