# Printer search **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 15, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-search/686183 "2014-04-15T15:30:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-search/686183/1 "2014-04-15T15:30:36Z")
I am in search for a printer that will cause me less stress than the one i now have. What i need is a printer that will print in Gray Scales (B/W) even when the color cartridges have run out of ink. I thought i had this when i purchased a Canon Pixma MG5200 With this printer we are forever running to the store to buy color cartridge’s and black, just to print something in B/W. We buy the cartridge in kits when they are on sale but almost always end up needing one more. (In a nut shell these ink cartridges are just to small and to expensive for our budget). Now a big change is that my Wife is printing much more than before and of course that just makes things worse. Our needs; 1. Wireless 2. Some color printing 15-20% 3. economical ink replacement My best guess is to add another printer like the Brother HL 2270DW If this Brother had a separate color cartridge i would throw the Canon out the window! Thanks Gbro ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-search/686183/2 "2014-04-15T16:55:19Z")
Good luck on ink economy. That aside, we have an Epson WF-3540: wireless, separate color and black cartridges, will accept a high-capacity black cartridge. If the black ink is low, it will ask you if you want to use the color cartridges to print until you can get another black cartridge (the quality suffers, however). I buy all my ink from [LD Products](http://www.ldproducts.com/) online. The cartridges are reliable and have the chips necessary for the printer to see them. They’re also far cheaper than Epson cartridges. ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-search/686183/3 "2014-04-15T18:37:03Z")
This probably isn’t the answer you want to hear, but I’d buy two printers: one for greyscale (documents), one for color (photos). Keep your existing color printer, if you’re happy with it. Add a economy laser document printer. Brother makes some good models, and you can get them for $100 or less. (Although wireless ones probably cost a bit more.) I gave this same advice to my parents, they didn’t take it (natch), but they could have paid for the laser printer 20 times over with the amount of ink they’ve had to buy. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-search/686183/4 "2014-04-15T19:54:42Z")
Just get the 2270DW, you won’t be disappointed. It’s served my wife and I very well for our combined five-grad-student-years of printing. It comes with wireless and usually costs $100, but it’s not too hard to find it on sale for $60-$80. ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-search/686183/5 "2014-04-16T02:56:47Z")
Because the Wife is needing a printer that works today, and there was enough cash on the paypal card we now have a second printer. She brought home the brother 2275DW and she also understands why i would piss and moan when she printed so much without switching to gray scale. Now i get to set it up. Wish me well and Thanks The confirmation that having a second printer wasn’t a dumb idea is appreciated.