A compact desktop printer designed to be a companion to PCs, the HP PhotoSmart P1000 can print images from your digital camera without the use of a computer, and you can begin printing moments after opening the box. The printer control panel allows a great deal of control with just a few options. We loved the infrared port, which allowed us to transfer photos directly to the printer (requires a digital camera that is infrared capable.) The Quick Success setup poster gave all the basics, clearly illustrated for the fastest no-fuss installation. For more detailed explanations and troubleshooting, the user's guide was thorough and easy to understand. The distinct LCD display made choosing which photos to print, how many, and in what size logical, with just a quick tap of soft pad buttons. To print from your computer is no more difficult--just a couple steps away--than to connect the cables and install the software.

HP printers are designed to be easy to set up and get you straight to work, and the P1000 is no exception. In our tests, this unit delivered great photos in crisp color combined with flexible and dependable operation. When using CompactFlash Type I/II or SmartMedia, our photos had clean, true colors on any paper and especially on photo paper. Offering a maximum resolution of 2,400 dpi, we enjoyed getting fast copies of our prints--up to 8.5 pages per minute for color photos (and 11 ppm black text). You can store photos on your computer for many other uses, such as e-mail and sharing albums on Web sites.

Solidly built and durably designed, the P1000 includes an adaptable 100-page-capacity paper tray and a print-cancel button. The P1000 printer provides great results on all types of media, ably providing professional quality and crisp clean black text on regular paper, photo paper, envelopes, transparencies, labels, and more. It also improves your work environment with its compact size and quiet operation. Even in small workspaces, at just 18 by 15 by 8 inches, it fits into your life, your home workstation, or small office. Hewlett-Packard also backs this printer with a one-year warranty and HP online support. --Mike Brown