Its not too often that I really need a printer at home, but it sure is nice for some things.
I had an HP inkjet that infuriated me. The ink would dry up so fast and the software would recognize the date and not let you print because it would cause some BS damage to the printer or something. I might print 10 pages in a month and then have to buy more berkeleying ink before it would print.
- ink/toner doesn't dry up
- not too expensive
- color optional I suppose, although it would be nice to have color.
- I like to scan receipts, but I don't have a phone line at home for faxing so and all-in-one is a bit overkill, unless buying an all-in-one is cheaper than buying a separate scanner and printer.
- would like the scanner to have some kind of software that lets me hit preset buttons. Receipts automatically store in one folder, photos in another, etc. Load the scanner and click "scan receipt" and that kind of thing. But this is an option I can do without and just manually select destinations.
Long story short... I want to scan receipts and important documents and print things like boarding passes, concert tickets, online receipts. Ink/toner that doesn't dry up. Faxes and other things I can just do at the office.
Thoughts?
I've had an Epson V300 Photo flatbed scanner for years. When my infuriating (the word that universally applies to all HP printers) HP inkjet decided to start leaking ink all over the page and not actually print, I E36 M3canned it and got a low-end Brother laser printer (B&W only). I still want a color printer, but doubt I'll get another inkjet (certainly not another HP) and won't likely spend for a color laser anytime soon. The Brother is great, and was less than 100 bucks.
HP small b&w laser. Use Staples/Costco for color
If you can find an old HP 800-series, especially an 840C, those are the Toyota Hilux of inkjet printers.
Don49
HalfDork
11/9/17 7:05 p.m.
HP Deskjet 2542- prints,scans and copies. Plus the cartridges last a long time.
If you go inkjet but print only infrequently, you will inevitably use up ink on the automatic cleaning cycles that activate by time, not use. Laser is the way to go for limited occasional use. Bigger up-front cost, but better long-term. Buy a separate flatbed scanner; this opens up more options for both printer and scanner, and if one dies you don't have to replace both.
We have a Brother all in one B&W at the office. I priced them at around four bills. My HP LaserJet 1100 is circling the bowl of life right now, and I think I'll go with the Brother. Toner lasts forever and it's like the cheapest per page printer out there. I would not buy another HP anything. Oh, this 1100 is fine and has lasted me 15 years, but after they started trying to take over your computer with their spyware drivers, then the whole inkjet fiasco, that's it. No more HP.
I have an HP Laser Jet 1022n like the one shown in this video.
I got it as a retired unit from my wife's school. When I follow the instructions in the video, in it's lifetime it has printed 22,510 pages. Still prints perfect to this day. Build in March 2006 according to the tag on the back (11 years ago.) I print to it through a Win10 computer via usb cable.
Toner is cheap and lasts forever.
Look on ebay and you can get one for near $50. ONLY PRINTS BLACK but does it like a champion.
It sits next to super expensive HP Officejet Pro 8600 Plus All -in-One machine which is like the biggest machine you can buy at Staples. I hate using the damn thing. It was super expensive to buy and super expensive to use and has a very big footprint taking up a ton of space.
We pitched all the HP printers at the office a year or two back. They were replaced by Brothers. We use a Brother laser printer at home for 90% of our printing and a dirt cheap Cannon for the color work. They seem to do the trick.
I picked up a brother black andr white all in one laser refurb for $120 + $50 gift card back on slickdeals last year. Well worth it.
I’m partial to epson myself, but that is from my use of photo printers. In your situation I would recommend laser as well. Lastly, berk HP.
The Brother all-in-one I bought last year for $99 at the VA canteen store has done well enough for the kids and their school work. I never use it so I can't say more than that. I mentioned the VA because anyone can shop there (just go visit your nearest VA) and the newer Brother all-in -one just went on sale for $49.
Glad to see nobody recommending LexMark printers, they recently sold themselves to China.
Also. Never buy an inkjet.
pres589
PowerDork
11/10/17 7:37 a.m.
I had great luck with a cheap Samsung laser printer there for a while. I rarely ever print anymore.
Something like $80 for a little laser with USB connection to the computer. No muss, no fuss.
84FSP
Dork
11/10/17 7:46 a.m.
+1MM for the laser printer. I went with a 3 in one cannon that had good ratings and was likely a bit more than I needed. I have had it 1.5 years and not had to touch the ink yet!
Some HP are garbage, some are not. A friend of mine in IT recommended the HP Officejet Pro 6978 to me, so I bought one. ~$100. Only had it a month so far, but it seems like a good unit. Also, HP has this new program where they automatically send you replacement ink, at something like 50% savings. Instant Ink I think it's called. Bonus: if you're a light user (under 15 pages a month) the ink is free.
I don't fax either, and don't have a home phone line. The 1960's were a great decade, I guess.
Brother's HL series printers. Bought it for pretty cheap and the toner doesn't go bad unlike inkjet printers. I think the cart is rated for 10,000 B&W pages. It's been two years and I haven't hit that yet.
Printer drivers all still seem to be stuck in the early 90s no matter which one you get. God they're such trash even with the wireless drivers.
Duke
MegaDork
11/10/17 10:49 a.m.
The only issue with low-end lasers is they won't print photo-quality images. If that's not important, then by all means, that's the way I would go.
I have a Canon AIO inkjet unti that was about a buck twenny, that seems to work pretty well, and automatically duplexes, which is nice for us. We print something maybe once a week. We're a year into it and are just now replacing the starter ink cartridges. Ink pricing isn't bad, either, as far as inkjets go. I can find the model number if interested. I had bought other Canons for both DD#1 and DD#2 to take to college, as well.
Ours replaced an HP AIO inkjet that was awful throughout its lifespan, but printed very nice photos.
The only problem I have with the Canon is that it seems to drop off my Apple wireless network sometimes, but cycling the power brings it back.
Thanks for all the info.
Staples has This canon pixma 3-in-1 for $30
Or this Pixma for $50
This 4-in-1 Epson for $60 But cartridges look expensive.
Just wondering how long the ink lasts before the software refuses to let me print. I just don't want to buy a $40 printer only to find out there is a reason its so cheap. In my experience there is a huge difference.
Ewww... also just noticed that many of them have a single cartridge for all the colors. That means when red runs out I'm going to have to buy the whole color thing instead of just replacing red.
Fueled by Caffeine said:
Technically its a del printer but it looks like my brother
Your brother must be one weird lookin' dude, man!
Curtis said:
Ewww... also just noticed that many of them have a single cartridge for all the colors. That means when red runs out I'm going to have to buy the whole color thing instead of just replacing red.
The HP I mentioned above has separate cartridges for each color.
The HP replaced a Canon I'd had for a couple of years that just went to E36 M3. Print quality was awful and eventually the paper feed mechanism wouldn't.
1988RedT2 said:
Fueled by Caffeine said:
Technically its a del printer but it looks like my brother
Your brother must be one weird lookin' dude, man!
You know.. I've never seen him. I got a sister.........
wait a minute..
I can't see printing pictures at home anymore.
You can get 4x6's for 15 to 25 cents a piece and 11x14's for about 8 dollars. Yea 8.5x11 photo paper is about 31 cents per sheet but I rarely run into a printer that can do the quality of the professional machines and doesn't suck down most of a cartridge of ink. Even the low quality ones just seem to drink ink up and if they can only be replaced as a multi pack it gets expensive quickly.
