Chosing/Finding a printer for office.

[Kristofers]

Hello, I'm looking for a good laser printer/scanner for office . The current list is
Samsung SL-C480W/SEE
HP CF547A#B19
HP CZ165A#B19
Samsung SL-C406FW/SEE
Samsung SL-C480FW/SEE
HP B3Q11A#B19

Which one is the best?
Must be multifunctional ( print , copy, scan )
Must have WiFi .
The Scanner has to be decent.
The cartridge shouldn't be overly expensive.
If You know a better printer, let me know.
-Christopher

 

[Ralston18]

"Best" tends to be subjective without some specific requirements regarding the necessary range of functions, performance (pages per minute), price, etc. Are you concerned about energy consumption, mercury, lead, can the printer be recycled at EOL (End of Life)? What warranty level do you need? Who, where, and how will the printer be fixed if it breaks?

Cartridges: how do you define "overally expensive"? You may find a low cost third party cartridge that is cheaper but runs out of toner faster and voids the printer warranty.

More specifically, I am a great believer in "hands on". Meaning go out and look at the printers. Open them up, pick them up, see how strong (or flimsy) they are. Plastic, metal, heavy, light.... How are the control buttons placed? What connectivity is needed - what does the printer offer (wired, wireless, USB...)?

Generally you can get a good sense of the machine by just seeing it. Some printers you will eliminate on the spot.

The printers that pass that stage should then be further vetted by looking for reviews by known users or objective evaluators.

I see too many product reviews where half of the products receive a high rating. All get some combination of stars and half stars....

Also remember that most performance specifications were established under ideal conditions or created as a marketing tool to make the product some how stand out. A menu window that is 1 mm greater than another is not a real difference....

I also recommend downloading or otherwise reading through the User Guide/Manuals. Might be several of them - see how easy or hard it is to configure the printer. Are the instructions, diagrams, and pictures clear and easy to follow and understand? Visit the manufacturer's website: check the FAQs and forums.

See what user's are asking, what problems they have. Check the drivers - look at the frequency of upgrades. Look at any add-on software applications - is that software really needed or useful? Or just added because it appears good....

Summary: write down, one by one, everything you expect or want from the printer. Quantify as much as you can. That written list will be your requirements. You can revise as you learn more or think about things with respect what the printer must be able to do for you.

Then you will have the answer to "best".

 

[gdeangel]

Brother makes some very solid multifunction laser printers from a features / value mix. However I have never owned one of their color machines. I have a MFC8710DW and it's great but it's monochrome.

 

[Kristofers]

Thanks for respodning