The competition amongst All-in-One printers sees no sign of cooling down, with all the principal manufacturers trying to add that one extra feature that should - at least temporarily - keep the rest of the pack at bay. Brother's top of the range model in the new MFC series aims to do just that by stuffing as much technology as possible into a relatively small space, but to what degree does it compromise on quality?

Everything about the MFC-885CW proclaims it to be smart, compact and efficient. It's styled in chic but business-like black and silver, it measures a trim 476mm x 370mm x 180mm and weighs a comparatively lightweight 8.6kg. It aims to be a fax, a scanner, a copier and a printer and to enhance each of these functions with a range of additional attractive features.

So the phone for the fax has its own cradle at the front left-hand side, which holds a DECT handset that is wireless (battery provided), able to store 100 numbers, and three more handsets can be added. There's a built-in answering machine that can store up to 99 incoming messages and missed faxes can also be stored in memory.

When it comes to scanning, there's a 10 page auto document feed on the scanner cover (which is expandable to allow for thicker books, etc.), the option to scan to e-mail, OCR, image, file, card or USB stick, and print resolutions are up to 6,000 x 1,200dpi.

However, there's no template for scanning slides or 35mm film. There is, though, a dual function paper tray at the front which holds 100 sheets of standard A4 and an additional 20 sheets of photo paper. All you have to do is slide the top layer forwards until it engages and you can quickly swap from text to photos.

There are two memory card slots at the front to handle all the usual favourites (i.e. Compact Flash, Memory Stick, Secure Digital, XD-Picture Card) and on the top are two sensibly laid out rows of control buttons for the phone (on the left) and printer (on the right). Bang in the middle is the main headline feature: the 4.2-inch widescreen LCD, an industry first. This scores highly when you're previewing any effects you want to put on your photos, as you can preview the originals alongside the finished versions for instant comparison.

You'll also be impressed by the wireless 802.11b/g set-up (there's also a wired Ethernet option) especially if your router supports SES or AOSS. On the downside, the quality of scanned photos at the default setting is disappointingly dark and with a distinctly blue tinge, although scanned colour documents have a much more authentic look and prints from memory cards are fresh and vibrant.

The other annoyance is that photo prints have to be ‘rescued' from inside the paper tray after they're printed, rather than sliding out effortlessly. Generally print speeds are about average with 30ppm (monochrome) and 25ppm (colour) being the quoted values, and you get a one-year on-site warranty.

Brother's latest multifunction printer scores good marks for wireless connectivity, impressive fax connectivity and the new widescreen LCD facility for picture previews, but has minor issues with scanner picture quality at the default setting and photo print delivery.