I know I can do the research on the webs regarding this, but I thought I would just go with people who already have experience and have perhaps gone through several devices and can say what is the best in their opinion. Neither of us have bought a printer ever, and researching them from scratch seems like a daunting task and also I am traveling on Saturday (to spend a couple of weeks with wife), so I don't have much time.

Wife will be studying from sep to jun, and will basically have to go through one b/w cartridge per month on average. She is looking at buying one in the last week of August from amazon.co.uk or a local store in her area.

Features to optimize are:

Size/weight (she will be taking it by air)
Cartridge availability
Cartridge price

Scanning functionality is a plus, thought not absolutely necessary. And wireless also a plus, again, not essential, esp if it bumps up the price too much.

Printing speed and quality need not be top notch, but should be decent and not bottom of the barrel.

Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions and advice.

8/1/2013 2:22:46 AM

Epson seems to be the most agreeable with macs if that's what you're looking for.

Mac/HP combo is not really the greatest...

8/1/2013 2:35:07 AM

No not Mac, did I somehow hint she has a Mac? She has a Samsung ultra book. And a Samsung note 10.1.

And more than just brand names, we would really appreciate actual model numbers/series which fit the listed criteria, from those who know.

Thanks again.

8/1/2013 3:37:21 AM

If she's overseas and it's only going to be used for a specific time frame and reason I would get something cheap and not worry about it. The reason being is because the actual printer is usually a junk machine unless you're willing to spend a bunch of money on it. The companies usually sell their printers at cost or below cost and make up the difference in you purchasing the cartridges.

Brother makes a decent personal laser printer if that's what you're thinking. It's just a simple BW printer.

http://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL-2270DW-Compact-Wireless-Networking/dp/B00450DVDY/

Also I'm not sure what router you will use, but some routers will allow you to plug in your printer to create a wireless printer.

Personally if I didn't go with a cheapy laser printer I would look at ink cartridge prices and base my decision that way. Look at whoever had the the 3 or 4 cheapest black cartridges and research the models they belong to.

8/1/2013 8:21:00 AM

fuck an inkjet. get a cheap laser, use it for 1000 pages, throw it away.

8/1/2013 8:39:44 AM

+1 cheap laser jet.

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/04/st_whatsinside_inkjet/

Quote :

"The ink in inkjet cartridges can be as much as 95 percent superpure deionized water. Yet at more than $3 per milliliter, it would be cheaper to print your vacation pics with Dom Perignon."

Get the Brother linked above, it has built-in WiFi ... and you should easily be able to print 1,000 pages before you MIGHT need replacement toner, which will run you ~$30 for another 1,200 pages (http://www.amazon.com/Brother-TN420-Toner-Cartridge-Packaging/dp/B003YFHCK4/ref=pd_cp_e_3).

If you go the inkjet route, you'll be spending maybe nothing for a cheap inkjet, but can spend upwards of $40-60 per ink cartridge that will last you 150-250 pages.

Also, the argument of "well I need to print color sometimes", is silly. Use a printshop to print things in color, MUCH cheaper for the few times a year you actually have to print in color.

8/1/2013 8:58:32 AM

My HP all in one has a ton of cool features, but I want to fucking throw it off the side of the grand canyon.

It prints like 1 page per hour, takes 15 minutes to warm up, and has to be rebooted all the time even just to make copies, also the WIFI feature completely stopped working randomly and I had to do all this work to run an ethernet wire to it and waste a port on my router.

8/1/2013 1:14:52 PM

I've got a Canon MP830 I think...its pretty solid

8/1/2013 5:34:31 PM

+1000000 for a cheap laser printer

I've had both and laser is the way to go

8/1/2013 6:29:06 PM

Quote :

"Brother makes a decent personal laser printer if that's what you're thinking. It's just a simple BW printer. http://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL-2270DW-Compact-Wireless-Networking/dp/B00450DVDY/"

I have this exact printer and LOVE it. I use it to make class sets of things and whatnot at school.

and i've gotten off-brand toner for 15 bucks (ish) that works just as well as the brother brand stuff.

[Edited on August 2, 2013 at 1:55 PM. Reason : ]

8/2/2013 1:46:48 PM

lemme hijack.

scan/copy/print/ADF/duplex/Wifi printer?

