Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

looking for laser printer for Macbook Pro

A

APB

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 3, 2008
6
0
I'm looking for a good laser printer for my Macbook Pro (currently running OS X but soon will be with Leopard). It's for home use but will primarily be printing sheet music so the clarity needs to be good. I've been told to avoid HP (seems to clog up the start up) and Epson (catridge problems). Any suggestions? Would love to keep the cost under $500 if possible. If anyone has first-hand experience, suggestions are more than welcome!!
Thanks,
APB
 
You appear not to be confusing inkjet printers for laser printers. Ink cartridges clog; toner cartridges don't. Also, Epson does not sell laser printers in North America. You need to figure out what you want before anyone can help you get it.
 
Thank you. Okay, here are better details. I am definitely looking for a laser printer for home use. It seems I have been getting conflicting answers regarding which printers work best with a MAC. I loved my HP with my old PC, but I have been told by several people to avoid mixing HP with a MAC. In any case, I need a laser printer that will give me good clarity when printing sheet music. I don't think I will have need for a color printer. My Macbook Pro is about a year old. Please let me know if I can provide more details in order to get good recommendations.
Thanks.
 
Any thing recent (read last 5 years or newer) will work with your mac. When you install os x, by default a disgustingly huge amount of printer drivers are installed (a few gigs) and if your printer isnt found just go to the manufacturers site.

Some myths, such as the one you were told, had some truth to them a while ago but now they are just circulated myths by disgruntled, confused, or mislead people. I actually have an easier time with my lexmark printer with my macs as opposed to to the pc.
 
I'm been using the Brother HL series HL-2170W for various b/w printing needs (including sheet music and scores). I have it setup as a (wired) network printer and it works fine from either the Macs or from WinXP. (It also handles Wireless 802.11b/g or USB connections.) Included CD makes setup of drivers easy and quick for Windows or OS X. Toner is relatively inexpensive and I do get the estimated number of pages per cartridge. In six months of use I have yet to have a single paper jam. Newegg sometimes runs this printer on sale. I think I paid about $90 for it...
 
I second the idea of a Brother 2170w. I have been using it flawlessly for a while. Great setup tools and the networking has never let me down. An excellent choice, imo.
 
Thanks for the helpful suggestions. Does anyone have an opinion regarding the need for "color" laser printers. I mean, I know it depends on personal needs, but do many of you go for the color printer and then end up printing 98% of your pages in black and white? At this time, I don't see the need for a color printer except to make my little kids a cute birthday card or add a bit of pizazz to some letterhead. Does color in laser printer dry up or become a problem if you don't use the color regularly?

On another note, this is my first time using a forum like this of any kind - I have to say that it's so helpful reading so many interesting suggestions. After reading the replies of so many knowledgeable people, I feel kind of like my senior dad trying to figure out how just turn on a computer!

Thanks to all.
 
I am not sure why someone said to avoid HP when using a Mac, but I have been using an HP LaserJet 1320 for almost two years now and it has been flawless. I use it at home on my wireless network and it always performs as it should. Most of my fellow colleagues also use HPs, and many of them are also Mac users. I had a Brother laser before this HP, but I had some issues with it. Brother replaced my malfunctioning machine (which was technically out of warranty by about 3 weeks, so at least Brother's customer service was good) but the replacement was also malfunctioning (different issue, but still an issue). It could be that I had a run of bad luck with the Brother lasers, but I can vouch for HPs.
 
APB said:
Thanks for the helpful suggestions. Does anyone have an opinion regarding the need for "color" laser printers. I mean, I know it depends on personal needs, but do many of you go for the color printer and then end up printing 98% of your pages in black and white? At this time, I don't see the need for a color printer except to make my little kids a cute birthday card or add a bit of pizazz to some letterhead. Does color in laser printer dry up or become a problem if you don't use the color regularly?
Click to expand...

HP's supplies expire (used or not). No way to reset either. :eek: :(
 
Only one printer that goes with the whole MBP aesthetic I'm afraid. The black Samsung one[:

B000XV3YVI-4-sm.jpg
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
APB said:
<snip>After reading the replies of so many knowledgeable people, I feel kind of like my senior dad trying to figure out how just turn on a computer!
</snip>
Click to expand...

Its ok, i had the same feeling (well not exactly) when i first read these forums.

nanofrog said:
HP's supplies expire (used or not). No way to reset either. :eek: :(
Click to expand...

unfortunately a lot of companies are doing this now. lexmark does this and I know there is at least enough pages left to print a paper or other important stuff. However lexmark does something cool. They send you a little prepaid baggy to send back the (half xD) used cartridge. You even agree that you must do this in the eula whenever you open the printer box.

ohforfckssake! said:
<snip>*funny stuff*</snip>
Click to expand...

hahaha
 
Platonist said:
I am not sure why someone said to avoid HP when using a Mac, but I have been using an HP LaserJet 1320 for almost two years now and it has been flawless. ...
Click to expand...
Back in the day, I loved HP laser printers because they were built like anvils. And then it outsourced manufacturing. Can we spell c-r-a-p? Rather than buy one of HP's suckie new outsourced wonders, I purchased a damaged store demonstrator. I am happy with it.

