Looking at Color Laser Printers

[Jerry1]

I'm looking to replace my HP color laser printer. It's the M277dw multifunction printer. It's worked good over the years, but I made the mistake of buying 3rd party laser cartridges and in order to get it cleaned up and new cartridges put in it, I would have to spend about what a new printer would cost.

I am looking for some input on multifunction color laser printers that other have to see if I should move to a different brand. If I stay with HP, I will get the M283CDW from Costco for just under $500. My budget is $500 or less.

Anyone here that really likes their color laser multifunction machine?

 

[braumeister]

Not a multifunction, but I've been very happy with my Brother HL-3040CN color laser printer. Long discontinued but it still works like a champ. I'm sure their newer models must be at least as good.

 

[Souschef]

I found a Brother Laser printer for about $300, A pack of the 4 cartridges is $270!

 

[Jerry1]

I found a Brother Laser printer for about $300, A pack of the 4 cartridges is $270!

I’m thinking for that price it is not a multi function (print, scan, copy). However, you point out one thing that’s important - the cost of laser cartridges. If any brand stands out for having cheaper cartridges, that would be significant in the decision.

I’m never buying 3rd party cartridges again. They ruined my current machine (well, I’d at least need to get it cleaned which would cost about $100 and then to put in new HP cartridges would cost about $300). So the cost to repair is too close to just buy new and start over.

 

[target2019]

I’m thinking for that price it is not a multi function (print, scan, copy). However, you point out one thing that’s important - the cost of laser cartridges. If any brand stands out for having cheaper cartridges, that would be significant in the decision.

I’m never buying 3rd party cartridges again. They ruined my current machine (well, I’d at least need to get it cleaned which would cost about $100 and then to put in new HP cartridges would cost about $300). So the cost to repair is too close to just buy new and start over.

One experience like that is good enough to keep you away from non-OEM. It happened to me with Apple Laserwriter, just black cartridge. A total mess and someone came to clean it up. That was a $4,000 printer. Eventually I moved to HP laser printers, and it's all that I have experience with. Every client that bought a non-HP whatever had problems. Toner, Ink, drivers, etc.

I can't really give you advice for today. I would match the work rate to what the printer can do, maybe a bit more. I would, and did, get a printer with wired network interface and wireless. There is far less trouble when you use wired Ethernet.

People will recommend what they have, so look for reviews from PC mags, forums, etc.

You could use the fax and scan functions of your original printer, and just get a dedicated color printer.

 

[camfused]

I recently bought a Brother MFC-L3770CDW color laser, and I can recommend it. Replacement cartridges are about $75 for 2 blacks and 1 each of the colors, from generic Amazon brands with good reviews. I would never consider buying OEM due to the outrageous cost.

This Brother does everything I could ever want: prints both sides, scans good, copies both sides, prints perfectly, faxes (for those rare occasions when still needed), and even printed photos aren't too bad (better than expected).

And, no messing with dried up or partially blocked inkjet cartridges. We put up with inkjet problems for years, and finally got sick of that. This thing prints perfect every time.

Oh, and I use Macs. DD has a PC and it works great for her too.

 

[Souschef]

I am torn about a multi-function printer. If one feature dies, you are out of luck. I have a great little Canon flatbed scanner that takes up very little room.
I can scan, copy, generate a PDF from it.
We have 2 B&W Brother printers. One is wireless and is tied to DW's laptop in a different room. I accidentally discovered I can print to it as well as the one connected to my PC.
I do very little color printing. YMMV.

 

[camfused]

...I’m never buying 3rd party cartridges again. They ruined my current machine ...

What brand were these bad ones?

BTW, I am using ColorKing cartridges from Amazon in my Brother.

 

[Ncc1701]

I bought the M283CDW from Costco. I dont like the HP Smart Software but the print quality is good. I just bought some compatible cartridges from Amazon and will transfer the microchips to them.

 

[OldShooter]

I have had a couple of color lasers and learned from it. There are machines with only one drum and there are 4 drum (CMYK) machines. The difference is in toner consumption. With one drum, the color toners get mixed and when cleaned off the drum the mixture is waste. With four drums, the toners can be scraped off and returned to their reservoirs. So the choice between the two becomes a cost tradeoff depending on how much printing is to be done.

 

[Texas Proud]

I have an old HP color laser printer... it has been working good for me for many years...


