Edumacate me about laser printers

[neilo]

I've always had decent enough inkjet printers, the last two being HP 'all-in-ones'. However, the genuine cartridges are a complete rip off, and the non-genuine ones, when I can get the HP printer to accept them, have always been problematic and in need of regular head cleans, etc. Cartridges are heading towards empty again, so looking around at options, with a new printer not costing a lot more than a set of genuine HP cartridges.

I need a colour printer that will scan & copy (two-sided) and print (automatic duplex). Last 2 printers have been able to scan/copy/print up to A3, but only used that twice that I can remember, so an A4 will suffice. Outright speed not that important, but nice to have obviously.

On the face of it, laser printers have come down in price enough to be a feasible option at £200-250 or so. Considering the Brother range, but am I missing any others?

I know they are quieter and don't have nozzles to block, but do they have any other problems that an inkjet wouldn't? What are the ongoing running costs (I see that 'genuine' toner cartridges are as horrendously priced as inkjet cartridges)?
Does anything need to be replaced other than the toner cartridges?

I've never had anything to do with laser printers, so I'm all ears.

 

[Kidds]

Mine is a Brother and works very well. Mine is mono though.
Are you sure you need colour? I thought I did but haven't suffered by just having mono.
I bought a high capacity toner refill cartridge when I bought the printer, that was months ago and still on the original so far.
Prints both sides if you tell it to
Nothing else to replace other than paper and it holds a lot of that.

 

[Rich_ard]

Mine is very simple so not what you are looking at, but It’s far better than the injets I used to use, as it is only black. So no empty cartridge when printing carry on. Not sure the print quality is any better but iv had it years and only recently had to change the cartridge again. Had a bit of a faf as they were non genuine Samsung but it turned out it wasn't that anyway I had to clean some connectors that a chip on the new cartridge fits against on the printer. Going fine again now. They supposed don't dry out but the cartridge don't last forever on mine but certainly last longer then the inkjets for me with limited printing.

 

[Johnnyboxer]

Just get a Brother laser for £100
Best brand I have found
New ink is about £35 and goes 1000’s of pages

 

[J B]

Back in the days when I was a farmer ... I was in a similar situation to you ...
Ended up keeping my HP multifunction inkjet and bought a cheap brother mono laser.
Food for thought?

 

[nonemouse]

I’ve had a hp all in one colour laser for a few years (and several reams of paper) been very good, it’s been saying it’s low on toner since before Xmas, but it’s still printing. But looking at price of genuine toner it’s probably going to to be as cheap to dump the printer and buy new. not exactly environmentally friendly I know.

 

[Rich_ard]

I’ve had a hp all in one colour laser for a few years (and several reams of paper) been very good, it’s been saying it’s low on toner since before Xmas, but it’s still printing. But looking at price of genuine toner it’s probably going to to be as cheap to dump the printer and buy new. not exactly environmentally friendly I know.

The new cartridge will last longer than what comes in a new one, with mine it was anyway. If its working fine would you not get a new toner?

 

[Blank]

I've always had decent enough inkjet printers, the last two being HP 'all-in-ones'. However, the genuine cartridges are a complete rip off, and the non-genuine ones, when I can get the HP printer to accept them, have always been problematic and in need of regular head cleans, etc. Cartridges are heading towards empty again, so looking around at options, with a new printer not costing a lot more than a set of genuine HP cartridges.

I need a colour printer that will scan & copy (two-sided) and print (automatic duplex). Last 2 printers have been able to scan/copy/print up to A3, but only used that twice that I can remember, so an A4 will suffice. Outright speed not that important, but nice to have obviously.

On the face of it, laser printers have come down in price enough to be a feasible option at £200-250 or so. Considering the Brother range, but am I missing any others?

I know they are quieter and don't have nozzles to block, but do they have any other problems that an inkjet wouldn't? What are the ongoing running costs (I see that 'genuine' toner cartridges are as horrendously priced as inkjet cartridges)?
Does anything need to be replaced other than the toner cartridges?

I've never had anything to do with laser printers, so I'm all ears.

The missus has one supplied by work and its been faultless. Its an Epson. As it's a work job she doesn't pay for ink and the stuff for my own inkjet is dear. Even my crappy HP does both sides etc.

Maybe worth costing out leasing with ink etc all in and upgrades every few years.

 

[Nearly]

On a big lump of a xerox here.
None gen cartridges.
Best thing about laser is the ink doesn't run when it gets wet. Ideal for sprayer sheets etc.

 

[Exfarmer]

The other option is an Epson eco tank ink jet.
average cartridges hold about 10ml the ecotank print ink comes in 70 ml bottles for the same sort of money
Epson ET 4810

 

[milkloss]

Have a brother dcp-l3550 here. It’s colour laser with scanner glass and wireless. Works really well printing from your phone anywhere in the house or scanning direct to your computer. Toner carts can be reset with a secret squirrel key combination. Touch screen interface is actually quite good too.

 

[jimred]

Lasers are amazingly trouble free and easy to use. Mines a cheap HP monochrome which has printed many thousands of pages and is over 20 years old. Only bought about 6 new cartridges in that time. Cartridge is £70 ish for genuine but used compatibles with no issue for half price. Price per copy is a fraction of inkjets. Problem I've got is Microsoft don't expect expect things to last so long so getting drivers to work correctly on newer version of Windows is a nightmare. Commercial users never consider anything but lasers.

 

[Rich_ard]

Wireless would be a must now. So you can send it from your phone or whatever. That's what I don't like about my old one it can't be modified to do it. I have to send files to my e mail so I can get it of the desktop connected to the printer.

 

[Dman2]

Brother MFC colour laser here
very good printer, but it`s not keen on using any old toner.
Unless i`m doing something wrong

 

[mixedfmr]

Always had HP inkjet . but was sick of buying cartridges, then i used to fill them myself, (can be messy)
Some years back got an Epson tank, then upgraded for facilities, Excellent running costs, Genuine ink cheap. So cost effective i dont think about it. Probably saved hundreds, poss a thousand if i got one as soon as they came out
If id had one earlier there would have been no need to go to Tescos at 12.30am for a new cartridge to get pig licences printed for 6am depart

 

[Boysground]

I have a kyocera laser printer. Too complicated for its own good, i just want something that prints and scans. Has an annoying habit of putting lines on the paper which i think are toner on a roller, whatever i do it won’t stop. It also crumples every envelope i put through it. I can get it to use the main paper tray as the default so i have to tell it every time.

It does run on fake toner though. change of make when i finally get fed up with it i think.

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[neilo]

Thanks all. Refurb (damaged box) Brother laser ‘all in one’ ordered from Cartridge People today.

 

[Exfarmer]

I have a kyocera laser printer. Too complicated for its own good, i just want something that prints and scans. Has an annoying habit of putting lines on the paper which i think are toner on a roller, whatever i do it won’t stop. It also crumples every envelope i put through it. I can get it to use the main paper tray as the default so i have to tell it every time.

It does run on fake toner though. change of make when i finally get fed up with it i think.

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Have you tried putting your envelopes through longwise?

 

[Badshot]

Thanks all. Refurb (damaged box) Brother laser ‘all in one’ ordered from Cartridge People today.

I get spurious toner off amazon.
Worked fine so far, on my 5th lot of toner carts now. Had the printer 10 years at least, never had any bother with it.

 

[Boysground]

Have you tried putting your envelopes through longwise?

Thats what I do. Its not a big crumple but just enough to really annoy me.

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