Lab

Laser printer megatest - Colour laser printers

When it comes to getting real work done, there's still nothing to compete with a laser printer's combination of quality, speed and economy. And while the past decade has seen laser technology evolve only gradually by contrast with the regular generational leaps seen in other areas of consumer technology, today's lasers offer a remarkable range of capabilities. Some are lightning fast; others produce dazzling colour. Some are tiny, and some are surprisingly cost-effective.

Of course, if you only ever plan to print in low volumes then your most economical option may not be a laser at all. Lasers are cheaper to run than inkjets, but the purchase price is invariably higher, so you generally need to print a few thousand pages before the savings start to kick in.

Yet, even for occasional usage, there are plenty of good reasons to choose one. Home users will appreciate pin-sharp text with no risk of streaking or smudging. Offices can benefit from the long life of the engine and parts, which enables a laser to print ten times as many pages as some inkjets before requiring maintenance. And if you're looking for a workhorse printer to service a whole department, you'll want professional options such as double-sided printing, extra paper trays and remote management.

In this special double-length Labs, we look at 22 laser printers: eight mono, eight colour and six business devices. We subject each to a range of tests to find out just how well it measures up to its intended role, and reproduce the results along with full details of our experiences. So, whether you're thinking of upgrading your study or kitting out a corporate department, read on to find out the best buys in every category.