What's the best printer brand for Linux?

[Red Squirrel]

i don't print often but anytime I do it's super frustrating because half the time I just get a page with this error:

ERROR NAME;
stackunderflow
COMMAND;
pop
OPERAND STACK;

It seems to be really random. It also takes about 5 minutes to print a page, when it does work. It seems to really depend on the specific document/program. Web pages have about a 90% failure rate, pdfs have maybe a 50% failure rate. Printing from Office programs usually works. If I want to print a PDF I need to zoom in (to get proper res) and take screenshots then reconstruct it in gimp then paste it in Writer then print it. It's ridiculous.

I'm thinking it might be some weird driver issue and that a different printer might fix the problem. While I'm at it I may as well go with a colour laserjet since they arn't that expensive anymore.

Any suggestions for a brand to look for that will work right in Linux without having to screw around with anything? The one I have now is a Brother MFC 7840W.

 

[whm1974]

HP has good Linux support, as does Epson. Maybe try Kodak as well?

 

[whm1974]

@Red Squirrel You can also read this link as well:
http://www.openprinting.org/printers/

 

[lxskllr]

I think HP is probably your best bet. I've printed to two different printers, and a large format plotter at the office without issue. The most problematic was the xerox workstation. Postscript support is a paid addon to the printer :rollseyes:, and the suggested driver picked by xubuntu failed. Between web searches, and going on hunches, I got a different libre xerox driver to work. I can print to it fine now, but the experience wasn't pleasant.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I was thinking HP too actually. I might have to go pick one up at Staples some time. Trying to print a tax receipt and it just won't print because it's a PDF. Normally I can print to PDF, then print THAT PDF, but that's not working either.

That site says my brother should work, but it's clearly not the case, it really seems to depend what program I'm printing from or what kind of document. Seems to be anything with graphics now that I think about it... though I don't think it's that, since a graphic in Writer prints ok.

 

[lxskllr]

Not the same model, but the same issues...

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSup...ontext=180&value=MFC+7840W&titlesearch=Titles

Perhaps you can piece together a fix by adapting that. Might even be exactly the same. Seems to be the same family of printer.

 

[Red Squirrel]

That actually worked! I just set the driver to Brother DCP-1200 even though it's the wrong printer, and at least for this particular PDF, it worked. I will have to see how long this lasts or if I run into other issues...

 

[whm1974]

That actually worked! I just set the driver to Brother DCP-1200 even though it's the wrong printer, and at least for this particular PDF, it worked. I will have to see how long this lasts or if I run into other issues...

It might be worthwhile to buy an HP printer anyway as they have the fewest issues with Linux and are the most commonly used printers by Linux users.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah still kinda want to get a new one as I feel this fix is temporary. Next distro I decide to run may end up having the same problem with no possible fix.

 

[PingSpike]

I have a Brother HL-L2340DW that works to my low standards well on mint 18 for me. I don't actually remember what I did to set it up though. The only annoying thing is sometimes my PC says the print failed when it actually printed with no issues.

Interesting about those color lasers though. I gave up on color all together long ago and just switched to simple mono laser because the color printers also gave crappy prints and required constant infusions of effort and cash to keep up and running. I'm curious if that has changed with cheap color lasers.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I remember having to a bit of fiddling to get my Brother HL-3040 to work with Linux Mint. (Had to try a couple different drivers. Brother's PCL/Postscript emulation is a bit flaky.) But it's been fine for a long time now.

HP networkable Laserjets are going to be the generic always-works-with-everything printer.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I gave up on color all together long ago and just switched to simple mono laser because the color printers also gave crappy prints and required constant infusions of effort and cash to keep up and running. I'm curious if that has changed with cheap color lasers.

Nope.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Hmm are they all problematic? I figured it was basically same idea as monochrome just more toners. They last a long time and don't dry out so a single toner is practically good for years for me. I never even replaced the one in my Brother, it's still the factory one.

Was looking at something like this: https://www.staples.ca/en/HP-Colour...ne-Laser-Printer/product_1878690_1-CA_1_20001

Maybe not that exact model but something in that range. Basically semi office grade but not super expensive.

I'd probably setup as a network printer and not USB as well, so idealy I'd want one that can scan to a USB stick or via local email. Though it seems a lot of ones I've seen like at work do PDF which is completely useless if you want an actual image. I don't scan a lot but it could be handy to have a working scanner. Never bothered to figure out how to get the Brother one to work in Linux so obviously don't really use it. So maybe I'm better off going with dedicated colour printer and not MFC.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Hmm are they all problematic? I figured it was basically same idea as monochrome just more toners. They last a long time and don't dry out so a single toner is practically good for years for me. I never even replaced the one in my Brother, it's still the factory one.

Was looking at something like this: https://www.staples.ca/en/HP-Colour...ne-Laser-Printer/product_1878690_1-CA_1_20001

Maybe not that exact model but something in that range. Basically semi office grade but not super expensive.

I'd probably setup as a network printer and not USB as well, so idealy I'd want one that can scan to a USB stick or via local email. Though it seems a lot of ones I've seen like at work do PDF which is completely useless if you want an actual image. I don't scan a lot but it could be handy to have a working scanner. Never bothered to figure out how to get the Brother one to work in Linux so obviously don't really use it. So maybe I'm better off going with dedicated colour printer and not MFC.

