Cheap printer/scanner

[clockworks]

Having made the mistake of buying an HP Instant Ink printer (stops working if you don't pay the monthly subs), my lodger wants to bin it and buy something else.

She wants wireless, a scanner, and inks that don't dry out if left for a few weeks. Being able to use cheap aftermarket cartridges would be a bonus.

She doesn't need colour printing, but does anyone make mono ink jets these days?
Failing getting a mono, it would need a separate black ink tank, and the ability to print black even if the colour tanks have dried up.

I've never bothered with ink jets, just use a compact mono laser, so know nothing about ink jets.

[Baldchap]

I'd go for a laser, plenty of options around.

This WiFi mono laser and scanner is £150.

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/hp-laserjet-pro-...

Head and shoulders above anything inky...

[FourWheelDrift]

clockworks said:

inks that don't dry out if left for a few weeks..

Don't buy an inkjet.

Doesn't the HP scanner still work, it should do because if you cancel your InstantInk sub you can still put "official" HP ink cartridges in it then it becomes a non sub printer so it could be kept working just for the scanner.

Then buy a cheap Brother Mono laser printer - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NUBGFGO

[clockworks]

I'd go laser any day, she doesn't want to spend much. I've tried explaining that laser is cheaper in the long run.

I've read differing reports about using non instant ink cartridges, mostly saying that once you've signed up for the monthlies, you are stuck with it.

[FourWheelDrift]

clockworks said:

I'd go laser any day, she doesn't want to spend much. I've tried explaining that laser is cheaper in the long run.

I've read differing reports about using non instant ink cartridges, mostly saying that once you've signed up for the monthlies, you are stuck with it.

I think what I meant to say is, after you finish the sub the printer/scanner will still work. And you don't need ink cartridges to use the scanner so just use the scanner part.

[Mr Pointy]

it looks like laser could be cheaper than inkjet & doesn't need ink that costs it's weight in gold:

https://www.printerland.co.uk/printers/multifuncti...

https://www.printerbase.co.uk/printers/laser-print...
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/printers/inkjet-prin...

I suspect needing a scanner is what is levelling up the cost. Personally I'd be looking at the cheapest non-HP laser unless there was an HP where it's certain that non-OEM toner is available. How many pages does she print? If it's not many pages a month then £45 for a toner cartridge (which is what the HP costs) isn't too bad. Lasers are physically bigger though.

[clockworks]

I use a smallish Brother mono laser, cheap cartridges from eBay. Does everything I need, cheap and reliable. I don't think it does wireless printing.

I just remembered that I've got an old HP 6500 wireless multifunction inkjet printer in the office. So old, it has a built-in fax!

Powers up OK, and can even print straight from an iPhone using an HP app.
She's ordered a set of cartridges for it, less than £15. Worth a gamble.

[RizzoTheRat]

You should just be able to put standard HP cartridges in and use it as normal. One of the things I like about HP printers is the print head is in the cartridge so no danger of the heads gumming up completely and being unusable.

[richhead]

I print very rarely, and have a cheap all in one epson xp 2200, i also use non epson cartridges when needed, there are four different co lours, you can just change the one needed. works well for me.
printer https://www.amazon.co.uk/Epson-Expression-XP-2200-...

ink https://www.amazon.co.uk/ColorKing-Cartridges-Repl...

Works well for my use, and at that price almost disposable, and the scanner/copier works well.

[Paul Drawmer]

I've changed to a cheap laser printer as I print so few docs now.

I've passed on the scanner, as my phone does it fine for everything I've tried so far.

[biggiles]

+1 for the cheap Brother laser.

And use an app like "Genius Scan" for scanning - haven't needed a proper scanner for YEARS since moving to the app, and now that camera resolution is so good. Unless you need to scan 50+ pages with a proper ADF, the app is just easier.

[clockworks]

A Brother mono laser, and taking pics with the phone, works fine for me too.

She wants her own printer downstairs (mine is upstairs in my office), and she insists that she needs a scanner.
Hopefully my old HP 6500 will do what she wants.

[dapprman]

richhead said:

I print very rarely, and have a cheap all in one epson xp 2200, i also use non epson cartridges when needed, there are four different co lours, you can just change the one needed. works well for me.
printer https://www.amazon.co.uk/Epson-Expression-XP-2200-...

ink https://www.amazon.co.uk/ColorKing-Cartridges-Repl...

Works well for my use, and at that price almost disposable, and the scanner/copier works well.

Oddly enough that is the very same printer I'm hoping will be much reduced again in the Black Friday sales as my neighbours (who aren't technical) need a cheap printer for occasional use.

[lonny]

TheVerge summed it up very well - https://www.theverge.com/23642073/best-printer-202...

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

FourWheelDrift said:

clockworks said:

inks that don't dry out if left for a few weeks..

Don't buy an inkjet.

This, every inkjet I have ever purchased has dried out if unused for a few weeks. A year ago my partner needed to scan lots of documents for her passport application and was sick of doing this on her phone.

I ended up going to Argos and buying one of these for £40. For £40 it is utterly incredible value, but the colour cartridge dried up pretty quickly. It is still printing black and white OK, but the cartridge is virtually empty.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4651060?istCompany...

To buy a set of cartridges is more than the printer, so unfortunately I suspect I will just buy another one and our perfectly working one will go in to eWaste.

Such a shame but what can you do?

Actually Argos are doing the Brother Laser Printer/Scanner for another £100 so I suspect I will just buy one of these as I never need to print in colour.

[silentbrown]

We got an inktank printer rather than a laser, as the cost of consumables on the laser was quite steep once you'd used the included ones.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-PIXMA-G3570-cost-ef...

Good for photos as well as regular docs, and I don't think we'll ever need to buy more ink.

[clockworks]

Unfortunately the HP 6500 accepted the aftermarket £15 print cartridges, but refused to feed paper. Dustbin job.

Looking at Brother laser printers, a lot are marketed as "EcoPro", which appears to be Brother's rip off subscription service. We don't want any kind of monthly sub, just a printer that we can slap a cheapo cartridge in when it runs out.
Do you have to sign up for the sub?

Also, the cheaper Brother lasers don't seem to do Airprint?

[FourWheelDrift]

You don't have to sign up to any service to use a printer.

[sgrimshaw]

If budget allows (£176) this Brother fits your needs

https://www.printerbase.co.uk/brother-mfcl2800dw-a...

[andburg]

As an it professional responsible for a print platform.

Reliable, occasional printing means laser.

The small brother lasers are cheap to run and well regarded.
Inkjets are just asking for regular strip downs to clean up heads or spend money replacing them.