Cheapo (as in REALLY cheap) printer

[Smileyguy]

Hi,

I'm a poor broke student and I need a printer. I need this for one simple thing - text printing and very basic colour. I only need something temporary. I don't need speed, I don't need any fancy features, just something simple that gets the job done.

Thoughts?

[ITASOR]

I have a brand new HP printer in the box I could possibly sell you cheap. It was free with a G5...not sure what model, it's very compact.

pretty sure this is it:

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?storeName=storefronts&landing=printers&category=inkjets&subcat1=entry_level&catLevel=2&product_code=C9025A%23B1H

There's also some cheap ones here:

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/generic_subcategory.do?storeName=storefronts&landing=printers&category=inkjets&subcat1=entry_level&catLevel=2

[Sean7512]

Lexmark Z515...I bought it at Wal-Mart for $20, and it even came with BOTH color and black ink! I did have to buy the USB cable for an additional 8 bucks, but o well. The printer works GREAT, I'd absolutely recommend it for anyone!

[adamjaskie]

Look in Best Buy/CompUSA/Office Max/Office Depot/Staples/et cetera circulars. You should be able to find a low-end HP/Epson/Lexmark/whatever for $30 or so, if not one advertised as
Free!*








*after rebate(s)

[Lloyd1994]

Hi,

I'm a poor broke student and I need a printer. I need this for one simple thing - text printing and very basic colour. I only need something temporary. I don't need speed, I don't need any fancy features, just something simple that gets the job done.

Thoughts?


I got a $6 printer (after rebate) off of slickdeals.net one time and it was fine until the ink ran out (after like 25 sheets of color it started to fade). The replacement ink was $20 for color and $8 for the black ink. If you look at the overall cost of printing and you print off a lot of term papers and class notes and random junk like I did in college; a cheap $99 dell laser printer (or $200 brother) with $60 toner every 3 or 4 years starts to look pretty cheap. I'm going to be spending a little more up front on my next printer ;)
(I would have gotten a laser printer sooner but I got free printing in my CS lab, whereas printing at the MU was $.05 a page. I would check that out too, if I were you. They assigned an IP address to the printer in the lab so I would print junk out at home and pick it up when I got to class ;) )

Edit: ehh, I forgot you needed some basic color, too. Well pick up one of those free* inkjets *and* a laser if you have room in your most-likely-cramped habitation space.

[wordmunger]

a cheap $99 dell laser printer (or $200 brother) with $60 toner every 3 or 4 years starts to look pretty cheap.

Unfortunately the printer only comes with a starter cartridge good for 1000 copies. Their standard $65 cartridges are good for just 2000 copies. I believe I can do better than that with my Canon i850 inkjet. I pay $10 for a black cartridge that gives me at least 500 pages -- so $40 for 2000 pages, compared to $65 for the laser printer.

[nagromme]

Don't pay for a printer unless you're in a hurry and have to grab what you find.

Rebates and promotions can make them free. I even got a free all-in-one scanner/copier/printer!

In fact, when my old (LONG out of warranty) Epson inkjet died I called tech support. They said I was right--it was dead. And immediately (must be an actual policy!) they offered to send me the latest model to replace it. Free. I wasn't demanding or anything, just calling to ask about the symptoms. And they said "we're sending you a new one." Hardly gave me the chance to even say no.

They make their money on the ink. They're HAPPY not to make money on the printer itself.

That's why every Mac (and pretty much every computer) always comes with a free printer if you want one.

[Sam I Am]

Try this: http://store.apple.com/1-800-780-5009/WebObjects/EducationIndividual.woa/71506/wo/tW47CEAG7Uz028RlltV1Ff1ZESg/1.0.11.1.0.6.15.0.0.1.3.0.3.1.2.1.1.0

[OnceUGoMac]

I have a printer that I'll give you. It's a Lexmark Z30 that I got for free with my iBook. It works great, but it is out of ink. Also, I don't have a USB cable. Honestly, ink and the cable are pricey. Just let me know. :)

[SurfinSHELL23]

I'd avoid paying for a lexmark... their ink cost is astronomical.

Brian

[jalagl]

Epson C62 w/Third party Ink.

I got mine for about $20, and I buy third-party ink cartridges at ~$8. You have to try several brands of ink to find out the best one, but the ones I currently buy have pretty good ink, and are very inexpensive compared to the Epson ones.

[adamjaskie]

Myself, I use a laser printer. If I needed to print something in color (almost never, really) in the dorms, I just went down the hall until I found someone willing to let me email them the file and have them print it for me in exchange for a Coke or something.

But if you really need color, keep in mind that the cheap printers are expensive long term. They are pretty much disposable advertisements for ink companies. If it wasn't such a waste as far as the environment goes, I would say it is probably worth it to just toss your old printer and buy a new one every time the ink runs out.