Color Printer Recommendations

[carolinarider09]

I would like to purchase a color printer.   My current printer is a black and white Brother HL-2270DW Series printer.  I like it.  Works fine.   No issues to date.  Prints via my local network connection.  All devices that can see if can use it.

Prints double sided on request. 

However,  I would like a color printer.   I would love for it to print just like my HL-2270DW just in color instead of black and white.

The printer would not be used that frequently since I would still use the Brother HL-2270DW for B/W printing which is most of what I print. 

The requirements for the new printer are:

1.  Accessible from  my local network connection
2.  Can sit unused for weeks without personal or other "interventions".
3.  Only required to print 8 1/2 x 11 pages
4.  Paper is in a tray just like my current Brother HL-2270DW
5.  Reliable.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

Thanks. 

[thedon]

We have a Cannon G6020. It has ink tanks, not cartridges. You buy bottles of ink and pour them into the tanks. You don't have to buy the expensive cartridges. Color is very good. Has been reliable.

[scooperhsd]

You can get a Brother Color Laser printer as well. If I was looking for a color printer, that's what I'd get (I also have a Brother B/W MFD laser that I'm pleased with).

[carolinarider09]

We have a Cannon G6020. It has ink tanks, not cartridges. You buy bottles of ink and pour them into the tanks. You don't have to buy the expensive cartridges. Color is very good. Has been reliable.

Regarding the ink tanks, do they tend to dry up from lack of use? 

[Hook#3287]

I can't remember how many printer I've gone through until I found my Brother color printer MFC-J45100W for home office and personal use.  It's a work horse.

I'm guessing it's about 5-6 years old and it starts and runs every time I kick it over.

I run 6 small offices and 3 have Brothers.  I'll replace the 2 HP's and Cannon with the small Brothers when they crap out.

[Valkorado]

We have a Cannon G6020. It has ink tanks, not cartridges. You buy bottles of ink and pour them into the tanks. You don't have to buy the expensive cartridges. Color is very good. Has been reliable.

I'm using a tank Epson, will have to check the model number.  Great printer, retailed about $300 but I got it new at about half price.

[carolinarider09]

Used Epson in the past (way past  ) will give it a look.

Regarding the Brother Printer

At best buy this is the most reviewed Brother.

Brother - MFC-L3770CDW Wireless Color All-In-One Laser Printer - White. $500

This is the second. 

Brother - HL-L3270CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer - White. $300

[Serk]

Just a quick check - why are you wanting a color printer?

Is it just to add color to documents? Then sure, move forward...

If it's to print the occasional photo, you can upload photos to WalMart and have them print 'em on photo paper, available to pick up in an hour for $0.12 each for 4x6.....

[carolinarider09]

Just a quick check - why are you wanting a color printer?

Is it just to add color to documents? Then sure, move forward...

If it's to print the occasional photo, you can upload photos to WalMart and have them print 'em on photo paper, available to pick up in an hour for $0.12 each for 4x6.....

Actually it's just to print colored documents of which there are few.   Mainly maps.    The black and white versions are pretty "dull".   Its sort of just because I can thing.

The only issue is location.   That is were to put it.   

[Valkorado]

Used Epson in the past (way past   ) will give it a look.

Regarding the Brother Printer

At best buy this is the most reviewed Brother.

Brother - MFC-L3770CDW Wireless Color All-In-One Laser Printer - White. $500

This is the second.  

Brother - HL-L3270CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer - White. $300

Checked again, mine's an older (and I think discontinued) Epson ST-2000.  Rock solid.  I'm guessing the newer "upgraded" supertank models are equally reliable.

Here's a new one at a decent price.  I almost think this model is more durable than the slightly cheaper ones they replaced it with.  Wouldn't be the first company to "downgrade" products.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/354496222613?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=X8fl_GY9RNu&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=EkcgiTXYSz6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[carolinarider09]

 

[Jersey mike]

We’ve had a couple HP printers, the all in one type…copier, scanner, fax, and they just never worked right.

Always would get *cannot connect to printer* messages elven though it was wired to computer. Bluetooth would not operate properly either. It was alway a PITA to try and print on the fly, it was alway a process.

[Wizzard]

Do not get an inkjet. Get a laser and it will last much longer and cheaper in the long run. Been through so many types of printers I cannot count but that is my advice. Stick with a name brand

[3fan4life]

Used Epson in the past (way past  ) will give it a look.

Regarding the Brother Printer

At best buy this is the most reviewed Brother.

