printer recommendations?
- Thread starter JimS
- Start date
tmbrown97
Senior Member
Looks like this one is an HP Color LaserJet CM2320fxi. It'll print/scan/fax/etc. For *many* years we'd only print a page or two every few weeks. Nowadays I have a 1st grade kid (my oldest with more to follow) and suddenly this thing is getting A LOT of use. I have the fax hooked up via a Linksys ATA and it still works though IIRC I slowed the max baud rate down a little. My only complaints are 1) Email support is pretty lousy - can't do modern secure protocols; I have to run hMailServer on my HA machine to act as a gateway just for this thing and the elk, and 2) the toner cartridges last a while but when they start to go they are really expensive; 4 cartridges at MSRP of around $150 each means I could spend $600+ if they all go out but I'm cheap/savvy about replacements - I use only OEM but I'll buy used (not refilled but just a little bit used) or I'll find package deals to get several cartridges at once.
All in all I've been very happy with it. It's my second - the first HP AIO/MFP was kinda crappy; don't remember the reasons why but I just didn't like it much. This one has been great.
All in all I've been very happy with it. It's my second - the first HP AIO/MFP was kinda crappy; don't remember the reasons why but I just didn't like it much. This one has been great.
drvnbysound
Senior Member
Just an FYI, my printer has been reporting that it's low on black toner for around 6 months... and states that the prints may be faded - they aren't. I actually do have a black toner replacement on standby, but the print quality hasn't changed, and they printer continues to allow me to print, so I haven't changed it yet. The cartridges that come with the printer are listed as having a much lower page count than the replacement.
When the toner starts to run low you can often get some more use by gently shaking the cartridge from side to side to even out the toner.
I know that some ink jet printers come with small cartridges and that the normal replacements are bigger. From what you say that is also true on some laser printers.
They make a significant amount on toner and ink. Sometimes more than on the sale of the printer itself.
I know that some ink jet printers come with small cartridges and that the normal replacements are bigger. From what you say that is also true on some laser printers.
They make a significant amount on toner and ink. Sometimes more than on the sale of the printer itself.
pete_c
Guru
Yeah here for the inkjet multifunction printer I went to bulk inkjet purchasing. While the printer would do some auto cycle thing I did replace the inject cartridges a few times over the years. Mostly used it though relating to its faxing functions.
Here recently suggested to a friend to purchase a laser multifunctional printer to replace her inkjet. She was doing a lot of printing and I initially suggested a color laser printer if she needed to print in color at all.
She did have a quickie panic a couple of weeks back when her HP multifunctional inkjet printer quit on her (10 years old). She was using it to print addresses on multiple stacked envelopes. She ended up purchasing whatever temporarily and went to feeding a bunch of envelopes manually to the printer.
Here while I do use the HP Laser jet for envelopes never print more than one at a time. Never paid attention to whether the multifunctional printer could even print envelopes.
My whole thing was being able to raise the cover for photocopies whether on the PC or at the machine.
The Brother laser multifunctional printer while it works to photocopy you have to feed the paper to it to copy it. The DPI count for the new Canon is only 600X600 which suits me as I do not scan pictures these days and if I do have a photo film / photo picture scanner. (but do not use the legacy analog SLR cameras anymore these days).
Do recall that whole mixing of chemicals in the film canister stuff; what a PITA that was;well that whole dark room stuff was a real PITA.
Here recently suggested to a friend to purchase a laser multifunctional printer to replace her inkjet. She was doing a lot of printing and I initially suggested a color laser printer if she needed to print in color at all.
She did have a quickie panic a couple of weeks back when her HP multifunctional inkjet printer quit on her (10 years old). She was using it to print addresses on multiple stacked envelopes. She ended up purchasing whatever temporarily and went to feeding a bunch of envelopes manually to the printer.
Here while I do use the HP Laser jet for envelopes never print more than one at a time. Never paid attention to whether the multifunctional printer could even print envelopes.
My whole thing was being able to raise the cover for photocopies whether on the PC or at the machine.
