Affordable Laser Printers? 236
paul.h.burns asks: "I'm looking now for an affordable laser printer. The qualifications are that it must be network-able, under $300, and produce decent graphics. Color is not so important because I have an inkjet that I can use if I need color on any presentations. I've looked at Tom's Hardware, CNET, Pricewatch, and just plain googled around. I've found a few printers that meet one or two of the criteria, but not all three. Also, I've found some that look decent, except user comment's say that toner usage on those models is really high. So, now I'll ask everyone here at Slashdot: Are there any laser printers that you can recommend that would meet all three of my criteria?"
How about... (Score:2, Funny)
Three laws (Score:2)
Three laws passed by the 105th Congress, which was elected before I was of voting age: NET Act [wikipedia.org], Bono Act [wikipedia.org], and DMCA [wikipedia.org].
Re:How about... (Score:2)
If you Google "Mickey Mouse" and "copyright act" you'll find plenty of info. Try starting with The Mouse That Ate the Public Domain [findlaw.com]
I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:5, Informative)
Do be sure to download and use Brother's
I'm admittedly a rather light user in terms of volume. But after going through a ream of paper or so I'm still on the cartridge that shipped with the printer. YMMV of course.
There may be a newer better model than this one, but I haven't tried it and this one is clearly still available. I was initially a little nervous about moving away from canon engines, but I have been quite pleased after about a year.
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:3, Informative)
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:4, Informative)
It definitely draws less power than the LJ4, and to all evidence does not suffer from the same problems with the fuser rollers that my original LJ4 did.
This model has been deprecated (Score:5, Informative)
Re:This model has been deprecated (Score:4, Informative)
It's not bad, but definatly more "plasticky" than my old 1270N. It also has no straight paper path option like the 1270 had so everything gets curled (envelopes and card stock are more difficult.) Heavy card stock (postcard) does not work. Envelope's get creased. It looks like you should be able to get the paper out the back, but it's got a sensor I couldn't find that prohibits this.
The front "multi-media" tray works well, but occasionally pulls mupltiple pages in at the same time.
I've run about 6000 pages through it now (on my second toner) and it works well. The starter toner only gets you about 2000 pages (max.)
Duplexing is also on the slow side (which is typical on most duplexing printers.)
I look at this printer as being disposable. By the time it needs a drum, I'll just buy a new printer.
Re:This model has been deprecated (Score:5, Informative)
For heavy paper and envelope problems, if you flip a panel down in the back, there are two adjustment levers. I would speak with tech support or find documentation before fiddling with them, because I believe that you only need to adjust one at a time (there are levers on both sides) and I can't remember which side you start on (or if it matters at all). What I do know is that it completely fixed the creasing problem, and it has been a wonderful printer since, with no issues.
Another customer had a noisy 5250DN, which Brother replaced immediately, providing a shipping label, pickup, and return of a Brand New Model (not refurb'd). I agree that the construction doesn't feel as nice as the 5170, but the product is so superior in it's price range it's not even funny. 30ppm, fake PS3, PCL, Web Management, an admin utility with pretty cool features, updateable firmware, 10/100 ethernet, optional trays, adjustable paper path, good tech support, 32MB exp to 512 I think. It costs me a whopping $230 shipped. And Brother still provides a Mac OS 9 driver!
If you need multifunction, their unit based on the 5250 is also nice (though I wouldn't bother with scanning, which IME is slow).
BTW, make sure you are not buying toner/drums from Staples. I can get, and you can probably, too, Brother's 7000 page extended life toner (5% coverage) for $60, and the Drums for $102 (about 25,000 pages at 5% coverage). I think there is no better option for inexpensive B&W printing. Only when you get up to color products do the Xerox/Tektronix products get my dollar. (Have had nightmares with modern HP printers [since 1999]). Good Luck!
Vidar
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:3, Interesting)
For anyone looking for a
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:2)
I'd avoid HP, unfortunately -- from what I've heard, their consumer-le
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:2)
On your HP comment: I can say that the consumer HP printers are - at least the models I have here in my office - just fine. (I have two DeskJet 3650s, a 3845, a 5440, and a 5600.) I'm not WOW!ed by anything their lower end models do, but they're fairly inexspensive, very effective, and highly reliable.
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:5, Informative)
Oh, and if you don't want to go through all that you can just jump to Networkable laser printers for under $300 in froogle [google.com]. Every printer company has one for under $300 listed with froogle, I see the Lexmark, Samsung, Brother, HP...
