Printer recommendations (megathread)

Hey there,

Need some advice on picking up a new office printer.
Printing needs: laser is preferred, either color or B&W.
It absolutely has to handle A3 prints.
Thx

Take a look at those Epson Ecotank models—I'm not sure about the exact specs, but they run well over $667, and if you're looking at an A3 version, you might be looking at even more. Apparently, they handle high-volume color printing quite well. Plus, they come standard with duplexing, Wi-Fi, and all that other good stuff.

Looking into this

HP LaserJet Pro CP5225N

Is it actually any good?

Is this actually worth picking up?

My main priority is always the bottom line when it comes to printing—I run a small business, handling all my own invoices, labels, and correspondence, plus the usual household stuff. Because of that, I ditched inkjet tech for laser printers ages ago to save some cash. But now, I’m back in the market for a new machine, and I keep getting hit with these ads for "EcoTank" models claiming that ink is actually more cost-effective now than it used to be?!
Does anyone here actually know if that's true, or is there some catch I'm missing? Like, maybe the hardware itself doesn't last as long, or there are hidden costs lurking somewhere else besides the ink?

Thanks

cosmicotter13 said:My main priority is printing costs (since I run a small business handling invoices, labels, and correspondence, plus some home stuff), which is why I switched from inkjet to laser a long time ago. However, I’ve just seen an ad for those EcoTank models claiming that ink is actually more cost-effective now?!
Does anyone know if this is legit, or is there a catch somewhere else (like poor device durability, hidden extra costs besides the ink, etc.)?

Thanks

Yeah, that's the big trend right now. The printers themselves have a higher upfront cost (I don't think you can find anything under $400), but you make it all back on the toner savings... you can print significantly more pages, making it much cheaper than traditional color cartridges. Plus, you don't have to worry about printing regularly to prevent the printhead from clogging—that's a classic headache with cartridge systems.

Hi cosmicotter13,

To be honest, I was pretty torn about what to get too, mostly because I felt like I was just throwing money away on those Epson inkjets. I guess there's some truth to that old saying that you get what you pay for.

Maybe look at this one:

https://www.brother.com/printers/laser/hl-b2080dw

A buddy of mine uses it and he loves it. I'm actually planning on picking up the exact same model myself; I'm just waiting for my office to get it back in stock after my friend bought his.

If you don't want to wait, you could probably grab it here:

https://www.staples.com/brother-hl-b2080dw

Check out how cheap the genuine toner is for this model...

It might be slightly cheaper through Microchip Technology over in San Jose, but they usually need about two business days to restock.

HP and Canon are great brands, but they can be a bit pricey for a smaller home office... if you've got a massive budget, though, go ahead and splurge on them.

Hi there,
I could use some advice on picking out a new printer. I’ve been looking at the Epson EcoTank 615 because refilling the ink seems pretty budget-friendly, plus it handles copying, scanning, and faxing. My main goal is to have color capabilities, but I really want to avoid being hit by $333 costs for toner cartridges like the ones found in the models I was previously eyeing, specifically the HP LaserJet and the HP OfficeJet 9023.

Does anyone have any solid recommendations or actual hands-on experience when it comes to picking out a color all-in-one printer?
Looking for a setup that handles scanning, printing, copying, and Wi-Fi for a high-end professional studio.
We’re looking at an average daily volume of around 100 prints.

Up until now, I've just been using a Konica Minolta B&W, but honestly, I haven't even really put it through its paces.
Honestly, you should just run this thing into the ground until it finally gives up the ghost. It’s already pretty much ancient at this point anyway, and since there aren't any new drivers being released for it, it's basically reached its expiration date.

I went ahead and ordered this one:

ADM carries it too. They usually deliver within a week or two, and I already got my confirmation.

This one looks interesting as well—probably prints faster than an Epson, but you lose the A3 scanning capability.

Both are inkjet options. Ink is relatively cheap. Laser is more reliable for print quality, but we're talking about $1333+

Honestly, if you need color, just go with one of those new Ecotank A3 setups. You should probably check out a few of the posts above for more details.

Timothy Kim60 said:Look, if they need color, just go with one of those new Ecotank A3 setups. Just read a few posts above.

She needs A3 capability. Those Ecotank A3 models aren't cheap. Which one are you thinking of?

Look, if you're hitting 100 pages a day, you're basically running a high-intensity studio. If there's a lot of color work involved, things can get messy fast.

Take one of these, for example:

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B075D52LLF?...1A1iGRH2hfnj2Q

https://www.techradar.com/reviews/epson-ecotank-et-7750

If you can swing the budget, go for it. Availability is pretty terrible here, so you might need to look at shipping from overseas.

Also, maybe one of these would work for you:

https://www.nabava.net/pisaci/a3?q=e...cotank&se=2016

We need to print about 10-20 color pages a week.
I know it’d be cheaper to just hit up a FedEx Office or something, but sometimes the stuff is confidential, or I'm stuck printing at midnight because of a deadline.
Basically, I'm looking for a cheap color printer with cheap ink. I don't care about any extra junk like an ADF, scanner, or anything else—we already have dedicated gear for that.
Budget is around $500.
Any recommendations?

I'm looking for some solid recommendations for a monochrome laser printer. My main priority is printing out scripts, so reliability is key. I definitely need Wi-Fi capabilities so I can print directly from my phone, and duplex printing is a must to save on paper. Also, I'm looking for something with decent toner capacity—ideally at least 1,000 to 1,500 pages per cartridge. If anyone has any firsthand experience with a specific model, I’d really appreciate the help...

Hello there.
I am currently struggling with an old HP Envy series printer that I’ve had for a while. It hasn't seen much heavy use, but lately, even after running cleaning cycles, the print quality has become quite disappointing... I think it's finally time to call it quits on this one.
So, I am looking to pick up a replacement.
The primary user will be my daughter for her schoolwork, though she might occasionally want to print out some color photos.
Having a built-in scanner would be a significant plus, though I suppose it isn't strictly mandatory.
It absolutely needs Wi-Fi capability and the flexibility to work with third-party ink cartridges. Ideally, it should also be able to manage black-and-white printing if one of the color tanks runs dry.
To be clear, I fully intend to use generic, third-party inks rather than sticking solely to the big brands.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Oh, and regarding the budget... I'm looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of $800 to $1,000.

Should I go with a laser printer or one of those hybrid inkjets? Can anyone break down what these "hybrid" inkjets—like the Canon Pixma G2415—actually are compared to standard ones? We used to have an Epson's inkjet at home, but since we barely used it, the print head dried up on us pretty quickly—that whole headache I'm trying to dodge this time. The folks at the store are insisting the Canon is a better deal than a laser, claiming that because it uses refillable ink tanks, the ink won't dry out and you won't end up with a broken print head if you aren't printing constantly. I’ve been digging online, but I can't find much detail on how these specific ink tank hybrids actually work.

Does anyone happen to have a recommendation for a printer? I'm really just looking for something to handle the occasional few pages of plain text here and there. My main goal is to find something inexpensive and straightforward, simply so I don't find myself running to a local FedEx Office or a library every single time I need to print something. Thank you.

Looking for a recommendation for a printer that can scan, copy, and print? Ideally one where I can find replacement ink easily. My Canon Pixma TR7550 just gave up on me. Thanks.