All in one printers. Help needed.

[G-Man]

Finding out that shopping for printers is like shopping for mattresses.  All the stores and the web sites carry different models, with different reviews so you can't make comparisons.

I'm looking for a good printer that scans and sends and receives faxes.  Looking to keep it under $250 - $300.  Any ideas or reviews out there?

[9Ball]

choose based on the cost of replacement ink cartridges.....some cost 1/2 as much as the printer and only last a couple hundred pages.

[Jack]

I have a HP printer/copier.  Works great and I buy the ink online.  5 yrs=no down time.

[Bob E.]

Yeah...Kodak makes a pretty nice printer that my Mom has.  Ink cartridges are about $10 for black and $12-
$14 for color and they last a long time.  She only paid around $100 for it, but I'm not sure hers scans and faxes, though.  I have to believe that they have a model that does.  That's what I'll probably be buying soon.  Our HP just died and the cartridges for it were too expensive.  We also have a Dell all-in-one printer that came with our computer.  It works well, but ink for it is expensive too.  At least we can buy it from Staples now instead of only mail-order from Dell.

[Bob E.]

I have a HP printer/copier.  Works great and I buy the ink online.  5 yrs=no down time.

I have had no luck buying ink online.  It always seems like half of the cartridges don't work.  Heck, even the generic Office-Max brand ink for the HP wouldn't work half the time.  So we usually stuck with the HP brand.

[lee]

I was a printer repairman the last 5 years before I retired. My advice: BUY ONLY HP.

[Puffs Daddy]

I was a printer repairman the last 5 years before I retired. My advice: BUY ONLY HP.

Sounds like you have more experience than I, but I'd agree with the assessment. Bought my wife a series 6150 HP "all in one" at Costco last year. It's a champ. (I believe the 6150 designation is for Costco only. Other 6100 versions are basically the same.)

She buys her ink online from HP when the printer tells her to do so.

[the inspector]

I also have good luck with HP. Many things I use are HP and they work very good. Don't think you'll go wrong with HP and way under $300, try Office Max, Wal-mart, some store like that seek out them sales...

"the inspector"

[98 T]

G-man,

I have an HP 5160  all-in-one at my office (3 years old and counting) and a  newer   HP 6100 series at home, also an all-in-one.

Both are good...ink costs add up pretty quick.  If I buy another one, I'd try to price ink replacement, but it's so hard to figure.  None of them clearly state how many pages you get out of a cartridge.  I've had bad luck with the Office Depot brand ink... stay with HP brand.

The printer is good quality, good scanner, a good faxer, a pretty good copier -  ink is the real cost.  The printers cost around $199 each. From what I understand, the HP print cartridge includes it's own spray nozzle...

my 2 cents...

Loth

[Oyeaa]

Like my HP all in one 1315xi, no problems, but I think that the Kodak with the less expensive refills may be the ticket.  After all Kodak makes some pretty fine products and I know that the HP refills are $$$$$$$$$$.  You will save a bundle in the long run I think. Kodak Easyshare 5300 Printer/scanner/fax/copier.  That will be my next printer when I get fed up paying $$$$$$$$$$ for just a simple ink refill.

[Phil Owen]

Take a look at the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500.  http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/printer/Officejet/1/storefronts/CB022A%2523B1H Bought this a month ago at Staples for $229.99 + Tax.  The reviews were favorable, the ink initially looks a little pricey but with the XL cartridges you print a long ways.  Setup was easy and so far we are extremely pleased with it.  This is only the third printer I have ever bought and they have all be HP's. 

[GreenLantern57]

Also depends on what your other needs are:
Networkable, wired or wireless,
We had a great little Brother all-in-one, but the ink cost was high. Plus, I bought a USB, tried using a cheapo network adapter. Kept losing IP address. That is back in the box. 
We bought a B/W laser for general text printing, hardwired network.
Recenly bought another color printer, wired/wireless. Epson, good for pictures. It also is all-in-one. Caught it on sale for 79 bucks at Best Buy. Ink is about half cost of what the Brother was.

[Oss]

for cheap black and white copies cant beat the brother laser printer  I hate that all other printers will use the color ink and you dont know it unless you keep setting printer to just do black and white

The laser cost me less than 60 bucks a year to print and every few years a 150 for the drum.   I accidentally broke mine with a hammer last year and wish I still had it


Try the hp or kodak if you need color scan