Recommended Printers

[MattFMN]

We are currently using a Epson WF-3540 "All-in-one" for all out printing needs. It works, but is VERY expensive with us going through an ink cartridges like they are going out of style.

I would like to add a monochrome/b&w laser printer for the vast majority of our Quotes, ROs and Invoices. Color schematics can still be printed on this Epson, but I feel we can save enough money in ink to more than pay for a nice laser in short order.

Do you have any suggestions? All it has to do is print. Wireless and two-sided printing would be nice, but not necessary. We have a local Office Max but I'm not against ordering online.

Thank you so much in advance.

Matt.

[KGA]

We have HP LaserJet P1102W works great. Has wireless options too along with double sided

[ARS]

We have a Brother mfc -9320cw. We do not recommend. It also goes through ink cartridges & also drums like they are going out of style. Problems since the get go... prints nice though.

[Rich]

I use the HP P1102w, I can't say it does two sided, as I never use it. But KGA says he uses the same and it does. I love my printer. It is NOT color.

(PS don't get from Staples. Personal reasons)

[ricmorin]

We have a couple of Dell 3100cn color lasers. We affectionately call them R2D2. One is 2 sided with an extra tray. They're fast and on the network so no computer needed. One is dying but the other is going strong and we've had them for many many years.

My guess is printer preference is a rather personal thing...sorta like what scan tool do you like? You'll get a million different answers.

[MattFMN]

It's more for keeping cost/page down. The inkjet we have is very expensive. I was hoping a monochome with large toner cartridge would solve that issue. It doesn't need to be high-def or anything. How high-def does an Invoice really need to be?

Thanks!

[ricmorin]

That depends.......

Our printers do sooo much more than just print invoices. It also prints all of our checks, our tech worksheets and daily cash out reports, anything the techs need for information and ALL or our mailings. It's very busy, so cost is relative to what you do with it. I've always thought the laser printers had a lower cost per page than inkjet, but I have no facts to back that up. Our printers have tens of thousands of pages printed from them. Black toner which costs us about 50 bucks generally lasts us a year and the other 3 color cartridges which are about 125 bucks each last even longer. Every other year we need a drum kit that costs around 275.00. So it's not cheap by any means, but when you consider all the stuff we print, it's not too bad.

[steven kiser]

Right now my main printer is a cannon MX870. When this one craps out I'm going to be a bit more careful of my choice. No generic cartridges and they're not cheap. My shop printers are usually what's on the end cap as long as there is an option for a bigger drum and it can be a store brand. Right now we're using a h.p. desk jet. I purchased them at Staples when they were on sale at 29 bucks a piece. I purchased 4 along with one new higher volume drum. I stripped the drums out of the ones in storage and use them in printer I set up. They lasted almost a year and the high volume store brand has been plugging away for just as long. Another thing I do (drives my wife nuts) when we go to yard sales, saver stores, salvation army, etc is if I see a h.p. printer that takes the same cartridge as my printer I look at the drum. If it's got a lot of life left I'll spend the 10 bucks for the printer, yank the drum and recycle the rest. I just picked up two 30" or close to it dell flat screens for 20 bucks a piece at a savers store. It's all how it's looked at.

[Crescentbunny]

We also have a Brother MFC but we have the 9970. I'd recommend it, it does seem to go through ink like crazy but if you buy them from cartridge world or an equivalent or even just buy the refill kits and do it yourself it can really cut down on the cost. We only use it for the Bolt On color invoices and other miscellaneous things. It's fast, and prints all our little projects very nicely The feeder tray for odd types of paper sizes like envelopes and sticker labels is awesome.

[Honest Engine]

We have a couple of Dell 3100cn color lasers. We affectionately call them R2D2. One is 2 sided with an extra tray. They're fast and on the network so no computer needed. One is dying but the other is going strong and we've had them for many many years.

My guess is printer preference is a rather personal thing...sorta like what scan tool do you like? You'll get a million different answers.

I also have a Dell 3100cn on my front counter. It's the workhorse printer of the shop. It mostly does invoices for customers, but occasionally I'll use it to print something else. Color laser is definitely cheaper than anything else I've used. I've been very happy with the Dell, I've had it for probably close to ten years without issue.

I also have a couple of different mono laser printers, and an HP all in one inkjet in my office, and they all have their quirks. But the Dell is rock solid. Good product. Not the fastest color laser printer out there, I've seen some machines that are much, much faster, but at the Dell price point (a few hundred dollars), I can wait ten seconds for it to warm up before it prints.