Tech Vanity: Looking for a new color laser printer

[kingu]

Upon realizing that I spent $70 for inks that dried up yet again in the home inkjet printer, I'm ready to make the switch to a color laser printer. And I'd like to solicit opinions from fellow Freepers as to what they've found to be the best out there for a reasonable amount of money. I'd like to keep it in the sub-thousand catagory, and even cheaper is better.

But I don't want to cheap myself into the poor house. I'm looking for input on overall costs - expensive toners and drums that must be replaced constantly aren't a thrill I'm seeking.

Ideally, I'd like it to just plug into the ethernet switch and zoom happily with all the laptops and computers in the house, but that isn't a requirement. The computer enviroment is mostly Windows XP, but I do have some legacy computers with 2000 on them. And eventually we'll have a Mac mini or two in the mix as well.

Please speak from personal experience if you can - your neighbor Bob might be a great guy, but I've found that neighbors tend to complain about everything or tell you nothing bad and few points inbetween.

Thanks for your time, and I'm sorry for cluttering up the boards. I'm sure I'm not the only one in this boat or with the same interest, so hopefully in giving your opinion to me, you actually give it to others as well.

[kingu]

Thank you!

[Red Badger]

What new color would you like? Chartreuse?........

[kingu]

A nice mauve would be nice, I suppose... Apricot in a pinch. :)

[TexasCajun]

I want a congressional investigation into Big Ink!

Big Ink has conspired to keep all ink, black & color, inflated far above production cost and is harmful to consumers.

Investigate Big Ink Now!

[Iconoclast2]

Avoid Xerox Phaser 6100

[BigFinn]

For my personal needs... I use a Canon i960. You replace individual ink cartridges as they get used up. The only drawback is that they are small and must be replaced frequently. Each cartridge runs about $12. I have had the printer for over a year and it merrily spins out flawless prints without any hitches whatsoever. A happy camper.

[loreldan]

Whenever I run out of ink I buy a new printer. Like the Canon iP 1500 etc. It's just as cheap as buying new cartridges, and it's good quality until the ink runs out - at least for my (small business) purposes!

[MadCharity]

check out www.newegg.com

[kingu]

I'm trying to get away from the inks mostly because we've yet to ever use up a cartridge at home. Every one we've ever had (going back to the first inkjets) dried up because sometimes it is two months between printing a single page... Well, usually printing dozens of pages, especially for a report.

[kingu]

I just got done shipping off a half dozen inkjets that had been piling up around the garage from doing exactly what you suggest. (HP rebate program, they paid for the shipping, and I had kept the boxes.)

I suspect that if everyone in the house knew that the printer would be available to print on, and not dried up, that we'd get more use out of the printer instead of just wasting money time and time again. I know that I refrain from printing a lot of things at home just for that reason. Hence why I'm looking at a color laser printer.

[HOTTIEBOY]

A nice mauve would be nice, I suppose...


Mauve? What is that. Never heard of that. I am going back to my toolshed now.

[cgk]

BFLR - we have the same problem.

[kingu]

I'm leaning towards the 2600N from HP at this time, though I had hoped that some of the more technoFreepers would have chimed in an opinion by now. (I know, patience is a virtue...)

I suppose the biggest attractor is that they have included full cartridges in the printer, rather than the 'test' cartridges from the other manufacturers. (A mistake that HP will likely never repeat...)