HP LaserJet M2727nfs

The design of the LaserJet M2727 series multifunction is all business. The putty and gray body of the M2727nf stands 19.7 inches wide, 16 inches deep, and 18 inches tall, and weighs almost 38 pounds (the M2727nfs is taller and heavier due to an extra paper tray). The flatbed scanner lid is topped by a 50 pages automatic document feeder. The control panel is divided by task.

In the center are a backlit, two line text LCD, menu navigation buttons and an alphanumeric keypad. The fax area includes one touch dial buttons, redial, phone book, volume, and resolution buttons. The copy area includes buttons for reducing or enlarging, making copies lighter or darker, changing paper size, and changing the number of copies, as well as buttons for turning on two sided copies, collating, and a tray select button.

The scan area contains just a Scan To button. All three task areas have their own dedicated start buttons as well. The paper handling is simple on the M2727 series.

The M2727nf model offers a single 250 pages paper cassette and a 50 pages multipurpose input tray that folds out from the printer's front panel.

Outputted pages exit in the well between the printer body and the scanner head unit.

The M2727nfs offers a second paper cassette for increased input capacity, as well as a built in stapler.

The LaserJet M2727 multifunction comes with the standard 3,000 page toner cartridge, which you can replace with the same or with the high capacity version, which is good for about 7,000 pages. The former costs $81 to replace, while the latter costs $148. Using the larger version for best value, this works out to a per page print cost of approximately 2.1 cents, a reasonable cost. The monthly duty cycle is 15,000 prints, which makes this suitable for small to medium offices.

HP Photosmart A626

The A626 is very small and portable, much like the A526. Its black and light blue body stand 9.9 inches wide, 4.6 inches deep, and 5.2 inches tall, and weighs just 3.4 pounds. The entire front panel flips down to reveal four memory card slots and a PictBridge USB port; it also serves as the output tray. Opening the front panel also causes the input tray to pop open in the rear and the LCD to spring open from the top of the printer.

The 4.8 inch LCD is a touch screen, mounted on movable panel so you can adjust the viewing angle.

Alongside the panel is a well for holding the stylus when you're using the printer and a slot to stash away the stylus when you're transporting the printer or putting it away after using it.

The touch screen works exactly like the one on the A826 and offers all the same menus. The major difference is that the thumbnail view lets you see only four images at a time (versus the nine images on the A826).

Otherwise, the process for viewing, selecting, and editing photos is exactly the same. (Please refer to the Features section of the A826's review for additional details.) Like the A526, the paper can't be stored within the body of the A626, so if you don't plan to use the printer for some time, you should remove the paper and store it in a folder or envelope so that it doesn't become coated with dust. (The A826 allows you to store paper inside the printer's body.) The input tray can handle as many as 20 sheets of paper, up to 5x7 in size (the A526 can only handle 4 inch wide paper).

The ink and paper options for the A626 are the same as those for the A526 and A826. Replacing just the ink cartridge costs $20, and HP estimates that the cartridge can print as many as 55 4x6 photos. HP also offers an ink and paper package for $35 that includes 120 sheets of 4x6 paper and enough ink for that many photos. This works out to a per-print cost of 29 cents, in line with the competition.