Brother HL-P2000

Unlike the HP 1100A , the HL-P2000 can't be shared using file and printer sharing under Windows straight from the box. However, it does have room for a network expansion module. This actually makes it better suited to heavier-duty office work, although network users won't be able to access scanning features.

Apart from the TWAIN driver and printer drivers for Windows 3.1x, 95, 98, and NT 4, the bundled software is unimpressive. There's a basic application called WordCraft Unimessage Viewer. This handles scanning and copying and also incorporates Xerox's TextBridge OCR engine in a stripped-down form. The only other app supplied is a bizarre email client that will download and print your mail from a POP3 server at regular intervals. I can't see many people ditching Outlook in favour of this in a hurry.

Multifunction devices may not be the most glamorous or exciting peripherals. However, the excellent print engine combined with the convenience of the scanner unit, the remarkably low price and the ability to add proper network connectivity make the HL-P2000 a candidate for anyone's shortlist.

Author: David Fearon