Printer recommendation ~ all-in-one, with good text (don't care about photos)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dot Net Developer
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Dot Net Developer

Hi.

Got £200 ($350) to spend.

Need printer+copier+scanner (don't care about fax)

Primary concern - need good text. Don't care about photo quality.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, regards, dnw.
 
Dot Net Developer said:
Hi.
Click to expand...
Got £200 ($350) to spend.
Click to expand...
Need printer+copier+scanner (don't care about fax)
Click to expand...
Primary concern - need good text. Don't care about photo quality.
Click to expand...
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Thanks, regards, dnw.
Click to expand...

I have an HP 2710 multi-function and love it (scanner - copier - printer -
and fax). It has crisp text and it also does wireless networks. I can
place it anywhere in my office without worrying about cords. It also holds
up to decent volume (1000-2000 pages per month) fairly well. Inks a bit
expensive but it's a tax write off here in the US.

It's about 2 years old though. I'm not sure what the current model of it
would be called. IIRC I paid $299 for it.

Art
 
Dot said:
Hi.

Got £200 ($350) to spend.

Need printer+copier+scanner (don't care about fax)

Primary concern - need good text. Don't care about photo quality.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, regards, dnw.
Click to expand...
My HP PSC (Printer, Scanner, Copier)2110 does a nice job on text. Not
bad on photos, either, if you ask me. (Then again, I'm a poor judge of
quality. Just ask our resident troll. No, don't. We don't need that.)
It's about three years old, purchased as a factory-refurbished model for
$70. The HP 56 and 57 cartridges are easy to refill and ink is readily
available, if you want to go that route.

I don't know much about the latest models, though I have heard that the
PSC's with model numbers starting with "1" aren't so hot.

TJ
 
2 HP recommendations got me searching, and I found this -

HP M1005 MFP - it's a mono laser printer + scanner + copier

Seems ideal as it matches my requirements exactly.

One other caught my eye -

SAMSUNG SCX4200 (This too is a mono laser, scanner, copier. It's
cheaper too.)

Thanks, regards, dnw.
 
Dot said:
Hi.

Got £200 ($350) to spend.
Need printer+copier+scanner (don't care about fax)
Primary concern - need good text. Don't care about photo quality.
Any thoughts?
Thanks, regards, dnw.
Click to expand...
Do you need it to do colour printing? If not go for a mono laser
multifunction. They seem to be starting about £290 plus VAT, I know
thats a bit above your £200 mark but if you are going to print a lot
with it the cost per page should make up for it.

A quick play on itdatabases.com brought up the Brother MFC-8840D as the
cheapest mono laser multifunction, I _think_ we are looking at running
costs of 1.15p per page

Haha, changing my search to printers with multifunctions suddenly I've
got stuff listed at half the price.

Starting with a Konica Minolta Pagepro 1380MF for £103plus VAT, and I
make it 1.4 p per page.
 
Yianni wrote: Samsung SCX4200

Never bought laser b4 ~ do u happen to know if the toner cartridge is
included in the price/box, as they are about £40 each.

Thanks, regards, dnw.
 
Dot said:
Hi.

Got £200 ($350) to spend.

Need printer+copier+scanner (don't care about fax)

Primary concern - need good text. Don't care about photo quality.
Click to expand...

HP printers (especiality their business printer) do better on text.
Canon does better on photos. I would suggest you look at the HP line of
all in ones and purchase a model designed for business use.
 
Do not listen to this persons answer. He is not using, in the real
sense of the word, an HP printing system. An HP printing system uses at
the very least an HP printer and HP print cartridges with factory HP
ink. He is using some generic ink (he does not know what it is since
the relabeler will not tell him. He admits that) so no conclusion as to
any print quality could be drawn upon.
 
Go to PC Mag and PC World and read all of the reviews on these
printers. Do not just take the recommendation since money is factored
into them. But the reviews will tell you the good and bad points.
 
I don't know, but I've never heard any printer without consumables included
(except only one case!).
On the other hand the most possible, the printer would have a "starter" low
yield cartridge. I know the SCX4216 is sold with a 1000 page cartridge, then
you should buy the normal 3000 page one.


--
Yianni
(e-mail address removed) (remove number nine to send me email)




Never bought laser b4 ~ do u happen to know if the toner cartridge is
included in the price/box, as they are about £40 each.

Thanks, regards, dnw.
 
Got £200 ($350) to spend.

Need printer+copier+scanner (don't care about fax)

Primary concern - need good text. Don't care about photo quality.
Click to expand...

You do not mention what duty cycle you need (pages per month) or whether
you need color capability. I would suggest you take a look at the HP
Officejet 7210, see
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/18972-238444-410635-12019-f51-391152.html
It is similar to the 2710 another poster mentioned, but includes an
automatic document feeder. The Officejet 2710 is no longer offered for
sale.

If you only need black printing (but color scanning) on of the LaserJet
based all-in-one products may meet your needs. See
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/e.../black_and_white_multifunction_and_all-in-one

I have no experience with the LaserJet models, but used an Officejet
7310 (similar to the 7210) extensively. It is fast and has great text
quality. Depending on your needs you might consider the two-sided
printing module, it is optional on the 7210. It allows automatic
two-sided printing, a feature I really like.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
If you don't need color, I'd suggest a multi-function printers (MFP)
(all in one) laser printer based unit.

Canon, Brother, HP, Lexmark and a few others make these. It will
provide you with very good text output, both from the printer and from
the scanner (probably 600 or 1200 dpi) will do a OK job with gray scale
photos, will be fast and cheap to operate with low maintenance issues.

Canon ImageClass MF 5750 ($200 US to $330 US) is one such example.
Canon imageClass MF 3110 ($125 US to $175 US) doesn't have document feeder

If you want color in that price range, you will have to go to inkjet.
It will get you better photos, but all the inherent inkjet problems may
not be make it worthwhile (cost per print, head clogs, fading ink, etc).

There are color laser MFP as well, but they start at about $500 US.

Art
 
Thanks for everyone's replies + suggestions.

In the end, went for a samsung scx-4200

Text quality = good.
Scanning = good (only tried b/w text on max scan res.)
Photo copying = passable.

Value = good.

Regards, dnw.
 
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