scanners and printers

[Martha]

I want to get a laser printer for home. Sometimes I need to print "big jobs" and the ink jet uses too much ink and is too slow. I don't care about color. I also want a scanner. I don't know anything about either. Any ideas on decent products, good prices? TH, aren't you our personal shopper?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Hmm...moi?

With lasers, you can almost buy on price. There are a few that are pains, but in general you can usually find one so cheap you can throw it out when the toner cartridge runs dry.

Color ones have gotten pretty dang cheap by the way...

Scanners...different matter...do you need sheet fed or flatbed? If you're doing books and magazines, you'll want flatbed. If you're feeding 20 sheets at a time, sheet fed. Both are available on some models. Are you just scanning images or do you want to try to do OCR (optical character recognition)? If images, are they particularly high res or just stuff ya wanna pull in and stick in a document?

I'd suggest avoiding the "all in one" models. One thing breaks, the whole thing is worthless.

You can get some occasional sweet deals at the office supply stores (staples, etc)...look at costco/sams as well...some of their printers come with FULL toner or ink cartridges instead of the 'starter' ones.

 

[Martha]

The scanner is to scan in documents I edit by hand and then email to work. Don't care about the resolution, just ease of use.

Thanks TH for the tips on the laser.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Just about any scanner will do then. I see visioneers for anywhere between free and $20 after rebates at the office supply stores all the time. Crappy, but serviceable. I have one. Software is a pain in the butt, but it works.

Konica/Minolta b&w lasers show up at staples and officemax/depot all the time <$100 after rebate.

Check fatwallet here http://www.fatwallet.com/c/18/ and do a search for 'laser', 'scanner' or 'color laser'. Lots of deals depending on your tolerance for fiddle-diddling. If you dont mind price-matching, hunting for a coupon or paying someone a few bucks for theirs, filing multiple rebates and so forth, you can get a laser for ~$50 and a scanner for free.

I bought a konica/minolta 2300dl color laser at sams club a few months back. Huge, noisy and heavy, but it prints gorgeous photos on plain white paper, 15-20ppm. And I paid less for it than it costs to buy the four toner cartridges alone, as Sams sells them with full instead of starter. So its disposable as far as I'm concerned, although it'll take me 4-7 years to empty the toners. I've seen the same printer for $275-350 here and there.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Spotted a decent but not pants-blowing-off deal if you dont want to fool around with rebates.

Use this link for overstock.com

http://www.fatwallet.com/d/85161/9/1/

You should see the overstock site and a banner that tells you you're going to get 10% off your order and $1 shipping. Overstock usually charges no tax either. This deal is until midnight tonight.

Search for "1350w" for the konica-minolta 1350w printer, refurbished, for ~$126 after discount.

Search for "3970" for the Hp scanjet 3970 scanner, refurbished for ~$49 after discount.

I have the 1250w, the 1350's younger brother, out in my garage. It served me well for about 2 years before I got the color laser. Fast and nice text appearance.

The 3970 by specification looks like a kick butt scanner for a very good price. I've never owned an HP scanner, but they're supposed to be good.

 

[Martha]

Thanks.

 

[uncledrz]

Martha

I use a Brother DCP 1200. Combination laser printer, copier and scanner. Use it for heavy jobs and it works very well, very reliable. Have had it for 4-5 years. So the combination might work and fit your needs. Only problem is that your suppose to clean it every once in a while.
Uncledrz

 

[RatherBeFishn]

Epson has highly rated scanners, are reasonable, and models that do a decent job scanning photos too. Check out Consumer Reports, they rate them often and I used to buy my last and am very happy with it. It's easy to use; has buttons on the front to scan to printer (make a copy) or scan directly to email (it scans and then starts your email software iwth the attachement in place..you just say who it goes to.

 

[Nords]

Epson Stylus CX4600

We've had our scanner for a year and it's been trouble-free. Great quality, scans color or B&W, simple enough for our 12-year-old to fax homework back & forth.

Epson seems to run a pretty good printer engine. Our Stylus Color 400 just celebrated its eighth birthday. Never had a problem, and it outlasted a couple HPs...

 

[RatherBeFishn]

OK, I"m home now and looking at my scanner. It's an Epson Perfection 3170 Photo. I think I paid <200 for it more than a year ago so probably less now. There are other models in this line; mine is about midpoint (or was when I bought). Check amazon.com user reviews (real people who own it) before you buy any model. Just search the model.

Had a BAD experience with Visioneer and wouldn't touch again.

 

[Spanky]

You can get a laser printer by Samsung for $99 or less at Micro Center, St. Louis Park, MN. A ink jet color printer (mulitple color cartriages) with scanner from Epson is about $129 (after rebate). The printer can print 4x6 or 8x10 photos.

Spanky

 

[Martha]

The 3970 by specification looks like a kick butt scanner for a very good price. I've never owned an HP scanner, but they're supposed to be good.

Thanks TH, got this scanner and works great. Didn't have any problem installing either, which is a first for me.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Glad to be of service m'am...