My favorite five:

Best 5 printers

Justin Yu

(Dec 04, 2008) More often than anything else, we get the question, "What's the best printer for me?" It's a tough question to answer, because it all depends on what you want to do with your printer. Whether you want a high quality printer, an all-in-one workhorse, a compact photo printer, or a simple single-function inkjet, we've got you covered. We've picked the five printers, across all categories, with the highest CNET rating from the past calendar year to satisfy your curiosity. If you're interested in specific categories, check out our top products lists on the left.

HP Photosmart C8180 All-in-One

The C8180 multifunctional printer is an excellent choice for photo enthusiasts. It prints high-quality text and photos at a heavy price: the printer is s...l...o...w. If you always choose quality over speed, the c8180 will be a worthwhile addition to your digital toolshed.
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Price: $253.99 - $451.97 (check prices)

Filed in: Best 5 printers, Best all in one printers, Best photo inkjet printers

Canon Pixma iP2600 Photo Printer

The Canon Pixma iP2600 is an excellent option for buyers looking to print their personal photos and text documents. We wish it had external ports for direct image uploading (although we're not surprised it doesn't), but you'll be more than satisfied with this printer's ability to deliver quality photos at a low price.
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Price: $42.99 - $59.59 (check prices)

Filed in: Best 5 printers, Best photo inkjet printers

Canon Pixma MX7600

The Canon Pixma MX7600 multifunction is a huge improvement over the previous model. With additional features such as an autoduplexer, increased faxing options, and an upgraded control cockpit, we have no problem recommending the MX7600.
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Price: $314.99 - $399.99 (check prices)

Filed in: Best 5 printers, Best all in one printers

HP Photosmart A636

The HP Photosmart A636 is an excellent at-home photo inkjet printer that's both versatile and easy to use. We highly recommend the A636 for its significant photo quality improvements over the last model and an attractive design to boot.
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Price: $119.99 - $149.99 (check prices)

Filed in: Best 5 printers

Samsung ML-2851ND

Small businesses should take a serious look at the Samsung ML-2851ND's monolaser because of its excellent print speed, text print quality, autoduplexer, and networking features. It's a little more expensive than the competition, but its chart-topping test results speak for themselves.
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Price: $196.13 - $242.09 (check prices)

Filed in: Best 5 printers

Lexmark X7675 Pro

Aside from a few design hang-ups and a slower than average output speed, the Lexmark X7675 Professional all-in-one printer is a cut above other multifunctional printers. Its excellent quality prints, easy-to-set-up wireless connectivity, and generous five-year warranty catapult it to the top of our list of favorites.
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Price: $179.99 - $240.00 (check prices)