Printers!?

[AConnelly09 10+ year member]

So I have been looking for a new printer to take to college with me. I have been scavenging store and websites to find a decent printer with good reviews. But whenever I cross check different sites, I get completely different reviews. For example, the Lexmark X4650 is rated 5/5 on target.com, but 2.5/5 on bestbuy.com

So, I am consulting the CA community. I am looking for a all in one printer/scanner/copier, moderately priced, with non-outrageously priced ink. Wireless is of course a plus, but not absolutely necessary. I am willing to spend more on the printer itself if the ink is cheaper. For example, 150 dollar printer and less than 50 total for ink > than 60 dollar printer with ink that runs more than 50 for black and colors.

EDIT: Oh, also forgot to mention. This printer must be compatible with my MacBook Pro Unibody.

Click to read more...

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

Hp J4680

 

[AConnelly09 10+ year member]

Do you personally have this? Features and ink are both where they need to be to meet my requirements.

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

i do some work for HP and this is just a smaller version of the 7280 which I do own. also my brother has this one and loves it.

 

[AConnelly09 10+ year member]

Ok. It looks similar to an HP printer at my job, except those controls are on the right side. I just don't want a printer which jams or breaks or displays errors all the time, which is what most printers I have looked at have said in reviews.

And also, if you are familiar with HP...

My parents have a HP PSC 1315. First, my mac can't seem to find the driver for it? The numbers never match correctly. Second, often times I'll go to print something from my HP computer, and it will send it to the printer like normal, but won't print. Then I'll open up the printer control panel thing, and it doesn't do anything. I go to cancel the printing job, and the status changes to Deleting... and never deletes. The only thing I have been able to do to fix this is to completely remove the printer from my computer and re install it using the setup disc. But that's a little much for something that randomly occurs quite often. Any suggestions?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

I've had a couple basic Canons that have lasted 4+ years...

 

[ozzy87 10+ year member]

look up the kodak printer everybody is talking about.

 

[AConnelly09 10+ year member]

And which one may that be?

Every time I find a printer that looks like it would work, like the one recommended above, I read about it see people saying shit like it jams frequently, sucks ink, and ruffles edges of paper. I just want a printer that works without flaws!

 

[ozzy87 10+ year member]

no idea dude, i know it's like 89 bucks at wal-mart and ink for color and black was like 20 bucks for both.

 

[CrispedUp 10+ year member]

I have a Dell A940, that has lasted a few years so far, with no problems. And its still alive and kickin.

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

you living in the dorms? you sure your school doesnt provide printers? Ohio University and Ohio State provided us with laser printers in the dorms.

also, when reading reviews about computer products take the negative with a grain of salt. You have to remember alot of people have no idea how to properly set things up. newegg had a router on clearance a few weeks ago for 19.99. there were like 5 positive reviews from people saying how great it was and blah blah blah. then like 15 complaining that they couldnt set it up because it didnt come with any software or instructions and how they couldnt get it connected to the internet so it must be broken. i set mine up in 5 minutes with no issues. chances are their issues were user error.

 

[tigerf117 10+ year member]

Canon and Brother makes excellent printers and software from my experience. I do not like HP printers as it tries to install all its bs bloatware with it.

 

[AConnelly09 10+ year member]

you living in the dorms? you sure your school doesnt provide printers? Ohio University and Ohio State provided us with laser printers in the dorms.
also, when reading reviews about computer products take the negative with a grain of salt. You have to remember alot of people have no idea how to properly set things up. newegg had a router on clearance a few weeks ago for 19.99. there were like 5 positive reviews from people saying how great it was and blah blah blah. then like 15 complaining that they couldnt set it up because it didnt come with any software or instructions and how they couldnt get it connected to the internet so it must be broken. i set mine up in 5 minutes with no issues. chances are their issues were user error.

Positive that University of Maryland does not provide printers, that would be sweet if they did though!

I will/do always try to print at school/work, but there is some times when you just need to print at home/in the dorm, ya know? IE, finishing a paper at 3am.

And yeah I'm not looking at the 50 year old women who can figure out where to put the USB cord or shit like that, but when I read multiple reviews saying "Paper jams frequently" or "When using the scanner it ruins the edges of the papers" I'm prone to believe them considering its not a questions of user skill it's just fact.

Canon and Brother makes excellent printers and software from my experience. I do not like HP printers as it tries to install all its bs bloatware with it.

I am also not a fan of HP's bloatware, but I can get over it/not install it/uninstall it if the printer is decent.

 

[pilyin 10+ year member]

I have an Epson workforce 600. It's an all in one that has worked well and prints nicely. 4 different ink cartridges (a lot of the canon and HP printers I looked at didn't have this) is nice so that you don't have to replace a single multi-color cartridge just cause you're out of blue or something. I also got a refillable ink cartridge set on ebay for 30 bucks with about 10 refills worth of ink and it's worked great. Also has the wireless option which is nice.

Copier and scanner (including top loader for multiple page docs

Overall has been good.

 

[AConnelly09 10+ year member]

Hmm, I'll take a look at it. I have been really looking into the Epson Stylus NX515. It has nothing but good reviews.