New Printer Recommendations

Mister.T · Nov 23, 2023

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a printer, preferably one for 2023 or 2024, must not be a HP, as I've had a few HP printers and they don't last long, my last one lasted just over 1 year... HP Envy 6432E All-in-One. I'm looking to spend up to 300.

Kees · Nov 23, 2023

I myself have no advice, as I am using a HP color laserprinter that I bought in 2008 and still is functioning perfect.

But I think you should specify what kind of prints you normally make on what paper, as for printing high quality photos you need a completely different printer than for printing texts and graphics. I for instance, print mostly text and basic graphics like walking maps. Laser prints are not water sensitive as inkjet prints are very water sensitive: as soon as when a map printed by an inkjet printer touches (rain)water the big stains begin (so is my experience).

And please specify how many prints you make (for instance per week or per day).

And the printer has to be an 'All-in-one' or that you could manage with dedicated scanner and printer (which I have and think it's much more versatile).

Mister.T · Nov 23, 2023

A home printer all in one, with east connectivity such as bluetooth and WIFI. I printer, it depends about 5-50 pages per week.

Such as home/office receipts, family pictures etc.

Wisewiz · Nov 23, 2023

@Mister.T
Where are you? US, UK, ...? Recommendations depend partly on your location.

Wisewiz · Nov 23, 2023

Laser or ink? Need to have color? (Family pictures would suggest Yes.)

glasskuter · Nov 23, 2023

Any of the low end printers, no matter the manufacturer, are pretty much disposable devices these days with cartridges costing more than the printer in some cases. All cheaply made with all plastic parts. I will never buy another inkjet printer because of the cartridge prices and cheap design. Laser is the only way to go.
A friend of mine closed his dentist office and had an old HP laserjet he bought in 2005 in his dumpster. No telling how many pages had gone through it. I brought it home and hooked it up. It may not be pretty but I've continued to use it for 5 years and it's never missed a lick. It's monochromatic, but since I print mostly in black, that works out. I have another inkjet if I need color. This laserjet uses a big old round cartridge that will print thousands of pages and takes up only 15 inches of desk space. . Cost..$20 a year and remanufactured cartridges are plentiful. HP even still makes cartridges for it so that attests to how many of these things are still in service. Best garbage find ever.

Mister.T · Nov 23, 2023

Wisewiz said:
@Mister.T
Where are you? US, UK, ...? Recommendations depend partly on your location.

UK, laser colour if possible.

Wisewiz · Nov 23, 2023

@Bree could perhaps make colour laser printer recommendations for you for the UK. Bree?

Bree · Nov 23, 2023

Mister.T said:
A home printer all in one, with east connectivity such as bluetooth and WIFI. I printer, it depends about 5-50 pages per week.

Such as home/office receipts, family pictures etc.

Mister.T said:
UK, laser colour if possible.

Wisewiz said:
@Bree could perhaps make colour laser printer recommendations for you for the UK. Bree?

I don't use a laser printer, I have an ink jet. My main use is printing photos. An ink jet is better for that, especially when using glossy photo paper. I have been very happy with my Epson EcoTank ET4750. It's an ink tank printer, so it's cheap to run.

The equivalent current model is the ET4800.

EcoTank ET-4800 | Consumer | Inkjet Printers | Printers | Products | Epson United Kingdom

Epson EcoTank: This multifunction inkjet printer is great for busy households looking to reduce their printing costs

www.epson.co.uk

Berton · Nov 23, 2023

A comment on my setup, I have an HP LaserJet Pro 148 and an HP OfficeJet Pro 9015, both multi-function and installed as Network Printers. I have avoided the issues with print spooler and USB with them as they are connected to my Wireless Router via Ethernet cable. Any computer I install the software on, whether Wired or Wireless/Wi-Fi, can access them. Win10, Win11 and Linux machines usually pick them up for the basics.

My first printer in '92 was a Panasonic 2124 Dot-Matrix with the color module then I added a Lexmark Optra R in early '95.

