If you print in colour, be it a small chart in a document on plain paper, or a full-sized picture on photo paper, you'd be better served with an inkjet printer, as opposed to a laser printer. Most budget inkjet printers can print in colour, but this is hardly the case for budget laser printers. In other words, be prepared to pay more for a colour laser printer.

The fact that inkjet printers use microscopic ink droplets to create text and images on the paper means that they're capable of producing better printouts, especially for colour images. In general, the higher the resolution (measured in dots per inch) and the smaller the ink droplet size (measured in picoliter), the better the image quality. For normal font sizes (12pt and larger) and when viewed at an arm's length, the text print quality from a good inkjet printer is typically not very far off from one by a laser printer. But the latter does hold an upper hand as the font size gets smaller.

Also, if you're tight for space, colour inkjet printers are generally more compact than colour laser printers. And this brings us to the next question.

Our answer is an emphatic yes. It makes more sense economically, as well as in terms of productivity, to buy an all-in-one printer. As the term implies, an all-in-one (AIO) printer or a multifunction printer (MFP) not only functions as a printing device, it can also double up as a copier, a scanner, and in some models, a fax machine. Thus, you can get more work done with a single machine, and you spend less as opposed to buying separate devices for each function. Furthermore, if you've limited space to spare, getting an AIO machine is a no-brainer.

If you're looking for a powerful and reliable, yet not too costly AIO printer, the Canon MG3170 promises to deliver with its black/colour printing, copying, and scanning capabilities.

If speed is your number one priority, a laser (or LED) printer is unbeatable. Even budget models are capable of hitting a rate of 20 pages per minute (ppm). Entry-level inkjet printers on the other hand seldom exceed 10ppm.

In general, it's meaningless to compare PPM specs between different inkjet printers - this is because manufacturers usually use their own methods to measure printing and copying speeds. So do a double take when you come across an unusually high print speed rating; the vendor may be quoting a draft mode speed to make the number look good.

For a fair comparison, look out for specs based on the ISO test standards. Introduced in 2009 by the International Organization for Standardization, they define the standardized methodologies for determining printing and copying speeds. Printers that use the IPM (images per minute) unit typically are referring to the ISO test results. Printers that use the PPM unit may or may not be using the ISO tests; the only way to know is to check the fine print. Unfortunately, there's no way to convert IPM to PPM or vice versa, so it's impossible to make comparisons between the two ratings.

The Canon MG3170 prints at a speed of 5.0ipm (images per minute) in colour and 9.2ipm in black - printing a 4x6" borderless photo in approx. 44secs.

Besides the initial hardware cost, do factor in the prices of consumables (such as ink and paper) in the long run. Specialty media such as photo or archival papers can boost image quality and longevity, but they can be costly too. You can derive cost per page by dividing the number of pages an ink (or toner for a laser printer) cartridge can print by the price of the cartridge. For laser or LED printers, there will be other parts that need replacement as time goes by, such as the imaging drum or fuser.

When it comes to inkjet printers, we recommend going for those that use individual ink cartridges for each colour rather than one combined colour cartridge. This helps to save money as you can just replace the emptied cartridge instead of dumping an entire cartridge that may still have some other colour inks left. That said, this is a feature that's usually found on more expensive printers.

To shave print costs even further, consider getting high-yield ink cartridges if the manufacturer provides such an option.

The Canon MG3170 retails at $149.00, and comes bundled with a free GP 4000mAh Portable Battery Pack worth $88!

If the printer is to be placed on your desk to serve as a personal printer, then a USB connection will suffice. If you're looking to share the printer over the office network, make sure that the printer has at least an Ethernet connection. A printer that has built-in wireless capability offers the most placement flexibility, as it doesn't have to be physically tethered to a PC or router.

Besides offering the convenience of wireless printing for multiple users, many Wi-Fi-enabled printers these days also offer support for third-party cloud printing services, such as Google Cloud Print. Some printers also support Apple's AirPrint protocol, which allows you to wirelessly print your emails, documents, and photos using your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch.

Many manufacturers have also jumped onto the app bandwagon by offering photo-printing apps for smart mobile devices running iOS or Android. Just snapped a photo on your smartphone? Instead of copying the file over to a PC, just launch the app and print from it wirelessly.

The Canon MG3170 comes with inbuilt WiFi connectivity, allowing you to share and print anywhere, anytime over your Wifi network. Also, it's Airprint function enables printing on-the-go from your iPhone, iPod, or iPod Touch.

Software // Unlike in the past, the discs that come with a modern printer don't just contain device drivers for the computer. They may also contain software to expand the printer's functionality. For example, Canon's Full HD Movie Print lets you print still frames from your HD movies. It can also merge several images into a single photo. Some software even allows you to add filter effects to your images before printing.

Duplex Printing // To save resources, we always recommend printing or copying on both sides of the paper. To save time and reduce the hassle, look for a printer that supports auto duplex printing, so that it would print on both sides automatically without needing you to turn the paper over manually. If you envision doing a lot of scanning, copying, or faxing of multi-page documents, a printer that has an automatic document feeder (ADF) would come in handy.

Ease of use // Never buy a printer based on specs alone. Try to get a hands-on in the shop to get a good feel of how the printer actually operates. Pay attention to things like how easy is it to load the paper or change the ink cartridges, and the steps to clear a paper jam.

With Canon's special Chromalife100 feature, the MG3170 ensures that your prints retain their improved vibrance and quality - for up to 100 years.