Help please - which sort of printer?

Clairabella

I don't use a printer very often and certainly not for any volume of sheets. I don't need colour.

I am going round in circles;the more I read the more confused I become! Inkjets will dry up if not used much but a laser has to heat something up (not sure what) and as I understand this is not a good idea if you only want one or two sheets printing.

I don't want to pay much - £50-60. Any suggestions please?

SunnySky

Certainly for normal home usage, inkjet is best. Though you are right, they do dry up (but not that quickly).

I would just buy a basic, cheap one.
The HP Deskjet 2540 is only 33 pounds on Amazon (I can't post links sorry). It has a scanner and a few other features. Also, it is really popular so there will be lots of third party ink, that is much cheaper.

Clairabella

Thank you - I've checked it at John Lewis - slightly more expensive but with a two year guarantee it's probably worth my paying the bit extra.

SunnySky

Clairabella wrote: »

Thank you - I've checked it at John Lewis - slightly more expensive but with a two year guarantee it's probably worth my paying the bit extra.

Good choice

I just bought this for a family friend (Technophobe haha). From memory the official HP ink is only 9 pounds from Amazon. A bargain!

debitcardmayhem

Buy a mono laser printer ...look on amazon eg samsung m2022 circa 64 quid, not a recommendation but I use a more heavy duty Laser since we print loads(wife's work)

Ebuyer have a few printers at <50 too

silverwhistle

I've used a cheap B&W laser for years now. My usage is a bit intermittent, but I'd still go for one over an inkjet for cost, quality and reliability. I've a little Canon, but the cheap Samsungs are good too.

RumRat

If you go down the Ink jet route make sure you don't get one with a print head. The Print heads cost more to replace than what you pay for a whole printer. HP, for instance, have the print head in the actual cartridge, so if it dries up you just replace the cartridge.
Of course, if you are going to use the Printer on a regular basis, so avoiding the print head drying out and clogging, you can ignore that advice...

macman

A mono laser is the obvious choice-I suggest a Samsung. The warm up time is momentary, a few seconds. And vastly cheaper per page for low users.

giraffe69

+1 for a mono laser. The toner lasts for ever and does not suffer from the problems that inkjets do.

RumRat

Apart from the obvious drawbacks (No colour if needed ergo no picture prints) then yes, a mono laser may be the better choice.

Pinkypants

RumRat wrote: »

If you go down the Ink jet route make sure you don't get one with a print head. The Print heads cost more to replace than what you pay for a whole printer. HP, for instance, have the print head in the actual cartridge, so if it dries up you just replace the cartridge.
Of course, if you are going to use the Printer on a regular basis, so avoiding the print head drying out and clogging, you can ignore that advice...

But surely the ink cartridges cost more then the no Head types?

So every time you replace the HP you are replacing the Ink Head.