Printer recommendations (megathread)

Hi,

Looking for recommendations on an A3 multifunction printer/copier for heavy daily use.
Ideally seeking the best value proposition—considering both upfront cost and toner expenses—within a $5,000$2000 budget.
Primary tasks will be B&W printing and copying (A3 size), with occasional color work (mostly A4).

Thanks.

I’m looking for some advice regarding a printer—specifically a color laser model... budget is sitting somewhere around $150 to $200. I don't particularly care about Wi-Fi connectivity or any of those modern bells and whistles—just give me something where finding replacement toner isn't an absolute nightmare...

Hey there,
I noticed there aren't really any replies to the printer questions here—I guess that means it’s not exactly a hot topic, or maybe things change so fast it's hard to keep up. Either way, I figured I'd take a shot at asking for some advice since I'm pretty much starting from scratch on this one.

So, basically, I'm looking for an all-in-one color printer and scanner (standard letter size). Ideally, I'd want something where I can either grab some affordable third-party ink cartridges or just find the original ones without breaking the bank—somewhere in the $200-$100 range. I don't have a super strict budget for the machine itself, though.
I don't need anything high-end or professional grade; I just need something "decent." You know, something where the scans are clear and the prints look about as good as a standard poster, a magazine, or even product packaging you'd see on a shelf. It's mostly for personal use—things like drawings and stuff—nothing meant for a professional business.

Does anyone have a specific brand they swear by, or maybe some tips on how to spot a reliable one?

wearystag57 said:Hey there,
It seems like questions about printers don't really get much traction here, so I suppose it's just not a very popular topic, or maybe things change so fast that it's hard for anyone to stay caught up. Still, I figured I would give it a shot and ask for some recommendations since I honestly have zero experience with this kind of stuff.

Basically, I'm on the hunt for a color printer and scanner—something standard A4 size—that either offers affordable third-party ink cartridges or at least keeps the original ink prices somewhat reasonable (maybe around $200-$100). I'm not too set on a specific budget for the machine itself.
I don't need anything top-of-the-line, just something that works "well enough." Ideally, the scans should be clear and the prints should look decent, sort of like a typical magazine, a basic poster, or even product packaging you'd see on a shelf at Target. This is just for personal use, like printing out drawings and similar projects, nothing intended for professional sale.

Does anyone happen to have a good brand they'd recommend, or perhaps some advice on how I can find a reliable one?

Should it be an all-in-one combo unit, or would two separate devices be better? And if we're talking about a combo, what else are you looking for—like networking, Wi-Fi, or whatever else might be necessary?

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Does it need to be an all-in-one, or should I look at two separate machines? If it's a combo, what else am I looking for—networking, Wi-Fi, or whatever else?

Honestly, I don't really care which way I go. I'd probably prefer an all-in-one just for convenience, but at the end of the day, I just want something reliable—whether it's one unit or two separate ones. I'm not even sure what all the networking stuff entails, and honestly, I don't think I really need Wi-Fi. Especially if there's a big price jump for those features. My desk is right next to my computer anyway, so I'm not against using a cable if it means getting a solid printer with decent color quality without breaking the bank.

If you're looking at long-term ink costs, your best bet right now is probably one of those refillable tank models. You can usually find decent options in the $100 to $200 range.

For instance, check this out:

If you need an automatic document feeder for scanning multi-page docs, try this:

Epson, HP, and others carry similar deals.

Most of the ones I've looked at have Wi-Fi, though honestly, wireless printing can be a headache. It's usually better to just stick with a cable.

https://www.nabava.net/pisaci/epson-...0-dpi-64519791

I've been running this thing for over a year now. Honestly? Zero issues so far. Plus, if you bother to register it on Epson's website, they bump the warranty up to 3 years.

bluemason3 said:If running costs are a big deal for you, you might find that some of those refillable ink tank models are actually the best way to go right now. Usually, the cheapest ones fall somewhere in that $100-$200 range.

For example, maybe check out something like this: https://www.amazon.com/products/detail/printer/135409

If you happen to need an ADF for scanning multiple pages at once: https://www.amazon.com/products/detail/printer/135410

Companies like Epson and HP have similar deals available.

From what I've seen, most of them come with Wi-Fi, though—honestly—Wi-Fi can be such a headache with printers sometimes, so it might be better to just stick to a cable.

I don't really need an automatic feeder. It's not for scanning books or anything like that—it’s mostly just for single drawings, one by one. I've always liked Brother as a brand, too. So, I guess I'll just focus on making sure the ink is easy to refill, you know? Thanks!

electricbadger9 said:https://www.bestbuy.com/printers/epson-...0-dpi-64519791
I've been using this one for over a year now, and honestly, no issues so far. Plus, if you register it on Epson's website, they usually give you an extension on the warranty up to 3 years.