The Brother laser multifunctional printer while it works to photocopy you have to feed the paper to it to copy it. The DPI count for the new Canon is only 600X600 which suits me as I do not scan pictures these days and if I do have a photo film / photo picture scanner. (but do not use the legacy analog SLR cameras anymore these days).
Do recall that whole mixing of chemicals in the film canister stuff; what a PITA that was;well that whole dark room stuff was a real PITA.
drvnbysound
Senior Member
My HP Color Laser MFP does print envelopes, but I'm with you Pete, I usually never do more than one at a time.
I never use the fax feature, and got the MFP for the ability to copy/scan, which I do quite often.
I never use the fax feature, and got the MFP for the ability to copy/scan, which I do quite often.
NickTheGreat
Member
I was always an HP guy. Probably my last 5 or 6 printers. The last one died on me, and I bought a new one to replace. The photo print quality was awful. Same with the Epson I test drove.
Finally went with a Canon, and get good photo quality. It's the Pixma 6320 (a few years old now) and i'm pleased. It's a thirsty bugger, though.
But for me, I don't print much documents, probably <100 pages per year, and wanted the quality.
Finally went with a Canon, and get good photo quality. It's the Pixma 6320 (a few years old now) and i'm pleased. It's a thirsty bugger, though.
But for me, I don't print much documents, probably <100 pages per year, and wanted the quality.
pete_c
Guru
Yeah the Alps MD-5000 uses multiple cartidges and a microdry method to print. It also prints in a dye sublimination mode.
Takes forever to print one thing though.
It lays down a base code, then color coats and finally either a glossy or semigloss coat.
I think they still sell proprietary photo printers these days using similiar technology.
Takes forever to print one thing though.
It lays down a base code, then color coats and finally either a glossy or semigloss coat.
I think they still sell proprietary photo printers these days using similiar technology.
Avoid Kodak printers like the plague. Their cheap ink system is a complete crock! I have a Kodak all-in-one for the last few years and I have all the empty cartridges from it. The cartridges started out $9.95 a few years ago, when I bought it, and now run at $19.95 per cartridge.
To put that in perspective... When I bought my new Brother LED printer I had 16 empty Kodak ink cartridges and the paper left from the four reams I bought, with the printer, I had about one and a half left. So I used about 1200-1300 pages and went through about $320 worth of ink cartridges. Oh yeah, and a new print head which Kodak replaced under warranty, with a warning to only use Kodak paper.
The Kodak WiFi also loses it's IP address after power blinks and you have to reset it.....Printed nice but you can run a Laser r LED printer for about the same price in ink/toner. I do now.
After about 6-8 HP inkjet printers I got tired of playing their games. The little suction cup at the one end that is supposed to seal the ink print head from drying up get's torn and dries up. This happened to my last three HP printers. I am told they have changed their inks now so this shouldn't happen. After some other nasty dealings I had with them I don't touch HP anymore.
The Brother LED printer is great. Not being a laser it doesn't take more than about 20 seconds to sit out the first print after sitting idle for a week. The Staples salesman tried to convince me the cartridges it came with may only print 5-20 prints and I should be buying ore toner right away. Yeah $400++ . Iknew I could get online a bit cheaper and decided to have a think on that one. Well opened the box and the colour toner cartridges are 1200 prints (full cartridges) and the black cartridge is rated at 1200 print (out of full=2100 prints). I may need to buy one black cartridge before I buy a new printer for about the same price as four new colour toners.
The photo quality stinks but text and presentation graphics are awesome and fine. Then again the whole thing was under $300 with 1200 pages of toner.
I didn't us to believe that the ink cartridges contains computer counters and stop working 1 print after their page rating even though half full of ink/toner. Looking at cartridges they only have two pins of connection. Now I believe it to be true after dealing with 1Wire devices. It is quite possible and quite likely. There are some articles online how to beat the set limits and get almost twice the usage out of ink/toner cartridges.
To put that in perspective... When I bought my new Brother LED printer I had 16 empty Kodak ink cartridges and the paper left from the four reams I bought, with the printer, I had about one and a half left. So I used about 1200-1300 pages and went through about $320 worth of ink cartridges. Oh yeah, and a new print head which Kodak replaced under warranty, with a warning to only use Kodak paper.
