In what ways can utilizing a mailer class instead of the mail() function in PHP enhance the functionality and reliability of email submissions from HTML forms on a 1und1 website?

When sending emails from HTML forms on a 1und1 website using the mail() function in PHP, there can be issues with reliability and functionality due to limitations or configurations on the server. By utilizing a mailer class, such as PHPMailer or SwiftMailer, you can enhance the functionality and reliability of email submissions. These classes provide more features, better error handling, and support for various email protocols, making them a more robust solution for sending emails.

<?php
require 'PHPMailer/PHPMailerAutoload.php';

// Create a new PHPMailer instance
$mail = new PHPMailer;

// Set up the mailer
$mail->isSMTP();
$mail->Host = 'smtp.1und1.de';
$mail->SMTPAuth = true;
$mail->Username = 'your_email@example.com';
$mail->Password = 'your_password';
$mail->SMTPSecure = 'tls';
$mail->Port = 587;

// Set the sender and recipient
$mail->setFrom('your_email@example.com', 'Your Name');
$mail->addAddress('recipient@example.com', 'Recipient Name');

// Set the email content
$mail->isHTML(true);
$mail->Subject = 'Subject';
$mail->Body = 'Email body';

// Send the email
if(!$mail->send()) {
    echo 'Message could not be sent.';
    echo 'Mailer Error: ' . $mail->ErrorInfo;
} else {
    echo 'Message has been sent';
}
?>