You should be able to recycle them without having to wipe anything - that's what I've always done. Printers don't retain any sensitive info, AFAIK.

Printers do not retain "info" that was passed through them for print jobs. That part of their memory is erased when the device is unplugged.

Why not donate them? There are organizations around that handle "electronic waste" and use the items for vocational training and, when a rehab is successful, give the items to nonprofits that can use them.

I have a local electronic waste recycler with a drive-through drop off. As for security concerns, I will add a link with an article that discusses possible issues and ways to resolve them.

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-securely-dispose-of-a-printer

I would be surprised if they would work with many computers. The software changes soo quickly many printers that we've owned have ended up not being operational. Donating them is about your only hope but I doubt even that will get you calls.

i have an HP laser, labeled manufacture date of 9/8/2003. Received when the ISP where I worked shut down at the end of April 2007. It sat in my garage until I pulled it out in 2015 for use in a very small business operation (which is now in the process of ending). It's still running the same toner cartridge last installed at the ISP. Lasers, of course, aren't subject to clogging like inkjets.

arcy, the interface between hardware (both internal and external) is called a driver. Drivers are written by the hardware manufacturer. So, if a new Windows or Apple's OS for Macs is issued and the existing peripheral's driver doesn't work with it, say a printer or a graphics board, it's the hardware manufacturers responsibility to update their drivers.

As particular models age and are replaced with newer ones, driver updates for the old models tends to stop. So what you've described sounds like an incompatible driver. If the new owner has a PC of a much newer vintage than the printer, they're likely to run into the same problem too.

I recently helped an acquaintance with her elderly mother's HP multifunction inkjet for which the driver/scanner utility requires Adobe Flash and generated a failure every time the computer was turned on. Flash is defunct but it, or maybe the HP package with some part of it embedded, "called home" and threw an advisory every time the old version was invoked. Some searching eventually found a replacement driver/utility that doesn't use Flash. The whole Windows installation was damaged, which I was able to rebuild the system fresh on a new hard drive, including recovering email history from Outlook 2007's .pst fiile on an account that no longer exists.

Carabubble, it all depends on just how old the printers are - if you can remember or take a few minutes to find out (you can enter the model numbers on the Canon website; if nothing comes up for them, or no updates available, then just take them to recycling). Generally, no one will be willing to buy them from you but you might be able to give them away.

If you have a Goodwill facility nearby, they will take them - again, if not too old. As someone mentioned above, they use them for training/teaching. You can call and ask.

Here, the recycler will charge YOU $5 or $10 for each electronic item you bring in. The large old heavy televisions may be more. I have no idea what they do with things, whether they dismantle into pieces, or not.

Thrift stores around here will not accept televisions, printers, laptops, etc.

Our Goodwill takes old electronics for recycling-they are torn down for rare metals and such. I don't know if it our state that does this or what but it is free.

I'm amazed you're charged for taking away such things. Sounds like a racket. They charge you for something they can then make money on.

We can put small electricals into our weekly recycling collection. We've got rid of a couple of printers that way. The local council gets an income from selling the materials on which offsets their costs.

I would offer for free on some local groups, and then if not taken, I would check out your recycling. I agree that it's unlikely someone will buy them but for free it's way more likely.