Need a laser printer....

[Soybomb]

So I'm a poor student and need a laser printer. I have a couple different computers though so I'd like it to be on the lan since I'm lazy. Should I get one of the cheap new ones like the samsung thats $100 after rebates or so and a print server or would I be better to spend that much on an old HP laserjet4+ or laserjet 5 with a jet direct card on ebay? I hate to spend that much on an older printer since the shipping is like $40 on those beasts, but I'm guessing they're probably higher quality and will last me longer.

 

[vegetation]

What's your print volume going to be ? If it's quite low then something like the Samsung would do you fine. Whatever you decide, do not go with the Brother 1440 laser printer, as it eats through consumables at a rate that will cost you more per page than an inkjet. We have a saying here:

Anything other than Brother!

 

[Texun]

Takek your time if you can and keep an eye on Ebay. I picked up an HP 6 for $85 shipped. I was worried about the paper feed problem but the guy assured me that it had the feed fix installed. I ordered a kit from HP anyway just to be safe, but I got the printer and it's like new and works fine.

 

[Slogun]

I like my Samsung ML-1710. It's set up as a shared printer on my network.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: Texun
Takek your time if you can and keep an eye on Ebay. I picked up an HP 6 for $85 shipped. I was worried about the paper feed problem but the guy assured me that it had the feed fix installed. I ordered a kit from HP anyway just to be safe, but I got the printer and it's like new and works fine.

You have a link to order that feed-fix issue from HP? I cant seem to find it on their site and I have 2 6Ls sitting here needing it

Thanks!

 

[Texun]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

Originally posted by: Texun
Takek your time if you can and keep an eye on Ebay. I picked up an HP 6 for $85 shipped. I was worried about the paper feed problem but the guy assured me that it had the feed fix installed. I ordered a kit from HP anyway just to be safe, but I got the printer and it's like new and works fine.

You have a link to order that feed-fix issue from HP? I cant seem to find it on their site and I have 2 6Ls sitting here needing it

Thanks!

Bad news..... I checked and it looks like HP stopped supporting the free kit. Some scavengers picked them up when they were free and are now selling them on Ebay. That bites. The kit is nothing more than a piece of cardboard with a strip of tape that adheres to the roller.

LINK

 

[Jayczar]

Originally posted by: Slogun
I like my Samsung ML-1710. It's set up as a shared printer on my network.

me too, works good and is a steal for $99.

 

[sathyan]

on a different, but related note, print servers

Is this Edimax print server any good?
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?submit=list&catalog=387&DEPA=1&order=price&sort=asc

I want to use WiFi on a notebook to connect to the printer via my wireless router without needing my desktop on.

Notebook <Wifi> Router <ethernet> printer server <lpt> printer

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

I second the Brother HL-1440.


<poor college student



Works great, cheap (150-175ish), etc

 

[Jgtdragon]

Brothers printer gave me bad experience.

I just got a HP LJ 4 Plus for $78 shipped from Ebay. I'll see how well it is.

 

[John]

I have (2) HP LaserJet 6L's that I picked up off eBay a year ago in mint condition for 50ea + 25ea shipping FedEx Ground. I also bought the 8MB memory upgrade for 20ea. The 6L's are some of the best laser printer ever produced and are still sought after today. If you apply the multiple paper feed fix you'll be set for years to come. Toners are easy to come by and last a long time.

I happen to have several spare original HP paper feed fix kits for $5.00 shipped USPS Priority if anyone would like some.

Get your free 5L/6L service manuals here

 

[hungrygoose]

i work on printers, faxes, and copiers for a living and i tell u one thing.....ricoh make the best laser printers.....little more expensive, but u get what u pay for.....hp's are pretty good too, but very difficult to repair and cheaply made.....believe me.....samsung and brother both suck ass as far as laser printing goes.....canon also is shit....lol......basically......ricoh.....then hp.....contact me if u wanna buy a ricoh.....the company i work for is owned by ricoh but we service everything.....lexmark lasers are pretty decent as long as u don't go w/a cheap one....optra t's are pretty good printers until they start jamming consistently

 

[ceo2b]

hungrygoose, i have a question for you. i'm looking for a good multifunction with color capabilities. most multifun. laser only come in b/w. Would i better served to get an inexpensive b/w multi inkjet and then a good color laser or vice versa?

 

[Slogun]

"samsung and brother both suck ass as far as laser printing goes.....canon also is shit."

I don't care what he does for a living, this is just one guy's opinion.

I was so happy with my Samsung ML-1430 for the past year, I went out and bought this year's ML-1710 and have been just as pleased.

IMHO, just the thing for a "poor student" in need of a laser printer.

 

[hungrygoose]

samsung and brother both suck ass as far as laser printing goes.....canon also is shit."

I don't care what he does for a living, this is just one guy's opinion.

I was so happy with my Samsung ML-1430 for the past year, I went out and bought this year's ML-1710 and have been just as pleased.