Brother - MFC-L3770CDW Wireless Color All-In-One Laser Printer - White. $500

This is the second. 

Brother - HL-L3270CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer - White. $300

I have a Cannon Color Laser printer that I've had for 10 years or more. I'm not really loyal to any particular brand but it hasn't given me any trouble so I would consider another Cannon.

The Brother's seem to get pretty good reviews, If I needed to replace mine I would consider them.

The one thing that I do know is that the less you use a printer the better a laser printer is.

Before purchasing the laser printer I went through several bubble jets.

The problem I experienced was that the ink would dry up and damage the print head.

The laser can sit for a year without being used and still be good to go.

A scanner/copier/printer combo is a good thing to have because it does much more than just a printer.

Wireless is also very convenient.

Just a quick check - why are you wanting a color printer?

Is it just to add color to documents? Then sure, move forward...

If it's to print the occasional photo, you can upload photos to WalMart and have them print 'em on photo paper, available to pick up in an hour for $0.12 each for 4x6.....

 


Thanks Serk, you just saved me an hour of waiting around in Walmart this evening.

I needed some pics printed for tomorrow, I put them onto a USB drive last night so that I could take them to Walmart after work and get them printed.

I didn't know that sending them in to be printed was an option.

I sent them in during lunch and have already gotten an email saying they're ready to be picked up.

[carolinarider09]

[
Thanks Serk, you just saved me an hour of waiting around in Walmart this evening.

I needed some pics printed for tomorrow, I put them onto a USB drive last night so that I could take them to Walmart after work and get them printed.

I didn't know that sending them in to be printed was an option.

I sent them in during lunch and have already gotten an email saying they're ready to be picked up.

 

Is this not a wonderful place for "information"?   

[Serk]

Thanks Serk, you just saved me an hour of waiting around in Walmart this evening.

Groovy, glad my little blurb helped ya' out!

If you're not in a hurry can have 'em delivered to ya' for a few bucks.... Used that a lot when Kali was in boot camp to quickly and cheaply get her pictures to have in the lonely hours...

[scooperhsd]

Do not get an inkjet. Get a laser and it will last much longer and cheaper in the long run. Been through so many types of printers I cannot count but that is my advice. Stick with a name brand

+1.

I will try to never own another inkjet (even the tank one) for as long as I live.

While we are on the subject - I know my printer (at least - not sure about the scanner) can be used with Linux. What about these color lasers ? I have a friend who has sworn off Windows and he want a color printer that works with Linux...

[cookiedough]

recommending a name brand whether Epson, Canon, HP, or Brother is a crapshoot nowadays.  I have been thru about 3 basic 80 dollar or less printers in past 20 years and so far, knock on wood,  my HP is doing it's job fine for my needs.  Just a deskjet model cheapo one does color/scan/print is about it just fine.   Yah, the black and color inkjet cartridges are NOT cheap, but only doing  a few pages per few weeks on average they last me near 1 year's of ink is fine with me. 

I have had a few in the past, all under 100 bucks, and a few crapped out after the 1 year warranty as well. 

I bought my mother in law a very nice 200 dollar HP printer rated the best, and like said, with limited use, it crapped out as well after the 1 year warranty. 

IMO, if you go to Staples, etc. and look at what you think you will like, get for a very small extra amount the extended warranty only like 10-20 bucks tops since the chances of using it the 2nd or 3rd year ext. warranty is highly likely.

[carolinarider09]

Thanks for all the comments.   I have not settled on a specific printer but, as of now, it will be a laser printer.   My only issue is I plan on keeping my current B/W Brother printer as the main unit.   

So, I have to have a place to put the printer.  Working on a spot upstairs sort of out of the way.  And yes, I know that seems sort of weird since the new printer also will print black and white. 

I will work on that.  I don't need a scanner option, we purchased a Brother ADS-2700 scanner.  Works well scans double sided, not issues.  Right now it only scans to the Mac computer it's connected to via USB.  Have not tried to setup the "network" connection option since we just use it to scan documents locally and then transfer them to the QNAP Sever.

Anyway.  Will make a decision soon.

