# Laser Printer recommendations **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** computer-hardware\ **Created:** [November 25, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766 "2024-11-25T17:28:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/1 "2024-11-25T17:28:56Z")
My Lexmark has stopped working so am looking for a replacement. I don’t print a lot, but enough that having a printer would be nice. Parameters: Color – though 95% will be B+W that being said, individual toner so I don’t need to replace magenta if yellow is low Speaking of toner, as little lock-in and “subscription” as possible I don’t need a scanner, but it it has one that is OK Should handle 110lb stock Duplex preferred I don’t need wi-fi as long as it has USB (though if it has it, fine) Not sure about budget - but I’m willing to pay more initially for lower cost/page. Thanks, Brian (i’ve been uining the printer at work, but that won’t be an option soon) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/2 "2024-11-25T17:30:10Z")
Xerox printers are awesome workhorses that are easy to use and fairly reasonable on toner costs. Many include two-sided printing which is a great feature. Xerox Color Phaser is the model I have, and the line is great. 6 results from Amazon: [Amazon.com : Laser Computer Printers](https://www.amazon.com/s?keywords=Laser+Computer+Printers&i=office-products&rh=n%3A1064954%2Cp_76%3A1249170011%2Cp_123%3A229155%2Cp_n_feature_fourteen_browse-bin%3A23993632011&dc&c=ts&qid=1732560795&rnid=23993570011&ts_id=172648&ref=sr_nr_p_n_feature_fourteen_browse-bin_1&ds=v1%3A%2FlOUv3JReJs1n2KNw9cboH53i5B3IxZUjNtDFHZH8Lw) ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/3 "2024-11-25T17:44:04Z")
I like Brother laser printers though I only have a monochrome one so I have no experience with color printers. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/4 "2024-11-25T18:14:19Z")
I have one of these which I bought based on a friend’s experience / recommendation. I’m real happy with it. Maybe more fully featured than you need, but a solid performer and apparently well built, not flimsy. > **[Amazon.com: Brother MFC-L3780CDW Wireless Digital Color All-in-One Printer with...](https://www.amazon.com/Brother-MFC-L3780CDW-Wireless-Subscription-Replenishment/dp/B0CFCW8PGV)** > > The Brother MFC-L3780CDW wireless all-in-one, digital color printer with copy, scan, and fax functionalities is engineered to offer small business leaders an extraordinary level of efficiency with astounding print speeds and productivity-propelling... ETA: As to two-sided printing … My one and only peeve w my printer is that it defaults to two-sided, and there is no way to configure the default to be single-sided. For my use cases, I _never_ want two-sided. I don’t print that much but generally what happens is I click [Print], go collect my papers, notice they’re two-sided, curse, throw them away, _then_ configure single sided for this one job, and [Print] again. When I next print a month from now it’ll again default to two-sided and I’ll likely do the same thing again. Their goal of cutting my paper consumption by 50% is instead increasing it by 50%. [/First world rant] ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/5 "2024-11-25T18:48:15Z")
Brother for sure. As for the two sided printing, that’s usually a setting in your OS print driver settings. If you set it there it should become the default unless overridden by an app. I think many Brother models also have a web interface and standalone config apps that you can use to set the defaults into the on device firmware, but it’s easier just to do it on the OS level. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/6 "2024-11-25T19:02:36Z")
I have an HP, and it makes nice prints, and fits in the space we have for it (very limited) and was available during the supply chain issues, when we needed to replace the printer. But it’s definitely a “we want to make sure you buy our toner” model. (although you don’t need to subscribe.) That being said, I don’t print all that much, and while I did go through the starter toner in a year or two, I expect the full sized toners I bought (expensive!) to last the life of the printer. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/7 "2024-11-25T19:04:37Z")
HP is a brand to pretty much avoid. Avoid it. The Toner alone is a good reason to avoid it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/8 "2024-11-25T19:07:18Z")
You mean that they check to make sure you are using their over-priced toner? I would have bought another brand if I’d had more choices, honestly, because i don’t like dealing with hp, and i didn’t like their policies. But it does work nicely enough. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/9 "2024-11-25T19:11:30Z")
Yes, many bad experiences with HP printers over the years, almost all associated with toner. They were fairly durable, but less so than Xerox. For far too many years, helping to maintain printers was part of my overall programmer analyst job. The wonders of small companies. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/10 "2024-11-25T19:20:27Z")
