Printer issues?

Has it really been that long already? Time just flies when you aren't doing anything meaningful 😁 It’s clear we aren't exactly heavy hitters when it comes to spending.

I’m looking into picking up a laser all-in-one, and honestly, I could probably use some guidance since I don't know the first thing about this stuff. My main requirements are a 3-in-1 setup—so it needs to handle copying—and it definitely needs WiFi capability. What should I actually be looking out for here? From what I can gather, there’s a lot of talk about resolution, but I can't tell if that refers to the scanning side or the printing side. If I'm planning on using it as a scanner for photos too, how much resolution am I really going to need? I'm assuming 600x600 is cutting it a bit too close?

Look, let me be blunt: if your job hasn't required you to obsess over resolution settings until now, then don't bother worrying about it. Honestly, any decent all-in-one on the market will handle scanning and printing documents or photos for non-professional use just fine. You really can't go wrong with whatever you pick up.

Also, those 3-in-1 laser printers tend to cost a bit more, so I wouldn't rush into that unless you've got the budget. What kind of price range were you actually thinking?

Budget-friendly 3-in-1 lasers start at around $333:

Anyway, a quick tip:

Before you buy any printer—whether it's laser or inkjet—check with your local shop or wherever you usually grab supplies. See what kind of ink or toner they actually stock, both original and generic brands. Ask the clerk which models people buy most often; if they're honest, they'll tell you which cartridges are easy to find. That way, you won't end up screwed by buying some exotic printer that requires overpriced toner you have to order from halfway across the country in nowhere.

Alright, so I’m on the hunt for some new toner—my HP LaserJet Pro M1132 MFP is running low. According to the official HP site, the specific replacement I need is the CE285A (HP 85 a). I started doing a little digging online, and at first, I kept running into these options

which are sitting around the $200$50
mark.
But then—and this is where things get interesting—I kept searching and stumbled upon these instead

going for about $40$20
.
What's the catch here? Is it actually the same stuff? I can't quite wrap my head around why there's such a massive price gap. Is it a quality thing—like, will the cheaper one just fail me when I need it most? Is it actually worth grabbing the budget version, or am I just asking for trouble down the road?

The name says it all: it’s a generic toner, not an official HP product. Let’s be real, original toners and inks—the stuff actually made by the printer manufacturer—can cost several times more than the off-brand stuff. Manufacturers love to claim there's a massive quality gap and threaten that using third-party ink or toner will "break" your machine. On the flip side, the people selling the replacements say that's total nonsense, and honestly, most users stick with them because they're just way cheaper 😬 and nobody seems to have a printer die just because they used a compatible cartridge... provided you actually buy one designed for your specific model, of course.

Thanks, darkowl72. I think I’ve actually made up my mind—I'm going to go with a compatible one instead. I mean, when you realize I can grab five replacements for the price of a single original, it’s hard to ignore that kind of math, right? It's just such a massive difference. I'm assuming they'll all work fine with my printer, though—as long as the CE 285A label is the main thing to watch out for, we should be good, shouldn't we? Fingers crossed the shape and fit are spot on!

If the part number matches, it’s gotta fit.

Anyone active here? 🙂

I need a budget-friendly printer that can handle copying—ideally without needing my computer turned on. I’m a teacher, so I’m constantly printing handouts for students, though print quality isn't my top priority. It'll be used regularly—except during the summer break 😬—so I'm not worried about longevity; I just want the hardware and the ink to be as cheap as possible. My current HP f2420 is acting up mechanically, and the ink costs are killing me, so I’m done messing around with it.

This one looks perfect price-wise, but I assume there's a catch for it being so low?

Is it actually worth splurging a bit more on something like this:

Open to a third option if you guys have any suggestions. 🙂

The real issue with that Canon is how insanely expensive the ink is—you can't even find decent third-party replacements. A single original XL color cartridge will run you about $50 just to get through 400 pages. Sure, Epson offers cheaper alternatives, but those aren't really built for heavy lifting.

