Colour Laser Printers - What to buy?
Discussion
Each year I buy a new colour laser printer, as it seems cheaper tham buying cartridges. I give each printer away when the cartridges get low.
My prints have to be good quality - so where's the best place to buy my next replacement? It's not server based, but is networked in the office via USB. I have used an OKI & Samsung - both had their faults & engineer call-outs & cost in the region of £300 inc. VAT.
So what would you recommend & why? All A4 & envelope printing only.
My prints have to be good quality - so where's the best place to buy my next replacement? It's not server based, but is networked in the office via USB. I have used an OKI & Samsung - both had their faults & engineer call-outs & cost in the region of £300 inc. VAT.
So what would you recommend & why? All A4 & envelope printing only.
Zad said:
You do realise that most home/soho colour lasers come with 'taster' toner carts that are only 1/4 to 1/3 full don't you? (Just checking)
my 2600n didn't - are you sure this isn't a myth?
pretty happy with mine, though it is poor at reminded you toner is low and will just stop altogether when one runs out - quite annoying if you don't have a spare in!
CLP500's are so expensive to service, they're practically a write off at the first one.Smartie said:
Zad said:
You do realise that most home/soho colour lasers come with 'taster' toner carts that are only 1/4 to 1/3 full don't you? (Just checking)
my 2600n didn't - are you sure this isn't a myth?
pretty happy with mine, though it is poor at reminded you toner is low and will just stop altogether when one runs out - quite annoying if you don't have a spare in!
They have been doing this for the last 18 months or so...
Dependant on usage you may not know that you have had a 'taster' toner installed as they do last some time anyway.
Of course for a £200 printer, a full set of cartridges is usually £250 or so....!
What is even more annoying is that these same companies are now putting 'killer chips' in the toners to effectively force the printer to register it as empty so you have to buy another. As this is a calculated figure based on the number of prints, it often kills the cartridge with 20% left in it.
The solution is if you are running a small office where it is you who is personally going to be hit in the pocket for the running costs, check if you can refill the cartridges before you buy it. The Refill Toner have recently supplied me with:
Black Toner refill
Cyan Toner refill
Magenta Toner refill
Blue Toner refill
As well as 4 replacement 'chips' for the cartridges to make them 'undead' again. They also threw in some extra fuses to 'unkill' the drum unit too.
If I were to walk into Staples and pick up all of these items off the shelf I would have been set back £100 for the new drum, £99 each for the colour carts and £69 for the black. Total cost about £470.
I paid £120 for the lot including next day delivery. Thats for the Magicolour 2400. An excellent printer in my book and I have been using colour lasers since they were about £2000 a pop ten years ago.
Secret option number three if its for an office is to chuck all you old printers away, ring a copier company and get a big colour jobbie put in the corner. They're all networkable these days, fax scan etc. and they rent them by the page - couple of pence a page often with maintainance included. Cheaper than running your own laser plus you can get loads of fancy add-ons, multiple input & output bins, stapler attachemnts, partridge in pear tree etc. etc.
Edited by SneakyNeil on Wednesday 16th May 21:39
I have been contemplating similar recently as I use my inkjet to do a significant amount of printing of colour handouts for local organisations etc. Seems cheaper than paying Staples 29p a copy, but is slow!
I have been pondering whether it would be cheaper to replace the printer and use something faster. So is there a site somewhere which allows you to compare speed and print cost per page?
I have been pondering whether it would be cheaper to replace the printer and use something faster. So is there a site somewhere which allows you to compare speed and print cost per page?
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