An HP is probably The Right Decision™ for Linux.

As long as you don't mind occasionally spending more money than you want to on toner, color lasers are great at "business color" - pages of text with color logos, small graphics, etc. (Even if 90+% of the toner you use is black, the black cartridges are usually more expensive and lower-capacity than they would be in a mono-only printer.)

The cheap ones are usually impossible or next-to-impossible to color-calibrate. If color accuracy matter, it will cost you. (<- We had a couple of the 7760s - predecessor models - at a place I used to work. They were pretty bulletproof, and were able to be calibrated. But not cheap.)

Even the good ones generally aren't as good at printing photos as the purpose-built photo printers. Just the nature of the beast. If you're doing a lot of photo printing, take your thumb drive full of JPEGs to Costco or Walmart.

 

[PingSpike]

Even the good ones generally aren't as good at printing photos as the purpose-built photo printers. Just the nature of the beast. If you're doing a lot of photo printing, take your thumb drive full of JPEGs to Costco or Walmart.

Yeah, my wife kept messing with color printers all the time for photos. I finally got her to just use shutterfly. If she used it like every day it might be worth the hassle but she didn't. I'd already fallen out of love with inkjets years before and hate printers in a general way to start with.

Way, way back when I worked IT I had a color laser okidata. It worked OK until some one fed adhesive backed labels into the thing which the heated drum melted apart and sucked all into the mechanism. After tons of effort to clear it up it was still never quite the same.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Yeah, my wife kept messing with color printers all the time for photos. I finally got her to just use shutterfly. If she used it like every day it might be worth the hassle but she didn't. I'd already fallen out of love with inkjets years before and hate printers in a general way to start with.

Way, way back when I worked IT I had a color laser okidata. It worked OK until some one fed adhesive backed labels into the thing which the heated drum melted apart and sucked all into the mechanism. After tons of effort to clear it up it was still never quite the same.

Oh gross.

Ever see somebody run iron-on transfer paper through a photocopier?

Yeah.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Ouch yeah that would suck. Though they do make labels that are meant for printers and those should be fine right?

One nice thing about colour would be if i want to make fancy stickers for something. Could run some Avery labels through. But normally it says if it's safe for laser printers or not. You can't just use any labels.

I would maybe attempt photos, but chances are if I want a nice looking photo to hang or whatever I'd just get it done at like Staples or Walmart or something. I actually have some nice pictures I need to look at getting printed some time actually. Been a while since I used a color laserjet but always found they produced half decent "magazine" quality for photos that is usable, but not really for something you want to hang on the wall.

My main attraction to laser is fact that it does not dry up. I don't do lot of printing, but when I want to print something I just want it to work and not have to mess with it.

So later on I may very well give one a whirl. Is the $700 range going to be half decent quality for casual use? My biggest worry is also how obtainable are toner cartridges in say 5-10 years from now, but I guess HP should be pretty good for that I imagine?

The Brother still works fine in Windows, so I would probably sell/give it. I think I may even have a spare toner somewhere. It also has Fax but I only used that like once when someone kept trying to spend me fax spam so I hooked it up to see what the spam was and if they actually had their fax number on it and they did, so I can black page spam them back. They stopped.

 

[hridayaragam]

I think HP is probably your best bet. I've printed to two different printers, and a large format plotter at the office without issue. The most problematic was the xerox workstation. Postscript support is a paid addon to the printer :rollseyes:, and the suggested driver picked by xubuntu failed. Between web searches, and going on hunches, I got a different libre xerox driver to work. I can print to it fine now, but the experience wasn't pleasant.

yes i agree
i am using hp laserjet pro mfp m127fn from last two years and i am happy with it so i recommend hp

 

[whm1974]

What about Dell printers? I noticed that on Manjaro the AUR has drivers for a bunch of them.

 

[lxskllr]

What about Dell printers? I noticed that on Manjaro the AUR has drivers for a bunch of them.

I use a dell at work, and everything's fine. Dunno if that applies to all dell. Really, the best way to shop for linux hardware is to look up everything individually, but that's a lot of work. I'd only do that if bored, or the part was very expensive. Otherwise, I generalize and hope for the best. That's worked ok so far.

 

[whm1974]

I use a dell at work, and everything's fine. Dunno if that applies to all dell. Really, the best way to shop for linux hardware is to look up everything individually, but that's a lot of work. I'd only do that if bored, or the part was very expensive. Otherwise, I generalize and hope for the best. That's worked ok so far.

Thanks. my dad has been having problems with his HP printer and I told him he may need to get a new one. if Dells don't have any issues with Linux, then I will recommend one.

 

[mxnerd]

HP got its own open source project HPLIP for it's printer products.

https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imaging-and-printing

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=247875

 

[you2]

I've had good success with canon inkjet and open source drivers. Having said that the error you're having has to do with postscript and the issue might or might not be related to linux depending on how the document was converted to postscript.

 

[VinDSL]

Any suggestions for a brand to look for that will work right in Linux without having to screw around with anything? The one I have now is a Brother MFC 7840W.

I've been happy with the Dell E310dw (rebadged Brother). It's been a painless experience on Peppermint OS.

 

[lxskllr]

I've been happy with the Dell E310dw (rebadged Brother). It's been a painless experience on Peppermint OS.

Good seeing you Vin! It's been awhile :^)