OT: Home printers

RivaDawg

Member
Feb 26, 2008
583
127
43
Looking for recommendations for a home printer. Very low usage needed. I saw an ad recently for a printer that does not require ink cartridges, but can’t remember the brand.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maroon Eagle

dawgman42

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2007
4,892
2,924
113
You mean the Epson EcoTanks? We have had one the last 3 years, and it's been great. I have yet to need more than the initial ink bottles that came with the printer (though I just bought some to use, as we're close to needing them). Only caution is to make sure you print something--anything--about once a week (it can even be a single page).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maroon Eagle

Xenomorph

Well-known member
Feb 15, 2007
13,661
4,671
113
We have n HP 8210 in the house. Easily connects to wifi and print from a phone or laptop anywhere. It even has an app that you can print remotely but I haven’t needed it. Costs $109 on Amazon right now but ink will be more than that if you ever need to buy cartridges.

HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Wireless Color Printer, HP Instant Ink & Amazon Dash Replenishment ready (D9L64A) (Renewed) https://a.co/d/bbbnjG1
 
  • Like
Reactions: tbaydog

JackShephard

Active member
Sep 27, 2011
1,173
203
63
You mean the Epson EcoTanks? We have had one the last 3 years, and it's been great. I have yet to need more than the initial ink bottles that came with the printer (though I just bought some to use, as we're close to needing them). Only caution is to make sure you print something--anything--about once a week (it can even be a single page).
This is the end of the thread. Spend the extra money up front. It's wireless/bluetooth and you never have to buy ink cartridges again. We are on year 2 of fairly heavy usage and are only now getting close to needed to refill the ink. $50 worth of ink can last you years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dawgman42

PBRME

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2004
9,862
2,651
113
My experience with HP and Brother.
HP. I’ve only gotten 2-3 years out of them before a part broke that cost as much as a new printer.

Brother. Has lasted as long as my last 2 HPs combined. I’m ready for it to break because it pisses me off. Constantly scans crooked, and skips/eats pages.
 

kired

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2008
6,515
1,507
113
I have a black & white Brother laser printer that’s 4 years old. I use it maybe half a dozen times a year. Works perfectly. I’ve replaced the toner cartridge once, those are $50 each. The printer was about $100 when I bought it.

I have access to color printer at work on the rare occasion I’ve needed color, so the b&w is fine for my home use.
 

LexSCDOG

Member
Aug 5, 2014
270
36
28
This is the end of the thread. Spend the extra money up front. It's wireless/bluetooth and you never have to buy ink cartridges again. We are on year 2 of fairly heavy usage and are only now getting close to needed to refill the ink. $50 worth of ink can last you years.
I purchased the ET-2850. I purchased this device at Costco. The reviews were really good and I have had it for about 6mths. I make sure I print once a week, low usage here also. Quality really good. Love the fact that I am off cartridges(HP).
 
Last edited:

Maroon Eagle

Well-known member
May 24, 2006
16,613
5,674
102
You mean the Epson EcoTanks? We have had one the last 3 years, and it's been great. I have yet to need more than the initial ink bottles that came with the printer (though I just bought some to use, as we're close to needing them). Only caution is to make sure you print something--anything--about once a week (it can even be a single page).
I'll be looking into this too.

Thanks!

Looking for recommendations for a home printer. Very low usage needed. I saw an ad recently for a printer that does not require ink cartridges, but can’t remember the brand.

Appreciate you asking this question.

That’s one of my family tasks I’ve got but that’s what happens when I’m the IT guy for octogenarian parents.
 

dawgstudent

Well-known member
Apr 15, 2003
36,895
10,647
113
Looking for recommendations for a home printer. Very low usage needed. I saw an ad recently for a printer that does not require ink cartridges, but can’t remember the brand.
We have an HP printer/scanner that has a "printing plan". It's like $4/month for up to 50 pages. It's wifi enabled and if the ink is low - they will automatically mail you a new cartridge in the mail.

So I pay $50/year which is less than what I was paying on a normal ink jet. When I wanted to print, the catridge was always dried out. I really like the HP Instant Ink plan.

The link below is a newer model of the one we have.

HP DeskJet 2734e Wireless All-In-One Inkjet Printer with 3 months of Instant Ink included from HP+ White DeskJet 2734e - Best Buy
 

Trojanbulldog19

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2014
9,046
4,582
113
Always buy hp. I've worked with a lot of printers and plotters.
Never buy canon. Their business sucks.

hp is alway reliable and easy. And they offer a lot of different printers and plans
 

Trojanbulldog19

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2014
9,046
4,582
113
I rarely print at home though anymore. I prefer paperless and digital. We mainly use it to print labels for shipping but now they do barcodes and you can just take it to ups they scan and make the label. I need usps to do that too.
 

