L-L beat me to it. About the only other one I might recommend, and only for the low cost consumables are the Brother AIOs. They also use passive ink tanks which are readily available as inexpensive clones and refillable. For Word documents, their output might approach a Canon's if you carefully choose the paper. Photo printing is another story. All of the new series Brothers (MFC-200, 400, 600, etc.) use the same print engine - pay more get more features, better scanner, auto sheet feeder, etc., but the output will remain the same. A redeeming factor is the networking as Brothers have the best networking of any AIOs - all have at least 10/100 Ethernet connections and some have integrated wireless. Almost all features can be networked including fax. This makes the drivers a bit more complicated to install than others, but it may be worth it. They have frequent sales and rebates. I think all of them have a built in modem so they can function as a fax while totally disconnected from the PC. Some have a local phone handset. I'd probably buy the 640 if it was necessary.
. But I'd probably choose one of the current series of Canon MPs. Cone tanks for the 8 series will be out shortly and
http://www.Swiftink.com, the "Official Ink Supplier to Anandtech" (per their ad in the Hot Deals section) will be among the first to stock them. You will have to transfer the chip from an empty OEM tank to the clone for now. They say that clone 8 tanks with their own chips will come along as will the cloned 5's - it's been nearly a year to get the cloned 8's so I wouldn't hold my breath. In the meanwhile, the OEM tanks are refillable and some resellers have the special refill ink for them. Not as easy to refill as the old 3 and 6 tanks, but probably still easier than most others.
. If you can find a factory refurb or new 780 as L-L mentioned, the ink savings alone will pay almost any premium above the current models. Not to mention the minimal hassle.
. So, in order of preference:
1- Canon Pixma MP-780 almost regardless of price (though someone bought one at a Staples on Long Island for $39. not too long ago on a manager's clearance special). So dogging it to every big box store (or any other type of store that might have stocked one) within 100 miles might be worth the effort.
2- Current Pixma MP model that uses the 5 and 8 series separate tanks.
3- Brother MFC-640 (has some letters after the 640 but I can't remember them right now - old timer's syndrome, doncha know...).
.bh.