I also switched from HP to Brother and I’m glad that I did. My first laser printer was the Laser Jet III. Just looked that up and it came out in March 1990. I had ordered the Laser Jet II, but switched as soon as I heard the III was available, visibly annoying the salesman who must have thought he was getting rid of now-obsolete inventory. Wonderful machine for that era. Nothing they did ever quite lived up ti it. But I’ve never had a color laser printer, and they’re different beasts. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/11 "2024-11-25T19:39:42Z")
I’m another who has had bad experiences with HP and been very happy with my Brother laser. Every week or two, my system would stop recognizing my HP, and I’d have to remove and re-add it. As noted, the toner was squirrelly too. Zero problems with the Brother for several years now. ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/12 "2024-11-25T19:41:58Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Color – though 95% will be B+W BTW, if the need for color printing is rare enough, are you able to live with a monochrome printer and go to a copy center for color prints? Or if you need color photos printed, you can send them to a website that will print and mail them to you. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/13 "2024-11-25T19:42:55Z")
I have a color Xerox Phaser (a big $2k unit) as well and am happy with the performance. Individual toner cartridges, not fussy about the toner brand, and has been solid for the last 8 years. Duplexing heavy card stock may be tricky, I generally do them one side at a time if it’s really stiff paper. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/14 "2024-11-25T19:50:29Z")
I only need one sided for card stock, but I definitely do print on it: I print out tickets to hand to pilots for a free breakfast at our airport breakfast. If I print out player aids for board games I usually do those on card stock. Brian ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/15 "2024-11-25T19:51:51Z")
If you need to print on card stock, you need to verify that the printer you’re considering can print on paper that heavy. You _may_ need a straight-through paper path, so the output is on the back end. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/16 "2024-11-25T20:23:03Z")
> **Hidden by What Exit?** > > > [@Reply](#): > > > > As for the two sided printing, that’s usually a setting in your OS print driver settings. If you set it there it should become the default unless overridden by an app. > > > > I think many Brother models also have a web interface and standalone config apps that you can use to set the defaults into the on device firmware, but it’s easier just to do it on the OS level. > > Not in this case. Dammit. > > Brother takes over _all_ the OS property sheets. Yes, there are several config interfaces: web, device control panel, Printer properties, etc. Each of which disables selecting single sided as the default. They put some effort into this. > > They even have the helpful idea of print job profiles so if you printed, e.g. cardstock or booklets frequently you could set all 27 properties appropriate for each of those tasks and save that as a job profile named “meal tickets” or “event programs” or whatever. Hooray for all this configuration power. > But you can’t make _any_ profile the default profile. Instead to use any profile you need to drill into the Print Settings dialog in your app to trigger the Brother property sheet where you can manually select the profile you want. > > Believe me I’ve tried every damned thing. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/17 "2024-11-25T20:25:26Z")
This seems like a bit of hijack to the thread this early. If you want to continue, trying starting a spin-off thread. > **How to Reply as a linked Topic** > > Click Reply, in the upper left corner of the reply window is the reply type button, _looks like a curving arrow point to the right_. > > Choose **Reply as linked topic** and it starts a new thread. As an example, you can choose GD, IMHO or The Pit for it. > > That is actually the best method. ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/18 "2024-11-25T20:31:17Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Should handle 110lb stock Sorry but this _might_ be the most troublesome requirement. I just checked the specs on a couple of Brother laser printers and their max paper stock seemed to be 43lb. If you _really_ need to print on 110lb stock regularly, your options may be limited. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/19 "2024-11-25T20:36:07Z")
Crap. Sorry there @What_Exit. I worked up that post then thought I’d deleted it. Sorry. I bet I actually abandoned an edit of it, not my original posting of it. 'Nuff said on the two-sided topic in any case. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766/20 "2024-11-25T20:37:20Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Yes, many bad experiences with HP printers over the years Mine have been drivers. Windows and HPs hate talking to each.other. I replaced it with a Canon and am thrilled I did. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-printer-recommendations/1010766.md?page=2)