home network Laser/LED printer, low cost

[jeyf]

I did searches here and previous posts seemed old so possibly maybe start a new:

there seems to be a lot of static when you google the reviews on low cost home laser printers but thinking a Brother is the safest choice. Main bad on Brother is they seem to have a firmware issue; if they time out to deep sleep it takes a power cycle to wake them up again.

i am looking for:
-monochrome duplex laser printer for infrequent home use.
-able to do airPrint via wifi & hard wire ethernet. The wifi is the primary choice, hard wire secondary.
-moderate cost disposables, some printers need both replaceable drum and a replaceable toner
-able to print off an iPhone
Not interested in:
-dont need color printing
-print over a network so no need for USB connectivity
-dont need a all-in-one device, already have a scanner
-speed not a big issue

some interest in the Brother HL-L2370dw
-reviews seem to state the 2370 has a firmware issue; once timing out to deep sleep takes a power cycle to restart.
-Is there a printer that has only one disposable cartridge. the 2370 does; both a drum $105.00 & toner $120.00.
-another lower cost unit the 2350. Looks interesting but doesn't have hard wire ethernet. How difficult is it to enter in the wifi password on a 2350 w/o a keyboard or a usb?

 

[Dingster101]

Take a look at Canon. Amazon had a nice one on sale for like $170

 

[jeyf]

the canon one was all-in-one; just don't need a scanner.
disposables look more expensive

anyone running a Brother 2370 or 2350
my main issue is:
if the Brother has a firmware bug in it. Unable to wake up after sleep mode??

 

[Fishrrman]

I have an older Brother laser -- THE BEST printer I've owned (runner-up was the original HP "DeskWriter", but that was 25 years ago!).

I think you'll find that a Brother laser will serve you well.

 

[jeyf]

didn't know Brother made printers 25 years ago
its just to buy the Brother HL-L2370dw and find out you have to load a new firmware software into it is not good
anyone have recent experience with a 2350 or 2370

 

[Porkchop Sandwich]

We use a Canon inkjet for about 2% of our printing needs but the lions-share of printing is done using a Brother L2360D.

The Brother printer is a workhorse and has been a fabulous printer for all of our devices via airPrint. (iPhones, multiple Macs, and my lovely bride's iPad). I don't think you can go wrong w/about any flavor of a Brother printer.

"They just work"

 

[potatis]

Maybe Canon LBP162dw fits your needs.

 

[jeyf]

i was really hoping someone (real human) with in the last year bought a Brother HL-L2370dw or HL-L2350dw printer
apparently not?

 

[Porkchop Sandwich]

i was really hoping someone (real human) with in the last year bought a Brother HL-L2370dw or HL-L2350dw printer
apparently not?

The 2360 I cited was still available within the past 12 mos..it IS for all purposes a current product - the 2370 likely replaced it. It's a fantastic printer, and it's fast.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

It doesn't matter if no one reports back on the EXACT model of Brother that you're interested in.
The "general gist" from folks is that Brothers are very good lasers, especially "for the money". Like the old Timex watch ads touted, they "take a licking and keep on ticking".

Get the model number that interests you, with an ethernet port for wired networking and wireless networking as well.

I've never had a driver problem with mine, updated drivers are online if you need them.

 

[Porkchop Sandwich]

^^ what he said ^^

OP what made you come to the conclusion that the advice you sought, and kindly received, didn't come from 'real people'? lol

I've had the Brother for about 2+ yrs..in that time I've printed literally thousands of pages and have probably replaced the high capacity toner cartridge about 4x thus far..that equates to about 10K+ pgs..never had a jam or any other trouble. The initial wireless s/u was a pita but since that time we haven't had to do it again. I just got an iPhone XR and simply selected the printer as the default when prompted and I was printing within minutes..literally. It's a great printer and as stated previously, it's fast.

 

[jeyf]

Maybe Canon LBP162dw fits your needs.

thanks for the mention of the Canon LBP162dw. I looked and unit and disposable costs were higher, so went with the Brother hLL2350dw.

