The home user demands a lot from a printer. The device must tackle everything from a book report to a newsletter to the occasional snapshot--all without breaking the budget. This is why for most home users the best choice is a versatile and affordable printer, such as a general-purpose color inkjet. These printers cost anywhere from US$50 (S$80) to US$150 (S$230) and are designed to do a little of everything, albeit slowly.

The alternative: Get a personal laser printer for fast, quality text and graphics (starting at around US$130 or S$199) and a second printer--either a color inkjet optimized for photos or a snapshot printer--for digital photography.

Planning on writing the Great American Novel? You'll need a printer that can crank out page after page of text in double time. A personal laser printer should fit the bill. It can deliver epic amounts of crisp, legible text faster than Grisham finishes a new thriller. Personal laser printers start at around US$130 (S$199) or so, but they cost less to operate than inkjets do, so you can save up money for the book tour.

The alternative: A general-purpose inkjet can also get the job done, and it gives you the added flexibility to print in color when necessary. But spend a little extra--more than US$100 (S$155)--for a decent model that will be a little faster and won't chew through expensive ink and paper quite as quickly.

Any inkjet can print photos in color, but if you want results that approach professional photofinishing, you'll need a printer that is designed to reproduce all of the details and colors in snapshots. If you plan to purchase only one printer, a photo inkjet is your best bet, since it can also handle standard letter- and legal-size paper. Photo inkjets use special inks and papers that deliver better quality, and are fade resistant and more durable. Many photo printers also let you print directly from storage cards. Expect to pay about US$65 (S$100) or more for a photo printer.

The alternative: A dedicated snapshot printer is limited to 4 x 6-inch or smaller prints--think of it as a desktop photo lab--and is really viable only as a second printer. Most use dye-sublimation, which has some advantages over inkjets. Snapshot printers can print directly from compatible digital cameras.

If you work from a home office frequently or run a small business, a multifunction printer (MFP) is an excellent choice. Also known as All-in-Ones (AIOs), these multitalented devices combine an inkjet or a laser printer with a copier, a scanner, and a fax machine. They save both space and money and cut down on the different ink and paper supplies that you'll need to keep on hand. Though inkjet models start as low as US$90 (S$140), we recommend spending slightly more for a model that includes standalone faxing and has an auto document feeder (ADF) for easily faxing and copying multipage documents.

The alternative: If you already have a standalone fax or scanner, a personal laser printer should meet your needs, and there are several color laser printers available for less than US$1,000 (S$1,550).

If you need a workhorse that can keep up with your small business or team within a larger organization, a workgroup laser printer is an obvious choice. Designed to juggle multiple print jobs, these systems have faster processors, more memory, and print engines that are capable of churning out more than 20 pages per minute. But these US$400-and-up (S$620) printers are more than souped-up personal lasers; they offer workgroup features, such as network printing, high-capacity toner cartridges, and larger paper input and output trays.

The alternative: A business-class inkjet may be sufficient if your team has modest printing needs, and some models support network printing.

If you really need to take the whole office in your notebook bag, there's a printer out there for you. Portable printers shrink inkjet printing down into a convenient travel size. They weigh anywhere from 900g to 2.2kg and include a battery (either standard or as an option) for printing on-the-go. The drawback is you pay a premium for this portability, even though these printers can't match full-size models for either performance or image quality.

The alternative: For most business travelers, the best alternative is no printer at all. If you have a wired or wireless network connection, you can usually find a printer in most offices. And if you really get in a jam, you can always use a hotel business center or an airport kiosk.