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Kadin · 05-17-2010, 08:22 PM

I'd advise you to avoid the multifunction machines. I know they seem like a good idea — "hey, it's a printer! and a scanner! and a fax machine!" — but you end up with a device that does a lot of things and, in my experience, none of them very well. They're kind of like those old can openers that used to have the really awful knife sharpeners included on the back of them, that would just eat up your knives. There's nothing related about those two functions; why try to do them with the same machine? I have no idea.

Anyway, most MFPs I've had the misfortune to use have either: 1) had really shitty drivers that weren't stable, crashed the host computer, or generally made me curse every time I brought the print dialog up; 2) used really expensive ink cartridges, such that I never really wanted to use them as photocopiers or whatever; 3) both 1 and 2. Now maybe there are some MFPs out there that don't suck royally, but I kinda doubt it. I've given up on them.

There are a lot of really good, inexpensive, monochrome black and white laser printers out there. These are printers designed to do one thing and they do it really well. The Brother HL-2170W that got linked above is similar to one that I've used and would recommend (but is no longer sold so I can't). But Brother as a brand seems good. It's worth the few extra bucks to get a "workgroup" or network-enabled printer ... this is one that you just plug in directly to your network, either over Ethernet or wireless in some cases, rather than into a computer via USB. You don't need an external print server as it's all integrated into the printer itself. You'll never want to go back to a directly-attached printer again. (To say nothing of Windows print sharing..uggh.) Also the Brother printers, at least the ones I've used, speak a pretty standard dialect of PostScript so there's no trouble with drivers regardless of what platform you use.

Also you can get cheap refilled toner carts online ... be aware that if the drum goes, it's probably time to just replace the printer though. But for $99 what do you want, really? A few years ago you could barely get a crummy inkjet for that. For what a good printer cost a few years ago you can now get a great laser and still have enough left over for a decent scanner or photo inkjet if you want it.

05-17-2010, 08:22 PM	#19 (permalink)
Kadin Upright Location: Virginia	Avoid the MFPs I'd advise you to avoid the multifunction machines. I know they seem like a good idea — "hey, it's a printer! and a scanner! and a fax machine!" — but you end up with a device that does a lot of things and, in my experience, none of them very well. They're kind of like those old can openers that used to have the really awful knife sharpeners included on the back of them, that would just eat up your knives. There's nothing related about those two functions; why try to do them with the same machine? I have no idea. Anyway, most MFPs I've had the misfortune to use have either: 1) had really shitty drivers that weren't stable, crashed the host computer, or generally made me curse every time I brought the print dialog up; 2) used really expensive ink cartridges, such that I never really wanted to use them as photocopiers or whatever; 3) both 1 and 2. Now maybe there are some MFPs out there that don't suck royally, but I kinda doubt it. I've given up on them. There are a lot of really good, inexpensive, monochrome black and white laser printers out there. These are printers designed to do one thing and they do it really well. The Brother HL-2170W that got linked above is similar to one that I've used and would recommend (but is no longer sold so I can't). But Brother as a brand seems good. It's worth the few extra bucks to get a "workgroup" or network-enabled printer ... this is one that you just plug in directly to your network, either over Ethernet or wireless in some cases, rather than into a computer via USB. You don't need an external print server as it's all integrated into the printer itself. You'll never want to go back to a directly-attached printer again. (To say nothing of Windows print sharing..uggh.) Also the Brother printers, at least the ones I've used, speak a pretty standard dialect of PostScript so there's no trouble with drivers regardless of what platform you use. Also you can get cheap refilled toner carts online ... be aware that if the drum goes, it's probably time to just replace the printer though. But for $99 what do you want, really? A few years ago you could barely get a crummy inkjet for that. For what a good printer cost a few years ago you can now get a great laser and still have enough left over for a decent scanner or photo inkjet if you want it.