Printer recommendation

JBJB Carlsbad, CA
edited February 2008 in Hardware
Hi guys,

I'm looking for a printer to print academic papers and powerpoint slides. B&W is fine with me, I'm just looking for the cheapest cost per page. Is a cheap consumer laser printer the way to go? If so do you guys have any recommendations? I would prefer to buy one in stores, and I have access to Fry's, BB, Circuit City, Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot.

Comments

  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    hp laserjet 10 series (1020, for example). Super cheap, quiet, fast.
  • JBJB Carlsbad, CA
    edited January 2008
    This is why I love s-m...an answer in 5 minutes
  • JBJB Carlsbad, CA
    edited January 2008
    and by S-M I mean Icrontic
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    I would buy the cheapest laser that I could find (Brother prob) and plan on dumping it when the toner runs out. You can find some real deals.
    If you want to keep it then a the low end HP would be the best bet.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    for your kind of printing (assuming vast majority will be plain text on paper), you can get refurbed or refilled toner cartridges pretty cheap. Yeah, photos won't look great or they might scratch off, but this is not the type of printing that you need to worry about that with.
  • JBJB Carlsbad, CA
    edited January 2008
    While you have a good point edcentric, I don't want to deal with changing printers. I am definitely looking for a printer I can keep and maintain with a toner change.
  • Jelly-BeanJelly-Bean Swansea,WALES,UK
    edited January 2008
    Hp for a cheap printer and replacement inks are cheap to.Although I have just bought an Epson 8400 combie printer/scanner.Why because it had £40 off the origonal price.However the inks are £40 to replace all four.What a ripoff.But found a place in my area that sells all four for £15.I found Hp great and use very little ink to print,I can print over 1000 sheets without replacing the inksThe epson uses a lot of ink very quickly.I have an old HP 710 and it is still going strong.They seem to be very reliable.Im waiting to see how this Epson runs and how long it lasts before it developes any faults if any.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    hp laserjet 10 series (1020, for example). Super cheap, quiet, fast
    Excellent. The HP series are rock solid and economical. Jelly Bean, if we are talking economic, ink does not even fit into the equation. Dye and pigment cartridge printers have come a long way in the past five years, but for B&W economy, laser is really the only choice.

    JB, I'm running a HP1012. It's bulletproof and inexpensive. Print quality is just for your needs. One advantage of HP laser is that it's often easier to find toner cartridges locally. But then, you shouldn't have to replace very often.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited January 2008
    Jelly Bean wrote:
    I have just bought an Epson 8400 combie printer/scanner.Why because it had £40 off the origonal price.However the inks are £40 to replace all four.What a ripoff.But found a place in my area that sells all four for £15.The epson uses a lot of ink very quickly.I have an old HP 710 and it is still going strong.They seem to be very reliable.Im waiting to see how this Epson runs and how long it lasts before it developes any faults if any.

    My first Epson was great. My second, a £200 photo printer, used half the ink clearing the nozzles. A replacement from Epson was no better. I got a Lexmark combi for £80, now £40!, that is very good. The Lexmark inks from PC World are £50 but I got them from e-buyer for £23 delivered. You really have to shop around for ink.
  • JBJB Carlsbad, CA
    edited January 2008
    Thanks for all the feedback, guys! I ended up purchasing a HP1005, and so far I am happy with it :)
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Unless you print lots of large graphics with solid blacks and grays, your toner cartridge will last for thousands of pages. You made a very good choice.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    I am using the same toner cartridge that the printer came with - and I bought my HP 1020 in 2003. This is the initial, half-filled cartridge. I have printed thousands of pages, leo is right. Here it is almost 5 years later and I'm still on the first toner cartridge, and the printer still prints great. Good choice.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Yeh, I've had my printer for around 2 or 3 years. And I am only on the second cartridge. And the only reason for that is I printed a couple thousand pages for a calendar that I put together for my youth group. Other than that My Minolta pagepro has been great. I've already gone through around 1200 pages this school year. It's wonderful to not worry about buying ink every 200 pages. Such a pain. And expensive. When this printers toner runs out I plan on buying a new printer just for the sheer fact that I can get a new printer for a small premium over the price of toner. And then I don't have to worry about replacing the fusser or any other parts. Not to mention the paper handler is getting a little loose.
  • Jelly-BeanJelly-Bean Swansea,WALES,UK
    edited January 2008
    Your welcome JB.Hope your happy with the HP.
  • edited February 2008
    Hp printers are with high quality.
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