Canon Pixma iP1500 - TechRadar UK

The Pixma iP1500 isn't specifically a photo printer, but Canon says it's fine for this as well as everyday jobs like printing letters and documents. It has a resolution of 4800 x 1200dpi and a Canon FINE head, which delivers 2-picolitre drops.

Print speeds are quoted as 18ppm mono, 13ppm colour, and Canon says it can produce a borderless 6 x 4-inch print in around 58 seconds, not to mention borderless prints up to A4.

The iP1500 is a cheap and small printer. It takes up little space, with a top-mounted paper feed and no exit tray, but you do need to allow space in front of it for the paper as it emerges. It does feel a bit plasticky, but you can hardly complain at this price.

The borderless A4 test print time was 5 minutes 4 seconds, which is - amazingly - the second-fastest time. Although colour was excellent and sharpness was good, there was some very fine dottiness from the four-ink system. Rod Lawton