Printers that don't suck

[BiotechBen]

Hey all, I got an Epson 4205 that's costing me about $3/page to print because I print just frequently enough to require paper, but not frequently enough for the inkjet to make it worth it.

 

Looking at monochrome laser because "fuck you, if I need color printing: I'll use a print shop with a quality machine" and the increased energy usage from laser doesn't bother me with how infrequently it will be printing. 

I've seen a Brother and a Canon online for about $125, and truthfully, that $125 will pay off after like a dozen prints assuming the toner can last any appreciable amount of time.

 

I'm loathe to go with the Cannon from previous frustrations I've had with them; and Brother was expensive, but always worked and didn't let me down under pressure.

 

Anyone got some input as to which I should go for?

[Hinjima]

1 minute ago, BiotechBen said:

Hey all, I got an Epson 4205 that's costing me about $3/page to print because I print just frequently enough to require paper, but not frequently enough for the inkjet to make it worth it.

 

Looking at monochrome laser because "fuck you, if I need color printing: I'll use a print shop with a quality machine" and the increased energy usage from laser doesn't bother me with how infrequently it will be printing. 

I've seen a Brother and a Canon online for about $125, and truthfully, that $125 will pay off after like a dozen prints assuming the toner can last any appreciable amount of time.

 

I'm loathe to go with the Cannon from previous frustrations I've had with them; and Brother was expensive, but always worked and didn't let me down under pressure.

 

Anyone got some input as to which I should go for?

There are no printers that don't suck. They are all awful.

[TempestCatto]

Didn't read past the title. If you just print the rare thing and don't need color, get a used laser printer from the late 90s early 2000s. I forget what I have (and I'm very far from home so I can't check). But I have some HP laser printer from 2003ish. For the couple times a year I need to print something, like an auto registration or plane ticket, it's never failed me. No internet connectivity, no wireless printing (unless you have a separate print server) and no bullshit. Works as soon as you click print. 

 

Just my 3 nickels. 

[Needfuldoer]

I got my parents one of those little bread box size HP LaserJet printers a few years ago, to replace a late 90s LaserJet 4000 that finally kicked the bucket. Thing's great, it warms up in 5 seconds and only draws a few watts when it's on but idle, and remanufactured toner for it is cheap cheap. They print stuff so infrequently that they haven't even used up the sample-size toner it came with yet.

 

My own printer is an older Canon color all-in-one workgroup copier/printer/scanner/fax I got for free off Marketplace and fixed with a $50 maintenance kit (mostly rubber rollers).

[asdasdasdasdasdasd]

1 hour ago, BiotechBen said:

Looking at monochrome laser because

Correct answer. 

I have a Brother colour laser printer that I got used for £50 and it still has toner left from the previous owner. It's been great. As you said, the toner doesn't dry up so it will last you ages. It does "just work" for me. The print quality is also better for text (slightly worse for photos but it works.)

I would just get the Brother laser and not worry about printing again.

[ItTakes2ToMango]

I will never, ever buy a Canon. The list of bad experiences I've had from a wide variety of Canon printers is enough to give me a headache from just reading their name. And after working in both a printing office and a university for many years, I assure you it's a long fucking list

 

I also have a monochrome Brother at home that has been running flawlessly for 15 years and I bought it used. I haven't even had a driver issue with it. Prints at least 50-100 pages a year regularly. I don't think my toner has ever had to be replaced before I used it all.... but it has been a long time. I could be misremembering. 

 

I think they speak for themselves, to be honest. 

[manikyath]

protip: brother laser (actually LED, less moving parts, more reliable) printers are just about the only ones i've seen that ship with *actually real and full* toner cartridges. the new price of the printer should include the cost of a set of cartridges when comparing to other brands.

 

EDIT: should add though.. "color" is a pretty loose term here.. you arent printing photos with these.

[BiotechBen]

I see an L2300D for $50 locally, looks like that might be my play...

 

11 minutes ago, ItTakes2ToMango said:

I will never, ever buy a Canon. The list of bad experiences I've had from a wide variety of Canon printers is enough to give me a headache from just reading their name. And after working in both a printing office and a university for many years, I assure you it's a long fucking list

 

I also have a monochrome Brother at home that has been running flawlessly for 15 years and I bought it used. I haven't even had a driver issue with it. Prints at least 50-100 pages a year regularly. I don't think my toner has ever had to be replaced before I used it all.... but it has been a long time. I could be misremembering. 

 

I think they speak for themselves, to be honest. 

I still remember freshman year of uni being "the tech God" for being able to figure out the whackass multi-stage wifi authentication, and being able to unjam the POS canon multifunction. 

I'd say probably a good 2 hours of time was spent first semester just doing the *Idiot sandwich* to that printer and shouting at it. 

[ItTakes2ToMango]

On 12/22/2025 at 4:49 PM, BiotechBen said:

I see an L2300D for $50 locally, looks like that might be my play...

 

I still remember freshman year of uni being "the tech God" for being able to figure out the whackass multi-stage wifi authentication, and being able to unjam the POS canon multifunction. 

I'd say probably a good 2 hours of time was spent first semester just doing the *Idiot sandwich* to that printer and shouting at it. 

If I had the money, space, and general not giving a fuck attitude, I'd buy the industrial printer our University used to use during exam time. I never got to use it myself, but I had also never been so amazed by a printer in my life before. It was just mechanically cool

 

Get this, it could:

 

print 600 pages a minute

handle 2 print jobs at once

could sew a spine for your printout, making it book-like

 

 

It also would send paper flying out of it at such an alarming speed that there was a replaceable rubber cap that fit over the end of the container that held the finalized paper because if you didn't replace that rubber cap every once in a while, the paper would literally break down the plastic it is being thrown at. It shot out fast enough to cut you

 

It was insane. lol