Canon BJC-85

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The feature-packed Canon BJC-85 proves that big things come in small packages. This portable ink jet's lightweight, compact design and flat, elongated dimensions (11.8 by 6.2 by 2.3 inches) make it small enough to fit in a briefcase or a carry-on, and its tinted blue lid is designed to coordinate with the fashionable Apple iBook. But be sure to pack along some extra ink because this printer will leave you high and dry.

Versatility
The Canon BJC-85 is truly portable. It has drivers for Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, 2000, and Mac OS (8.1 or later), and it's compatible with Windows CE 2.10 and 2.11. Another convenience: This printer boasts both USB and IrDA (infrared) ports. An optional nickel-metal-hydride battery is also available to go mobile, so you have one less power cord to lug around. There is also a built-in 30-sheet feeder, yet the Canon weighs a slim 3.1 pounds. For an extra US$99.99, you can purchase a cartridge that turns the BJC-85 into a sheetfed color scanner with a resolution of 360 by 360 dots per inch (dpi).

But wait, there's more. The Canon BJC-85 features a dual cartridge system; unlike the HP DeskJet 350CBi, you won't have to swap between black and color cartridges. It also comes with a high-capacity, black ink cartridge for black-and-white output.

By the Numbers
In CNET Labs' performance tests, our printer jury rated the BJC-85's 720-by-360-dpi print output poor across the board. On plain paper, text appeared overprinted, streaky, and fuzzy. Text improved on coated stock, but certain letters appeared distorted. The Canon had even more trouble with color graphics. On both plain and coated paper, poor color gradation and visible blue and red lines showed up in our test photograph.

On a cost basis, the BJC-85 is a whopping US29.9 cents per black-and-white text page and 79 cents per color page. By using the high-capacity black ink cartridge, you save only 8 cents per page. In terms of speed, the Canon edged out the HP at 1.9 pages per minute (ppm) of black-and-white text at 720 by 360 dpi on our tests.

The Canon BJC-85's versatility--its dual cartridge system, USB and infrared ports, and optional scanner head--make it an attractive printer for business travelers. However, all that flexibility comes at a heavy price: poor-quality output and low-yield consumables.