# HP Laserjet 3380 All in One - Fix or replace? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 20, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008 "2008-05-20T19:26:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/1 "2008-05-20T19:26:10Z")
I’m getting substantial creases down the right side of every page. Some Googling reveals it is probably a tear in the film in the fuser assembly. I can replace the film or the assembly, but I’m not very handy, and the replacement assembly costs maybe $100. I have no idea how long it would take and how much trouble it might cause. Also, I use it for a solo law office, and the longer I have no printer, the less gets done. I need a pretty quick and reliable fix. I could have someone else do it, but so far I have a quote of parts & labor of about $250. I bought the printer in September 2004, so it’s about 3.5 years old. I’m thinking for that repair price, maybe I should just put that money toward getting a new one, or a like model. I can’t recall what I paid for it, but I got it at a major office supply store. I prefer to stick with HP, but I’m open to suggestions. Thoughts? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/2 "2008-05-20T19:40:27Z")
At the semisolo law office I work at I replaced the 3 year old HP printer with the HP laserjet m1522nf and it has been working great. It’s not that much more expensive to buy a new printer and you never know when the next part will break. [HP product page](http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/18972-18972-3328064-12004-3328083-3442750.html?jumpid=oc_R1002_USENC-001_HP%20LaserJet%20M1522nf%20MFP&lang=en&cc=us) ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/3 "2008-05-20T19:49:32Z")
[QUOTE=Juggler] At the semisolo law office I work at I replaced the 3 year old HP printer with the HP laserjet m1522nf and it has been working great. It’s not that much more expensive to buy a new printer and you never know when the next part will break. [HP product page](http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/18972-18972-3328064-12004-3328083-3442750.html?jumpid=oc_R1002_USENC-001_HP%20LaserJet%20M1522nf%20MFP&lang=en&cc=us) [/QUOTE] Does it print standard envelopes? ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/4 "2008-05-20T20:01:42Z")
While I know nothing about your specific printer, I’d lean heavily toward replacing the printer. This is because printers seem to be made awfully disposably. Besides, printers are a subset of computer equipment, most computer equipment is arguably better to replace than repair. Also, replacing the printer gives you much more “instant” functionality, which is certainly a consideration in your present circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/5 "2008-05-20T20:09:01Z")
I was thinking of buying new, then later buying replacement parts to fix the old one on my own time. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/6 "2008-05-21T02:51:25Z")
[QUOTE=Eureka] While I know nothing about your specific printer, I’d lean heavily toward replacing the printer. This is because printers seem to be made awfully disposably. Besides, printers are a subset of computer equipment, most computer equipment is arguably better to replace than repair. Also, replacing the printer gives you much more “instant” functionality, which is certainly a consideration in your present circumstances. [/QUOTE] Yeah this. I give mechanically-broken printers about a half hour of my time and then make the decision to replace it. A 3.5 year-old printer is not a huge waste. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/7 "2008-05-21T03:45:30Z")
One of thehe least expensive HP laser All-In-One devices is the M2727nf. CDW has it for $599 but there is a $200 rebate through the end of the month, so it would cost $399. And if you’re not committed to HP, I have a Brother MFC-7820N, which is about $208 at [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). So it does look like you’re better off replacing the printer than trying to get it fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/8 "2008-05-21T04:05:13Z")
I got two repair quotes for $250 and $450. I contacted HP and they steered me toward the HP LaserJet M2727nf. I went with this. $399 at Office Depot after matching the current sales price at Office Max (usually $599). Now, the question becomes what to do with the old one. I could spend about $100 and maybe a couple of hours trying to repair it, or just E-Cycle it. Maybe sell it to a refurbisher? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-laserjet-3380-all-in-one-fix-or-replace/450008/9 "2008-05-21T15:44:21Z")
[QUOTE=Bearflag70] Now, the question becomes what to do with the old one. I could spend about $100 and maybe a couple of hours trying to repair it, or just E-Cycle it. Maybe sell it to a refurbisher? [/QUOTE] List it on craigslist or freecycle - even with a bad fuser, there’s probably someone out there looking for some other part, or that’s willing to work on it. [It sounds like this model is a beast to work on.](http://www.fixyourownprinter.com/forums/printer/41759) If your mechanical aptitude ends at being able to replace toner cartridges, it’s probably not a good first project. I doubt you’d get anything more than a “thank you” from a refurbisher, if you’re able to find one. There’s just no market that I’m aware of for old SOHO-grade printers. Enterprise-grade stuff, however, is a decent market - stuff like LaserJet 4s that will work with anything and not need funky drivers, and 8000-series workgroup printers the size of dishwashers.