Steve C · Nov 24, 2023

glasskuter said:
Any of the low end printers, no matter the manufacturer, are pretty much disposable devices these days with cartridges costing more than the printer in some cases. All cheaply made with all plastic parts. I will never buy another inkjet printer because of the cartridge prices and cheap design. Laser is the only way to go.
A friend of mine closed his dentist office and had an old HP laserjet he bought in 2005 in his dumpster. No telling how many pages had gone through it. I brought it home and hooked it up. It may not be pretty but I've continued to use it for 5 years and it's never missed a lick. It's monochromatic, but since I print mostly in black, that works out. I have another inkjet if I need color. This laserjet uses a big old round cartridge that will print thousands of pages and takes up only 15 inches of desk space. . Cost..$20 a year and remanufactured cartridges are plentiful. HP even still makes cartridges for it so that attests to how many of these things are still in service. Best garbage find ever.

For printing quality photos you need to use an inkjet photo printer designed for the purpose. Epson Eco Tank printers work out cheapest in the long run. I'm about to buy an Epson ET-8550 A3 photo printer. I also uses a basic Brother laser printer / scanner for routine B&W office work.

Steve C · Nov 24, 2023

Bree said:
I don't use a laser printer, I have an ink jet. My main use is printing photos. An ink jet is better for that, especially when using glossy photo paper. I have been very happy with my Epson EcoTank ET4750. It's an ink tank printer, so it's cheap to run.

The equivalent current model is the ET4800.

EcoTank ET-4800 | Consumer | Inkjet Printers | Printers | Products | Epson United Kingdom

Epson EcoTank: This multifunction inkjet printer is great for busy households looking to reduce their printing costs

www.epson.co.uk

The ET-8500 is better for A4 photo printing

Bree · Nov 24, 2023

Steve C said:
The ET-8500 is better for A4 photo printing

Agreed, but it is also about twice the price :wink:

There is a wide range of Epson EcoTank printers to choose from, and a wide range of prices.
There should be one to suit any cost/benefit choice.

pparks1 · Nov 24, 2023

also using an epson eco-tank model and i have been pretty happy with it.

Mister.T · Nov 24, 2023

Thanks for all the suggestions, I think I'm going to get these 2.

Epson EcoTank ET-4800 with 3 years of ink.
Brother DCP-L3520CDWE with EcoPro.

RD Mercer · Nov 24, 2023

I think in the past many years, I’ve bought and used about every name brand conventional printer there is. I bought a Brother two years ago, it’s been flawless.

Wisewiz · Nov 24, 2023

Second that. Several printers over the years, but none have served so well and so long as my two Brother monochrome lasers.

Winuser · Nov 25, 2023

RD Mercer said:
I think in the past many years, I’ve bought and used about every name brand conventional printer there is. I bought a Brother two years ago, it’s been flawless.

My Brother HL-L233400 DW is the best printer I have ever owned. I still have and use my HP Officejet Pro 6830 . I only use it for the scanner or if I need color printing.

RD Mercer · Nov 25, 2023

Winuser said:
My Brother HL-L233400 DW is the best printer I have ever owned. I still have and use my HP Officejet Pro 6830 . I only use it for the scanner or if I need color printing.

Mine is a MFC-J497DW, I think I paid less than $100.00 us for it. I had a couple of HP’s “not expense ones” they both gave me some issues, the last one I owned before I bought the Brother, it seemed every time I went to print something, I had to reboot my PC. Maybe it was an OS issue, but the Brother has never had any issues.

Wisewiz · Nov 25, 2023

Mine is this one:

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/brother-monochrome-wireless-all-in-one-laser-printer-hll2390dw/11662629?nis=6

Had it for several years now. Prints two-sided efficiently from any of my PCs, scans to any of my PCs, copies quickly and easily, and costs very little for a quality printer/three-in-one. I have no use at all for the fax function that would make it an all-in-one. I don't bother to hook up any USB cables to it, because it works so well on wireless.
My wife has a color inker in her office downstairs, but she does most of her printing on my Brother, after phoning me from her office and asking me to "please turn on the printer." (I shut down my old business some years ago, but I retain the old business phone line, because Ma Bell gives me that second line free, under a grandfathered plan I got about fifteen years ago. It's really handy to be able to call her from line 2 to line 1, or vice-versa.)