Epson Stylus Photo 1270

At £340, the 1270 comes in at £19 less than the 1160 and offers a wider range of features to boot. However, there's a difference of £137 between this and the Stylus Photo 870, and this is justified not only in its A3-sized carriage and improved photo-printing speed, but also in its economic running costs. Although it uses the same mono cartridge as the Stylus Photo 870, the 1270 uses a higher capacity colour cartridge, working out at 4.9p per colour A4 CMYK page, compared to 5.5p on the 870.

While the Stylus Photo 1270 may not be able to match the fast pace of the Stylus Color 1160 on text and graphics, the colour accuracy and photo quality is exceptional, with the added advantage of the A3 format. If you want superb high-speed photo printing with A3 functionality, the 1270 will perfectly suit your needs at an appealing price. However, if you're looking for an all-in-one multipurpose printer, where speed is more important than quality, the Stylus Color 1160 may be a better bet. Either way the Stylus Photo 1270 should be on your shortlist.

Author: Ben Hardwidge