Even without a fax function, there's a lot to like about the Stylus Photo RX580 inkjet multifunction device from Epson. Its overall printing features are excellent. And its sub-$150 starting price isn't bad, either.

The RX580 shines as a printer, especially with its photo-printing capabilities. This unit can print a borderless 4x6-inch photo in about 32 seconds, which is an outstanding performance. You also can print directly from memory cards with the RX580, making use of this unit's 2.5-inch LCD screen to preview your photos. You can use the LCD to improve your photos, such as by cropping or removing red eye. The RX580's 5760x1440 dpi of resolution is outstanding for printing photos. Epson has included six different inks with this multifunction device, allowing it to create extremely sharp and vibrant photo prints when using specialty paper. (The RX580's print quality wasn't nearly as good when using plain paper.) You even can add an optional Bluetooth adapter for wireless printing options from your digital camera or camera phone.

The print features for the RX580 extend beyond photos, too. You can directly print onto inkjet printable DVDs and CDs using this unit. At its top speed, you can print or copy documents at 30 ppm with the RX580 in "Draft" mode. The copier doesn't offer many advanced features, unfortunately. Text quality when printing and copying was below average. The unit's scanner offers a maximum optical resolution of 1200x1200, which could be better. The scanner does work quickly, though.

The RX580's upright paper feeder allows for 120 sheets of plain paper (or 20 sheets of premium photo paper), which is a good amount. However, vertical paper feeders seem to be susceptible to paper jams; it would be nice if the RX580 had a horizontal paper tray. This unit is far from a workhorse device, but it will work well in the right environment. If you need strong photo-printing features from your multifunction device, and if you can live without fax functions, the RX580's price makes it worth a look.

Pros: Low starting price, good photo-printing features, photos can be tweaked without a computer, six-ink system
Cons: Text print quality is below average, no fax feature, no standard paper tray, copier and scanner features are basic and below average

Warranty
1 year, limited