Printer issues?

rustysurfer79 said:Do you honestly think there’s a massive difference compared to the HP Envy 5000? Or that the whole 3.5 ml + 3.5 ml analysis actually changes anything significant? If you actually grasped my previous point, you could run this product through the exact same mathematical and logical function.

Anyway, if you're hunting for something in that same laser class—here’s something new to chew on for the New Year.
It's cheaper than a laser and faster than a laser—though we don't even have permanent cartridges for it yet. So, I guess the OEM purists will be happy enough.

http://www.epson.co.uk/cs/ContentSer...pplication/pdf

I’m not "thinking" anything... I simply gave the guy a recommendation for a printer with Wi-Fi.😬
Though, honestly, if that Epson is any cheaper, it's a total beast.😁

George Harris2 said:I’m not trying to start anything... I was just giving the guy a recommendation for a printer with Wi-Fi 😬
Even if this Epson is cheaper, it's still a total beast 😁

It’s not actually cheaper unless you factor things in. If you grab a new laser printer and it comes with a starter toner that does 500 pages, plus a new one that hits 1,000, then the math changes $150 When you look at it that way, those 2,400 pages end up costing you about 800 + 450 + 450—or maybe 1,200 if you do 800 + 450, assuming the Epson comes with those small cartridges. Basically, you're getting color prints tossed in there for free too

Anyone know a printer that’s actually fast and prints decent quality without the machine itself costing more than $800$300
? I need something that plays nice with off-brand toner up to $67 and won't die on me in six months.

It's for my business, so we're cranking out a ton of pages...

Right now, I'm stuck using an old Samsung laser printer—think something like an ML1665—but the absolute minimum is $133 its original toner,
because third-party stuff just doesn't work,
and honestly, that's way too much cash to burn so quickly...

So, if you guys have any leads on those questions from the start, let me know. Thanks!😉

Sophia Harris96 said:Which printer prints fast and high quality without the machine itself costing more than $800$300
and can handle cheap compatible toners up to $67 and actually lasts a long time?

I need this for my business, so we print a lot....

Right now I’ve got a Samsung, I think it's an ML1665 (laser)..but the problem is $133 it needs original toner,
since compatibles won't work,
and that's just way too much cash to burn so fast....

So please let me know if you guys have answers to those questions above... thanks 😉

Most lasers print pretty quick. Just gotta watch out for whether they use GDI or PCL.

Basically, PCL printers are faster than GDI ones because the computer sends font codes to the printer, and then the printer uses its own resident fonts to build the page. With GDI, the computer does all the heavy lifting to render the page before sending it over. It's kind of a classic trap. Honestly, a printer is only as fast as the computer can feed it data. Since modern PCs are insanely powerful compared to older ones, you can grab a bottom-of-the-barrel printer from a brand like Samsung and feel like you bought a high-speed beast. It's mostly an illusion.

Makes sense?

rustysurfer79, after everything you just said...
which exact printer would you suggest if I don't want to drop more than $267,
and I need to make sure the replacement toner doesn't cost me more than $67?
thanks in advance 😉

Sophia Harris96 said:rustysurfer79, after everything you just said...
which specific printer would you suggest that won't break the bank at over $267,
and where the compatible toner isn't more than $67 per unit?
thanks in advance 😉

Look into some HP 1015 series or something similar that uses HP 12 cartridges. Honestly, it’s way better to go with an HP LaserJet that takes the HP 15
or HP 13 cartridges instead.

Why?

Because the third-party toner costs about the same, but the HP 12 only holds 80g while the HP 13 packs in 130-150g.
You can find these printers on the HP online store; for $167 you get the printer plus 80g of toner, but for $333 plus tax, you get the printer plus three 150g cartridges.

Just to put it in perspective, for your $267 at a Mall of America, you’d basically be getting the exact same HP LaserJet and 25g of toner.

Make sense?

