HP LaserJet Pro M404n color laser printer

I’m looking for some insight from the experts here. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this specific printer

I'm in the market for a new printer.
Since I'll be printing about 500 to 700 pages a month, I'm leaning toward a laser printer.
Most of my work will be black and white, but I need color capabilities for certain projects, which makes this model appealing.

The scanning feature is a nice bonus. It's not strictly necessary since I own a standalone scanner, but mine is painfully slow and I've had nothing but headaches with installation discs lately. Having an all-in-one would simplify things.

From what I can tell, this model is on the cheaper side. Most similar printers seem much more expensive, so I'm a little worried there might be a catch. I'll admit, I'm far from a tech expert, so I'd really value your perspective.

Budget is definitely a factor. This price point is pretty much my absolute limit, mainly because it handles both color and scanning in one unit. I plan on using compatible toner cartridges, which I found for about $50 each. I assume I'll go through the black toner faster than the colors, so this seems manageable.

I also looked at this option as well as this one, and if I hadn't come across the model mentioned above, I probably would have picked one of those two.

Please let me know what you recommend. Thank you so much in advance.

Karen Peterson8 said:Hey everyone, I’m hoping you tech experts can weigh in on this printer here.

So, I'm looking for a printer.
I really want a laser one since I'll be churning out about 500-700 pages every month.
It'll mostly be black and white, but I'll need color occasionally, which is why this looks pretty handy.

The scanning feature caught my eye. It's not a total dealbreaker since I have a separate scanner, but mine is painfully slow and I always struggle with driver CDs, so having an all-in-one would be way easier.

From what I can tell, this model is on the cheaper side. Most others seem way more expensive, so I'm a little worried there's a catch somewhere. Honestly, I'm not a tech whiz, so I'd really appreciate your input.

Price is a big factor, and this is basically my absolute limit just because it handles color and scans too. I plan on using third-party toner cartridges, which I found for about $50 each. I assume I'll swap the black one out more often while the colors last longer, so the math seems okay to me.

I also looked at this option and even this one, and I probably would've picked one of those if I hadn't spotted the one mentioned above.

Please let me know what you think! Thanks so much in advance.

Look, I'd only give you one piece of advice:

Ask the person you're giving your money to where you should leave the extra cash for this printer next time.
>>
Regarding those third-party toners—does this printer require calibration? If that same toner starts looking at you like a lost puppy with huge, sad eyes, then you've got your answer.
>>>

What could possibly be better than a laser printer?

With that kind of budget, you’re looking at either an Epson or an HP. If I had to weigh them out—and there's always a trade-off, isn't there?—Epson definitely wins on the cost per page. HP, on the other hand, tends to pack in more bells and whistles and extra little features if that's what you're after.

An original black ink cartridge for an Epson runs about $20 and should net you roughly 4,000 pages.
Now, an original black ink cartridge for an HP costs about $77—though you can grab a generic one for around $100—and it'll get you through maybe 2,300 pages.


or perhaps

Thanks so much 🙂Karen Peterson8