I don't mean to flame but I don't see how anyone can spend more than 5 minutes looking for a laser printer and not find a laser printer that is "network-able, under $300, and produce decent graphics".
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:2)
Heck, if you have a 386 box with an ethernet card and a floppy drive sitting around, you can turn any laser printer with a parallel port into a "network" printer, without even spending a dime: print server on a diskette [chinese-watercolor.com]
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:2)
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:2)
I would describe my printing volume as moderate (and we are using the high-yield toner cartridges), but the "toner low" indicator has been blinking at
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:2)
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:2)
Maury
Re:I like the Brother HL-5170DN (Score:2)
HP LaserJet 4P (Score:4, Informative)
I don't really have anything to compare its toner usage with, but I have no complaints in that department either. Overall, a great deal.
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2)
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:4, Informative)
Go for an LJ5 (or 5P if you like the smaller size); a little more than an LJ4, but many parts are compatible and has a low power mode.
I've got an LJ4 with PS and networking, only problem is that the humidity here messes up the toner, unless I leave it powered on all the time in Summer, which is a drag as it draws about 50W when idle, still cheaper than getting a "new" printer though.
I had an HP4LM fopr several years, small, light, 4 ppm, PostScript, but only 50 pages in the tray and sometimes I had to yank out jammed pages. But was at 40,000 pages and still fine when I left it.
One great advantage of older HPs is that you can get very cheap, quality toner refills or compatible cartridges.
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2)
NO NO NO -- Get a 4+ instead! (Score:2, Informative)
Instead, go for a 4+ or better model. The 4+ and 5 series are based off the same engine, a Canon, and they're bloody workhorses. You seriously can't kill these things unless you really try. They're rated for 30,000 pages per month -- 1000 pages per day -- which, while it may be overkill for y
Beg to differ about the 4p... (Score:2)
Re:Beg to differ about the 4p... (Score:2, Informative)
The Si types were intended to be the workhorse versions. The L types, regarless of series, seem to have the most trouble. The 180 degree turn the pa
Re:NO NO NO -- Get a 4+ instead! (Score:2)
At the rate I print, that means it'll probably last long past when it becomes hard to find 10mbit-capable switches to plug it in to.
It also has to be the best supported printer I've ever u
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2)
Of course, one time we did have a problem. My cat chewed through the cable.
The thing is a tank. I will give it up when it is pried from my cold dead hands.
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:3, Funny)
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2)
needless to say... they never asked for it back.. but they had me come in to install a 2100n a month later.
i would get rid of my 4L if i could get my hands on a ceep 2100n or 2100dn... (one can dream)
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2)
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2)
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2)
A few years ago I replaced a late-1980s-vintage LaserJet III (which I think qualifies as "single digit" {smile}) in the marketing department of the business I worked for at the time. The thing still functioned, but they needed something with more processing power and RAM for complex page layouts, and wanted something that could spit out more than single-digits-per-minute copies. I would've taken it home with me, exce
Re:HP LaserJet 4P (Score:2)
Many modern printers from Panasonic, Kyosera and even HP themselves will beat the sh** out of 4P as far as price per page is concerned.
Based on my extremely unscientific observations HP remains the best game in town nowdays. Panasonic has horrid puke crap shite instead of drivers so whatever you win in terms of price per copy,you will lose on computer downtime and driver problems. Kyosera/Mita will deliver the best price per page but you have treat it very nicely, ge
How about my old HP IIP? (Score:2)
Dell 1710n (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Dell 1710n (Score:2)
Brother HL-2070N... (Score:4, Informative)
It definately meets the networking and proce requriments. The only one in question is 'decent graphics', but that is subjective! and you know best.
* Up to 20 pages per minute
* HQ1200 resolution (up to 2400x600dpi)
* 250-sheet input capacity and manual by-pass slot for letterhead and envelopes
* USB 2.0 and Parallel interfaces1
* Windows® and Mac® compatible
* One-year limited warranty
* 16MB memory standard
* PCL®6 emulation standard
* Built-in 10/100 BaseT Ethernet
* Network Interface
Re:Brother HL-2070N... (Score:2)
Re:Brother HL-2070N... (Score:2)
Thirded -- I'm very happy with mine. The 5170DN recommended earlier in the thread is probably even better, but it's also at least twice as expensive.
HP 2600n maybe (Score:5, Informative)
Re:HP 2600n maybe (Score:2)
Re:HP 2600n maybe (Score:3, Informative)
Re:HP 2600n maybe (Score:4, Informative)
There is a new 2605 that has Postscript and PCL but is out of the OP's price range. My local Costco has had it recently.
