What is the most economical color printer?

[Lakefront boater]

What is the most economical color printer and it's cost for ink?
Obviously the cost of ink will be the most important factor in the long run.
I'm sure some of you are printing reports and have some ideas on the most bang for the buck printer and ink costs.

Thanks in advance for the input!

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Our biggest client finally switched to digital and we have idled our Color Lasers to a great deal.

I suggest you go to Amazon or Ebay and buy a Samsung color laser - buy a refurbished one - $150 or less. I like the CLP 300 better than the higher number models...the 300 has round ink cannisters whereas the 315 I have has a flat refill that is more expensive. You can get a 4 or 5 pack of refilled cans for $50 or so.

The CLP 315W that I have the refills are about $90 for a 4 pack. The waste cans cost maybe $15 but you can just empty the old ones (messy job). The drums are reasonable too...considering. After all you can buy a refurbished machine for the cost of the drum.

In 4 years or so, I have worn out 1 and still have 2 going strong.

 

[EDWARD BERRY]

I Just Replaced My Hp7500 With A Hp8500 For $179 At Office Depot. They Had A $50 Discount For Old Printer Exchange. It Is Color Printer, Copy(color/b&w) Machine, Scan, And Fax.

I Then Bought A 4 Bottle/cartridge Refill System For $65.(supersmartelectronics.com) I Have Used This System For 4 Years With No Problems If Installed Before Original Runs Out.

During Year Usually Have To Buy A Bottle Of Black For About $10.

This System Has About 4 Times The Ink As Replacement Cartridges Which Now Is About 2500 Pages. So One Gets 10,000 Pages For $75.
Good Luck

 

[residentialguy]

For inkjets, I like the ones that use large ink cartridges, like HP 88 ink. They cost the same as the smaller cartriges and give you more prints per cartridge. I use a HP Officejet Pro K5400 printer and a HP all in one that uses the same cartridges. It also has wireless, so I can print from my laptop anywhere in the house.

I also use the economical (draft) settings...I don't need perfect glossy photos for my files.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Laser beats inkjets because they won't smear usually but before you buy any of them check the prices of ink on Amazon and do so on a per page basis. A can that will last 2000 sheets for $30 isn't as cheap as one that does 4000 pages for $50...obviously.

 

[Mountain Man]

PDF is the cheapest. Cost a bit for start up, about $300 for pro, but the toner cost is very reasonable. I have some left over from 8.0 I'll sell you at $10 per case.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

PDF is the cheapest.

Last week my client was a 70 year old trustee of an estate who does not own a computer....that's why i have a printer....plus I like to print out forms and data.

 

[Mountain Man]

Last week my client was a 70 year old trustee of an estate who does not own a computer....that's why i have a printer....plus I like to print out forms and data.

I have those clients too. That's why I take documents on a flash key to Staples, Kinko's, UPS store, or other similar stores for those 4 or 5 a year I have to print. As for forms or data, I have a cheap B&W Brother laser printer... HL-2070N. I've found it cheap to run, toner readily available on Ebay.

 

[Riick]

When I get an assignment where they might want hard copy,
I discuss it with them.
Black&White print of the report is included in my pricing,
IF the need color, 2 color copies will cost them $35, the cost of ink cartridge.

In last 10-12 years, no one has wanted a color copy.

 

[OSU Beavers]

Last week my client was a 70 year old trustee of an estate who does not own a computer....that's why i have a printer....plus I like to print out forms and data.

Do like the Mortgage Brokers and charge an extra $50 for color photos!