Recommend your "All in One" Printer?

[sreedy]

I'm thinking of getting an "All in One" style printer (don't need fax), and was wondering if anyone would recommend theirs. I am looking to spend a maximum of £200 ($360)..... it's really mainly for colour printing things like web pages and emails..... and some photocopying..... it would be nice if it could also do some occasional photo printing...... nothing amazing just a decent print.

Anyone got one that fit's this????

 

[VanMac]

I have an older HP R80xi hooked up to my PC. I've had it for 5 years, and it has run flawlessy.

Seems from most posters here that HP has gone down a bit over the last couple of years, and not the best mac compatability, so weigh that into your decisions.

 

[Le Big Mac]

I'm thinking of getting an "All in One" style printer (don't need fax), and was wondering if anyone would recommend theirs. I am looking to spend a maximum of £200 ($360)..... it's really mainly for colour printing things like web pages and emails..... and some photocopying..... it would be nice if it could also do some occasional photo printing...... nothing amazing just a decent print.

Anyone got one that fit's this????

I've been looking at the Brother MFC-7820N, which right now is under $350. But it's b/w, not color. While people chime in on the OP's request, I'd be interested in evaluations of this option as well. (not threadjacking--just trying to combine related topics!)

 

[dcv]

I have an HP PSC 1215 printer/scanner/copier and while i'm not a huge fan of HP (i always find the inkjet printers really clunky sounding) i think this one is very good value for money. It does everything i need it to (printing in mostly black and sometimes colour with pretty good quality, plus occasional copying) though i still haven't bothered to test the scan function. Bought it from PC World a few months ago for around £75 but i've seen them in other stores more recently for about £60. Only bad point I'd say is it sometimes pulls in more than one sheet of paper causing a jam.

you might find more info if you search the forums, i know this question has been asked a few times before as i'm sure i've given the same reply a couple of times before!

 

[joecool85]

I too have a HP, mine is the HP PSC 1210. Very nice all in one unit. I paid $100 for it new 2 years ago and it works just like the day I bought it. It does everything I ask it to without hassle.

 

[sreedy]

you might find more info if you search the forums, i know this question has been asked a few times before as i'm sure i've given the same reply a couple of times before!

I did try a search first...... I always do.... Maybe I was too specific

 

[emw]

I just got the Epson CX4600 for $99. It does all that you're looking for, including nice photo printing, and it's reasonably fast. I haven't done much scanning, so I can't speak for quality on that end, but so far I've been impressed with the device. Epson has a higher-end device, I think it's the CX6600, that's about twice as much and includes more features for printing direct from photo cards, etc.

 

[Ashapalan]

i just have a cheap (compared to your budget) cannon pixma mp110 and its a great quality printer

the ink is comparatively free compared to some manufacturers, one of my deciding factors.

Dont drop blue-tac down the roller though, all hell breaks loose.

 

[GilGrissom]

I have a HP PSC 750. Getting on a bit now and its not as small as the newer ones are these days, but since we've got it it's been perfect and does everything you want it to do. I have it linked to my network using a HP JetDirect server, so I can print and scan over the network from my room. It was the best quality at the time, obviously not now, but its still a fine printer.

Just two things:
The ink isn't the cheapest being HP, there are cheaper ones, like Ashapalan recommends.
Its starting to show its age a slight bit now, and occasionally comes up with "Scanner Error, please turn on and off" when you try and photocopy, but turning it on and off solves it for a bit longer! I'm guessing this is just age!

My sister has the HP PSC 1200 (I think, something like that, 1100/1200! ) and its tiny (compared to mine and some others!). HP have quite a few printers in this form factor and they are quite good. Small, compact and my sisters is very very quiet! You can get photosmart versions aswell. The basic ones in this form factor I have seen being sold for quite cheap around the UK aswell.

 

[moonislune]

Stay away from...

I have a brother mfc-3420 with auto document feeder, flatbed scanner, printer. It's a great machine the ADF is awesome BUT be careful when buying a new printer. Apparently one of the most recent ways for the printer companies to drain your pocketbooks has been to require that all of the ink cartridges are full in order to print.

For example, I rarely use anything but black ink, however, my brother mfc-3420 won't print if the yellow, magenta, cyan are empty. So I go buy the ink, it evaporates away after a month or two and viola...go buy another color ink cartridge just to print in black.

Next time you are at the store, pull out the color cartridge and see if it will demo with just black in it.

 

[GilGrissom]

I have a brother mfc-3420 with auto document feeder, flatbed scanner, printer. It's a great machine the ADF is awesome BUT be careful when buying a new printer. Apparently one of the most recent ways for the printer companies to drain your pocketbooks has been to require that all of the ink cartridges are full in order to print.