Laser would be ok... I hardly print at home and print color much less often (that's what work is for, yo), but wireless scan/print is a must, in addition to having an ADF.

[Edited on August 2, 2013 at 2:55 PM. Reason : .]

8/2/2013 2:53:02 PM

So I guess laser is the way to go... wouldnt have considered it myself, but makes sense. Actually I remember now that my younger brother got a laser also for working on his thesis some years ago.

Thanks to all who responded. Of course, more brand/model suggestions are welcome.

8/13/2013 6:00:14 PM

The wireless Brother laser printer listed above was on sale on Amazon for $75 last week. I jumped on it and have been extremely happy with the purchase so far. I only ever print in black, and I have scanners at work I can use.

8/13/2013 6:03:22 PM

another vote for brother.

i'd argue they've taken over the top spot for consumer/small biz printers.

8/13/2013 9:17:06 PM

so is there not a brother laser with wireless networking, adf, scan bed, duplex, etc?

8/14/2013 2:16:08 PM

http://www.brother-usa.com/MFC/ ?

8/14/2013 4:14:02 PM

shit, I thought I looked through the all-in-ones. I don't care for those but oh well.

8/14/2013 4:26:15 PM

I have an old business-class laser for volume b/w printing and an all-in-one for color, photo, and scanning, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Sure, you have to make room for two devices (one of which may be bulky) but you pay next-to-nothing per page for b/w and can do convincing color and photo without leaving home.

HP LaserJet 5N and Canon MP620 here, though those two devices are now about 17 and 4 years old respectively.

*This does not fit the OP's size/weight constraint obviously, but it's something to think about.

8/18/2013 5:45:32 PM

So I had done more research and we were all set on ordering a Brother laser printer from http://www.amazon.it (she is studying in Italy for an academic year). But thankfully she spoke to some former students and the institute and they recommend getting a color printer as around 20% to 30% of the (several hundred page) output will be in color. Would you still recommend a laser printer? I have looked at some color laser printers:

http://www.amazon.com/Hewlett-Packard-LaserJet-Wireless-Printer/dp/B008ABLJHE
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Electronics-CLP-365W-Wireless-Printer/dp/B008HSIVVC
http://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL3170CDW-Wireless-Networking-Businesses/dp/B00BQU141C
http://www.amazon.com/Brother-Printer-HL3140CW-Wireless-Networking/dp/B00BR3VZCG

While the initial cost is more, hopefully she shouldn't run out of the color toners, whereas with an inkjet I am sure she would need replacement color (and of course several monochrome) cartridges. As with a monochrome laser printer, she might need a replacement monochrome toner.

So what do you guys suggest, those of you who have had experience with color laser printers?

Thanks again!


P.S. Any particular model recommendations based on direct or indirect experience?

P.P.S. Her classes are starting on Wednesday so she needs to buy one asap.



[Edited on September 2, 2013 at 2:57 PM. Reason : ]

9/2/2013 2:42:52 PM

laser is always the way to go if you aren't doing super high quality photos

9/2/2013 5:49:38 PM

Laser, absolutely definitely cheaper than Inkjet.

Specifically of those 4, I'd choose this because of price, reviews, and ppm:

Brother-HL3170CDW:
$199.99 (HP: $206.95; Samsung: $176.93; Brother 3140: $219.95)
4.4/5 stars from 34 reviews (HP: 4.4 from 82; Samsung: 3.4 from 83; Brother 3140: 3.4 from 9)
600 x 2400 dpi (HP: 600x600; same for others)
Color/black printing - up to 23ppm (HP: 14; Samsung: 19; Brother 3140: 18)
Starter Toner Cartridges (BK/C/M/Y) 1,000 pages each (roughly same for others)



[Edited on September 3, 2013 at 11:46 AM. Reason : details.]

9/3/2013 11:32:54 AM

I'd go with this model, Brother Printer HL3170CDW .

Based off the reviews it seems to be the better of the choices. I did like the advice of the just buying a new printer instead of buying all 4 toner cartridges because it's about the same price..lol



Good luck with it and I've got no idea if you'll need an adapter for the plug or not.

9/3/2013 3:16:00 PM