@rustysurfer79/">@@rustysurfer79: I see you're quite the printer expert. I guess you might know where I could pick up some toner powder for an old HP LaserJet in a place like Chicago?

Joshua Garcia3 said:@rustysurfer79/">@@rustysurfer79: Looks like you're a total printer nerd. Do you happen to know where I can pick up some toner powder for an old HP LaserJet in Chicago?

Check this out, might help you out

== like 3 toners for HP LaserJet == $67
Not sure about any other options, honestly

Speaking from my own experience, if you're looking for a budget-friendly way to print, I'd definitely recommend the Canon Pixma.
The printer is about ~$167
. Replacement ink costs around 5-$3.25.
I’ve had mine for a few years now and have put quite a few pages through it, so I can honestly say it's been great.

placidgull21 said:Speaking from experience, if you're looking for cheap printing, I'd highly recommend the Canon Pixma.
The printer costs about $167
. Using generic ink saves me like 5-$3.25.
I've had mine for a few years now and have printed a ton of pages. Honestly, I can't say enough good things about it.

We’ve seen a bunch of those come through our repair shop.

Bottom line? It's a budget product. We kept seeing burnt-out print heads on them. They just aren't as durable as the heads on the Canon Pixma. Both models use five ink tanks. Actually, because the head on the Canon Pixma lasts so much longer, it's usually the gears in the paper feed assembly that give out first. The head itself stays fine.

rustysurfer79, I see you're bringing up the cost-effectiveness of laser printers again. What's your take on the HP LaserJet?

Can someone give me the lowdown on a Brother laser printer?
I checked out a few shops (like Best Buy... you know the drill) and they mentioned that for laser printers, you're looking at roughly 800-$300
They said they have a Brother model for about $167 if I remember right... BUT here's the real question:
is it actually any good?
Does it play nice with generic toner?
And what am I going to get hit with for replacement toner costs...

Full disclosure: I’ve honestly never even heard of this "Brother" brand before today...
So, I'm all ears. I'm buying this for the office, and I really don't want to end up
throwing money down the drain after just a few months...

coppernomad10 said:rustysurfer79, I see you talking about how much sense a laserjet makes. What's your take on the HP LaserJet?

It’s a total nightmare.

Why?

Because HP basically designed this cartridge to be a pain in the neck, making it almost impossible to refill.

So in the end, the user gets screwed for not listening to what rustysurfer79 was saying.

Basically, refilling it takes so much work that you'd need a Chinese wage just to make it worth your time.

Got it?

And yeah, that kit and the manual they give you? Totally useless.

Honestly, just use your head before you open your wallet.

Sophia Harris96 said:Can anyone give me the lowdown on Brother laser printers?
I checked out a few shops (Best Buy... stuff like that) and they mentioned that for laser printers up to $800-$300
they have that Brother one for about $167 if I remember right... BUT what I really want to know is,
is it actually any good?
Does it work with generic toner?
And how much does a cheap replacement cost me...

To be honest, this is my first time even hearing the name "Brother"........
So any info helps... I'm buying this for a business, so I don't want to end up
with something useless in a couple of months...

Brother uses a pretty specific toner formula. That high-quality toner that actually works without issues ends up costing about 3 times more than an HP toner. Just putting that out there, because at the end of the day, it all hits the user's wallet.

Sophia Harris96 said:Can I get some feedback on a Brother laser printer?
I checked out a few shops (Best Buy... stuff like that) and they mentioned that for laser printers up to $800-$300
, they have that Brother model for about $167 if I remember correctly... BUT what I really want to know is,
is it actually any good?
Does it work with third-party toner?
And how much does that replacement toner run me...

To be honest, this is my first time ever hearing about the "Brother" brand........
so any info helps... since I'm buying this for the office, and I'd rather not
throw money away after just a few months...

It’s not exactly a newcomer; they've been around for over 20 years. Their printers are reliable—we use them at our firm and I can honestly say they're great. 🙂

Regarding replacement toner 🤷, we always stick with the original.

