Epson AcuLaser C1900 WiFi

Although not necessarily the domain of laser printers, good photo reproduction is still an important factor, particularly if you intend to produce DTP newsletters. The C1900 struggled initially with our standard photo test, over-saturating skin tones. However, adjusting the settings in the driver managed to tame this.

Running costs are reasonable too at 1.35p per A4 mono page (at 5 per cent coverage) and 8.9p per colour page (at 20 per cent coverage). A number of options are also available, which include a 6GB hard disk for £395 and a duplex unit for £252. The C1900 is also available as a base model without the wireless print server for an aggressive £695.

There's no shortage of competition in the sub-£1,000 colour laser market and Epson's early foray into the field has paid dividends. The C1900 is a superb printer, beating the Laserjet 2500n in almost every aspect of colour printing. The text quality isn't quite as professional-looking as the HP, but the difference is minor. Next on the list for Epson should be a more user-friendly installation experience, but once installed the C1900 won't disappoint.

Author: Gareth Ogden