The stores eventually ran out of HP printers built before they sucked. I switched to Xerox. They are built like anvils. I could not be happier.

As others have said, it is much easier to install and administer a printer on a Mac than on Windows. A Mac user, I was astounded to learn that Windows considers IP-printers "local" printers rather than "network" printers. I digress.

Not all printers work with Macs. PostScript printers work with virtually all computers. PCL printers work with all Windows computers and with MacOS X via CUPS even if the manufacturer does not support MacOS X. Then there are the GDI-printers aka winprinters. These are as dumb as a barn door. They require a Windows computer to tell them where to put ink or toner on paper.
 
I also can recommend the Brother 2170W. I have one at home connected via wireless and it works great. This is a very basic no-frills printer, but that is just what I wanted. You may need to download updated drivers from their website for best results, esp. on Leopard.
 
I'd have to agree with the Brother recommendation. I have an HL-2140. No problems so far, it prints well, and is inexpensive on supplies. :eek: :)
 
brother hl-2040

my father got one for ~$50 a year or two ago :eek: and like the other guy said, toner for it is pretty cheap
 
Samsung ML-1740

heavily used for 3 years without any problems on a Dell or a MacBook Pro. just needed to download a driver for Mac OS when I switched computers

refilled the toner cartridge once with a 3rd party product, then got an expensive Samsung replacement cartridge after that.
 
Fearless Leader said:
Any thing recent (read last 5 years or newer) will work with your mac. When you install os x, by default a disgustingly huge amount of printer drivers are installed (a few gigs) and if your printer isnt found just go to the manufacturers site.

Some myths, such as the one you were told, had some truth to them a while ago but now they are just circulated myths by disgruntled, confused, or mislead people. I actually have an easier time with my lexmark printer with my macs as opposed to to the pc.
Click to expand...

Not so fast, Fearless Leader -- I just bought an HP color laser at Best Buy (the one they had sitting right next to the Macs), brought it home, and plugged it in only to find out that there are no drivers for it. It's an HP CP1215, tons of people have reported having the same problem.

There are actually quite a few printers that still don't support Leopard, definitely do your research unless you want to go back to the store.

I'd love to agree that everything "just works" now, but apparently HP hasn't noticed the constant uptick in Apple's market share....
 
Leopard compatible color laser printer?

:confused:

Hey

My first post. Be gentle. ;)

My Lexmark X502n multi-function printer, which wasn't Mac friendly as advertised, is now totally incompatible with Leopard. Even the dude I called in Mumbai said so (after a zillion 'press x' nows.) Ergo Lexmark = run!

So I'm shopping for a multi-function color laser printer that's Leopard compatible. The fax bit isn't important. The printer, copier, and scanner (ith OCR) are. Very much.

Anyone know of anything under a grand that fits the bill? I'm skittish to order anything since I've been lied to (by Lexmark), and so I rely on your experience before dropping another wad.

Thanks!
 
staples brother experience

i bought a brother b/w laser printer at staples a while ago for around $100. TAKE NOTE: staples said the started toner cartridge would only last 1 week or so, and sold me on a new toner cartridge that i have never needed to use because the one that came with the machine is still running great almost 1 year later! BROTHER IS A GREAT MACHINE, totally faithful! way Way WAY cheaper than printing black and white on a ink jet, and no clogged printer heads!:D
 
I looked up the Brother Multifunction Lasers. Four units are listed, and the most expensive is listed at $699.99 MSRP. :)

I've priced out the supplies cost on these not too long ago, and it seemed the least expensive way to go. ;)

Hope this helps. :D
 
nanofrog said:
I looked up the Brother Multifunction Lasers. Four units are listed, and the most expensive is listed at $699.99 MSRP. :)

I've priced out the supplies cost on these not too long ago, and it seemed the least expensive way to go. ;)

Hope this helps. :D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the lead! I've ordered the Brother MFC-9840CDW from Macwarehouse, where I've always shopped with never a complaint. Macworld gave it good reviews, though it is on the pricey end. We can't go without a printer for long, so I hope this works!

I'll report back. :)
 
I also wanted a less expensive laser, a b/w brother wireless one. It was $100 and the drum/toner is about $30 to replace. Depending on your needs of color or b/w, a good quality color laser would be at least about $500, whereas a b/w would be 100 to 200.
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
I also wanted a less expensive laser, a b/w brother wireless one. It was $100 and the drum/toner is about $30 to replace. Depending on your needs of color or b/w, a good quality color laser would be at least about $500, whereas a b/w would be 100 to 200.
Click to expand...
Sometimes you can get good colr lasers for less than $500 if you don't need the scanner/copier/fax. I bought a Dell 3100cn refurb about 2 years ago for $275, and it has been great (and cheap). And its b/w cost is just over a penny a page, with color about a nickel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back