For example, I rarely use anything but black ink, however, my brother mfc-3420 won't print if the yellow, magenta, cyan are empty. So I go buy the ink, it evaporates away after a month or two and viola...go buy another color ink cartridge just to print in black.

Next time you are at the store, pull out the color cartridge and see if it will demo with just black in it.

Wow, thanks for that, didn't realise they had extended their tactics that far! Very wise words, with ink costing more than vintage champagne these days!

 

[sreedy]

Thanks for all the advice, I've had a look about and have decided to go for the HP PSC 1610 from the Apple Website for £70..... it's actually the cheapest place I can find it!

 

[dcv]

That's a really good price. and oooh it's even got an integrated memory card reader (mine hasn't got that)

In case you don't already know, you'll need to purchase the USB cable separately, for some reason HP don't supply one in the box.

 

[sreedy]

That's a really good price.

Yeah I thought so, was v. surprised that no-one had it cheaper than Apple... I checked with DealTime, PriceRunner, Dabs and eBuyer!

oooh it's even got an integrated memory card reader

It's a nice added bonus isn't it!

In case you don't already know, you'll need to purchase the USB cable separately, for some reason HP don't supply one in the box.

Shame..... but seems to be the same for most printers these days. I've got an old one for my crappy lexmark that packed up.... are they manufacturer specific or can I use that one?

 

[GilGrissom]

Shame..... but seems to be the same for most printers these days. I've got an old one for my crappy lexmark that packed up.... are they manufacturer specific or can I use that one?

Ye they all do it...USB cables aren't the cheapest things surprisingly, or so the manufacturers would have you believe. Some are expensive, some are cheap, but you can tell from the quality and sturdiness of the cable usually!

Ye the cable should be fine. If its a normal A-B USB cable then all is well, a USB cable is a USB cable, whoever makes it.

Lost faith in Dabs recently for better prices, their p&p usually knocks it way over what I can get it for elsewhere. But their site is undergoing a total revamp, so I look forward to seeing what they offer soon. I've had much better luck with eBuyer these days. Yes the Apple price is fantastic! Nice find!

Hope you like the printer!

 

[Yvan256]

I know you asked for an all-in-one, but my main recommendation is this: stay away from inkjet printers. It's too expensive to print with those things.

Get a color laser printer (prices have gone down lately, I recommend the HP 2550L, it does an excellent job), add a flatbed scanner.

 

[pubwvj]

I have the HP OfficeJet 7130 all-in-one and am pretty happy with it. The only thing I don't like is on the automatic document feed for scanning it does not scan the right most 1/8" of the page. I got mine for $200 as an open-box unit last year at Staples.

 

[sreedy]

I've decided to go for the HP PSC 1610 from the Apple Website for £70..... it's actually the cheapest place I can find it!

When I started this thread the HP PSC 1610 was on the Apple website as £69.95 with a bit of text underneath saying "Back to school £30 off this printer when you buy an iMac". I thought well that's good value but I'm not buying an iMac so £69.95 for me. Now when I go to buy it now has another line saying " The above price includes this discount".

So I added it to my cart and it comes up as £69.95! So I called Apple and they say it's £99.95 unless I buy an iMac! I'd have expected it to be shown as £99.95 then saying £30 when you buy an iMac!

So it looks like as expecyed Apple is expensive..... ebuyer for £80 it is then!

 

[achie25]

I have the Hp 1610 and so far so good! Easy to use, good print quality and good price. I got mine for $29 after rebates for buying my PB.

 

[bodeh6]

I got the HP PSC 1610 and think that it is great. I got it only for $30 because I used the $100 off printer w/new Mac purchase. I use it to make quick copies and also for scanning and printing in color. When I want to print out documents though, I use the Brother HL-5140 B&W laser printer that I have connected to my old PC. All I have to do is connect my iBook to the Brother with a USB cable and boom. No drivers no issues.

 

[bousozoku]

I love my Epson CX6400 with dedicated USB 2.0 cable and a card reader. It does a great job with almost everything though the cable is a bit short. The newer machines are better.

 

[cr2sh]

I've got an HP 6110 and I'm only moderately satisfied with it. I would recommend looking elsewhere... it's not fabulous.

 

[20rogersc]

Got a HP PSC1350 which I got £60 off from purchasing it with my iBOok, and have had no problems with it. Works well and does what it says on the tin, but you could proberly get a better quality one with your money.

::20ROGERSC::

 

[danny_w]

I just bought an HP OfficeJet 5610 for $120 at OfficeMax to replace an Epson with clogged print heads. I have had 2 Epsons (CX6400 and CX4600) recently, and they both worked beautifully until the print heads clogged with ink. They work much better than anything else I have seen, but I will never buy another for this reason. The first lasted almost a year and the second about 2 months. They were under warranty, but IMO they weren't worth fixing. Now I see why HP includes the print head as a part of the ink cartridge.