[MarkT]

I stick with Epson.  They were first in the tech and established the standards/protocols.  The others had to follow on.  STAY AWAY FROM HP.  (Not going to explain the horror.)  I have replaced many printers over the last 36 years.  Have had pin printers, bubblejets, lasers and inkjet, most were multi-function machines.  Inkjets often clogged and wouldn't respond to cleaning cycles. (But they were more versatile, looked better and could print pics as well as label CD's/DVD's with professional labels directly on printable surface discs.)  Even clogged when I made sure to use them at least once/week.  Until I found the following.  Now I can keep my Epson multi-function XP-830 running indefinitely.  I used to set them up with continuous ink tanks to escape the cartridges.  The business plan of Epson and the other inkjet printer makers, is to practically give you the printer, below their cost as it becomes a repeat user of their SPENDY ink cartridges.  I have kept my current Epson multi-printer running for years longer than previous ones, using these procedures.  FYI the Epson XP-830 was about $80 at Best Buy - they went up later, around $120,  don't know what they are now, probably replaced with something newer.  This machine is quite versatile, does everything except fax.  Including 2-side printing, 1 or 2-sided auto-loading copies, platen scans, contrast and darkness and color adjustments with preview, prints directly on CD printable discs, other special media.  And it's at least 6 years old, works like new.
Here's the tips:

1.  Get a Printer Potty.  It's an external tank for the cleaning cycles.  Without this, when you run a clean cycle, it runs ink through all the ports, and sends it to a tank full of felt.  It keeps a count of the cycles and when it tops out, the printer is disabled, forcing you to take it to a tech to empty the tank and reset the counter.  With a Printer Potty, the ink instead goes to the external tank.  You can get the reset code online for typically about $8.  Depending on use, it's good for quite a while.  For me, typically over 2 years.  The Printer Potty looks like this.  duckduckgo it.



2.  When your printer ports won't clean with cleaning cycles, use a paper towel and Windex as follows:  
Start a print job and pull the power plug while it's printing.  This will unlock the print head to make it movable by hand.  Use Windex soaked on a 4-layer paper towel strip about an inch wide under the print heads.  Slide the print head back and forth and use the strip like a shoe polish buffer strip to clean the heads.  The Windex will penetrate the ports via capillary action. That has always done it for me.  Beyond that - Some printers have little print port tubes under the print cartridges (but the XP830 doesn't) that one can plug a syringe with attached tube onto, and flush the print passages with cleaning mixture made up of 8pts windex with 2 pts alcohol.  Such syringes are available online at youtube posters if needed.  Or make one up.  Note, there are commenters on these youtube threads that say really old dried out printers were restored using these procedures.  Meaning old, dried-out retired printers may be restorable.  I have at least 3 of those stored in the basement.  See, June, I'm NOT a horder, sometimes it pays to keep stuff.  Though I haven't restored them yet, and don't expect I will need to with the XP830 running indefinitely.

3.  DO NOT install new releases of printer firmware.  Epson's original firmware allows aftermarket cartridges which are MUCH cheaper than official Epson ones.  Install new releases, and the firmware will disallow non-Epson carts.  I found this out the hard way and had to replace my printer from Best Buy under warranty.  I think this happens due to legal reasons - they are required to allow aftermarket carts unless you upgrade the firmware - you ASKED for it.  I'm thinking this is related to the Magnussen-Moss Warranty Act.

4. You can try continuous-refill tanks instead of carts.  I concluded this wasn't worth it; just buy aftermarket carts on ebay.  As long as they remain available (not discontinued due to lowered demand) you're good.  I don't think you can stock up on years of carts - may expire on the shelf.  If that becomes the case, then continuous tanks would be worth it.  I found the tanks require more cleaning cycles.  Maybe it's the ink quality.

[carolinarider09]

A very interesting and educational read MarkT.   A 'printer potty'.  Who would have thought and changing stuff to prevent other stuff.......

Makes me shake my head. 

I must admit, to my knowledge I don't think we ever had an inkjet printer.   I think the ones I had before the laser thing were just old fashioned printer ribbon machines.   

[Patrick]

This is of no help, but, if you need a copier make sure it copies.

I just bought an HP Laser, and, I hate HP. The price was right. Now I find that it won't copy.

[cookiedough]

This is of no help, but, if you need a copier make sure it copies.

I just bought an HP Laser, and, I hate HP. The price was right. Now I find that it won't copy.

really?  never heard of a printer/scanner/copier NOT able to copy before.  Weird...

[Patrick]

This is of no help, but, if you need a copier make sure it copies.

I just bought an HP Laser, and, I hate HP. The price was right. Now I find that it won't copy.

really?  never heard of a printer/scanner/copier NOT able to copy before.  Weird...

Ya, never expected that. About ready to take a sledge hammer to it. Did I mention I hate HP.

[scooperhsd]

Used to be that HP was THE brand to get - guessing that's no longer true....