However, it did not seem to print pictures that well... so I bought an Epson big tank printer... it has been great... the ink is VERY cheap, but I have not had to buy any yet as I got two bottles of each color with the printer...


It will take years to go through that ink...


Do not get stuck on a laser..

 

[Z3Dreamer]

May I suggest a different layout for you?

We have a 4 cartridge HP Laserjet. The model is 1525nw. It goes forever. A black cartridge is $75 or less. 2,000 pages or more. The color cartridges seem to last forever, but most of our printing is black and white. I am sure the latest similar HP model is fine.

For the multi-function part we have a cheap Epson ink jet. This one is XP-640. It is single sheet copying and scanning. The beauty is that it is small enough to take with us on trips. When we visit places for a week or more, seems like we want to print. Yes, hotels have a business center, but we never stay in a hotel for a week.

Of course, if you don't travel or don't print when you travel, then this option is no good.

 

[camfused]

..,so I bought an Epson big tank printer... it has been great... the ink is VERY cheap, but I have not had to buy any yet as I got two bottles of each color with the printer...


It will take years to go through that ink...


Do not get stuck on a laser..

I wish you well, but report back here when have not printed for a couple weeks and your print head has clogged up.

 

[Jerry1]

One experience like that is good enough to keep you away from non-OEM.

You could use the fax and scan functions of your original printer, and just get a dedicated color printer.

Yeah, I'm never going to use 3rd party cartridges again. I'd like to get it fixed (cleaned), but much like tools when the battery goes bad, it's almost the same cost just to buy a new one rather than fix it. The cleaning won't be too bad, but replacing the cartridges will be >$300. A new printer, even with their partial cartridges will probably last me a year.

As for a dedicated printer, space is an issue.

I am torn about a multi-function printer. If one feature dies, you are out of luck. I have a great little Canon flatbed scanner that takes up very little room.

We have a scanner, but we really like the compactness of a multifunction machine and we like the document feeder for making copies/scans.

What brand were these bad ones?

BTW, I am using ColorKing cartridges from Amazon in my Brother.

LD laser toner. https://www.ldproducts.com/

I bought an Epson big tank printer... it has been great... the ink is VERY cheap, but I have not had to buy any yet as I got two bottles of each color with the printer...


It will take years to go through that ink...


Do not get stuck on a laser..

I am stuck on a laser. I wish you well with an inkjet, but we just don't print often enough to keep them from drying and having problems. They are definitely better for pictures, but we just don't print pictures much and never do we really care about the quality.

May I suggest a different layout for you?

For the multi-function part we have a cheap Epson ink jet. This one is XP-640. It is single sheet copying and scanning. The beauty is that it is small enough to take with us on trips. When we visit places for a week or more, seems like we want to print. Yes, hotels have a business center, but we never stay in a hotel for a week.

Of course, if you don't travel or don't print when you travel, then this option is no good.

We don't really travel and when we copy/scan, it's not uncommon to have a number of pages. We really like the document feeder.


Thanks everyone for all the replies. I've been looking at the Costco HP but I'm going to add the Brother L3770CDW to the mix. I had one of those little B&W printers from Brother. That thing was a tank. Gave it to my daughter and she gave it to a friend. I think it's still working many years later.

 

[camfused]

BTW, if space is a premium, don't get the L3770CDW...its a beast. I have a dedicated little table our printer goes on, so it was not a problem for me, but if you are trying to squeeze it on the corner of a desk, then it might be an issue.

 

[Jerry1]

BTW, if space is a premium, don't get the L3770CDW...its a beast. I have a dedicated little table our printer goes on, so it was not a problem for me, but if you are trying to squeeze it on the corner of a desk, then it might be an issue.

I did notice the size, but mine is on a separate table, like yours. It’s not too much bigger than the HP. About 4 inches in the depth is the only difference.

 

[target2019]

Tip: There are wire racks, black or chrome, with and without wheels, that serve as great tables for a stack of printers. Here is an example. I have 4 similar shelves in my office. Very flexible "furniture."
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basic.../B01LZAV8KH/ref=psdc_2422463011_t2_B00NUS53CY

You can easily setup two decent size printers on these, as the middle shelf is adjustable. Might not a piece of plywood or thin wood to supplement the shelf.

 

[Texas Proud]

I wish you well, but report back here when have not printed for a couple weeks and your print head has clogged up.

