Best office/graphic design printer for $1,500 - $3,000?

Hey,

I’m looking for an office workhorse—something versatile enough for graphic design work. Specifically, I need a laser printer to handle brochures, catalogs, magazines, business cards, and posters. High print quality is non-negotiable here.

I’ve heard Xerox models are the way to go, but I need specifics. My budget is capped at around 10 $0.00. Since I’ll be running high volumes, I need to factor in toner costs. It also needs to handle premium, smooth stocks or thicker cardstock without skipping a beat. I also need support for larger formats, ideally up to A3, so I’m not stuck with just standard letter size.

Thanks for the help!

That gear still isn't meant for us mere mortals... if you want A3 and color, you better multiply your current budget by at least 2.5 or 3 before you even start looking... 🙂

http://www.megatrend.com/index.php?o...112&Itemid=308

You might actually come out ahead with an OKI model, but you can't even get a price quote without calling Microline first. Total waste of time... plus, I heard rumors a while back that their service and toner stock for OKI isn't exactly reliable... which wouldn't surprise me, considering half the stuff in the Microline catalog is always listed as "on backorder"... 🙂

Jeffrey Jackson3 said:Hey guys,

I'm looking for an office/multi-purpose printer—specifically a laser one for graphic work. I need to print brochures, catalogs, magazines, business cards, posters, and stuff like that where high print quality is a big deal.

I've heard people recommend Xerox models, but I wanted to know which specific ones to look at if my budget is around $10 $0.00. Since I'll be running high volumes, I really need to consider toner costs and make sure it can handle smooth, high-quality paper or even thicker cardstock. I also need something that handles up to A3 sizes so I'm not stuck just with standard letter.

Thanks for the help!

One idea

HP color LaserJet 3600

== $1333 + tax

Down the road, you can grab cheaper third-party toners like the ones in the link.
JK, it might struggle a bit with really heavy cardstock.

When discussing a brand-new A3 color laser printer, I’d say $3333 that amount seems a bit too low.
Especially if you're planning on printing on heavier stock—most standard HP color printers usually top out around 60 to 80 lb paper, though they might handle thicker stuff, the real question is how long the hardware actually lasts under that kind of stress.
If you're just looking to print on standard office paper, the HP 3600 is a decent enough machine—especially if you can still find compatible toners, though I suspect those are becoming relics of the past now that they've rolled out those newer models labeled CPneštonešto.

Yeah, the HP 3600 is a discontinued model now...

That's right. From what I can gather, they aren't even stocking that printer anymore.

Look, if A3 isn't a dealbreaker for you, we don't need it. Why not just focus on the A4 market? We could aim for a high-end laser—something like a Brother or an HP—that serves as a total best buy for promotional materials.

Jeffrey Jackson3 said:Exactly, from what I can gather, they aren't even stocking that printer anymore.

Look, if we don't absolutely need A3, we can just skip it. Why not just aim for a solid A4 laser printer instead? Something that's a total steal for all our promotional stuff.

It's actually still available.

HP LaserJet Pro, for sure...

25ppm color, 30ppm black, 70k monthly duty cycle, handles up to 85lb paper, USB and Ethernet connectivity, 250+150 sheet input tray, 300 sheet output bin, duplexing—and all that for $3,500.

Toner yields are 6k color ($367) and 7k black ($333).