Canon PIXMA MP180

Potentially a stunning deal for its meagre price tag, the appeal of the Canon Pixma MP180 multifunction device (MFD) will depend on whether you want it for graphics or for office work.

Strangely, it's rather better suited to the office. We say strangely, because the MP180 comes kitted out with all the features sought out by budding photo enthusiasts. The now ubiquitous PictBridge port is included, as is a full flash memory drive. And the Canon's funky styling makes it seem more suitable for home users.

The specifications are nothing sensational, although they're still very decent, considering the price; after all, the device prints, scans and copies. The print resolution of 4800x1200 and optical 1200x2400 compare well with the likes of some HP models, while the optical scanning facilities are also competitive.

Fire some text through the Pixma MP180, and it passes the tests with flying colours. Don't bother with the fastest mode and its faint output, but excellent results can be obtained by bumping up the resolution a touch. Indeed, the Pixma MP180 generated sharp, clean text at a decent 6.6ppm (pages per minute).

Colour graphics, however, are another matter. Speed was competitive, but the Pixma MP180 struggled to inject real vibrancy into the prints. While similar HP models offer vivid and eye-catching output, the Pixma's bordered on the dull. And while the print mechanism worked fine on text, colour printing tended to make the paper curl.

Scanning facilities were competitive with HP MFD models, even if the colour wasn't as plush. However, scan times were decent, and Canon's software is extremely intuitive.