Brother HL-1030

Brother is the second-largest laser printer supplier in the UK, and its HL-1030 earns it a healthy slice of the entry-level market. With a maximum resolution of 600 x 600dpi, we were surprised just how good the HL-1030's print quality was against the 1,200dpi HP LaserJet 1200. Sadly, with only 2Mb of non-upgradable memory - and despite the 66MHz CPU - the HL-1030's speed couldn't match its quality.

Getting off to a poor start, this 10ppm (pages per minute) device took 22 seconds to produce a first page, and then went on to yield just 7.6ppm in our text-only speed test. Epson's 10ppm EPL-5800L managed to reach 9.5ppm in the same test - a much more respectable result. Printing the 12-page Excel workbook highlighted another weak area, with a result of just 4.2ppm.

However, print quality is an area where we can dish out plenty of praise. Text quality was well above average, and our panel of judges awarded the HL-1030 an incredible nine out of ten for the tough gradient test. The image quality test revealed the same impressive smooth shading and precise detail. The Brother is also notable for being one of few lasers to manage the tricky Excel workbook with ease.

If speed isn't your utmost concern, the HL-1030 should definitely be on your shortlist. Its on-site warranty and excellent print quality, coupled with a comprehensive driver and a relatively low price of £169, make for great value for money.