I've had a few color inkjet printers but printed so seldom the ink seemed to start drying and/or clogging the heads between uses.

My last inkjet, I went to print and was missing a color. I wasted so much much ink trying to get it to print properly that I ran out of ink. I hadn't printed that much with it and those cartridges are so expensive that I said never again.

Instead, I bought a B&W laser printer. I figured that was all I needed and it would be cheaper to operate. I got a Brother DCP-7065DN. I'm sure that's an old model by now but it still works fine.

I would suggest a Brother also! I have a Brother MFC-9440cn, Brother DCP-9040cn, both are Color Laser AIO. I also have a Brother MFC-845cw Inkjet AIO I use for Photos on Photo Paper. All other printing is done on my Color Laser Printers. One last Printer, Brother QL-570 Label Printer.

All of my Brother Printers are pretty old now but still work great! I'm sure you could buy an Brother AIO Color Laser for not much more than an Inkjet! Before the purchase of my Color Lasers I had a Brother HL-1440 Black & White Printer, it too was a very good printer. Sold it because I now had Color Laser Printers!

BTW, I purchase the DCP-9040cn for my wife for work, she kept threatening to take the MFC-9440cn from home. She no longer has that job so that printer came home with her! The DCP-9040 and the MFC-9440 are almost the exact same printer but the MFC has a few more features.

Here is a link to a Brother MFC-9130CW at Office Depot for $329. This is as Cheap as Office Depot offers! The same printer on Newegg is only $269 Brother MFC-9130CW until October 31st! That would save you $60!

Toner Cartridges do cost more but last much longer. They don't dry out like Inkjet cartridges do. If you notice at the links I supplied there are two different Cartridge Numbers. One Cartridge TN221 only prints 1400 sheets and the TN225 prints 2200 pages. These printers usually come with the smaller cartridges and there is no need to purchase toner when you buy the printer!

I too once use only HP. I will never go back to HP Printers, Computers, etc... I have used Epson many years ago too. Only problem I had with Epson was that they were so slow!

I have the MFC 7360N black an white

Compact Laser All-in-One with Networking

It's my second Brother printer... and I would recommend them.

Both Brother and Canon laser printers are highly regarded. I've had a Canon multi-function unit for nearly 10 years. I use it regularly but not for large print runs. It continues to function flawlessly for quality prints, scans and copies.

The link below is to a Canon multifunction unit for $97. If you look at the page, there are other Canon models, including a black one with fax that's a few dollar more.

Canon laser from Amazon

(Edit Monday morning)

Interesting, the price went up $20 overnight, now $117. Still cheap, the other one shown with fax is MF 216n for $104. There are other models choices too.

I forgot that we have a Canon AIO Monochrome Laser Printer sitting in my Computer room. My wife purchased it after we took our Brother DCP-9040cn home with us from her work. We wanted to make sure the Brother wasn't taken after they closed the doors (I purchased it with my own money)!

We ended up getting the Canon too because my wife still needed to do the Bookwork (Taxes, etc...) for the Business months and months after the Business closed! There was no sense in using our supplies! Haven't used that printer (the Canon) in a couple of years! It does use up the Toner much quicker than our Brother Printers do, but is was relatively cheap on Ebay (It think it cost around $20 per cartridge)!

I still have to say that I like the Brother Printers much better than the Canon. But that's not to say I don't like the Canon, I do! The Canon is a much more compact printer than the Brothers Printers I have are, but it's only Black & White, the Brother Printers are Color Laser AIO's!

WC,

Unless I flat out missed it I never saw what tasks the printer is going to be used for. I would think tasking and usage volume would be important while making the decision.

Myself for an example, I have a five-year-old HP AIO which cost $69.00. I am not a power user.

I estimate I print perhaps 6-8 photos a year. Copy and save six times a month. Copy and print twice a month. Print six documents a month, except income tax time.

Nothing wrong with any brands suggested above, but as you see a low end printer is just fine for some users.

