Best All-in-One Printers 2012

Don't let the picture fool you. The Brother MFC-7840W All-in-One printer is also a compact device like the Canon Pixma MX870.

In fact, the Brother's sitting footprint is even a bit smaller. It is the height of the brother that is large than the Canon and adds a few pounds to this machine.

The Brother MFC-7840W is also a wireless all-in-one printer that is compatible with both Macs and PCs. Like the Canon it has a 35 page automatic document feeder, double-sided printing and scanning, and faxing capabilities.

So how do the Brother MFC-780W and Canon Pixma MX870 differ?

Well, based on the specs the Brother All-in-One has a lower resolution on outputs: 2400 x 600 dpi on printing and 600 x 2400 dpi on scanning. On the flip side, the Brother MFC-7840W appears to be a bit faster at printing and copying speeds. Most of the these differences between the two devices come down to laser versus inkjet.

In general, laser printers are faster while inkjets produce sharper images. So deciding which is the best all-in-one printer for your needs will depend on the intended use. If you will be printing/scanning mostly text documents on a large scale, then the Brother All-in-One may be best. If your needs are more for photos and photo-quality images, then you may be best served by the Canon All-in-one.

The Canon Pixma MX870 was a previously bestselling all-in-one printer on Amazon. The more current models share some of it's great Canon features.

Unlike what you may imagine in an all-one-one device, the Canon Pixma MX870 is a compact power house that is compatible with both PCs and Macs. It is also a wireless all-in-one printer that can be accessed by any computer or laptop in your house. It can even be used to print directly from your iPhone.

The Canon Pixma includes a 35 page document feeder which makes copying papers easier. It can also copy and print 2-sided documents automatically (no flipping papers and re-feeding) which will help you save on your paper costs.

The resolution on the Canon Pixma MX870 is pretty good: 9600 x 2400 dpi for printing and 2400 x 4800 dpi for scanning. And it can be used for photo printing using appropriate photo paper.

It's not hard to see why the Canon Pixma MX870 is one of the best all-in-one printers you can buy. If you are looking for a quality yet affordable option, this model may be for you.