Any cost-efficient recent color laser printers?

[cesarcafe]

Hi!

Short question: Is there any recent color laser printer which, when it runs out of toner, buying the toner is much cheaper than buying a new printer?

Longer explanation (in case you need more details):
I've always used inkjet printers at home, but these days I print in lower volume (because of the trend towards online work). Low volume printing doesn't mix well with inkjet (ink dries, heads get clogged, etc...), and for example, last night I had to print a document and I couldn't print it with reasonable quality because I had not used the printer in the last weeks and the printer heads had problems with dried ink (even cleaning the heads didn't fix it completely).

So, I like the idea of a laser printer, because you don't have this problem if you don't use the printer for some weeks.

Regarding my needs, I need color (but I don't need super-photo quality, so color laser has quality enough). I don't care about printing speed. Two-sided is preferable but not a must. I don't print much nowadays, as I said. My highest preference is that the printer should last for years (better if it's years and years), and this of course requires that the toner is not more expensive than the printer, because otherwise I'd be buying a new printer every year. I don't like that "buy and then throw away" trend.

I tried to search the Internet, but it seems the printer market is a really dirty one, because most of the results from Google are either adverts, or payed blog entries, or payed reviews, or sites that just want you to visit them but that really doesn't give you any real information...

I mean, in a serious laser printer review, I'd expect to see a real test of how much the toner lasts, for example, because some printers claim 1000 pages, but then some users say new toner lasts 300 pages only. But instead of this, the so called "reviews" just tell you how cool this printer is. Nonsense.

From my search, it looked like the Brother HL-L3230CDW could be a good choice, but it seems quite a few users are reporting that the toner lasts for just 250-300 pages (and they mean new toner, not the courtesy bundled one).

Do you have any good recommendation?

Thanks!

[stevewmn]

An alternate suggestion would be to set up a cron job to automatically print something every week or so on your inkjet printer. For instance I have an Epson inkjet and there is a Linux package called escputil that can, among other things print an inkjet test pattern that just uses every nozzle for a bit with a small amount of ink consumed, unlike the usual CUPS test pages.

I had exactly the kind of problems you're describing and my printer is several years old now and is working better than ever this way.

[mikahawkins]

Hello cesarcafe,
If you're looking for the best color laser printer under $300 that's worth every penny, those are the best and efficient

• Speedy compact: Brother HL-L3210CW.
• Secure printing: HP LaserJet Pro M255dw.
• Versatile office tool: Lexmark MC3224adwe.
• Speedy printing: Xerox Phaser 6510.
• Works with Alexa: HP Color LaserJet Pro M454dn.

Regards,
Mika Hawkins

[Mishal21]

An alternate suggestion would be to set up a cron job to automatically print something every week or so on your inkjet printer. For instance I have an Epson inkjet and there is a Linux package called escputil that can, among other things print an inkjet test pattern that just uses every nozzle for a bit with a small amount of ink consumed, unlike the usual CUPS test pages.

I had exactly the kind of problems you're describing and my printer is several years old now and is working better than ever this way.

The cheapest way to print for that amount is to go to Staples or a print shop and have them do it. You are not going to find a cheaper cost for any laser / inkjet printer purchased at home. You need a colour copier with a print app, which is what these stores are going to have.

Lots of prospects here. If we knew which orders are your priorities, it would be helpful: speed, cost, and print quality. How often will you do a job like this? How often? Are there any finishing criteria, double-sided or single-sided (hole punch, binding, collating, staple, etc.)? How many pages is a full paper made up of?

[Jeffrey Samson]

When I had my printer refilled last time and was thinking about buying something new the specialist told me that HP was good at making printers which offer great value for money. He also named some especially good model (in his opinion) but I forgot it

[Batan]

Why not print a test document once in a while? (week?)

[oiaohm]

Is there any recent color laser printer which, when it runs out of toner, buying the toner is much cheaper than buying a new printer?.

There is a problem to this question you don't get it yet.

I've always used inkjet printers at home, but these days I print in lower volume (because of the trend towards online work). Low volume printing doesn't mix well with inkjet (ink dries, heads get clogged, etc...), and for example, last night I had to print a document and I couldn't print it with reasonable quality because I had not used the printer in the last weeks and the printer heads had problems with dried ink (even cleaning the heads didn't fix it completely).

Inkjets need serous care. Lot of people are not aware that when you turn a inkjet though they dump so much ink straight up. This is why its not exactly wise to be refilling inkjet either.