Re:HP 2600n maybe (Score:3, Informative)
There is also a menu option where you can tell it to keep printing - no need to play tricks on
Re:HP 2600n maybe (Score:2)
It is fully networkable and has PCL and PS support... it's great because now I can finally print from just about ANY operating system using LPD.
It also comes set with toner cartridges that should be good for 4000 prints.
Have to agree (Score:2)
I also have a 2600N and on quality paper it makes great color prints and is pretty fast at it too. Further I used the HP Trade in program (http://www.hp.com/united-states/tradein/home_alt . html [hp.com])
when I purchased my printer. I had an old HP Laserjet 4 (man those things are work horses) that they gave me an $80 credit on plus paid for shipping back to HP. All in all I spent about 200 - 220 on a color laser printer with networking, I'm very happy with the results.
Re:HP 2600n maybe (Score:2)
How about any of these? (Score:3, Insightful)
As for networkable mono laser, most of the first page of this link [bestbuybusiness.com] qualifies.
grain of salt (Score:4, Informative)
I used to do this for a living, but not in the US market.
You haven't mentioned how many pages you expect to produce per week/month/year, which makes this a little tricky.
Ideally you need to look at the expected usable life for the device (for corporate use 5 years, personal use maybe up to 10 years), does the device require a maintenance kit, what is the device lifetime duty cycle and what is the cost/yeild of the toner cartirdge.
Additionally, do you print a lot of postscript or PDFs, and is speed an issue?
The cost per page calcualtion is basically: ((purchase cost of the device / lifetime pages printed)+(cost of tomer cart/yield)+(cost of maintenance kit/yield))
Kyocera make good quality low TCO (total cost of ownership)laser printers - but I haven't found them to be especially durable in high volume applications.
The HP 4xxx series are generally good entry level workgroup printers, reliable and well supported.
If speed or large PDFs are a requirement, you may want to consider a memory upgrade or postscript kit. Remember that when they quote pages per minute - that is the speed per page for additional copies of the same page (engine speed) once the first instance has been processed (first page out).
Re:grain of salt (Score:3, Informative)
Addendum
Most manufacturers publish the cartridge yields for their toner carts - you may have to ferret around to find the value. Most manufacturers quote in terms of 5% coverage of a 8" x10" page.
Internal testing where I work has indicated that for a fairly standard basket of typical office documents, the average page coverage is closer to 7.5% of an A4 page (located in Australia), which is nearly twice the area fo the manufacturers quoted coverage - meaning the cartridges last half the number of pages.
I
Re:grain of salt (Score:2)
Re:grain of salt (Score:2)
Avoid Xerox like the plague. Good printers, but horrible service. At $ORKPLACE-2, we had rented a $2500 per month 11x17 duplex collator/stapling copier/scanner combination monster, and it took ***SIX WEEKS*** to have someone come and "install" it properly (I had to do it myself, guessing at the settings and whatnot).
Calling Xerox, it was **IMPOSSIBLE** to get to talk to anyone who would know how to setup the printer (it didn't work 100%). Whe
Re:grain of salt (Score:2)
While I will accept this happened to you, I would suggest this was atypical.
As a disclaimer, I work for FXA (Fuji Xerox Australia), and am aware of us routinely installing hundreds of machines on client sites without the issues you are describing.
Re:grain of salt (Score:2)
I like Xerox printers too[1] - but if you read I recommended Kyocera, who are not Xerox and are quite cheap. :)
[1] I work for Xerox, and the next printer I buy will probably be a Xerox. They do not currently make entry level laser printers - only serious workgroup printers. My current laser printer is an Apple Laserwriter 4/600 PS and is over 10 years old.
pages per minute (Score:2)
unfortunately, the page I wanted to print 3000 of at a time- required more memory than the printer could handle at max res, so each page was regenerated..
so I had to wait FOREVER or add ram to the printer or reduce the complexity...
one graphic.. reduced quality vs. a lot for more ram (I shoulda bought the 2,400$ version with a duplexer, would have doubled my ram--)
Networkable is the catch (Score:3, Interesting)
Although toner is very expensive, you can get a decent full-color laser for about $300-600. The HP Laserjet 2600n. See http://www.nextag.com/hp-2600n/search-html [nextag.com] . The n designation means it comes with jetdirect too. The only downside is the printer language is not PCL or PS, but there is a CUPS driver for linux available. The extra money for color may be worth the extra couple of hundred.
