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New printer recommendations

Browser - 20/1/11 at 03:51 AM

For work, that is. We've currently got a Hewlett Packard Laser Jet 4000TN and it's been rock-solid, needing only consumables. It's starting to get life expired and we need a replacement, but some of the customer reviews on the HP UK webpage are less than complimentary about their newer stuff, so here's what we want;

Black and white printer.
Doesn't have to do duplex (double-sided) but would be useful if it didn't compromise reliability.
Must have two feed drawers plus a drop-down tray.
Must be able to pull through thick paper/card without complaint.
Must, and this is most important, MUST be absolutely bomb-proof reliability-wise, I canoonet stress this enough.

We've got MFDs on site for colour and higher speed printing, but this one needs to be be 100% solid 24/7. We'd get a new HP but I thought I'd ask and see if there's any alternatives.
Cost isn't a money-no-object but we'd rather spend out once and get something good than throw good money after bad.
Cheers

richardlee237 - 20/1/11 at 04:09 AM

I would say HP everytime.

Don't forget that people assume an HP will be utterly reliable so only post reviews when it isn't. A very small number of reviews against the millions they ship.

bj928 - 20/1/11 at 05:03 AM

I bought a Brother a little while ago, it happily ran after market inks so was dirt cheap to run, quality of print was good, quiet and reliable, don't know if they do one that would be to your spec, but i would buy Brother and advise anyone to at least look at one.

jossey - 20/1/11 at 08:25 AM

look at the price of ink as most decent printers have simular printer quality.

I have a epson as i can use reman ink which is cheap and the print quality is good.

costs me about Ł4 for a pack of ink and that will last about 60 - 80 a4 photo quality prints.

cheers

dave

David Jenkins - 20/1/11 at 08:37 AM

Just about every office I've ever worked in (or visited) had HP printers...
...including tight-arse firms who would try to penny-pinch at every opportunity, but still bought great big HPs.

If you do need a reliable 'business grade' printer, have you considered leasing? It does cost a fair bit, but there's little capital to be paid up front and you do get maintenance as part of the bargain.

RazMan - 20/1/11 at 08:46 AM

In my time as a graphic designer I have used a whole load of printers (mostly A3 though) but I have always come back to Epson. They tend to use the best inks for printing on transparencies, the duplex function is very reliable, they have very good build quality and are very reliable.

Presently I use the Stylus Photo PX710W for home use but it would probably be just as good in a business application. It prints on all sorts of media including 200gsm card, 100x150 photo paper (built in tray) and also CDs (quite handy) It also reads direct from SD cards (among others) AND is wirelessly networked. I'd say it would take a lot of beating.

splitrivet - 20/1/11 at 11:11 AM

Cant you download a patch to fix the life expired nag Ive done it on Epsons, might be worth a google.
Cheers,
Bob

Browser - 20/1/11 at 06:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Just about every office I've ever worked in (or visited) had HP printers...
...including tight-arse firms who would try to penny-pinch at every opportunity, but still bought great big HPs.

If you do need a reliable 'business grade' printer, have you considered leasing? It does cost a fair bit, but there's little capital to be paid up front and you do get maintenance as part of the bargain.

Nice idea but I don't know whether the rather large company I work for are that flexible in their thinking

I will suggest it though.

quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
In my time as a graphic designer I have used a whole load of printers (mostly A3 though) but I have always come back to Epson. They tend to use the best inks for printing on transparencies, the duplex function is very reliable, they have very good build quality and are very reliable.

We aren't really looking for colour capability or even particularly wonderful photo-quality prints, just bomb-proof , rock solid, wouldn't-break-down-if-hiy-by-a-category-five-hurricane reliability. It'll sit quite idle for a lot of the year, then be used and abused daily for anything from 14 days to 2 months during our annual outage.

quote:
Originally posted by splitrivet

Cant you download a patch to fix the life expired nag Ive done it on Epsons, might be worth a google.
Cheers,
Bob

It's a physical problem rather than the old "your printers internal parts are worn out, please replace them at colossal expense from your local dealer"-type schtick. The pickup rollers aren't, it's started putting arather attractive though probably ultimately problematic bunting pennant-style series of triangles down one side of the page and being as the company we work for has the fiscal resources and we CANNOT have this thing causing us problems, we thought we'd just get a new one.

Thanks for all the help, will probably go for an HP.

RazMan - 20/1/11 at 09:46 PM

Sounds like leasing a monster printer with a 'per page' cost and a built in service contract might be right up your street