So, I like the idea of a laser printer, because you don't have this problem if you don't use the printer for some weeks.

That is a valid reason for laser printer. Inkjets absolutely hate not being used.

From my search, it looked like the Brother HL-L3230CDW could be a good choice, but it seems quite a few users are reporting that the toner lasts for just 250-300 pages (and they mean new toner, not the courtesy bundled one).

This is a basic mechanical problem. You want your printer fairly small right. There is a trap with laser printers. Each color has to have its own drum and full page width cartridge. This is why a mono laser printer of the same size printer can do normally like 4 to 5 times what color laser printers of the same shell size.

So to get a decent number of pages you have to go up in physical laser printer size so the printer cartridge can go up in size this also means price goes up as well.

Brother HL-L3230CDW 1,400 color claim is not printing pages of photos. 250-300 pages is about right if someone is printing full pages of color photos out of it. When they say color pages they mean color pages that are a mix of text and pictures as in business document color pages not photos. People get caught with inkjets with color pages claim instead of color photos as well..

In the Brother line you have MFC-L8690CDW that is up in the 800 dollar range that you start getting you 4000 page cartridges all round. This is a lot bigger machine.

800 dollar printers it is cheaper to replace toner than the printer due to the larger cartridge you are needing less non printing plastic and over all packaging. Remember that non printing plastic and packaging you have to pay for.

Brother MFC-L8690CDW is around 800 AUD where I am and a new set of brother cartridges for it is around 900 AUD for the 4000 page versions colour and around 600 dollar for the 1800 page versions(what the printer comes with new). Refills/compatible clone are a lot cheaper at around the 150 AUD mark for the 4000 page versions complete set of course. These are all on buying the set of 4.

Brother HL-L3230CDW here is around 250-300 AUD printer but a new set of brother cartridges for it is around 500 AUD on special not on special 700 dollars 2300 page version. You better be planning to use refils/compatible clone even then they are still going to be around 150 AUD mark here for the set of 4.

This all depends on how much you will be printing. 550 dollars more in printer can disappear very quickly if you truly do a lot of printing. 150 dollar compatible clone cartridge in the 800 AUD printer is basically printing twice as much as 150 dollar compatible clone cartridge in the 250-300 AUD printer. 8 refils v 4 refils todo basically the same.

Most businesses don't use brand name printer cartridges in their laser printers just too expensive and normally makes no difference to the printer quality of output.

You can understand why there is a lot of arguement when printer makers started talking about chip locking laser printer cartridges because it could have made printers not cost effective to use.

[oiaohm]

Why not print a test document once in a while? (week?)

Really ink jets really just don't like being not used. You can have the ink as it gets old in inkjets in fact split in the tank then screw the head over as well. A printer used daily inkjets are ok. Intermit usage printers not good for inkjet you will have trouble.

[baryluk]

Is you are on a budget, then yes, Brother HL-L3230CDW is way to go. But if it is for the office, with plenty of documents printed, I would suggest a bigger model from Brother, with scanner, extra tries, and bigger tonners. I personally would go with separate black&white printer, and separate MFC color printer for doing copying, scanning and rear color printing (i.e. I sometimes to print maps, or some crude photos, etc). Dedicated black and white printer would have bigger and cheaper tonner, and parts that will be available on the market for long time, including 3rd party toners, and the printer itself usually are built slightly better to last longer, because they are abused a lot in offices.

I might be biased tho, because I used like 4 different Brother laser printers in 20 decades (none ever broke, and some were actually bought used) and they were excellent (including superb Linux support), and always had issues with HP, and before that Inkjets from Epson and HP. Sure, Inkjet or other tech are way to go for photos, but you can just print them somewhere else. Unless you are professional printing 10+ photos daily using professional printer (and you would buy some high end Canon, Mitsubishy, or MAYBE HP), Inkjet is useless I think. The only exception maybe would be if you need super small mobile printer for some reasons. Last time I used inkjet was around 2000. Nope, it sucks money out of your wallet quickly.

For big offices, Xerox, Ricoh and Kyocera are the best honestly.

[Batan]

Really ink jets really just don't like being not used. You can have the ink as it gets old in inkjets in fact split in the tank then screw the head over as well. A printer used daily inkjets are ok. Intermit usage printers not good for inkjet you will have trouble.

I use mine once a week and everything seems to work well for like 2y now.