As for myself, I have an old Okidata 10ex LED printer that is parallel only. I use a USB-Parallel adapter and plug it into my linux box (cups server) with the USB. The linux box shares it to windows and linux clients. I recently upgraded the RAM to 32 MB, so it should be able ot handle anything I throw at it for years to come, even if I have to wait a while for the pages to spit out. Toner is separate from the drum, so it's dirt cheap to fill. I recently bought a new drum for it for $60. This printer has been one of my best computer investments.
Re:Networkable is the catch (Score:2)
For "networkable" though, just find an old 486 and hook it up as a print server. People are practically throwing them away, so check Ebay, MicroMart in the UK (I presume there's a US equivalent), or anywhere else likely to do them. If it costs more than £20 ($30) then you've been ripped off.
Graham.
Old PCs (Score:3, Interesting)
-- can you connect to it? Really old systems won't have USB and may not even have PCI for a network card. You can work around this, but is it worth the effort?
-- full PCs consume a lot of power compared to a networked printer or a non-network printer and a liberated Linksys router or NSLU2. I could easily believe that half of my power bill comes from idle and even "powered off" electronics, and my place looks like th
Re:Networkable is the catch (Score:3, Informative)
does it *need* a network interface? (Score:2)
HP Laserjet 1022n (Score:2, Informative)
All the B&W laser printers in this price range have about the same features. Resolutions, price, peformance... they are all about equal.
But the HP works with everything... Except I must warn you it doesn't work with Mac OS 9 or earlier.
Check out your options... If you're like me, you'll find that a good brand name and support are worth a lot.
--Pathway
Re:HP Laserjet 1022n (Score:2)
Re:HP Laserjet 1022n (Score:2)
Big fat disclaimer: I work for the company that makes the 102x series for HP but the 102x series was made before I started here. I wish the M1005 (a product I did work on) worked with Linux.
Pick up an older laser (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Pick up an older laser (Score:2)
"Just because" it was 4ppm and I picked up a 20ppm Konica for $50 on the new year's sales.
My HP 5L was working fine - I had replaced the pinch rollers once (they were multi-grabbing), and had to re-solder the AC socket to the circuit board once (too much wear and tear on the socket - no On/Off switch). But 9 years on one print
Konica Minolta (Score:3, Interesting)
Buy used with a network adapter or server (Score:4, Insightful)
I have a friend who deals in government surplus and he can just about repair laser printers with his eyes closed. I got a used LaserJet 5 with duplex unit and additional paper tray from him, and it's never given me a problem even though I've printed thousands upon thousands of pages on it. The LaserJet 5 printers are the pre-Carly printers, when HP actually made quality products. The damn things can take just about any beating you can throw at it.
That and my HP DeskJet 970cxi are on my home network via a Microplex print server (LPR/LPD-based) that can support two parallel and two serial printers. By installing the LPR software that comes with Windows XP (but has to be installed manually) and the drivers from HP's site (because the built-in Windows drivers lack a lot of good features), I have all of the PCs in my house printing to both of these printers. Because the server unit is LPR/LPD based (and uses a lot of UNIX sommands like lpstat), I can print to it from my Sun workstations if I install a PostScript cartridge in my LaserJet, and SimplyMEPIS Linux prints to both of them without any problems.
The only thing that I question is your requirement that it prints "decent graphics". Anything with 600dpi or above can print decent graphics. But since I can't determine what you mean by that or why you have such a requirement, I can't say for certain that something like an LJ5 would be good. Just don't go lower. The LJ4 was good, but everything below was 300dpi. MAJOR difference in graphics quality!
If you want to buy a new printer because of a warranty, that's fine, but I have to recommend that you find a good-condition HP from the days when HP stood for "quality printers", unlike today where it seems to stand for "ink and toner supplier". Linksys and other companies sell network server boxes, too. Hell, even an old PC can do that if you want. You don't have to have a network-ready printer in order to print on a network.
Re:Buy used with a network adapter or server (Score:2)
A good place to look is someplace that deals with retired o
Techbargains.com (Score:2)
Samsung Black-and-White Laser Printer [bestbuy.com] for $60, not a bad deal, but I don't have any experience with Samsung laser printers, so who knows how good it is.
Here's another [techbargains.com] by Konica.
