Need a cheap colour laser printer

[Louis Balfour]

As a home printer for homework. It needs to be:

1. Print only (non multi-function)
2. Colour
3. Can print photos reasonably (but we're not Max Spielman)
4. Replacement cartridges reasonably priced.

I've looked at Amazon and Argos but the choices seem almost endless. Does anyone have any recommendations please?

[thebraketester]

Any specific need for it to be laser? Colour laser toner packs are very very expensive.

[wiggy001]

I bought a Brother HL-L3270CDW for homework and similar printing about a year ago and cannot fault it. Yes, laser toner is more expensive than inkjet cartridges however I wasted so much of the latter as an infrequent user of the printer... ever time I went to print something before I needed to run 2 to 3 lots of nozzle cleaning before I could print anything. This just works.

That said, I wouldn't recommend it for printing photos - the quality isn't as good as an inkjet in that respect. For the number of photos I print, I'm more than happy to use the machines in Boots and the like - in fact it's often quicker than the aforementioned hassle of using the inkjet and the results are consistent!

[SteveKTMer]

If you need colour for photos get an inkjet printer for photos and a cheap mono laser for text. I have Brother colour laser with scanner, but it doesn't do photos very well, lasers aren't that good at photos, not unless you spend a lot of money, mono is very sharp and fast but 4 high capacity Brother cartridges (black, c,m and y) cost as much as the printer did, what was about £450. But that is reasonably cheap for a colour laser.

[wiggy001]

The printer I have is £250 to buy. Original toner for 1000 pages is around £140 whereas "compatible" toner is around £40 according to Google. Has anyone ever used "compatible" toner and is it worth it? I once tried "compatible" cartridges in my old Inkjet and they were compatible in that they fitted the printer ok, but the colour was way off and they were quickly binned.

[x5tuu]

wiggy001 said:

The printer I have is £250 to buy. Original toner for 1000 pages is around £140 whereas "compatible" toner is around £40 according to Google. Has anyone ever used "compatible" toner and is it worth it? I once tried "compatible" cartridges in my old Inkjet and they were compatible in that they fitted the printer ok, but the colour was way off and they were quickly binned.

I use compatible toner with my Brother laser printer and have done since the OEM toner ran out at the start end of covid. Had zero issues and the print quality is just as consistent as ever. Ive used multiple sources for the toners and all have been of equal quality IMO.

[Louis Balfour]

thebraketester said:

Any specific need for it to be laser? Colour laser toner packs are very very expensive.

Print quality really. All the inkjets I have ever seen have been less good.

[sgrimshaw]

Louis Balfour said:

thebraketester said:

Any specific need for it to be laser? Colour laser toner packs are very very expensive.

Print quality really. All the inkjets I have ever seen have been less good.

Even a cheap as chips inkjet will print photos better than a low - mid range colour laser.

[HiAsAKite]

Buy a laser, for which you can buy compatable toner. Eg Brother

[Louis Balfour]

HiAsAKite said:

Buy a laser, for which you can buy compatable toner. Eg Brother

I thought I'd found a really ideal Brother one on Amazon. The delivery time was 1-2 months!

[IJWS15]

We have an Epson (XP-3100) which we run on non-epson cartridges. Just need to remember to print something every week or so but if it only lasts a 3-4 years it will have done OK.

Do you need air print? I find it very handy that the wife can print her return labels direct from her I-pad without bothering me!

[Louis Balfour]

IJWS15 said:

We have an Epson (XP-3100) which we run on non-epson cartridges. Just need to remember to print something every week or so but if it only lasts a 3-4 years it will have done OK.

Do you need air print? I find it very handy that the wife can print her return labels direct from her I-pad without bothering me!

Inkjet no?

Some work will need to be bound for projects etc, hence why I said laser.

[Griffith4ever]

Another vote for Brother. I absolutely spank mine printing manuals for my products, plus all shipping labels in a second casette. I buy based on consumable aftermarket support.

Brother HL-8260CDW £250 ish.

Next day: £260

https://www.printerland.co.uk/product/brother-hl-l...

Full set of compat cartridges £60 (CYMK)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09KXJ96WW/ref...

They are high capacity and last an age , and all my printing includes colour photos on each page.

The colours lack the same "pop" as the toner the printer came with, but not enough to be a problem.

[Louis Balfour]

Griffith4ever said:

Another vote for Brother. I absolutely spank mine printing manuals for my products, plus all shipping labels in a second casette. I buy based on consumable aftermarket support.

Brother HL-8260CDW £250 ish.

Next day: £260

https://www.printerland.co.uk/product/brother-hl-l...

Full set of compat cartridges £60 (CYMK)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09KXJ96WW/ref...

They are high capacity and last an age , and all my printing includes colour photos on each page.

The colours lack the same "pop" as the toner the printer came with, but not enough to be a problem.

Thank you. This one is in the lead at the moment.

[BlueMR2]

Louis Balfour said:

Griffith4ever said:

Another vote for Brother. I absolutely spank mine printing manuals for my products, plus all shipping labels in a second casette. I buy based on consumable aftermarket support.

Brother HL-8260CDW £250 ish.

Next day: £260

https://www.printerland.co.uk/product/brother-hl-l...

Full set of compat cartridges £60 (CYMK)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09KXJ96WW/ref...

They are high capacity and last an age , and all my printing includes colour photos on each page.

The colours lack the same "pop" as the toner the printer came with, but not enough to be a problem.

Thank you. This one is in the lead at the moment.

Here is the offer page on Brothers website for the £50 or 3 year deal.

https://www.brother.co.uk/brother-products/redeem-...

[Louis Balfour]

BlueMR2 said:

Louis Balfour said:

Griffith4ever said:

Another vote for Brother. I absolutely spank mine printing manuals for my products, plus all shipping labels in a second casette. I buy based on consumable aftermarket support.

Brother HL-8260CDW £250 ish.

Next day: £260

https://www.printerland.co.uk/product/brother-hl-l...

Full set of compat cartridges £60 (CYMK)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09KXJ96WW/ref...

They are high capacity and last an age , and all my printing includes colour photos on each page.

The colours lack the same "pop" as the toner the printer came with, but not enough to be a problem.

Thank you. This one is in the lead at the moment.

Here is the offer page on Brothers website for the £50 or 3 year deal.

https://www.brother.co.uk/brother-products/redeem-...

A quick scan suggests £50 off an already quite high price, surely.

[Mr Pointy]

Louis Balfour said:

A quick scan suggests £50 off an already quite high price, surely.

Isn't the £50 off the Printerland price you posted?

I have a Brother & it's very good, although as others have said it's not a photo printer.

[Louis Balfour]

Mr Pointy said:

Louis Balfour said:

A quick scan suggests £50 off an already quite high price, surely.

Isn't the £50 off the Printerland price you posted?

I have a Brother & it's very good, although as others have said it's not a photo printer.

It looks like £50 off Brother direct, unless I am being thick.

[Mr Pointy]

Louis Balfour said:

It looks like £50 off Brother direct, unless I am being thick.

I'm pretty sure you would buy it from Printerland & then fill out the form on the Brother website - you don't have to buy it from the Brother website.

[Louis Balfour]

Mr Pointy said:

Louis Balfour said:

It looks like £50 off Brother direct, unless I am being thick.

I'm pretty sure you would buy it from Printerland & then fill out the form on the Brother website - you don't have to buy it from the Brother website.

Thanks. Worth a try.