# Looking for a good all-in-one office printer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 15, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036 "2010-02-15T04:32:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/1 "2010-02-15T04:32:15Z")
My mom is trying to reconfigure her home office and replace a bunch of stuff (also trying to help her with her first computer). She needs a printer which also handles faxes, and wireless capability would be a big plus. Canon and HP have some models out for c. $110-130 bucks (on Amazon), but their user reviews complain of various software bugs, tricky-to-hair-pulling setups, and hugely expensive ink cartridges to feed the voracious appetites of these beasts. So some recs would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/2 "2010-02-15T04:54:28Z")
I have a Canon Pixma 860 in my office. I am very happy with it. A seperate large black ink tank for letters, an auto doc feeder, prints great pictures. I am more than happy. I am told wireless setup can be a bitch, I have mine connected with a USB cable so I can’t comment. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/3 "2010-02-15T04:59:20Z")
Most of those really cheap ones are based on inkjet printers. I recommend getting one that’s based on a laser printer, although if you want to keep the size and cost small, it will have to be a monochrome printer. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/4 "2010-02-15T05:00:11Z")
HP LaserJet M2727nf works for me. Do you need color? ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/5 "2010-02-15T18:14:43Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Most of those really cheap ones are based on inkjet printers. I recommend getting one that’s based on a laser printer, although if you want to keep the size and cost small, it will have to be a monochrome printer. I agree. After years of spending a fortune on ink cartridges, I recently got a monochrome multifunction printer that works like a charm. It is a Brother MFC-7220. Toner cartridges don’t cost much more than an inkjet cartridge, and last for 2500 pages! And print really, really fast. This one has a small footprint, has Print, Copy, Scan, Fax and PC-fax. The latter is very helpful…you can send a fax right from your computer without printing it out. If you don’t need color, these are a good choice. Even if you do now and then (like me), I also have a cheap HP inkjet printer for color only. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/6 "2010-02-15T18:34:48Z")
Thanks guys-she also needs a good email program (want to avoid Windows Mail & Outlook Express like the plague) which is easy to use. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/7 "2010-02-16T00:59:14Z")
Since the OP is actually looking for _informed, factual opinions_, let’s move this from General Questions to IMHO. **samclem** , Moderator, GQ ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/8 "2010-02-16T01:11:23Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Thanks guys-she also needs a good email program (want to avoid Windows Mail & Outlook Express like the plague) which is easy to use. Mozilla Thunderbird. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/9 "2010-02-18T19:05:56Z")
Costco (and presumably, Sams) has some nice ones. And they also carry toner at a significant savings. I have the HP All-in-One 5770 and it works great. I used to have a Lexmark but will never buy another brand other than HP. It’s great having a wireless printer. HP 6500 is $170 at [Costco.com](http://Costco.com). ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/10 "2010-02-18T19:28:26Z")
Laser beats the crap out of inkjet. Faster, cheaper print cost (tho the printer is more expensive up front), sharper bleed-free printouts. Laser print is also smudge-proof; inkjet print seems to smudge with just the slightest touch. Wife and I have a [Brother MFC7840.](http://www.brother-usa.com/mfc/ModelDetail.aspx?ProductID=MFC7840W) Fax, copy, scan, print, includes automagic document feeder. Wireless network ready, so you can connect it to your wireless router so more than one computer can easily print to it. Can fax a doc directly from your PC. By buying that, I was able to get rid of my hardwired printer and my flatbed scanner, AND put the printer across the room, freeing up a ton of space on my desk. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/11 "2010-02-19T00:50:15Z")
Laser beats inkjet, for sure. But the upfront cost is a lot more. So consider your personal printing needs before deciding. Me? I’ve had my printer over a year and have only gone through one (black) cartridge. I just don’t print that much and quality isn’t that important when you’re printing out emails and Google Maps. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-all-in-one-office-printer/529036/12 "2010-02-19T01:33:21Z")
Canon MF4350, $150 shipped from [Costco.com](http://Costco.com) Love ours! (It’s laser, and off-brand replacement carts are $35-ish)