Samsungs rock (Score:2)
Re:Samsungs rock (Score:2)
Best Buy/CompUSA not hacking it? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Best Buy/CompUSA not hacking it? (Score:2)
Re:Best Buy/CompUSA not hacking it? (Score:3, Informative)
You can get a similar model for aro
Samsung printers (Score:2)
samsung = worthless crap (Score:3, Informative)
hp LaserJet 1320 (Score:2)
I reviewed [mooo.com] the hp LaserJet 1320 on my web site. In short, it's cheap (maybe not under $300, but definitely under $400, and often discounted on Newegg [newegg.com]), has awesome text quality and very good graphics quality, prints relatively quickly, duplexes (an uncommon feature in such a cheap printer!), and conserves toner (I haven't replaced the cartridge yet, in several years of use.
Beats Me (Score:5, Interesting)
Colour laser (Score:3, Informative)
Used HP4000 and cheap netgear server (Score:2)
Get a used small-office HP LJ-4xxx (Score:3, Informative)
Why buy a new sucky one when you can get an slightly used office printer for less?
Search Ebay for 4000TN for prices.
Used Optra S (Score:4, Interesting)
I printed the 50k pages using the crappiest, cheapest Staples brand paper around. It jammed just twice. Oh, and predates Lexmark's evil chipped carts. It thrives on cheapo refills (each of which has gotten like 20k pages). And duplexing is excellent, highly recommend it.
jh
HP LJ 1200N (Score:2)
Second hand (Score:2, Informative)
Remember. Reduce - Reuse - Recycle.
Samsung ML-2251N (Score:2)
Print Tracking (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Print Tracking (Score:2)
I'm not even a 'privacy fanatic.' But some things just plain go too far. Especially if they don't tell you up front about them.
Re:Print Tracking (Score:2)
Note to self: when shopping for a color laser, buy Oki or Samsung -- they were the only two brands with no tracking printers.
Oki B4100 (Score:2)
HP1100 is still running (Score:2)
Two, actually. One used. Linux CUPS driver -- basically seems to be a "4" anyway. Running linux, it has been punished with many manuals of several hundred pages (manually) double-sided.
$39.95 print server at Microcenter. At least one recharge from every cartridge -- works well, takes about 5 minutes like they advertise, and reduces the per-page cost of these smaller "toaster" printers.
Hp 5si (Score:2)
The HP 5si(MX) is a mule of a printer. It will churn out pages for ever, it can have a duplexor, envelope feeder, 4000page base, jetdirect (10bt), prints up to 11x17 (well, 11.7x17.7 technically), and is fast (24ppm). The memory it uses costs about $5/stick (old 72 pin SIMMs, I think). You can get a non-OEM cartridge for about $60, and refill toner for about $15 (precisionroller.com) for 15,000 pages. eBay prices
Cheap? (Score:2)
Pick 2
But seriously I've personally fallen in love with our offices new Dell 3100cn its print cartriges are cheap (45 bucks for 4000 pages of black (the drum is a seperate unit))
They seem to have replaced it with the 3010cn which looks the same but I can't personally vouch for it, its on sale for 299 right now though.
Apple LaserWriter 16/600PS and any equivalent HP (Score:3, Informative)
Also look for HP LJ4's and LJ5's, especially if you can manage it, an HP LJ5SiMx or Nx series (though these are probably still out of your price range, they are a good investment).
All of these printers have easily available parts and will probably last longer than anything you could buy new for even two or three times the price.
Buy a used Laserjet... (Score:3, Informative)
I picked up my 6p used for $100.00. I added a refilled toner cartridge for another $70.00. That was about 3 years ago and I still haven't run out of toner. I later added extra RAM and the Postscript SIMMs. Not too long back I picked up a 5mp (with RAM and PS SIMM!) at Goodwill for $15.00! It works perfectly, and had a good toner cartridge and even a bit of paper loaded. Not bad for a Goodwill find.
You can find these printers surplus on Ebay. As I have noted, I have also found them at Goodwill. There are many resources on the Net detailing how to refurbish/repair these beasts if needed. Add on a networkable print buffer (I have found these surplus for $5.00 before), and you are set. You will never need another printer again (as long as you are doing black and white) - these things run seemingly forever. Best of all, you will spend well under $300.00 - if you do it right, you might spend under $100.00.
Believe me, it is worth it. If you are frustrated with your ink jet printer for any reason - take this route, and buy an older used Laserjet...
Re:HP LaserJet 1320 (Score:2)
Re:HP LaserJet 1320 (Score:2)
Re:HP LaserJet 1320 (Score:2)
they rockin'ist factoid is time to first page.
we go through 2 reams a week on our 1320...
we use it for receipts, and time to first page from cool down is important..
Re:HP LaserJet 1320 (Score:2)
So I'd happily go out and spend $20 for a new cabl