Joshua Garcia3, what's the deal with the original toner for this Brother?
Which exact model are you running (printer model... and toner part number)?

rustysurfer79... I read your reply twice...
Look, I get that you're a total pro at all this tech stuff...
But for a complete newbie like me, I just need it straight up, no fluff.

Is a Brother printer actually decent for an office setting where we're printing tons of stuff?
And since he’s using a compatible toner... does the machine even play nice with it?

Sophia Harris96 said:Joshua Garcia3, is the original toner for the Brother?
Which one do you actually have (printer model... and toner model)?

rustysurfer79... I read your answer twice...
But honestly, I get that you're really into all this tech stuff..
Still, as a total newbie, I just need it straight up

Is a Brother printer actually good enough for an office that prints quite a bit, or not?
And since he's using a compatible toner... does the printer even support that?

Look, every manufacturer rigs the game so they can squeeze as much cash as possible into their own pockets. If you're okay with that kind of business model, then you shouldn't have any problem with that Brother, or Lexmark, or Minolta, or OKI, or any other pile of lasers out there. They all think and act exactly the same way.

It’s pretty much as simple as it gets.

On the flip side, if you're looking for a reliable, proven laser printer + cheap print costs + a warranty that basically pays for itself through branded toner, then that definitely doesn't fit into the scheme I mentioned above.

So, you first gotta say how much cash you've got on the table and what you're expecting for it.

rustysurfer79 said:The absolute worst.

Why?

Because HP basically designed this cartridge to be as difficult to refill as humanly possible.

So I guess the user ends up paying the price for not listening to what rustysurfer79 was saying.

Or put another way, refilling it takes so much work it’s only worth it if you're working for a Chinese wage.

Okay?

And obviously, that kit and manual mentioned above are completely useless.

Basically, you have to use your head before you open your wallet.

Thanks for the helpful reply; I thought you were recommending that LaserJet to someone else. So, what specific, easy-to-find laser model would you recommend from a local big-box store—something that just does black, lasts a long time, and doesn't have insanely expensive original ink or replacement costs?

Sophia Harris96 said:Joshua Garcia3, since we're talking about genuine Brother toner...
which exact setup are you running (printer model... and specific toner part number)?

rustysurfer79... I've read your reply twice now...
but honestly, I get that you're clearly deep into all this technical stuff..
still, as someone who isn't an expert, I just need a straight answer.

Is a Brother printer actually reliable enough for a business with a heavy print volume?
And since we're looking at third-party toner... will the machine even support it?

We use a few different models here:

HL-1470N - toner

HL-5070N - toner

HL-2150N - toner

-there are probably other models too, but I can't recall them off the top of my head. 🙂

I've been using that first one for over seven years and I print quite a bit; the other two are used by people nearby (in the adjacent offices).

Joshua Garcia3 said:We use a few different printer models here:

HL-1470N - toner

HL-5070N - toner

HL-2150N - toner

-there are some other models too, but I can't recall them right now. 🙂

I've been using this first one for over 7 years and I print a ton. The other two are used by people nearby (in the offices next door).

Here’s a solid breakdown to help you guys see what I mean

An HP 64A toner costs about $200 = 3000 pages. You don't get a warranty on the printer. If you ask when the warranty expired, it was probably 7 years ago. Basically, someone is just skimming the cream off the top here.

Take an HP Pavilion toner with built-in coverage—not for the toner itself, but for the printer == $77 + tax. Without that printer warranty = $67 + tax == 4000- 5000 pages. So, here's the catch. It'll be hard to find working printers that take HP Pavilion toners based on those numbers alone. But you can find them bundled with 3 * HP Pavilion toners = roughly 12- 15000 pages + a printer warranty that's essentially baked into the price of the toner mentioned above.

Why?

Because someone actually sat down, did the math, and realized this kind of bundle is the best move for any serious user.

Why doesn't Brother offer something like this? Probably because the math just doesn't work out for them to make a profit on it.