IMHO, just the thing for a "poor student" in need of a laser printer.


hmmm.......u must not put much yield on your machine.....for someone who only prints say.....5000 pages per year, any laser on the market will be a good machine.......if you are using a laser for what a laser was built for, say around 1000-3000 prints per month, then the machines you mention suck ass....i know b/c i work on them all day, every day

hungrygoose, i have a question for you. i'm looking for a good multifunction with color capabilities. most multifun. laser only come in b/w. Would i better served to get an inexpensive b/w multi inkjet and then a good color laser or vice versa?




depends on what kind of volume you plan on doing.....figure out your total document workflow needs and i could better answer that question.....w/printers, faxes, and copiers, it's all about document volume

for those ppl that just want a laser to use b/c it is faster and more reliable, then yea, any laser will work fine, but for someone who actually NEEDS the capabilities of a laser printer, u get wat u pay for

 

[Slogun]

hmmm.....for someone who only prints say.....5000 pages per year, any laser on the market will be a good machine.......for those ppl that just want a laser to use b/c it is faster and more reliable, then yea, any laser will work fine

I'll agree with that, and since Soybomb is a student and not in business, I think he need not worry about spending his scarce cash on the "latest and greatest."

 

[hungrygoose]

Originally posted by: Slogun

hmmm.....for someone who only prints say.....5000 pages per year, any laser on the market will be a good machine.......for those ppl that just want a laser to use b/c it is faster and more reliable, then yea, any laser will work fine

I'll agree with that, and since Soybomb is a student and not in business, I think he need not worry about spending his scarce cash on the "latest and greatest."

it's not a matter of having "the latest and greatest".....it's a matter of buying the product that best fits the needs of the buyer......he never said how much volume he would be using, and u assume that a student doesn't need volume......never A-S-S-U-M-E

 

[Slogun]

No, I am not assuming. He said he's poor student. We know he's not gonna need 5,000 pages/year.

I know you mean well, but your advice leaves something to be desired, not only in this thread, but in the cartridge refill thread as well.
In that thread, I would recommend people heed the advice of Macro2 who's been offering well-heeled advice for quite some time on this forum regarding printers.

 

[Slogun]

double.

 

[Jeff7]

I got a Minolta 1250W at Staples with a $70 rebate. A pretty simple printer...basic laser functions: it prints black and white, on paper, and it uses toner. I think shipping was free too on it...that might have been a coupon code though. I did actually get the rebate too. I think the 1350 is out now. Maybe it's got Linux support.
It works good, setup was easy, documentation was outright pitiful. The manual is 30 pages. But it is in 15 or 16 languages (seriously). So there's 2 pages of English. It tells you where the paper goes, where the driver CD goes, and how to plug it in, and not much more. But there wasn't much more to it than that. Plug it in, load drivers, and it works. I haven't had any paper jams from it; the print quality is nice too, even pictures come out ok.
My only problem with it is that it does NOT support Linux. It's a Windows GDI printer, which from what I've read, means that there probably never will be Linux support. This sucks, because I wanted to make a Linux PC that'd act as a fileserver/firewall/print server. Now the print server part has been kicked out - I don't want a Windows PC as a firewall.

 

[hungrygoose]

Originally posted by: Slogun
No, I am not assuming. He said he's poor student. We know he's not gonna need 5,000 pages/year.

I know you mean well, but your advice leaves something to be desired, not only in this thread, but in the cartridge refill thread as well.
In that thread, I would recommend people heed the advice of Macro2 who's been offering well-heeled advice for quite some time on this forum regarding printers.

i guess the difference between me and u is that u look at advice and calculate it's worth by how many posts the adviser has.....i deal w/printers for a living man and i have no reason to tell u what i am other than to try to give some advice.....if u don't like my advice, then owell as it wasn't intended for u anyway......now as for soybomb......as i've said b4......u get what u pay for when it comes to printers......from what it sounds like you have said, and how some of the other posters in here act, maybe you don't need a laser printer anyways.....just go into office depot and buy whichever one is the cheapest.....if you want a cheap printer, then you don't need anandtech forums for advice....just got shop price tags.....but soybomb is asking whether it is wise to pay the extra money for a better printer in the long run.....also, keep this in mind.....while you may be a broke college student now, in 2 years you may be a successful businessman.....spend the extra money now and it will repay you later

 

[Slogun]

I am sure there are many differences between you and I (thankfully).

The difference between us here, however, is I have the ability to LISTEN to what a poster is saying and give them some cogent advice without making blanket statements that everything else "sucks ass" or insinuating that someone giving alternate advice is an A-S-S(S-U-M-E). You seem to have a derri&egrave;re fetish.

Go back into your hole and keep working on those printers, I'm done here.

 

[hungrygoose]

the only thing u've added to this thread is that you like your samsung and that you disagree w/me.....maybe u should be done here

 

[almega]

I bought a Minolta 1250w and it has been a great printer, It was like $80 after rebate and the toners are cheap too. I have had no problems with it and it was easy to network with my other computers.

 

[Entity]

I'm considering this now too -- my HP 4M+ is finally starting to screw up regularly (with feeding paper). Budget $150 or under, preferrably. Printing ~2000pages/year. Advice?

Rob