If you want to actually save money, look into a laser printer, like this HP model. Yeah, the upfront cost is higher, but it pays for itself in no time. A toner cartridge that handles 1,500 pages costs maybe a hundred bucks, and honestly, they’re way more reliable than some cheap inkjet that breaks every other week.

I could really use some advice regarding an old printer that’s still working perfectly fine for me. I'm trying to hook it up to my laptop via USB so I can actually get some printing done, but I don't have those old-school ports that used to be standard on desktop computers.

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7gkAAO...~p/s-l1600.jpg

This is what the cable that comes with the printer looks like.
Now, I just need to find something that will let me connect it to a USB port on my laptop. I was thinking about ordering something from eBay.

ruggedeagle40 said:I'm looking for a budget-friendly printer that can handle copying.

Using an inkjet for copying is a fast track to bankruptcy. Even if you try to cheat by using the cheapest generic ink you can find, it’s still going to bleed you dry. Jeffrey Chavez6 actually gave me some solid advice: it’s much smarter to invest a little more upfront in a decent laser printer. Once you do, the cost per page drops through the floor. For what it costs to run a single page on an inkjet, you could probably knock out dozens of copies on a laser. It's night and day.

wiredgull80 said:I need some help with an old printer that's still holding up pretty well for me.

That port is either called parallel or Centronics. You can find USB-to-parallel converters for just about any of those ancient connections, but honestly, they’re a total gamble. They fail to communicate half the time, so buying one feels like playing the lottery.

You really need to track down a model where you can be 100% certain it actually works with your specific version of Windows and uses the same USB protocol. You should be able to find something like that around here. This is it. At Chipoteka, besides being outrageously overpriced—not that they're even the same company they used to be—it probably wouldn't even work because it's stuck on USB 1.1 protocol.

Besides, it says it isn't compatible with Windows 7, which basically means you can forget about any newer versions of Windows too. When you're out buying one, watch yourself regarding the parallel connector—there are two different types. That DB25 female connector you see at places like Best Buy is the one with all the holes, and that’s definitely not what you need. You specifically need a male Parallel (IEEE 1284) connector to work with your printer.

You can find them on eBay without breaking the bank, but I'm just saying—there are a million different reasons why they might suddenly stop working on you.

Try looking for something like this:

Check this out on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sabrent-USB-...3D261976649191

Just find one that says USB 2.0, works with Windows 7 and 8, and is plug-and-play. Just stay away from that Linkani site—their shipping times are absolutely insane.

It looks like... Hey. The bio looks fine, but I can't give you a guarantee. I don't want to be the one telling you to go out and buy something only for it to end up being a total waste of money. 🤷

Thanks a ton, guys—really digging this recommendation 👍 Believe it or not, I’ve actually had my eye on this one for a while, though I don't have any hands-on experience with it. I guess I have a bit of a bias against HP since their ink cartridges basically bled me dry on my current setup 👎 As for the price, it’s just right—enough to make me wait until my next paycheck rather than grabbing it now. I'm pretty sure it'll be worth the investment! Thanks again 🙂

Since we're talking laser mini-copiers—HP vs. Samsung vs. Brother? How does the competition actually stack up regarding print quality, service availability, and how easy it is to find replacement toner? Right now, the HP m125nw is leading the pack for me; I’d rather grab that one because of the Wi-Fi instead of the 125a. I tend to print from several different devices, so that’s a huge plus (and honestly, models without Wi-Fi are basically becoming relics anyway). But I noticed Samsung and Brother have units with similar specs at almost the exact same price point, so I don't want to just jump at the first thing I see!

I used to take my toner cartridges to get refilled over by the local tech shops near the old vocational school and those little spots right across from the Walmart. Honestly, I have no clue how yours is performing now, but your best bet is to just head down there and talk to the pros who actually know their stuff—they really do, I've seen it myself 😬. Just ask them about those three specific models: which one is easiest to refill, which one is the cheapest, and what kind of headaches people usually run into with them. Go with whatever they tell you...

