Home Office Laser printer recommendations

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mattwnz

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#299171 17-Aug-2022 17:26

We are liking for a good home laser printer. It needs to be Duplex, networkable via ethernet (and possibly wifi) and mono.

Also want to use recyclable toners in it, rather than having to buy genuine ones, and would prefer one with a larger cartridge so it doesn't need changing very often.

Currently have a large HP office printer that does all this, but the fuser in it appears to have broken and it spat out black pieces of plastic, and as it is old and was second hand anyway, it isn't worth repairing.

I would prefer HP as I understand with most the drum is built into the toner, so that gets replaced each time the toner is replaced.

I would prefer one that does A3, but they look very expensive.

Anyone have any recommendations?.

Scott3

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#2955707 17-Aug-2022 20:25

An A3 mono, home sized laser printer is a rare beast.

OKI B820DN was the only one I could find. It's discontinued, but this trademe seller is willing to ship one from Aussie if you really want (ignore the inkjet category, its a laser):

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/computers/printers/ink-jet-bubble-jet/listing/3730965015

Yes, expensive.

Other option's:

Go for an A4 mono laser. Basically every brand has these. I have had a long succession of brother laser printers and have had a good ownership experience. Somethign like a brother HLL2375DW is $218.99 and offers auto duplex, ethernet & wifi. 4.65c/ page on genuine toner.
Go for an A3 large capacity ink tank injet. (inktank / inkvestment etc). These beat the lasers in cost per page. Something an brother MFC-J6955DW. $639. Dual paper trays, duplex, colour, wifi, ethernet, Black and white ink cost 1.83c/page. Slow, and being inkjet, not good for archival use, but otherwise an attractive option.
Go for an OKI A3 colour laser. i.e. Oki C834DNW. $1500. 1.92c/ page black and white toner cost. Downside is the 10000 page yeaild on the toners makes running costs a bit lumpy. $192 each for the black, $414 for each of 3 colors.

Never have replaced a drum in any of my brother printers. (although I did reset one to keep pringing after it hit it's limit). Brother pricing is such that it is uneconomic to replace on their entry level printers. Using the $218.99 printer as an example, little value buying a new drum at $161.39. For the extra $60, one might as well replace the entire printer which comes with not only a brand new drum (same 12,000 yeild), but also a cira 600 page yeild starter toner, all the other consumables (Belt, fuser etc) and a free pack of paper under the current promo. Plus you reset the warranty. Feels like an environmental crime dropping the perfectly working old printer in the wheel bin though. Economics change a bit if you have a nice multi-function, rather than a simple printer (at one point I was considering buying an entry level printer to pull parts from as it was cheaper than buying them alone) - ended up deciding to upgrade instead.

I ran genuine toner's in my B+W brothers. At sub 5c/ page I considered it affordable. Tried aftermarket in my previous bother color laser (genuine color toners are expensive), and the experience was bad. Really poor yeilds and print quality issues. Ended up replacing that printer (approaching drum life), and am only running genuine in my current one. (but the cost of color is pretty crippling at 40c+ /page, so we try to avoid using colour as much as we can.)

xpd

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#2955759 17-Aug-2022 20:54

We've had a Brother 7065DN (A4) for years now, thing hasnt missed a beat, and just buy 3rd party toner/carts for it.

Thing has been thrashed to hell and back, and sits in the garage getting covered in crap but keeps on going.

XPD / Gavin

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timmmay

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#2955764 17-Aug-2022 21:09

Brother has worked well for me. I recently got rid of a CDN9xxx (can't remember the details) color laser with network for $20 working perfectly, so you might be best off looking second hand. I got another Brother color laser the 3770CDW which works well, we wanted double sided scanning. Once a printer needs more than one new part it's often cheaper to buy a new printer.

Scott3

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#2955804 17-Aug-2022 22:23

Another A3 mono laser:

KYOCERA ECOSYS P4140DN $2039.77

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/computers/printers/laser/listing/3728725582

afe66

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#2955947 18-Aug-2022 11:08

My brother hl5170dn is still going since 2008...when it finally dies I buy another brother.

All the software issues puts me off HP. Ie seen reports that if ink runs out some multifunction machines stop working. So no ink in printer means scanner not work.

CokemonZ

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#2955950 18-Aug-2022 11:23

Third (fourth?) for Brother.

Not a**holes about using third party drums and toners.

1st party products are reasonable.

Last forever as well.

Lego

Shop now for Lego sets and other gifts (affiliate link).

wellygary

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#2955973 18-Aug-2022 12:15

CokemonZ:

Third (fourth?) for Brother.

And another,

We've got an HL2140 from ages ago, It simply wont die, just keeps on chugging,

its not being used a lot, but its doesn't seem to mind long inactive periods,

It gets feed toner every couple of year, but that's about it...

allan

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#2956038 18-Aug-2022 12:55

wellygary:

And another,

We've got an HL2140 from ages ago, It simply wont die, just keeps on chugging,

its not being used a lot, but its doesn't seem to mind long inactive periods,

It gets feed toner every couple of year, but that's about it...

Yep also got a Brother HL2140 that I think I paid about $50 originally and likewise doesn't want to die. Hooked it up to a Raspberry Pi to make it networkable. So yep another +1 for Brother.

Groucho

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#2956057 18-Aug-2022 14:09

Sorry, another +1 for the Toyota of printers, Brother.

Huntakillaz

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#2956796 19-Aug-2022 23:01

Got one of these back in the day and it's still going strong

HP Colour Laser Multifunction Printer M277DW

https://www.cheapies.nz/node/1790

Probably best to pickup during a sale such fathers day or something coming up

ashtonaut

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#2956812 20-Aug-2022 07:51

Groucho:
Sorry, another +1 for the Toyota of printers, Brother.

And another

HLL2375DW

Less than $200 from PBTech

Has AirPrint and also lets kids print directly from Chromebooks

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

nzkc

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#2956816 20-Aug-2022 08:18

Piling onto the Brother printer love...

Got a HL-3170CDW that we've had for years. Use 3rd party toner cartridges for it too and it just doesn't care. Just keeps on printing. Because of this printer, when it eventually dies or I cant get toner for it, I would get another Brother printer.

xpd

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#2956831 20-Aug-2022 10:08

GOOD BROTHER YOU ARE - Yoda | Make a Meme

XPD / Gavin

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Stu1

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#2956979 20-Aug-2022 16:15

If A3 is not a must then Epson echo tank is amazing, the ink seems to last for ever haven’t topped it up in a year .

https://www.harveynorman.co.nz/computers/printers-and-office/ink-tank-printers/epson-ecotank-et-2810-all-in-one-printer.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=organic-shopping&utm_content=surfaces_across_google&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw43j0cbU-QIVjwByCh0DtQPfEAQYASABEgLkVvD_BwE