Technology in printing and imaging is advancing at such a rapid pace that there has not only been shrinking sizes but falling prices as well. Imagine owning a printer, scanner, fax machine, copier and phone, all separately. Not only will they occupy a significant portion of your desktop’s real estate but also make it look cluttered. Thanks to convergence, we have All-in-one printers that can handle all the tasks seamlessly.
AIO printers not only print, but also work as a scanner, fax machine and photocopier. They make your desk less cluttered but also add a certain level of grace and classiness, and more than anything else, they come integrated with three or four functions in one package. Some AIOs come with PictBridge technology that enables users to print photos directly from their digital cameras. Some even come equipped with an LCD display for previewing images before printing them. Printing photos cannot get easier with the presence of a flash memory card reader and image editing functions built into the device. You have to insert your memory card containing the images you want to print, enhance the pictures on the fly and fire a print command—as simple as that! You don’t need to rush to a photo lab which will take another few hours to do the job.

Some AIO printers which have a built-in network adapter are a boon for office users. You can not only fire print commands over the network but share such a device with multiple users on the network. A Wi-Fi adapter is more advantageous as you can print wirelessly from Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as laptops or smartphones.

Such printers not only eliminate wire clutter but also make life a whole lot simpler. If your daily tasks involve sending and receiving faxes, an AIO with built-in fax function will be a blessing. Those featuring an answering machine and a handset are the most advanced all-in-one devices. Apart from these features, they also have an automatic document feeder so you don’t need to feed paper manually into the scanner when you want to copy or send faxes. Such machines may seem intimidating at the first glance, but even a first-timer will be able to use them without any hassles, thanks to the user-friendly interface AIOs offer today. We now have devices that come with navigational aids such as jog dials an directional buttons that make operation a breeze.

In this comparison we tested seven AIO devices. While some are ideal for home use, others are best suited for photographers or office desks. And yes, owning such a device is no longer expensive. You can buy one for as low as Rs 5,600.