Epson AcuLaser C1000

The other thing you can't expect from a cheaper printer is quiet acoustics, and the C1000 is certainly no exception, with its chugging clunks as the toner carousel moves round. It also generates a distracting ozone smell that, while within regulations, means it would be ideally placed in an uninhabited corner of the office. These are only minor pitfalls, though, as the C1000's print speed and quality are still very respectable for the money.

Even installation is kept easy, with a superb online manual found on the CD, complete with helpful troubleshooting tips. In a simple and explanatory way, without overcomplicating matters, these provide diagrams of the error messages and show you how to install the consumables or remove a paper jam. This also, to some degree, makes up for the lack of an LCD on the C1000.

No-one expects a stunning array of features on a colour laser for £899, and the Epson AcuLaser C1000 is still viable as an office laser printer. We advise upgrading the memory from the outset, but this will add little to the initial outlay, which is already very reasonable. The running costs are high, but this won't be of great concern to the SoHo user who isn't running off hundreds of documents. Otherwise, with its great print quality on both text and graphics, fast mono print speeds and usable colour print speeds, the C1000 is a highly respectable, if minimal, colour laser printer.

Author: Ben Hardwidge