I ordered the $80 Brother laser printer on Amazon on a Friday and delivered on Monday morning.

very basic low cost printer.
Only setup you need to do is to give the printer your wifi password. Some issue setting the pw up tho as Brother's "quick setup" manual was omitting details. After entering the password character sting depress the "OK" button for the last time. Wait 8.7 seconds and again press the "OK" button. The printer will log into your wifi and affirm success.

-The printer is working iPrint on both my iMac and iPhone with success.
-i let the 2350 timeout to the dreaded "deep Sleep" and it didn't lock up. apparently brother is shipping these with the firmware fix
-un thrifty but the cannon lbp162, the Brother hLL2350 and may others require 2 disposables. disposable drum and toner cartridge.


-i read good & negative reviews from both Amazon and NewEgg by new printer owners. You see the exact same text repeated for some review. Just lots of static in the marketplace.
-for recent printers out there, they attach to Apple product auto magic. What is a driver, this was something on a CD?

you would think for $80 everyone would own one of these:
-we don't print a lot, mostly go Print->Save as PDF->print to a drobo NAS box.
-ink jet cartridges have a chip inside that just times out. cartridges still seemed to have ink in them?
-the new printer is wifi only so put the new printer in the hall linen closet and everyone in the house can use it or put it on my desk to proof read a lot.
-if we have to scan a doc everyone uses the IOS ScannerPro app

 

[Rizwan Khan Pakhtoon]

thanks for the mention of the Canon LBP162dw. I looked and unit and disposable costs were higher, so went with the Brother hLL2350dw.

I ordered the $80 Brother laser printer on Amazon on a Friday and delivered on Monday morning.

very basic low cost printer.
Only setup you need to do is to give the printer your wifi password. Some issue setting the pw up tho as Brother's "quick setup" manual was omitting details. After entering the password character sting depress the "OK" button for the last time. Wait 8.7 seconds and again press the "OK" button. The printer will log into your wifi and affirm success.

-The printer is working iPrint on both my iMac and iPhone with success.
-i let the 2350 timeout to the dreaded "deep Sleep" and it didn't lock up. apparently brother is shipping these with the firmware fix
-un thrifty but the cannon lbp162, the Brother hLL2350 and may others require 2 disposables. disposable drum and toner cartridge.


-i read good & negative reviews from both Amazon and NewEgg by new printer owners. You see the exact same text repeated for some review. Just lots of static in the marketplace.
-for recent printers out there, they attach to Apple product auto magic. What is a driver, this was something on a CD?

you would think for $80 everyone would own one of these:
-we don't print a lot, mostly go Print->Save as PDF->print to a drobo NAS box.
-ink jet cartridges have a chip inside that just times out. cartridges still seemed to have ink in them?
-the new printer is wifi only so put the new printer in the hall linen closet and everyone in the house can use it or put it on my desk to proof read a lot.
-if we have to scan a doc everyone uses the IOS Scanner Pro app

LED printers are probably more reliable than laser printers because, unlike the laser light mechanism in a true laser printer, the LED light mechanism has no moving parts, but I'm not aware of the laser mechanism ever being a problem for the average consumer.

According to what I've read, true laser ones have slightly better image quality, but the difference is probably marginal and not something I've ever seen, so you shouldn't be worried.

As a big fan of Brother printers, the one you're thinking of is exactly the one I'd suggest. Another advantage of switching to Brother is the availability of generic toner replacements.

 

[jeyf]

i dont think they make laser printers with an actual laser.

using generic disposables is an art forum
the first year i had my Brother printer it quit printing half way on my tax return. error prompted "ran out of toner" but the cartridge was almost full.

i did the googles and put a piece of tape over the sensor and ran another 401 pages with the same cartridge.

I can buy generic toner cartridge but there is a electronic module i need to un install and insert into the new generic.


i dont represent printer companies in any way
do your own research

 

[MacDividend]

I sold printers at Best Buy while I was in college. The most popular brand was HP, followed by Canon for printers. However, Brother was the most overlooked brand. From talking to customers and seeing returns, Brother and Canon printers were returned the least of the different printer brands. Laser printers are the most reliable when it comes to printers, but you will pay more for the cartridges compared to an inkjet printer. However, you will get more prints from a laser printer cartridge compared to an inkjet printer per cartridge. I've had the Brother HL-L2370dw printer for about three years now, and I have had no issues with my printer.