Topic: I NEED a low $ laserjet printer soon

[grcamna2]

I'm looking for a low$ buck non-wireless computer printer...and hoping to get one from a local store(I live in the greater Pittsburgh vicinity)around here.Do any of you know of one that'll be OK for me ? I'm also thinking about the price of replacement inks...

I had my eye on a Kodak a few years ago but heard that they're out.

[LesterPiglet]

Dunno what your prices are like there but I can buy a printer cheaper than I can get replacement ink cartridges.
$41 for a printer and $50 for ink.
So much for going green eh?

[goldarrow]

Printers are cheap, but inks/toners are expensive

[LesterPiglet]

But you get ink with the printer!

[calj737]

Lasers tend to be more expensive to buy, but cheaper to operate. Toner lasts longer than ink as well. Oh, and by the way, to save more money printing, switch to the font called Garamond from Times New Roman. It uses less ink to produce the character on the page.

[grcamna2]

What's the difference between ink and toner ? I was speaking to a neighbor in a downstairs Apt. and she said she pd. about $40+ for her Canon mod. K10371 w/ a scanner.
Les,I hear the ink is as expensive as the whole printer w/ ink also 

[calj737]

Basically these days there are 2 types of printers: inkjet or laserjet. Ink jets use ink cartridges and laserjets use a toner cartridge. Toner is a dry transfer where inkjets are wet transfer.

A simple black laser jet can be had for about $60. Inkjet will be about the same price to purchase, but will cost more to operate.

You can save money buying toner or inkjet cartridges from Large bin stores, purchasing off-brand replacements, but using the model # of you or printer as a reference.

Staples, OfficeDepot, HH Gregg, BestBuy, etc... are all about the same. Maybe a Sam's Club or WalMart will have these simple home options.

[grcamna2]

Thanks for that information calj737

[grcamna2]

Do any of you own a Canon mod.# MG2520 Pixma printer ?

[goldarrow]

I would recommend HP

[grcamna2]

I've got an older HP now & had it in storage,well the inks All dried up & it'll Cost to get all those cartridges;it did work good for me,but I'm sure they've come a long way since when they made the 3210.

[Stev-o]

I would recommend HP

I have an HP as well, it was cheap.  About $100 or so, it prints, copies and scans.    Faxes too, but who does that any more?   I use it for work, so they pay for all the ink and paper.

[JeffSTL]

It really depends on what your intended use is. If you are planning on printing pictures get an inkjet...any brand, they are pretty much all the same thing and cost about the same to operate. If you are printing documents or if black and white are acceptable get a laser jet. Much, much cheaper to operate.

Those off brand refills have been nothing but bad news for me. Half of them my printers will not even recognize and will continue to say the color is empty and if they do work they seem to last half as long as the real ones.

Inkjet printers use ink really fast. Plan on spending several hundred dollars a year on ink even if only printing moderately. If you are printing pictures...take out a loan.

[MoMo]

 Bill,  I always used inkjets and found that every time I used it I had to run a clean cycle because i print so seldom. I went through endless cartridges due to running all the clean cycles.  Actually, I found it cheaper to buy another printer.  I mostly print documents or mailing labels so I bought an inexpensive Brother laserjet, now I do not have to wait for a cleaning cycle as the printer is always ready.  Think it cost 70...larry

[grcamna2]

Thank You Jeff and Larry,
I'll be looking for a laser jet.What's the least expensive one you would recommend ?
I won't blame you if something went wrong,no worries.

[goldarrow]

Bill,  I always used inkjets and found that every time I used it I had to run a clean cycle because i print so seldom. I went through endless cartridges due to running all the clean cycles.  Actually, I found it cheaper to buy another printer.  I mostly print documents or mailing labels so I bought an inexpensive Brother laserjet, now I do not have to wait for a cleaning cycle as the printer is always ready.  Think it cost 70...larry

Nozzles get dried up from sitting, can try to clean with denatured alcohol, and will get clogged again in no time.

[grcamna2]

Bill,  I always used inkjets and found that every time I used it I had to run a clean cycle because i print so seldom. I went through endless cartridges due to running all the clean cycles.  Actually, I found it cheaper to buy another printer.  I mostly print documents or mailing labels so I bought an inexpensive Brother laserjet, now I do not have to wait for a cleaning cycle as the printer is always ready.  Think it cost 70...larry

Larry,
What model do you have? & is it still avail. ?

[grcamna2]

Bill,  I always used inkjets and found that every time I used it I had to run a clean cycle because i print so seldom. I went through endless cartridges due to running all the clean cycles.  Actually, I found it cheaper to buy another printer.  I mostly print documents or mailing labels so I bought an inexpensive Brother laserjet, now I do not have to wait for a cleaning cycle as the printer is always ready.  Think it cost 70...larry

Larry,
What model do you have? & is it still avail. ?

bump.   I'd really like to get that budget price laserjet 

[grcamna2]

Bill,  I always used inkjets and found that every time I used it I had to run a clean cycle because i print so seldom. I went through endless cartridges due to running all the clean cycles.  Actually, I found it cheaper to buy another printer.  I mostly print documents or mailing labels so I bought an inexpensive Brother laserjet, now I do not have to wait for a cleaning cycle as the printer is always ready.  Think it cost 70...larry

Larry,
What model do you have? & is it still avail. ?

bump.   I'd really like to get that budget price laserjet 

bump

[totty]

Look for an old HP, something like a HP2100, but there are many appropriate models. These old workgroup printers can be picked up over here for £35 with a warranty, and they are serviceable not throw away, plus toner is dirt cheap - the last 5 years printing has cost me less than £10.
Cheap new home use printers tend to be throw away items with expensive toner.

[grcamna2]

totty,
I'll try to see what researching that can bring me.

                                  Thanks

[grcamna2]

bump  What do you other members here think about the new ones? any deals out there ?

[Duanob]

Do any of you own a Canon mod.# MG2520 Pixma printer ?

I have a Canon Pixma i3500. I like the quality, in fact nothing beats the print quality of a Canon. Go on craigslist and look for someone that got a printer in a package deal they don't want and are selling for cheap. I paid $25 NIB for the one I have now. That's how I got my last three printers.

I get all my cartridges on Feebay for pretty cheap. You can also find places that will fill the OEM cartridges for cheap as well.

Don't bother with an old one or a used one there is a reason why someone is getting rid of it and parts might be hard to find. That's the problem with the tech industry, everything is so cheap it's all throw away and buy another one. Our company does an E-waste day every once in a while, it always boggles my mind how much tech crap is thrown away. Usually multiple semi trailers full in a single day.

[totty]

I can't agree with Duanob on used printers. Most old business printers are disposed of because they require maintenance which affects print quality or to be replaced by a faster model or end of lease. Companies specialise in fixing and reselling, that's where the e-waste goes. Decent workgroup or production grade printers are fully rebuildable and for the right models parts are plentiful.

Whatever you go for new or used if it's a laser make sure the fuser is easily accessible. It only takes one paper jam to burn a tiny amount of toner on to it, then over time it builds up and badly affects the print quality. Fusers can take between 1 and 90 minutes to replace, some can even be repaired for £7 to £14. Also check if the drum is built into the toner cartridge, if not check how much they cost and how easy they are to replace, they are a consumable.

[MoMo]

Bill, been out all morning, the Brother I have is HL-2270DW.  I mostly use it to print labels for Ebay sales and also print documents, works great for me and is wireless(but that is a bit too complicated so I just plug and print).  ...Larrry