Newer Samsung models use those tiny toner cartridges that only last about 1,000 pages, and finding decent replacements? Forget it—they're pricey. It's the same story with Brother. On the flip side, newer HP and Canon machines use 1,500 or 1,600-page cartridges (think 83A or 85A), which are way cheaper and actually make sense for your wallet. As for print quality, let's be real: these printers are built to last a few thousand pages total, so don't go expecting miracles. Right now, Kyocera and Xerox aren't offering anything that fits your budget either; most of their toner costs more than $67 off-brand stuff.

Thanks everyone, the HP is officially off my hands 😍

Hi, looking for some opinions on this printer. Epson L220 I've been eyeing it, so I need advice and recommendations. 🙂
It’s a bit pricey upfront, but I heard the ink costs about $17, which would be roughly $67 for a full set (black, cyan, magenta, yellow), and supposedly yields 4000/6000 pages (black/color) based on what I was told. Some people claim it's better to get a model with dual cartridges—one black and one color—while others swear by this specific setup. I honestly have no clue, so here I am. 🙂
Look, I'm a college student. I need to print study guides, assignments, papers, and the occasional photo. I'll definitely need this for work down the road too. I'm hunting for an all-in-one—printer, scanner, copier. From what I can tell, it lacks the duplex feature I wanted, but I guess I could just manually flip the pages. Back in high school, I had an HP All in One Deskjet F2180 that did the job for a while, but the ink was around 100-$40 for black and then the same for color separately. Didn't feel like it printed many pages for that much money. Plus, apparently, the print head died on it, and they say it's not even worth trying to fix. 😢
Spending $467 at Eurotrade feels steep right now, but I figure it pays off in the long run because of the ink savings. If anyone has suggestions for a cheaper but equally reliable alternative, let me know. 🙂

Help me out here 😢 I need a printer, and I need it fast. Honestly, I’m second-guessing the quality of the one I mentioned earlier... :/ Any better recommendations for something similar under $333? :/

If you need color printing plus an all-in-one setup, this one is hands down the most cost-effective option out there. There's just no competition.

That "info" about the ink price seems a bit... vague to me. What kind of volume are we talking about? Did you actually check the price at the local store?

Anyway, Jeffrey Chavez6 gave you solid advice. If those ink prices end up forcing you to live on bread and water, you always have this option 😬 :

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...l+ink&_sacat=0

Just double-check compatibility first and ask the seller if they've confirmed the ink works with the L210 / L220.

Personally, I use third-party ink for my Canon CISS and they're great—zero issues. As for that Epson, nobody here has shared any real-world experience yet, and since I haven't seen it in person, I can't say much. Is it a good deal for high-volume color printing? Yes. Does it have competition for that specific workflow? Not really. Epson is basically the only one coming with a factory-installed CISS; everyone else requires some sort of aftermarket modification. That’s why it’s pricier upfront...

It’s pretty much the only inkjet worth buying if you care about cost. With any other model, you'll go broke even using compatible cartridges because the page yield is pathetic. Unless, of course, you plan on buying a standard printer and installing a CISS later.

http://www.cissprinter.com/

For example, I picked up a Canon MG5550 and ordered a CISS from eBay, which is where I get my ink too. The printer was under $167, the CISS was $67, and it runs fine... though I did have a hell of a time with the installation—I literally had to cut through the printer's plastic casing. On some other models, it's smoother; you just snap it in. You can save some money that way, but it won't be half off. Honestly, the better move is to just buy the L220 right out of the gate. When I was shopping around, they weren't even available yet...

And finally, obviously, having separate tanks or cartridges for each color is better because colors deplete at different rates, so you always end up wasting a bit... But we're talking about original cartridges there, which don't make sense for you since you'd go bankrupt with that much printing to do anyway.