Color Laser Printer

[Akiraprise]

I'm looking to purchase a color laser printer with a scanner, as my current printer is just about out of ink and I figured may as well buy a new printer since the cost of a new cartridge is almost as much as a new printer. I've been wanting a laser printer for some time now anyway. In doing some research on the subject I've found this Dell 1235cn Multifunction Color Laser Printer. It looks to be a pretty good printer for the money and is the one I'm leaning towards. I was wondering if anybody else here has a color laser printer, or if they know of a better one around the same price, or if they think the Dell is crap and I should avoid it like the plague. Thanks.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Are you sure you want an all in one? If one part breaks you either buy a whole new unit or replace just the one part of it.

I've been real happy with my Plustek book scanner. It has a "zero edge" that allows me to put a book on there without having to flatten it to get a good scan.

My printer is an HP photo inkjet, so I can't help there.

 

[kNkg]

I'd also consider toner prices, they aren't cheap either. If I'd replace all my toners in my printer I'd basically pay roughly 2.5x what I paid for my printer, and that's not manufacturer toners but third party. Manufacturer toners would be around 4x!


KK

 

[Jadzia]

My own thoughts -- I'd never buy an all in one for the reasons stated above.

I really dislike inkjet printers. My parents bought me my first inkjet when I was 11, and from then on since, I've just never liked them. We had a little dot matrix before then, btw.

I find inkjets to be messy and unreliable, what with drying time, smudging, streaky and uneven printing, crinkly paper, and cartridges going bad if I don't use them up quickly enough... I really don't want another inkjet. So I opted for a laser printer for my most recent purchase.

I'm much happier with it, although graphics printing leaves a lot to be desired. It may just be the driver, but pictures come out like old fashioned newspaper pictures. I don't really do graphics printing so that's not such a problem.

Replacing the toner is more expensive (a black toner cart is around 3-4 times the price of a black ink cartridge), however, I'd say it lasts proportionately as long, so it isn't necessarily more expensive. Plus, the benefits I mentioned above.

Toner can also be refilled, as ink cartridges can, but these are often designed to be refilled. They're relatively clean, and they don't leak, and you won't need a bath afterwards.

 

[Marc]

I'm much happier with it, although graphics printing leaves a lot to be desired. It may just be the driver, but pictures come out like old fashioned newspaper pictures. I don't really do graphics printing so that's not such a problem.

Under your printer preferences there's probably an option for the resolution and also toner saving. Try turning off the toner saving and the resolution to be at least 600x600 and it should do wonders. Though given the resolution some the inkjets print at you're alwasy going to get better graphics from them.

Replacing the toner is more expensive (a black toner cart is around 3-4 times the price of a black ink cartridge), however, I'd say it lasts proportionately as long, so it isn't necessarily more expensive. Plus, the benefits I mentioned above.

Ink cartridges are rated in the hundreds of pages, laser imaging cartridges are rated in the 1000s (I think the norm is about 2000 for the low end). Higher models can have high capactity cartridges that might do 14,000 pages and cost you $200.