Looking for a printer that has cheap refills - mostly for black and white

[Nvidiaguy07]

I need a printer that I'll be using mostly to print out black and white docs. I rarely use it to print color, and i hate paying a lot of $$$ for refills.

Whats a good printer to buy? I know nothing about different types of printers.

 

[shortylickens]

Low end Hewlett Packard laserjet. Trust me, you will be happier in the long run. If your color printing is truly rare you can do it at Kinkos. In the long run you will save tons of money.

Same deal with pickup trucks. I thought I needed one and it turns out I really didnt. But the gasoline cost is killing me. I shoulda bought a compact and rented a pickup from Uhaul those rare times I needed it.

 

[Lemon law]

Yup, on this one, I am in almost complete agreement with Shortielickens.

But note the weasel words that I am not in complete agreement with ole shortie. There are ways to make some inkjets more than cost competitive with lasers, but most people are not willing to go through the learning curve needed. Or to be wise enough to buy an inkjet printer with refillable potential. But as a generality, if you bought a HP or Lexmark inkjet, you fucked up and are doomed until you do the sensible thing, turn them into cute flower pots because that is the only thing they are good for. Otherwise they will eat you out of house and home.

As for me, I have the best of both worlds because I network a laser and an inkjet together. That way I can pick the right tool for the job.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

how low end are you talking? right now I have a lexmark x5400 inkjet printer, and to me refilling black ink is way too often and is expensive.

this is the lowest priced laser printer i found on newegg thats made by HP:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16828115639

the toner cartridge costs 60 bucks, so hopefully it lasts a while?

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EDIT: just read the post above me. Yea this printer sucks. someone gave it to me, but i probably still would have saved money if i just threw it out right then than keep buying ink for it.

 

[tynopik]

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=2582047

be sure to tape up the sensor to get more toner life

http://www.amazon.com/review/R3D77WAVAAVLQQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R3D77WAVAAVLQQ

 

[shortylickens]

That 60 dollar toner cartridge gets between 4000 and 6000 prints. The big ones used in the big printers get even more.

 

[tynopik]

That 60 dollar toner cartridge gets between 4000 and 6000 prints. The big ones used in the big printers get even more.

The $16 brother cartridge gets 2600 (and maybe more with a taped sensor)

$64 would get you 4 cartridges or 10400 pages

 

[Lemon law]

how low end are you talking? right now I have a lexmark x5400 inkjet printer, and to me refilling black ink is way too often and is expensive.

this is the lowest priced laser printer i found on newegg thats made by HP:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16828115639

the toner cartridge costs 60 bucks, so hopefully it lasts a while?

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EDIT: just read the post above me. Yea this printer sucks. someone gave it to me, but i probably still would have saved money if i just threw it out right then than keep buying ink for it.

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First as the OP on this thread, you have not done job one, in specifying what you want in a printer. Do you want just a printer, or do you want an all in one. With print, copy scan, and fax capacity?

Then MIA is your expected monthly or yearly printing needs. The person who expects to print 10,000 pages a year or more may opt for more expensive printer options of 4,000 or more pages out of a toner cartridge, while someone like me as a low volume printer is more likely to select cheaper printers with only 1500 to 2500 toner cartridge capacity.

But the bottom of the B/W laser printer only market is often with Samsung at $50.00 initial purchase price. Which will deliver 2 cents a page consumable costs. I very much doubt the HP model you cited is worth the doubled price. Especially when you can buy brother and HP all in Lasers for not more than $140.00. And sometimes get one cent a page consumable costs.

So my recommend that you get thyself to places like newegg or similar and see what you can buy in terms of Lasers at competitive prices.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

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First as the OP on this thread, you have not done job one, in specifying what you want in a printer. Do you want just a printer, or do you want an all in one. With print, copy scan, and fax capacity?

Then MIA is your expected monthly or yearly printing needs. The person who expects to print 10,000 pages a year or more may opt for more expensive printer options of 4,000 or more pages out of a toner cartridge, while someone like me as a low volume printer is more likely to select cheaper printers with only 1500 to 2500 toner cartridge capacity.

But the bottom of the B/W laser printer only market is often with Samsung at $50.00 initial purchase price. Which will deliver 2 cents a page consumable costs. I very much doubt the HP model you cited is worth the doubled price. Especially when you can buy brother and HP all in Lasers for not more than $140.00. And sometimes get one cent a page consumable costs.

So my recommend that you get thyself to places like newegg or similar and see what you can buy in terms of Lasers at competitive prices.

Um, I said a printer to print docs, nothing else. So just to clarify.... I don't want it to print pictures, copy, scan, fax, wash dishes, cook dinner, do laundry, etc. Just printing.

I really don't print all that much, but clearly my old printer sucks all around, and is really good for nothing. For as little as I print, I still manage to burn through cartridges for that piece of crap.

That Brother printer is perfect. Thanks to whoever recommended it.

 

[jbbrown]

Um, I said a printer to print docs, nothing else. So just to clarify.... I don't want it to print pictures, copy, scan, fax, wash dishes, cook dinner, do laundry, etc. Just printing.

I really don't print all that much, but clearly my old printer sucks all around, and is really good for nothing. For as little as I print, I still manage to burn through cartridges for that piece of crap.

That Brother printer is perfect. Thanks to whoever recommended it.

I have had the Brother HL-2170W since last August and it has been great. I have printed over 1,300 pages so far on the starter cartridge (rated life is 1,000 pages). Having the wireless is also nice.

I got it on Newegg for about $80, but I don't see it on their website anymore. I can't believe it's up to $185 on Amazon though, I would never pay that.

 

[Lemon law]

Just so the OP understands, those $16.00 toner cartridges are not OEM brother but third party re-manufactured.

With an OEM brother toner cartridge you almost have excellent results at a much higher costs. With 3'rd party compatible cartridge, you have a higher chance of getting a dud, so its important to find vendors who have good return policy and have an excellent reputation. Still many laser users only use compatibles.

The other thing to note is that lasers, unlike inkjets, can go for months and even years with no usage, without risk of clogging. Many inkjets will clog inside of 4 months. Which is why inkjets will run a small cleaning cycle every time the inkjet powers on to prevent clogs. And then the very occasional inkjet printer wonders where all their ink went? And that answer is that all went into the waste ink tank.

As for me, I leave my laser printer in the off state until I need to print. That way I don't have to waste electricity running the fan. When I want to print, I turn my laser printer on and have to wait a whole extra 5 seconds extra for the unit to warm up.

The other thing our OP will love about his new laser, is that they print way way way faster than inkjets. And their resolution is higher than inkjets, so even small details can be resolved.

 

[daddy-o]

There's a deal for a remanufactured Brother HL-2170W at Staples right now, I picked it up for $50 after coupon and rebate. Care of Slickdeals.

 

[Lemon law]

There's a deal for a re manufactured Brother HL-2170W at Staples right now, I picked it up for $50 after coupon and rebate. Care of Slickdeals.

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Therein lies the other rub, you gotta read the fine fine print to find out if the warranty on a
re manufactured brother Laser printer is as long as a new new new printer directly from brother.

But still, on brother printers, warranty issues are seldom a problem. Lasers tend to last far longer than inkjets. And on real business class lasers, 100,000 pages on the clock is barely broken in.

 

[Soundmanred]

I gt an HP 1006 a couple years ago and (with toner carts from Swiftink) have printed tons cheaper than I ever have. It still prints like new, so for a $99 printer and $35 toner carts that last forever I'm happy.