Multi function printer
 

I am looking for a multi function printer, the things I need are:

Duplex printing
Colour printing
Scan to PDF
Automatic document feeder for scanning multiple pages
Wireless
Max £200

I have narrowed it down to the Canon Pixma MX370, Epson stylus photo PX820FWD and the HP Officejet Pro 8500a. The Canon is a little more expensive than the other two machines but I have read reviews that say the HP and Epson machines have a tendency to jam.

Does anyone have any experience, either good or bad of the Canon machine, or the others for that matter?

Not quite
 

Was about to recommend the Canon MP 560 which I got recently and which is spot on, but then I saw the ADF which it doesn't have and that is the bit you are concerned with. If I had to trust to makes, I would go Canon.

To be perfectly honest with you, ultimatley you will find that the MFP devices made for the home-user marketplace are a much of muchness.

The primary goal of the manufacturers when making home-user products is the retail price point, and this is reflected in the parts used and shortcuts used in order to provide software. So you are always going to find flaws in one form or another in all the products.

Yes you may find people on here and elsewhere saying theirs is better, but if you think about it, they will be providing a somewhat biased opinion because it is unlikely they've had any proper hands on time with the competing products. So you're better looking for group tests in magazines or such like.

In relation to paper jams specifically, remember, the mechanical process involved is only part of the story. The characteristics of the paper involved (weight, coatings etc.), as well as handling and storage of paper will play a larger part in the risk of jams than you may think.

Good experience with Canon including good cartridge life and replacement costs.

I have had the Epson PX720WD which I think is a close relative but does not have the document feed for scanning. Delighted with the performance. Ink economic so far with the individual ink tanks, quite revealing how long some last after one or two colours have run out. The software is good and the standalone copying/ scanning are a real asset given how far away the device is from my PC - I have the laserjet, SWiMBO has the Epson. Colour photo prints are superb - we have 6 framed in the house and more are planned. Would recommend and buy again.

Have a Canon meself (MP 280) and can't complain about it at all. Also the ink cartridges can be refilled easily without having to resort to the use of chip resetters à la Epson.

Saying that, I do like the Epsons too. The use of separate cartridges for each colour is a good thing as if you use up all of one colour you do not need to replace all 3. Way more economical and, as has been said, the ink is not exactly too expensive. Refilling is an issue, if you like to do that sort of thing.

Under no circumstances should a HP be a option. The amount of crud masquerading as software that they dump on your hard disk is unbelievable.

Between Mrs Ob and me we have one of each of these brands. There's not much to choose among them regarding scanning and printing ability.
However, I like the Canon software the best. Most intuitive.
The HP software is a real pain in the patootie, and hangs up more than anything else I've used. I avoid HP printer/scanners now.
The Epson I have is a photo scanner, and it works well.

If you use Win 7, be sure you download the correct drivers, not necessarily the ones on the installation disk.

I recently purchased a Canon MG6150. Very pleased with the results so far, but no document feeder. Good software.

Have a look at the HP Photosmart Premium. Can be picked up for as little as £120 now.

I got one at xmas, very nice, includes wireless/ethernet/USB, duplex, fax, colour, scan etc

Lafite

Got a Canon MP560 recently to replace an old Canon Pixma 4000 .
Exellent product if a little slow , no doc feed though . The wireless connection is very usefull

I was going to suggest anything except Lexmark. My best experiences have been with HP.

Here's a good reason not to buy Lexmark!

The Canon MX870 fits the bill, does everything that you want, and faxes as well.

Nertwokable, or wireless, the choice is yours

My X543 Lexmark cost me a little more that £200 but it's a laser and it does all that you are asking for. I am quite a heavy user (of printers) and it has not let me down. The ADF has enabled me to get rid of one filing cabinet completely and lighten another. It's so good I am tempted to buy a spare!

I've got a HP 8500. plugged into the wireless router so everyone can use it. Fantastic piece of kit. Scanning multi documents and it then emails it to anyone as a PDF or JPG. Brilliant.
Cartridges are about £30 for the 3 colours in a pack with some leaflet paper. On my second set and I've had the printer over a year and my daughter seems to print out every web page she finds. Black one about £14 on amazon and lasts over 2000 pages. It did go wrong but HP sent me a new one and then arranged for the courier to pick it up from work all within a couple of days. If you just download the driver only direct from the website you don't get all the Crap that they normally provide.
It is a bit big though.
It is a business ink jet and works as such.
Canon are good too but I have thrown out a large amount of their kit, but the picture quality was very good. Enjoy it.

I'm currently sat 6ft away from an HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 as i've had to reconfigure it to scan without errors. I'd say it's one of the better AIO printers recently, however I use an early Canon MFP at home and think it's on a par with that so would assume unless Canon have dropped the ball recently (which they haven't) the newer Canons should be better than the HP (although there's not a lot in it nowadays).

AIO printers aren't a favourite of mine though - too many years spent struggling with crappily written drivers that assume far too much and don't do what they're told.

Just to mention that I have a Brother MFP that has been working steadily and inobtrusively for 3 years.

I have good experiences of Brother hardware and the accompanying software is unspectacular but very stable.

Same for Samsung.

Not pleased with HP hardware (apart from the old stuff) and I won't buy again though HPLIP (HP Linux Imaging and Printing) is good stuff.

Mac

I could be out on a limb here, but I am impressed with Brother printers. Firstly they work - which you would, after all, expect of any printer, but their cartridges are unchipped so getting third party replacements is cheap and easy. Brother seem to be content with making their profit from the printer when they sell it, not from taking £10 for every 10p's worth of ink they sell you in the future!

P.P.

I take it you've not had to have any other replacement parts yet then?

That's when it gets expensive.

I'm sure it will Mike, but the wife's A3 Brother printer/fax/scanner/machine has been working faultlessly since I acquired it for her about a year ago.
If it goes t*ts up, then it will probably be cheaper to buy another.

P.P.