Printer

[pwd72s]

Okay guys, is there such a thing as a reliable one? We've had HP, currently have Epson. Of the 2, guess the HP worked better, but it eventually died.

Our problem is we can go weeks or months without using it. So, the ink drys? A ***** to get it working again. Today, we wanted to print out an order form. Eventually used pen & ink to write the info.

Is there a printer we can buy that doesn't have this problem?

[JackDidley]

Get a laser printer. Uses toner instead of ink. Does not dry out. I made it 2 years on the original sample cartridge. $11 for a new one.

[fanaudical]

+1 for laser. I bought a small work-group printer (Dell 3115cn w/ the duplexer) about 12 years ago (got it for cheap) and it's been solid ever since. I think I've only replaced the toner set once.

[Tobra]

Laser printer, or put it on a thumb drive and take it to Kinkos

[wdfifteen]

Samsung M2020W is the most reliable I have ever owned. It is black and white only, and it can sit for weeks without being used, then fire up and print perfectly.

[red-beard]

https://amazon.com/Xerox-Phaser-Color-Laser-Printer/dp/B01MFHAI41/ref=sr_1_2?crid=Q58KADVFH7G4&keywords=phaser+6510&qid=1554796838&s=gateway&sprefix=phaser+6510%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-2

$191 for a Color Laser. If you need it WiFi, get the Xerox Phaser 6510/DNI for $199

[Bill Douglas]

Yep, a laser printer, and use genuine brand toner cartridges, not refills. Mine last for years I do so little work.

[MBAtarga]

If not a laser, get a printer brand/model that uses ink tanks instead of cartridges. The last 4 or 5 printers we've bought have all been the Brother brand - all MFC models which are Multi-Function and can print, copy, scan and fax. Printer ink (generic) costs are about $10-15 for all 4 tanks. We get hundreds (thousands probably) of pages per set.

[GH85Carrera]

Go laser!

I bought a color laser printer, scanner, fax machine, copier combo unit from Dell (E525w). It was 160 bucks or so. And it is a Apple compatible wife printer. So something my wife wants to print with from her iPad, and just press a button, and out pops the print.

I make one or two copies per year, and have actually had to send a few faxes (all to my CPA) and it is a nice enough unit for light home office use. The only pain in the butt is the only way to load paper is with the tray. It does not have a single page feed. So if I want to print envelopes, it is a few extra steps but quite doable.

Forget inkjet. They give you the printer, and make money on overpriced ink. The Gillette razor mode of business.

[red-beard]

Looking at the Website, Dell appears to have gone out of the printer business

[Alansglide]

Look for a Samsung color laser printer. Samsung sold their printer business to HP last year so all support and toner is HP. They are usually on sale for cheap . Mine has been working flawlessly.

[bleucamaro]

I just donated my color Samsung laser printer. Not because it was bad. It worked great. I just never used it and it was taking up desk space.

If I need a printer again, I'd get another Samsung.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Timely. I bought an Epson from Costco two years ago. The black ink head seems clogged. I bought a cheap cleaning kit to see if I can get it working again. If not I'll have to toss another inkjet printer.

[pwd72s]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. The verdict seems unanimous.

[Scott Douglas]

I agree this is timely. My All-in-One HP stopped working recently. Of course this was right after I'd bought a bunch of new ink cartridges for it too. Now, it tells me it needs the original cartridges that came with the machine in order to set up the print head. Those are long gone as it's been years since we bought it. My wife says things wear out. It had worked great just two weeks before it quit.
She has finally learned how to use her Canon printer, but still asks for help every other time she uses it.
I'll be looking at a laser color if/when I get around to replacing the HP that is taking up space on my desk now.

[GH85Carrera]

Long long ago when IBM was selling DOS 2.2 we got a laser printer for the local Porsche club. An HP laser-jet 2. The sucker was HUGE and indestructible. That was back when I did the newsletter for the region using DOS, and a program called Ventura Publisher. It would load a GEM application on top of DOS. with a mighty 4.77 MHz 8088 CPU and 640K ram it was not real zippy.

[masraum]

If no one else has mentioned it, I'm going to suggest that you may want to try a laser printer.

We're on our second HP color laser printer. We bought the first in 2001. I'm not sure when we replaced it, but we still have the second. I think the first needed a new head and the cost for a replacement was almost the same as the new printer. Ours have been like Timex watches.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Long long ago when IBM was selling DOS 2.2 we got a laser printer for the local Porsche club. An HP laser-jet 2. The sucker was HUGE and indestructible. That was back when I did the newsletter for the region using DOS, and a program called Ventura Publisher. It would load a GEM application on top of DOS. with a mighty 4.77 MHz 8088 CPU and 640K ram it was not real zippy.

When the dinosaurs roamed the earth...

[Icemaster]

Brother color laser. Never had an issue with it, have yet to replace a toner cartridge after nearly a year with two kids in school and a wife who likes to print. Cost per page is nonexistent compared to the POS HP inkjet.

I'll never own another HP.

[john70t]

Looks like Epson and HP block the use of 3rd party ink cartridges.
Bad sportsmanship.

I've been using a Canon MX310 for about 12-15 years I'd guess. It has chewed through forests without a hiccup.
Nowadays it's used maybe once or twice per month.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/352602999529 $63.95
Ink for $22.99 and refills at Costco for $10.99

My next one might be laser.