The Kodak WiFi also loses it's IP address after power blinks and you have to reset it.....Printed nice but you can run a Laser r LED printer for about the same price in ink/toner. I do now.
After about 6-8 HP inkjet printers I got tired of playing their games. The little suction cup at the one end that is supposed to seal the ink print head from drying up get's torn and dries up. This happened to my last three HP printers. I am told they have changed their inks now so this shouldn't happen. After some other nasty dealings I had with them I don't touch HP anymore.
The Brother LED printer is great. Not being a laser it doesn't take more than about 20 seconds to sit out the first print after sitting idle for a week. The Staples salesman tried to convince me the cartridges it came with may only print 5-20 prints and I should be buying ore toner right away. Yeah $400++ . Iknew I could get online a bit cheaper and decided to have a think on that one. Well opened the box and the colour toner cartridges are 1200 prints (full cartridges) and the black cartridge is rated at 1200 print (out of full=2100 prints). I may need to buy one black cartridge before I buy a new printer for about the same price as four new colour toners.
The photo quality stinks but text and presentation graphics are awesome and fine. Then again the whole thing was under $300 with 1200 pages of toner.
I didn't us to believe that the ink cartridges contains computer counters and stop working 1 print after their page rating even though half full of ink/toner. Looking at cartridges they only have two pins of connection. Now I believe it to be true after dealing with 1Wire devices. It is quite possible and quite likely. There are some articles online how to beat the set limits and get almost twice the usage out of ink/toner cartridges.
pete_c
Guru
Here relating to the "on sale" for $99 Canon imageCLASS MF4770n went looking locally.
Local store websites indicated it was in stock in three different places nearby. I didn't want to wait.
I also called Fry's (#4 store) and they said they would sale price match it.
Well calling to save me a driving trip all of the stores web sites stock were off.
None of the stores had the printer in stock and all of them stated that they would need to order it.
Picked one store and just ordered Monday it for pickup yesteday (and paying for it online) Wednesday October 22, 2014.
I was supposed to get an email verification. Nada relating to an email yesterday or today.
Guessing will wait one more day and just go to Amazon and cancel my order with the "other" store.
Picked up printer. Never did get an email for pickup. Checked on web site and it said it was there.
24th of October 2014
Easy to set up. Prints nice. Well constructed. You can stack envelopes. I am surprised at the feature set and the price and the build. The updated multifunctional printer adds wireless and is $30 more.
26th of October 2014
Recommending this printer to replace the friends older HP inkjet multifunctional printer.
27th of October 2014
Friend ordered printer. I personally had an issue as I configured the MF printer to connect to one phone line. The default settings for the FAX piece had it answering the phone in two rings which I wasn't aware of until I removed everything else on same said phone line. It was the last device I tested after removing or shutting off everything else.
Local store websites indicated it was in stock in three different places nearby. I didn't want to wait.
I also called Fry's (#4 store) and they said they would sale price match it.
Well calling to save me a driving trip all of the stores web sites stock were off.
None of the stores had the printer in stock and all of them stated that they would need to order it.
Picked one store and just ordered Monday it for pickup yesteday (and paying for it online) Wednesday October 22, 2014.
I was supposed to get an email verification. Nada relating to an email yesterday or today.
Guessing will wait one more day and just go to Amazon and cancel my order with the "other" store.
Picked up printer. Never did get an email for pickup. Checked on web site and it said it was there.
24th of October 2014
Easy to set up. Prints nice. Well constructed. You can stack envelopes. I am surprised at the feature set and the price and the build. The updated multifunctional printer adds wireless and is $30 more.
26th of October 2014
Recommending this printer to replace the friends older HP inkjet multifunctional printer.
27th of October 2014
Friend ordered printer. I personally had an issue as I configured the MF printer to connect to one phone line. The default settings for the FAX piece had it answering the phone in two rings which I wasn't aware of until I removed everything else on same said phone line. It was the last device I tested after removing or shutting off everything else.