I have had for 2 years and many times have not printed in 2 or more weeks... no clogs ever...

 

[easysurfer]

I have an old HP color laser printer... it has been working good for me for many years...


However, it did not seem to print pictures that well... so I bought an Epson big tank printer... it has been great... the ink is VERY cheap, but I have not had to buy any yet as I got two bottles of each color with the printer...


It will take years to go through that ink...


Do not get stuck on a laser..

I wish you well, but report back here when have not printed for a couple weeks and your print head has clogged up.

Unfortunately, my Epson tank printer does clog if not used often.

There is a clean cycle I can run to unclog but this does use ink to clean.

My approach is not be anal about keeping the inkjets from clogging and run a clean cycle when things start looking pretty clogged.

if someone can invent an injet that doesn't clog or have a different well for cleaning solution to unclog, that person could make millions.

I'm still at a crossroad and IMO color laser isn't the answer either. Too pricey for manufacturer cartrides and lack of picture quality of knock of cartridges.

 

[Jerry1]

Unfortunately, my Epson tank printer does clog if not used often.

Doesn’t it have an option to print a page automatically every X number of hours? Seems like if it just printed a test page a couple times a week automatically, that would go a long way to solving the closing issue.

 

[easysurfer]

Doesn’t it have an option to print a page automatically every X number of hours? Seems like if it just printed a test page a couple times a week automatically, that would go a long way to solving the closing issue.

No such option with my printer.

I did read an Amazon review where someone said he created a script to automatically submit a print every day and that prevented his inkjet printer from printing. But not everyone knows how to do that. Plus, then comes down to waste a little ink and paper every day or waste at print head clean time.

I was printing a page every week manually and that was keeping the printhead from clogged. At least for awhile but then they started clogging anyhow. Could be because I'm still using the original ink that came with printer (almost 2 years ago). Maybe the older they get even in sitting idle in tank, they clog easier.

I've also seen inkjet cleaning solutions available. But the process looks time consuming. Involving unhooking the hoses where ink goes into the print head, putting paper towels underneath, injecting the solution into the hoses to unclog. Even if this works, who wants to go through that process? Plus, which costs more, the cleaning kit or wasted ink in a print cycle?

 

[Qs Laptop]

I was printing a page every week manually and that was keeping the printhead from clogged. At least for awhile but then they started clogging anyhow. Could be because I'm still using the original ink that came with printer (almost 2 years ago). Maybe the older they get even in sitting idle in tank, they clog easier.

My cheapo Brother MFC-J885DW color inkjet has a clean function that automatically cleans the print heads depending on how long the printer has been inactive. I use this printer at least once a week, but I do see/hear the clean cycle come on a couple times a month.

 

[Jerry1]

Update

Well, I took a risk. Last night DW printed something and it didn’t look too bad. Leading me to believe that if I just get the leaking cartridge out of there, the printer would basically clean itself. So I skipped the $100 for cleaning and went out and bought new color cartridges for the printer. The black was just recently replaced with a genuine HP cartridge. So I’m into this machine for $290.

I put in the new cartridges and I took one of those eyeglass cleaning micro fiber cloths and very gently cleaned up the transfer belt. The machine has a “cleaning page” function, so I ran that. Printed a demo page and things look back to normal. Now I just hope the machine keeps ticking.

Of note: The HP machine I was looking at from Costco was not in stock this morning. These sub $500 color MF lasers seem to be in short supply. The office supply store that still has one has it priced at list, which is about $60 more than what Costco was selling it for.

Also, Office Depot was rebating 30% on the cartridges, so, $80. That’s just enough to get a standard size black cartridge to have on hand. Not too bad to get a full set of cartridges for just under $300. Here’s hoping I made the right decision.

 

[corn18]

I bought the Brother L3750CDW all in one color laser in 2020. Actually, I ordered it in Dec 2020 and got it June 2021. I paid $410 for it then. Now it's $700. Wow! Love it, but maybe not as much @ $700.

 

[easysurfer]

My cheapo Brother MFC-J885DW color inkjet has a clean function that automatically cleans the print heads depending on how long the printer has been inactive. I use this printer at least once a week, but I do see/hear the clean cycle come on a couple times a month.

With the auto clean function, does the cheapo ever get clogged? I've read a plus of the Brother's is the auto clean function.