The $150 Brother MFC-J825DW is a 4-in-1 inkjet all-in-one that prints, scans, copies and faxes. It features a 3.3″ touchscreen LCD with Web Connect for accessing Facebook, Flickr, Google Docs & other services, as well as mobile device printing via the iPrint&Scan app. There’s also an auto-duplexer, 20 sheet ADF, and CD/DVD printing. But for all the features, is this printer as good a value as it seems? The online experts have spoken, and the reviews are excellent.

William Harrel of ComputerShopper.com gives the Brother MFC-J825DW an Editors’ Choice Award-winning 4.5 stars out of 5. He likes the overall value and excellent performance. While image copying could be better and ink cost per page is a bit high, Harrel concludes that this device would make a great addition for “small and home offices that need occasional color printing and light document output on a very tight budget.”

Peter Piazza of About.com gives the Brother MFC-J825DW an identical 4.5 stars out of 5. He likes the wide range of features, strong performance, and very good print quality. Paper capacity is a bit low at 100 sheets with a 20 sheet ADF, but it’s still enough for home users.

M. David Stone of PCMag.com gives the Brother MFC-J825DW an Editors’ Choice worthy 4 out of 5. Like Piazza, he appreciates the multi-functionality, as well as the ADF and web connectivity. Paper capacity is low and text quality could be better, but Stone concludes that “it stands out for its office-centric features.”

PCWorld.com gives the Brother MFC-J825DW a solid 3.5 stars out of 5. On the positive side, it’s fast, and CD/DVD printing is good to have. On the other hand, there’s no auto-duplex scanning, and scan quality could use improvement. But overall, it’s “a worthy contender for your low-volume, small-office bucks.”

Last but not least, Sarah Meyer of PrinterComparison.com gives the Brother MFC-J825DW an impressive 4 stars out of 5. Features are plentiful, it’s easy to use, and print quality is good. On the other hand, Meyer says print speeds aren’t as fast as advertised (at least for the non-ISO numbers), and paper capacity is low.

Based on the feedback, it seems the only real issue reviewers have with the Brother MFC-J825DW is the paper capacity. Otherwise, this inkjet all-in-one packs plenty of value into a reasonably compact frame.

The $100 Epson Stylus NX430 Small-in-One is a 3-in-1 inkjet MFP that prints, scans and copies. It also offers Wi-Fi, a 2.5″ LCD with touch panel, and you can print from mobile devices with Epson Connect. A couple of reviews are now up online, and the feedback is positive.

Tony Hoffman of PCMag.com gives the Epson Stylus NX430 a solid 3.5 out of 5. He likes the compact size, affordable price, strong photo quality, and the ability to print from mobile devices. That said, print speeds are slow and text quality could use improvement. Hoffman concludes that it’s “geared to home use rather than the home office, and it could also be a good fit in the tight quarters of a college dorm.”

Peter Piazza of About.com gives the Epson Stylus NX430 an impressive 4 stars out of 5. He likes the good photo quality & wide range of features at a low price, although print speed is slow. He agrees with Hoffman that this printer would be a good fit in a dorm room.

Overall, the Epson Stylus NX430 gets high marks for its compact size and solid value. If you want adequate functionality at a low price, this is about as good as it gets.