Most units have good print quality. Their quality will rival a standard inkjet printer. You must consider how much printing you will be doing and if you need it in color. Some units are only available in black print models. Most offer inkjet color but these can also be quite expensive per page. If you will print a lot, you may want to consider a laser printer type all-in-one. If you will not be printing that much or need color then inkjet is a great option. You can always use an inkjet refill kit which can save you lots of money.

The scanner section is used to scan documents into files and for sending faxes. The scanner should have an ADF or auto document feeder. Don't waste your money on any unit that does not have an ADF. Even if you have never used one, you will quickly find out how useful it is. When sending a multiple page fax it is indespensible. If you have a 20 page book to scan you can actually scan it into a multipage PDF file if the software for your unit supports this. Most will allow you to scan multiple pages into a single multipage TIF file or PDF document. This is great for archiving manuals or making backup copies.

Fax machines have become a thing of the past with fax modems. All modern units are full speed fax. They have various features but the basics are the same. Select Fax mode, put a document in, enter the number, and press send. It is amazingly simple and much easier than using the fax modem on your computer.

Most of these units are meant for home offices. If you have a large office and print lots of documents, send lots of faxes, it may not last very long. You will need something more heavy duty.