Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax

[John Terefenko]

Thanks everyone for the replys. here is what I use. It was a HP C7280 all in one and worked very well for about 5 years I am guessing because do not remember buying it. Old age thing I print many copies for projects I work on. I do use color for background and for photos to be used in pen making. This copier has done well. The cartridge thing is high I agree and have tried the third party stuff but just not the same so I stay away from. I buy them at Walmarts because Cosco does not carry my number. I do send and receive Fax for business use. Still something needed and yes not as much. I do print in black as much as I can to save color ink. I do not waste ink from dried out that is for sure. I believe there is a sensor or something on cartridges that tell the printer when it is outdated but that does not mean it is out of ink. I have a friend who is looking into this. I go to Fed X when need to make many multiple copies of patterns because it saves wear and tear on home copier. Also if I need to enlarge to 11x17 and bigger.

I will look into some of these suggestions and if I get one for $100 and last 5, 6 years I will be happy. I hate having to throw away the good ink cartridges I just bought. If i could get this thing to turn on I probably would not be writing this. Need to take it apart I guess. I called HP for suggestions but they want to charge me $28 for consultation. That is not happening. Thanks again.

[Michael Weber]

I saw this printer at Sams a while back and it caught my attention because it uses liquid ink for printing rather than cartridges. It's an Epson ET-2550 eco tank. Don't recall if it's multifunction or even if it's any good but the ink costs were less. Just putting this out there as I really don't know anything more about it but seemed a ro be a way to save on costs per page printing.

[Curt Harms]

I saw this printer at Sams a while back and it caught my attention because it uses liquid ink for printing rather than cartridges. It's an Epson ET-2550 eco tank. Don't recall if it's multifunction or even if it's any good but the ink costs were less. Just putting this out there as I really don't know anything more about it but seemed a ro be a way to save on costs per page printing.

Those are interesting, especially for someone who does quite a lot of color printing. The consumable cost/page is a LOT less than other inkjets. I believe Canon recently introduced a 'big tank' inkjet printer as well. The concern I'd have is the printhead reliability. Epson uses a piezo electric printhead unlike most other injet manufacturers so it may be durable, I have no experience with them. Here's a brief blurb from Epson 's web site:

Micro Piezo printheads eject droplets of ink via mechanical pressure. This mechanical pressure is created when piezoelectric elements in the printheads contract in response to an applied voltage.

Two main characteristics set Epson's technology apart from other inkjet printing systems. The first is that Micro Piezo printing systems do not use heat to eject the ink droplets. The second is that they precisely control the volume of ink contained in each ink droplet.

[Andrew Kertesz]

I use a Canon multi machine, #MX922. Have used it for several years, they are still out there and less than $60 new. Have not had any problems and I use all functions as well...

[John Terefenko]

I use a Canon multi machine, #MX922. Have used it for several years, they are still out there and less than $60 new. Have not had any problems and I use all functions as well...

Just looked at that one in best buy yesterday. The front cover broke off as I flipped it down. Maybe not the same unit as yours but in order to print pages that cover needs to be down. Pass on that one.

[Matt Meiser]

I have a Brother laser AIO supplied by work. Someone else had used it a year or two before it was given to me almost 11 years ago. Drivers are getting to be a small, but not terrible issue, mainly loss of some scanning features as the old app won't run on Window 8 or later. The replacement app works but has way fewer features. Its always slightly skewed stuff on the sheet feeder. Once in a while you have to cycle power to get it to respond. And if you fill the paper tray over 2/3 or so full it makes a terrible clicking sound. But its printed over 12,000 pages on 2 or 3 toner cartridges and those are the worst things I can say about it. Any more most of its work is home use so I buy all the supplies. We've gone through several inkjets in that time for color printing. The most recent is an Epson Artisan which has been pretty good other than an annoying habit of throwing printed papers on the floor. Fax on the Brother worked at one time but hasn't been plugged into a phone line for at least 5 years. I couldn't even tell you if the Epson has fax capability.

My parents also went through several printers in that time before buying a Brother inkjet. Its been great (meaning I never have to deal with it.)

My first few inkjets, starting back in the early-mid 90's were HPs and only upgraded to get newer features and photo printing as that became a thing. Then I bought one that I ended up returning because it simply wouldn't work reliably. We went with a Kodak, and that thing was pretty much junk after a year or two. We tried another HP and I couldn't ever get it connected to a wireless network. HP also started insisting on a ton of bloatware. I'll probably never give them another try for printers, though I do like a couple HP laptops we have.

Inkjet vs. Laser, I'd recommend both depending on your use. If you are printing B&W documents get a laser. Color photo printing get an inkjet. If the latter use is rare, send your photos out for printing and print any color documents at an office supply store.