I need a new printer, please help

[Amy SF]

I need a new printer. Actually, what I want is an all-in-one: Printer, copier, fax, scanner. I will be using it with a Dell laptop. I have very few requirements.

1. I want it to be small. The old one was rather large and took up too much space on my desk.

2. Flatbed design, of course.

3. Cheap. I don't have a lot of money to spend on it. If I can get it for less than $100, so much the better.

4. Not too slow. My mother uses the same machine I'm getting rid of (it's an HP), and it's maddeningly slow. In fact, it's pretty much stopped working, and needs to be replaced as well, so if I can find a good replacement for mine, I'll consider getting a second one to replace hers. (Hopefully in time for Mother's Day!)

5. I don't care about the brand as long as the thing works, although, having used and disliked two HP printers in a row, I'm disinclined to get a third.

What should I get?

 

[ledboots]

I have a printer/scanner/copier that was $59 a year or so ago at Tiger Direct. No fax capability, and it's not the speediest, but we don't use it very much. I forget the brand (I'm at work now) but it's not HP. Makes surprisingly nice documents.

 

[Joe]

My printer broke a while ago. It was an HP 6500. I bought an HP 6600 for like $119 on sale. (Both are/were All-in-Ones.) The cost of the ink over the lifetime of the printer will likely easily exceed the cost of the printer itself.

A friend of mine who thinks HPs are overpriced has a Lexmark. She has had problems with it but these seem to be due to problems with her computer, not with the printer itself.

HP makes some low cost printers. You would probably be well advised to avoid them. "HP" does not spell quality on the low-priced end of the line.

You would be well advised to spend time researching the user/customer reviews of any printer model before deciding to buy it.

Oddly, when my 6500 broke, I had a 6300 (new in the box) in the basement. I am using it now mostly, with my XP desktop. I'm not sure whether it would work with a Windows 7 computer. So I have "de-evolved" to a more primitive printer. (Play the song "Q. Are We Not Men? A. We Are DEVO!" in the background.) Crazy, right?

 

[KLS52]

I have an HP desk jet 3050 all in one. I love it. It's 8 years old.

 

[ledboots]

Mine is a Lexmark, I checked. No fax capabilities, but it's on wifi; I can print from my phone. Plus it was cheap.

 

[Spang]

More

 

[Chryssie]

I have had several printers and I like HP the best. They seem to last a long time and are in the mid-range in price. Do your research as was suggested previously!

 

[Mr Crunchy]

I just bought an HP Envy 5530 series color printer/copier/scanner back in December and I have had no problems. I really like it.

It's a flat bed, but the way the paper feeds leaves a footprint exactly the size of the scanning bed, so it easily fits on a desk. The only problem is that it is slow, about 10 seconds to print a page. But it also does double-sided copies.

I got it at Office Depot for about $120, but I see it listed for $99 at Staples.

Like Joe said, I looked at some less expensive ones by HP but they had a flimsy feel or were oddly shaped.

 

[Joe]

Here are two columns by Bob Rankin on printers. Do note the dates they were published.

http://askbobrankin.com/tips_buying_an_inkjet_printer.html (Feb. 2013)

http://askbobrankin.com/wireless_allinone_printers.html (Jan. 2014)

If you want to buy a USB printer cable, don't buy it from a brick-and-mortar store. Theirs are usually overpriced. Don't buy it from Amazon. I tried to buy a Belkin printer cable from them, but they sent me some no-name piece of crap. When I complained, they sent me a Belkin and did not even want me to return the piece-of-crap one. Decent behavior overall, but I did not like the hassle. TigerDirect.com is a good on-line supplier. Better yet, just use the printer cable from your old printer and save money.

 

[Amy SF]

But what if your old printer cable is TOO old and probably obsolete? I think I'll check out Tiger Direct.

Wait, I may have e a new printer cable I bought somewhere and never used, unless it got thrown out in February. (Long story.) I'll have to look for it.

 

[Joe]

But what if your old printer cable is TOO old and probably obsolete? I think I'll check out Tiger Direct.

If your cable is USB, it will not be obsolete.



If your cable is parallel port, it may well be obsolete.



If your computer is old and has a parallel port but your printer is new and has USB, there are "hybrid" cables you can order online.



I've never tried a "wireless" printer hookup, so can't say whether it is good or bad.

 

[Amy SF]

Ah. I'm getting rid of some old cables, so I think I better take another look at them. I know at least one is parallel port, but another one may be USB.

 

[Joe]

The US fought the Civil War so we would truly be "One Nation Under God" and "With Liberty and Justice for All."

The computer world fought the "bus wars" so there would be one standard--Universal Serial Bus (USB).

 

[Amy SF]

And I appreciate that.

 

[Amy SF]

I did some research and just ten minutes ago I ordered this 4-in-one from the Staples website: http://www.staples.com/HP-Officejet-Pro-8600-e-All-in-One-Printer/product_366000

I have 14 days to return it but I can take it to any Staples store.

Oh, and I did some digging in my closet and found a couple of USB cables.

ETA: I also want to thank everyone who responded to my plea for help on this issue.

 

[KLS52]

Good luck with it. Hope it works out.

 

[Amy SF]

Thanks!

 

[ledboots]

I did some research and just ten minutes ago I ordered this 4-in-one from the Staples website: http://www.staples.com/HP-Officejet-Pro-8600-e-All-in-One-Printer/product_366000

I have 14 days to return it but I can take it to any Staples store.

Oh, and I did some digging in my closet and found a couple of USB cables.

ETA: I also want to thank everyone who responded to my plea for help on this issue.

It's very nice! Looks compact to do all those functions! I just changed the black printer cartridge in my printer and now it won't print in black. :/

 

[Amy SF]

It's very nice! Looks compact to do all those functions! I just changed the black printer cartridge in my printer and now it won't print in black. :/

Oh dear.

 

[Spang]

For $129, Staples will set up your $99 printer for you?