DawgInThe256

Active member
Feb 18, 2011
1,226
775
83
We use our printer maybe once a week, so we've had a couple of inkjet printers where the nozzles kept gumming up and required maintenance. We bought an HP laser printer a couple of years ago (M255dw is the model number), and have had no problems.
 

Jack Klompus.sixpack

Active member
Mar 6, 2021
343
300
63
Epson EcoTank is the way to go. As Jack mentioned above, Epson’s plan is to make money up front for a quality machine and not make all their money on ink sales like the other companies. Ink lasts extremely long in mine.
 

Mr. Cook

Well-known member
Nov 4, 2021
2,595
1,678
113
Looking for recommendations for a home printer. Very low usage needed. I saw an ad recently for a printer that does not require ink cartridges, but can’t remember the brand.
I hate to be the tech guy in the room BUT....

Who prints hard copies anymore?
 

DesotoCountyDawg

Well-known member
Nov 16, 2005
22,579
10,373
113
We have an HP officeJet 8710 and it’s been pretty solid. We’ve had it for almost 5 years.
 

dawgman42

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2007
4,892
2,924
113
Be careful with the 17ery that is HP and their chipped cartridges, as they block 3rd party compatible cartridges for many of their models thanks to their force firmware updates.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mr. Cook

johnson86-1

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2012
12,382
2,629
113
Always buy hp. I've worked with a lot of printers and plotters.
Never buy canon. Their business sucks.

hp is alway reliable and easy. And they offer a lot of different printers and plans
I don't know what the best alternative is, but man, 17 HP. Refusing to print with half full cartridges. Refusing to print with half full cartridges that are irrelevant to a black and white print. The whole blade and razor marketing strategy is annoying, but it doesn't have to be a 17ing scam.
 

dawgman42

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2007
4,892
2,924
113
I don't know what the best alternative is, but man, 17 HP. Refusing to print with half full cartridges. Refusing to print with half full cartridges that are irrelevant to a black and white print. The whole blade and razor marketing strategy is annoying, but it doesn't have to be a 17ing scam.
^^^This. They really are the worst of the worst. This is not the 1990s HP anymore.
 
Oct 3, 2008
117
31
28
I have a black & white Brother laser printer that’s 4 years old. I use it maybe half a dozen times a year. Works perfectly. I’ve replaced the toner cartridge once, those are $50 each. The printer was about $100 when I bought it.

I have access to color printer at work on the rare occasion I’ve needed color, so the b&w is fine for my home use.
This is the way to go if you only need black & white for documents - laser printers are more reliable in the long run vs inkjet. Zero problems with my Brother b&w laser printer in 4 years as well when HP & Canon inkjets would only last a couple of years. Color laser printers w/ all the extra scan/copy capabilities are very expensive, but basic b&w are reasonable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PooPopsBaldHead

Mr. Cook

Well-known member
Nov 4, 2021
2,595
1,678
113
Although I don’t print anymore, when I used to, I had a Lexmark that I could not kill. I was dubious when I bought it, but it was a reliable workhorse.

ETA: By dubious, I mean to say it was affordable and a name with which I was not as familiar at the time I purchased it.
 

PooPopsBaldHead

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2017
8,048
5,378
113
Laser is the way. I have to print a lot of stuff and my Brother laser printer just always works.

HP is the Spirit Airlines of printers. 17 that mother17ing garbage company. I'm embarrassed about the amount of money and time I have wasted on ink cartridges and dubmass wifi connection apps with that stupid communist organization. I hope they go insolvent tomorrow and everyone on the HP board and in the C suite is strapped naked to a pole and given a thousand paper cuts.
 

Pookieray

Active member
Oct 14, 2012
502
353
63
Canon Pixima series are really really good. I've had a 3200 series for 3-4 years now and use the scanner 5 days a week and the printer about 3 days a week and have had the same ink in it since it was new. It prints excellent pictures also. Just printed Christmas pics out and they are as good as anywhere you can get pictures printed. Cost is around $125-$150 for a new one. Well worth it in my opinion. They also have an app that makes it super easy to print directly from your phone, documents, pictures or screen shots.
 
Get unlimited access today.

Pick the right plan for you.

Already a member? Login