I am looking into buying a new printer which does AirPrint, scan, copy, and maybe even fax. I need something that prints more pages with good quality and also the ink doesn't cost as much. I have a Hp right now and seems to be using my ink really quick I go through about 80 pages and then I get the low on ink sign. Any suggestions? The Epson WorkForce 3520 claims to use less ink and be better than other companies.
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Best printer for the price
- Thread starter youngsunnz
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I have an older version of this Canon MX452 and it does everything you want for $49. I can't comment in how long ink lasts as I don't print much.
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You need to add laser. Inkjet is way too expensive for everyday printing, esp for crap like receiving faxes. I use a cheap one of each type and only switch to the inkjet for color.
Color laser is not quite as big a per sheet price difference, so I haven't gone that route.
Color laser is not quite as big a per sheet price difference, so I haven't gone that route.
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I have the Epsons predecessor still going strong..plug it in, point it at your network put it anyplace you want to. Good scanning, and you can keep ink costs down buy buying from ink jungle or similar via amazon...It's the longest lasting printer I've owned, and it gets used quite a bit too. A vote then for the workforce.
Cannon MX series work well for color ink jet printing. Brother laser printers for black and white printing.
Unless you really need color, I'd consider going with a laser vs. an inkjet. No clogged nozzle nonsense, and no super expensive inks. The Brother lasers I've owned have been workhorses. I use a very plain one (HL2270) that does duplex and is wireless — and I believe they make a multifunction version (scan/fax/copy) as well.
If you're just doing occasional color, I'd consider just keeping an inkjet off to the side and using the laser for everything else.
If you're just doing occasional color, I'd consider just keeping an inkjet off to the side and using the laser for everything else.
I agree with curmudeon32. I went through quite a few Epsons with clogged heads before switching to an HP inkjet which one day just decided to stop recognizing ink carts before deciding to drop inkjets from my life completely. I ended up with a color laser all-in-one that has worked absolutely flawlessly for almost 4 years.
Problems aside, the savings from not having to buy ink carts is huge.
Problems aside, the savings from not having to buy ink carts is huge.
The only thing - and purely cosmetic thing - about Brother lasers is this:
The web interface shows you the actual percentage of your cartridge while System Preferences only shows you "Level OK".
It should be a rather minor thing to bring the level to the System Preferences, and other than that they're fantastic for texts and graphs.
The web interface shows you the actual percentage of your cartridge while System Preferences only shows you "Level OK".
It should be a rather minor thing to bring the level to the System Preferences, and other than that they're fantastic for texts and graphs.
I need something thats both color and black and white. I was looking to the HP Envy 120. Not that expensive through Amazon or the Epson 2530. Im not really sure if I need the fax function for now. Between Epson and HP which companies ink last longer?
They all do that to a degree. Any printer will have some limitations in its monochromatic dynamics range and ability to limit metamerism unless it's completely dedicated to monochromatic reproductions, even then the best results typically involve a separate RIP. The point being if you want really pretty black and white, it's very expensive. Every printer contains black ink, so it's always an option. Just don't expect it to look like an old black and white photo.
Cost of operation for inkjet printers is much more than that of Laser. That's why the inkjet printers seems much cheaper to purchase up front. They get you with the ink cost.
Think about how much ink your current printer use over how long, and see if it's worth it to buy a color laser version.
And what's the most common thing you want to scan / print? Photos or just documents with some color elements?
I have been using a xerox 6180 multifunction color laser all in one for several years and it is a solid printer that hasn't given me any trouble at all. I am a solo patent attorney and use it often to print color documents and it is very reliable. Tonor cartridges last a long time and aren't nearly as expensive as ink jet.
When my last inkjet printer died I went with a HP LaserJet 100 color. Haven't looked back. There are two versions, I bought the one with WIFI. Printing from ipad and iphone works, and I *think* I tested it from my Macbook Air too (I usually do my word processing on a stationary PC at home). I doesn't fax, though.
I print low volumes, and usually my ink ended up drying anyway.
There were only a handful color laser printers that I deemed affordable, so I recommend you take a look; it might be a better choice for you and if not, well, you won't be researching a million products anyway.
I print low volumes, and usually my ink ended up drying anyway.
There were only a handful color laser printers that I deemed affordable, so I recommend you take a look; it might be a better choice for you and if not, well, you won't be researching a million products anyway.
I bought that printer and it stopped working after a year. I’m not sure if my mistake was buying an Epson printer, a cheap printer, a cheap Epson printer or if it was just that one printer.
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Add me to the list of people suggesting lasers. Not only are they cheaper, but laser printers can sit idle pretty much forever and still print perfectly when you have a job. For home use where you might go a month without printing anything, then have to print some tickets or something for an event, that's a godsend.
Lasers all the way, unless you MUST do photographic-quality printing. That's sadly the one place lasers don't cut it yet.
Lasers all the way, unless you MUST do photographic-quality printing. That's sadly the one place lasers don't cut it yet.
Untill 15 years ago, I had an Apple laserwriter 310. It cost an arm and a leg, it was slow for 2016 understandigs and even with the extra memory I put in, it was limited in document and font size but it always worked and I never got the first toner cartridge empty. I sold it for € 25 because my new Mac didn't have a connector for it.
I bought a Samsung laserprinter a few years back. Laserprinters, even color laserprinters had come down in price to a few hundred euros / dollars.
It worked great for about ten months. Then the colors faded while the toner cartridges weren't empty (by a long shot since I don't print that much). The helpdesk suggested to get a new drum or other parts, but that would cost the best of the price of a new one..
Now I have a Brother MFC-J6920 DW. It does Airprint, duplex printing and scanning, both also on the larger ledger / A3 format, in color and even simultaneously for € 300. It's fast and compact and has two paper drawers. It has a flatbed scanner as well as a document feeder. It doesn't clog, 'white label' ink is available everywhere for low prices, it doesn't use a lot of ink in the first place and as you mentioned, it has options for faxing. It also has an memory stick / card connectors and NFC. Also, it looks nice.
Before the Samsung color laserprinter I had half a dozen printers of ± €/$ 100 but they didn't last. My 2¢ is: Go for a printer that is a little above rock bottom prices because in the long run it's probably cheaper and less frustrating. And better for the environment to dump one instead of 6 printers in 8 years.
Unless you NEED to print in color, avoid inkjets like the plague. They may have gotten better over the past few years, but they're still WAY more expensive to run than laser printers.
I've had two inexpensive Brother lasers over the past 10 years which have put out a total of easily 25K pages with close to zero maintenance, and rock bottom ¢/page costs. I put the cheapest paper and even use aftermarket toner (eek) and they just keep chugging along. My current Brother has about 8K pages on it and according to the print logs has jammed <10 times, and most of those were envelopes I wasn't feeding properly.
I've had two inexpensive Brother lasers over the past 10 years which have put out a total of easily 25K pages with close to zero maintenance, and rock bottom ¢/page costs. I put the cheapest paper and even use aftermarket toner (eek) and they just keep chugging along. My current Brother has about 8K pages on it and according to the print logs has jammed <10 times, and most of those were envelopes I wasn't feeding properly.
Inkjets are a massive rip-off for general use:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/08/the-high-cost-of-wasted-printer-ink/index.htm
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Count me among those who recommend a laser printer. I bought a Brother B&W multi function printer back in February/March when I was faced with a $70 ink replacement for my ink jet. I spend the extra money and am still on the sample cartridge. I have no use case where I NEED to print in color, your case may vary but I still think you are far better off with laser. For me the concert/ movie ticket barcode scans just as easily in B&W as it does in color.