Friday, March 7, 2014

Wireless Laser Printer

I've never been much of a fan of inkjet printers. My favorite was probably the HP DeskJet 500 from back in the day. (If I remember correctly I used that printer with my IBM PCjr.) I rarely need something printed in color and if I do, it is probably a photo that I'm better off sending to Wal-green's to be printed.

However, I do like inexpensive laser printers. I think I picked up my Brother HL-2170W 23ppm Laser Printer with Wireless and Wired Network Interfaces for about $99. (You have to catch it at the right time as I see the price is $145 today.) Until recently, it had been the recommended printer at the Wirecutter. They have a new favorite - the Samsung SL-M2825DW/XAC Wireless Monochrome Printer at $107.

9 comments:

  1. I've had great luck with my HL-2170, Brick. Fantastic little printer and very affordable to operate. I really have no complaints about it whatsoever.

    Down the road a little bit you will start to get desktop notifications of low toner. This happens much, much sooner than when you need to replace the cartridge (which can be had on eBay or Amazon quite affordably, also).

    What to do? Reset the counter! It's easy and you'll only have to do it once or twice for the life of each cartridge and it eliminates the annoying warning.

    Save these steps, you'll need them!

    1) Open up the front cover of the HL-2170DW.
    2) Turn off the printer using the power button (back of printer on the right)
    3) Turn on the printer while HOLDING the "Go" button and release once all the LEDs have come on -- then release it (they will go out again)
    4) Press the "Go" button 2 times and wait for all LEDs to come back on
    5) Press the "Go" button 5 times then close up the front cover.

    Presto. Low toner light will be gone! :-)

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    1. Thanks for the tip. I think I am on my second toner and I've had this printer for a long time. I don't know my actual cost per page, but my cost per year is minuscule!

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    2. Monochrome laser is the only way to go.

      I've had my share of inkjets, color lasers, and even a color printer that took wax blocks. They share one thing in common: they're expensive and a pain in the butt!

      For the few times I need color, I'll go to Staples. I'll let them keep up the expensive infrastructure! :-)

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  2. I still use my trusty HP Laserjet 4 Plus. The price per copy is unimaginable low.

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    Replies
    1. Fantastic printer, Hans. That was an amazing workhorse of a model. I can't say that the HPs of today are of the same quality (from my experience). There is a price premium that is no longer worth it, IMO.

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    2. Laserjet Series II was a work-horse along with the 5si. My favorite thing about the Series II is that driver worked with just about any printer - even non-HP.

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  3. I worked at HP in the late 90's. When they would get done using prototype equipment, they would just put it out in the hall and you could take it home. One day in 1998 I grabbed a LaserJet 2100 that had a network interface in it. Not only am I still using it, it is STILL on the same toner cartridge that I picked it up with 16 years ago!!!

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    Replies
    1. Even without printing much I'm surprised it didn't dry out. Amazing.

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  4. A 16-year toner cartridge? Which begs the question, Bill: If HP had developed a printer that ran forever on the same toner cartridge, would they tell anyone? :-)

    Didn't you hear, Bill? Ford developed a car that could get over 350mpg but Big Oil bought the patent and that was the end of that. Or so the story goes.

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