I am starting the process of shopping for a color laser printer for home office use. This new printer will replace my "perfectly good" all-in-one color inkjet printer (HP C8180). I use quotes to qualify the fact that my existing printer works as well as it did when it was new, but that it has been such a struggle to use lo these many years that I have resigned to replacing it rather than buying another set of ink cartridges.
On paper (pun intended), my existing printer's specs meet my needs perfectly. In practice, it has many failings of the type that are not included in the manufacturer's spec sheet. For example:
My goal is not to rant about my existing printer, but rather to illustrate that there are many factors that I didn't consider when researching inkjet printers the last time I purchased one, and which I only learned about after using it first-hand. I'd like to avoid making the same mistake when buying a color laser printer this time around.
Therefore, my primary question is:
Secondarily, I'm debating whether to get another all-in-one unit, or to buy a separate printer and scanner (I don't need the other functions, such as card reader, DVD burner, etc.). I like the idea of having a single unit, but my experience with my existing AIO device has been so bad that I'm leaning towards buying two separate devices so the availability of one isn't dependent on the other.
For context, this printer will service one user. I print a few pages a month, mostly checks and business letters that use little ink/toner. I don't print photos, but want relatively decent business graphics on the infrequent occasions that I need them. I want the toner to last a long time just sitting there without being used (my primary reason for choosing laser over inkjet).
On the scanning side, I scan more than I print - mostly receipts and contracts at low (~200 dpi) resolution. 99% of what I scan is 8.5x11" or smaller. I want the scanner to be fast and easy, and to work regardless of whether the printer is able to print (e.g. empty toner).
To summarize, I'm looking for general recommendations on "gotchas" to watch out for when choosing a color laser printer; I'll continue researching the manufacturers' specs and reading reviews on my own. If you have specific device recommendations, please feel free to include them, but I'd most appreciate if you could recommend them in the context of usability/features that aren't otherwise documented (e.g. black-and-white printing when color toner is empty; stable drivers for Windows/Linux).
Thank you, in advance, for your help.
On paper (pun intended), my existing printer's specs meet my needs perfectly. In practice, it has many failings of the type that are not included in the manufacturer's spec sheet. For example:
■ I can't print in black-and-white when one of the color cartridges is empty
■ I can't scan when any of the ink cartridges are empty
■ The driver is a nightmare, requiring frequent reinstalls from a cumbersome, gigantic HP executable
■ I print extremely infrequently, and the print head maintenance consumes inordinately more ink than my print jobs do
My goal is not to rant about my existing printer, but rather to illustrate that there are many factors that I didn't consider when researching inkjet printers the last time I purchased one, and which I only learned about after using it first-hand. I'd like to avoid making the same mistake when buying a color laser printer this time around.
Therefore, my primary question is:
■ What practical factors should I consider when purchasing a color laser printer that I might not be aware of from just reading the spec sheets?
Secondarily, I'm debating whether to get another all-in-one unit, or to buy a separate printer and scanner (I don't need the other functions, such as card reader, DVD burner, etc.). I like the idea of having a single unit, but my experience with my existing AIO device has been so bad that I'm leaning towards buying two separate devices so the availability of one isn't dependent on the other.
■ Would you recommend a combined printer/scanner device, or a separate printer and scanner?
For context, this printer will service one user. I print a few pages a month, mostly checks and business letters that use little ink/toner. I don't print photos, but want relatively decent business graphics on the infrequent occasions that I need them. I want the toner to last a long time just sitting there without being used (my primary reason for choosing laser over inkjet).
On the scanning side, I scan more than I print - mostly receipts and contracts at low (~200 dpi) resolution. 99% of what I scan is 8.5x11" or smaller. I want the scanner to be fast and easy, and to work regardless of whether the printer is able to print (e.g. empty toner).
To summarize, I'm looking for general recommendations on "gotchas" to watch out for when choosing a color laser printer; I'll continue researching the manufacturers' specs and reading reviews on my own. If you have specific device recommendations, please feel free to include them, but I'd most appreciate if you could recommend them in the context of usability/features that aren't otherwise documented (e.g. black-and-white printing when color toner is empty; stable drivers for Windows/Linux).
Thank you, in advance, for your help.