Even though I tend to prefer Brother, looking at the specs here, I think I might actually like this one more. Does anyone know where the best place to grab extra ink would be, and how much should I expect to pay?

It looks pretty great to me.

Thanks so much to all three of you for the help—I think I'm going to end up going with that Epson.

wearystag57 said:Where’s the best place to grab ink and what are we looking at price-wise?

https://www.amazon.com/ink-cartridges

Prices are pretty much the same across the board for the other colors. I've pumped out somewhere around 1,000 to 1,500 pages so far and I've barely even touched two-thirds of my black ink cartridge.

electricbadger9 said:https://www.staples.com/ink-cartridges...14a-70-ml.html

The price is pretty much the same for the other colors too—I’ve probably printed somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 pages by now, and I think I’ve used maybe two-thirds of the black ink.

Awesome, thanks!

https://www.nabava.net/skeneri/canon...it-a4-67526891

Regarding the scanner situation, I suppose this one might be worth looking into.

This looks like a solid option. In my opinion, if you’re running high-volume color jobs, a setup like this is the only way to go.

https://www.staples.com/printer-deals

It’s a multifunction unit with duplex printing and Wi-Fi. Perfect for heavy color workloads and actually makes sense for your budget.

Timothy Kim60 said:Supposedly this is a solid option. Personally, if you're printing in color all the time, a setup like this actually makes sense.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/printer-example-link

It's a multifunction, does duplex, has WiFi, handles high-volume color printing, and is pretty cost-effective overall.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think I'm sticking with the one I mentioned earlier. This one is a bit out of my price range, and honestly, I don't plan on printing much—maybe just a few times a month here and there.

Btw: is it just me, or did the mega-thread for picking out monitors disappear?

It’ll work fine if you aren't printing a massive volume. That model is really geared toward small businesses.

As for the monitor, it's been sent back; there was a technical glitch.

Hey there!
I could really use some help picking out a printer.
I need something that can actually handle heavier cardstock, maybe around 250-300gsm. I'm looking to print things like invitations, postcards, or those little birthday decorations that really need that thicker paper to look decent. Having Wi-Fi would be great, and duplex printing is definitely preferred if possible.
From what I’ve gathered online so far—and I might be wrong here—it seems like pigment inks are better because they hold up longer than dye-based ones.
I've been looking at a few options, and the Canon Maxify MB2150 or the Brother DCP-T510W seem okay for inkjets. For laser, I spotted the Ricoh spc260dnw and the Canon LBP611CN. Any advice or thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

I’m rocking an HP DeskJet right now—just one of those all-in-one printer/scanner combos. The real headache is how often I have to buy ink; even though I barely print, I’m replacing cartridges once or twice a year. To make matters worse, I just bought an official cartridge and the printer is claiming it’s incompatible. I pulled it out to check if I screwed up the order, but the ink itself seems fine.
Then, when I popped it back in, the screen suddenly thanks me for buying genuine ink and says we're good to go!
Fast forward two weeks of letting it sit idle, and as soon as I turn it back on, it’s back to telling me the ink is incompatible. What a joke.

I am officially done dealing with crappy ink and unreliable printers. I want to switch to a cheap, reliable laser printer instead, so I have a question...

Does it actually make sense to get a laser printer for home use if I'm only printing, like, 20 pages a month? And if so, what should I get?

electricbadger9 said:https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/printers/details/example-printer-link

I've been running this thing for over a year now and honestly haven't hit a single snag, plus if you bother registering it on the Microsoft website, they toss you an extra three years of warranty for free.

We’ve got one at our place too and it handles all those heavy-duty print jobs like a total champ.

Hey everyone, does anyone know if there are any solid deals on multifunction printers right now with Black Friday coming up? I’m looking for a recommendation for something pretty low-maintenance. I really only print about 100 pages of text a year—definitely nothing involving photos. I just need something with USB and Wi-Fi connectivity that lets me print straight from an app on my phone, and ideally, I don't want to get hit with crazy ink prices every few months.

Sent from my iPhone

Hey everyone, I could really use some help picking out a printer. I'm looking for a budget-friendly option for basic home use, and having Wi-Fi would be a huge plus.
Is this one a decent choice, or should I be looking at something else entirely: https://www.nabava.net/pisaci/hp-las...wi-fi-64554011

Thanks in advance!

Hi there! I'm looking for some advice. We're planning to pick up a printer—maybe a multifunction unit—for home use. Ideally, it would be a color printer with affordable ink, or perhaps something that plays nice with third-party cartridges. My budget is around $400. $167 It needs to support both Wi-Fi and USB connectivity. If anyone has any recommendations, I’d really appreciate it!