Hardware Help Required . . . Please!

[timsk]

Calling all hardware experts,
My wife is a Town Planner who does some private consultancy work from home. For a while now she's been wanting a photocopier. However, she uses e-mail a lot - so I suggested that a scanner might be a more useful and appropriate bit of kit. In theory, if she just wants a copy of a letter she would have to scan it first and then print it which, admittedly, is a little cumbersome. However, the advantage is that the scanner could also be used for drawings and other documents to be e-mailed.
So, the questions that need to be answered include:
1. Will a good scanner double up a photocopier - or should we look at getting separate bespoke pieces of kit?
2. Few shops that we've been in can show their products in action and expect you to buy in good faith in that the product 'does what it says on the box'. (We've bought a fax/answerphone in the past which does both jobs very badly. A most unsatisfactory purchase). Can you suggest a way around this problem?
Thanks for your help.
Tim.

 

[oatman]

I had an Epson CX3200 all in one printer/scanner/copier. No problems and cheap as well. Here are the latest http://www.epson.co.uk/products/product_hub/Product_Listing_All_in_One.htm
Don't get Lexmark, the ink is expensive

http://reviews.cnet.com/Epson_Stylus_CX6600/4505-3181_7-31127774.html
http://www.pcplus.co.uk/reviews/def...eid=32270&subsectionid=372&subsubsectionid=46

 

[Tuffty]

I use a HP PSC 1215 (Printer, Scanner, Copier). It's been fine with fairly low volume work. Will work as a copier without the PC being on as colour or b/w. It's only £49 now at Staples or PC World. The ink cartridges are expensive but you can refill them yourself with a filler kit from Tesco's (and the software doesn't mind unlike some makes I believe i.e. won't let you fill up old cartridges).

 

[rossored]

I use the previous model - HP PSC 1205 - which is superb imo.

However, if you want to copy something you don't need to scan it first - just hit the "Copy" button on the top and it scans it and runs the copy off , just like a photocopier would. Brilliant scanner, too