DA

DA, The only reason I suggested a Color Laser Printer is that the Toner Cartridges don't Dry Up like Inkjet Cartridges do. The Shelf Live of the Toner Cartridges is quite a bit longer too! If you don't use your printer much a Color Laser AIO is a Great Investment! In the long run your actually saving a load of $$$!

I do agree that the HP you have was much cheaper ($200), but that Ink really costs $$$ over the years! Can't tell you the last time I changed the Toner in my Brother Color Laser. It was last month that I changed the Ink in my Brother Inkjet and I didn't even use the Inkjet much (once or twice).

I recently dumped the Canon MG5220 for a Brother HL-L2380DW. We no longer need color printing and our new purchase including replacement toner was less than $150 with price match and coupon. Besides no color, we needed Airprint and wireless connectivity.

Check it out

Be careful. There are many cheap laser printers out there but have ancient USB connectivity, no wireless and no airprint.

BP,

Never had a cartridge dry up for lack of use. Not to say they don't of course.

Entry and near-entry AIO printers are really pretty cheap now, and could be looked at as disposable. I am thinking that when I run out of ink again I might just replace the printer.

I just took a QUICK peek at Best Buy and saw a HP Envy 5530 AIO for $69.99 and a HP Deskjet AIO 2540 for $39.99 versus a HP 2-pack (Black and Tri-Color) for my current HP AIO for $32.99.

I don't see where USB 2.0 or 3.0 would matter on a printer.

DA

DA,

I have on many occasion had cartridges dry out. All Three Times were on HP Printers. 1. HP 2000c Professional Series, 2. HP 1100c Professional Series 3. HP 1115p Photosmart. On the Professional Series Printers the Ink Cartridges weren't cheap either! I no longer use HP Products but that goes deeper then Dried Ink Cartridges. Been using Brother Before (Had a Brother HL-1440 B&W Laser) and Since the release of Windows Vista!

I use my Brother Printers on a Wireless Network. My Color Lasers aren't wireless but do have LAN Connections. I have 1 at a time wired directly to my Router (other Color Laser is a Backup). My Inkjet is Wireless and no need to be hooked up.

BP,

It is of course as I said earlier, a balance of use versus cost.

Not promoting HP products, but I have never had any "unusual" concern with them except a keyboard wire once. Anything that has happened with them was not out-of-the-ordinary for any manufacturer, and was rare.

It's definitely OK not to like HP from personal experiences. I wouldn't own a Chrysler motor vehicle if someone gave me one. That's just life.

DA

I ended up ordering an HP Officejet Pro 8610 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet
Printer. It was on sale at a very good price. Since I had never had an issue with any HP printer for many years, my decision was based on personal experience. It should be delivered today. Interesting reading here about the cartridges drying up; never experienced that.

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions recommendations.

Had a Epson 600 color that I had bought real cheap with a gift card. I buy ink directly from Epson no taxes or shipping for me same price as store, went out replace it with the Epson 820. Yes it is slow printing, but I like it. Also have a Samsung Lazier for B/W bought this before color printer went out. I do a lot of printing with both.

WC,

Glad you were able to find a printer. Hope it last for many years!

DA,

Two of the printers I had problem with were the Professional Series Printers. The both used the Same Cartridges and maybe that was the problem with them? Their Print Heads always seemed to stop working at the wrong times too. They had separate Print Heads and the cost on those were just about the same as the Ink Cartridges, expensive! These were inkjet printers but had Laser Speed.

BTW, you couldn't give me a Chrysler either. I've had a couple and had nothing but problems with them. My last was a 1991 LeBaron Convertible, beautiful car but it was a piece of junk!

Good luck with the HP. I have never owned an HP. I have used two Canons for many years. They were the ip and mp lines. The mp I have now is also a scanner. Good color printing. The only problem with Canon printers is that the jets are part of the ink cartridge. I have never found a refill that didn' t plug up in my machines, so I have to purchase Canon refills and they are pricey. I actually bought my mp-270 for $26 at Fry's. I have spent many times that on refills.