Color Laser Printer Feedback, Ideas

ScottW

ScottW

Founder
Staff member
My older HP2100TN laser printer is starting to see better days. Probably just needs a good servicing but has been a good printer.

The cost of color laser printers has touched my curiousity about a replacement. I really like the idea of a color laser in the $299-$499 range, but wonder how they do for just general B&W printers (old school printing).

While inkjets are okay, I have been a big laser printer fan for a long time. Just curious to what other folk's experiences are with the lower cost models. I have access to HP 4500 and 4700's at work... and they are awesome, just wonder what won't be so awesome about a printer 1/6 the cost.
 
If you don't really _need_ the colour, I think you're far better off with a "just black" laser printer. You'll get better quality at a fraction of the price per page. And if you're really into printing _photos_, then a good inkjet with the right paper is the way to go. Since I don't really know your daily use etc., I can't say... But _I'd_ still go with the b/w laser printer.
 
I too am with Fryke on the B&W notion. I send my photos out to be printed but go through a lot of text documents in my home office. I 'am looking (right now) for a solid scanner/laser BW with copier, ethernet (Bonjour Capable) for about $400. I fax through Panther so that isn't such a requirement. Brother? I just say no to HP. How do Lexmark or Canon play with our machines?
 
Not into pictures, but think it would be nice to print things in color when the need arises. I guess the thing to look at is if printing a b&w on color is it (other than maybe dpi) the same as a non-color printer. Example, just using black toner.
 
AMDin93103 said:
I too am with Fryke on the B&W notion. I send my photos out to be printed but go through a lot of text documents in my home office. I 'am looking (right now) for a solid scanner/laser BW with copier, ethernet (Bonjour Capable) for about $400. I fax through Panther so that isn't such a requirement. Brother? I just say no to HP. How do Lexmark or Canon play with our machines?
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Yea, I use photo services for digital photos. While most of my printing is B&W, I do, on occasion do color and would rather do color (like printing documents which have color illustrations) and that is where... the "nice" factor comes in. While I can use my color inkjet for those "nice" times, the printout of the inkjet on avg paper is questionable and the cost to put random documents on nice paper is expensive.
 
I think I have answered my own question. After further review, it appears that any color laser printer in the $299-$599 ball park, while great on price and probably provide good prints for random flyers or color pdf prints, the consumable cost is the same or more than the original printer purchase.

For example, a HP Color Laser 2600n is currently on sale via OfficeDepot for $399, minus $100 rebate, minus another $30 rebate or $269 + Tax. It almost makes me want to buy one... but the cost of 3 new toner carts would be $320 after around 4500 prints.

YIKES. Guess it would be cheaper to just buy a new printer each round.

I think I will stick to using a 3rd party for random color prints that I need to make on a much higher quality printer and just buy a new B&W laser printer to replace my aging printer.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. :)
 
After a lot of looking around tonight I decided on the Brother HL-5250DN. The cheapest I found (from a reliable retailer) was about $210. I am going to keep my eye on it for a week or two and see if I can pick it up for a few bucks cheaper. It would be nice to get the WiFi enabled 5280DW but not for $100 more. I will just make sure it near my router.
 
I seem to be coming full circle again on this issue.

After reading reviews of lower-cost color laser printers $299-$499 I decided that it was not worth it. Slow speed, not that great of color quality, no postscript support, ethernet, etc.

But, by chance, I ran across a Dell 3100cn. This seems to be a very highly rated $499 color laser printer. CNET gave it an "Excellent" rating for its color printing (which is nothing short of a miracle while reviewing quite a few other laser printer reviews) and it prints around 20ppm for black & white prints and appears to only use black toner for b&w printing. For color, it will only do around 5 ppm, but thats okay for my occasional needs.

While at $499, it is above my price range... I found it at Costco online for $349 new, and in the Dell Outlet (refurb) for $269!!

$269 for a 70lb, two-tray color laser printer monster, shipped free? Hard to pass up on. Considering I'd be hard pressed to find a b&W laser with the hardware inclusions (and expansion options) at this cost. (beside maybe a Dell).
 
Did you get your Dell printer yet? I'm in the market for an affordable color laser printer but haven't made a decision yet and would really like to know what your experience with it has been.
 
AMDin93103 said:
After a lot of looking around tonight I decided on the Brother HL-5250DN. The cheapest I found (from a reliable retailer) was about $210. I am going to keep my eye on it for a week or two and see if I can pick it up for a few bucks cheaper. It would be nice to get the WiFi enabled 5280DW but not for $100 more. I will just make sure it near my router.
Click to expand...

I did end up buying the Brother HL-5250DN from OfficeMax after receiving a mailer for $50 off anything over $200. Taxed and Shipped for around $200. It has been a great machine for the last few months. Plugged it into my Linksys Router, set up the Brother Firmware (pretty easy, plays nice) and I can print from any machine.. . just takes an extra ten seconds to fire up. HTH someone.
 
Debberoo said:
Did you get your Dell printer yet? I'm in the market for an affordable color laser printer but haven't made a decision yet and would really like to know what your experience with it has been.
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No. I ended up just deciding to save the cash for now. But, if/when I do buy a color laser, it will be the Dell.
 
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