Casual use printer

Grumpy_chap

There are still printers available for under £50, for example:
https://www.printerland.co.uk/product/canon-pixma-mg2551s/159888

The important thing with any inkjet printer is to make sure to be using it at least once a month so that the inks do not dry out and the print head does not become clogged.

If you are not using the printer at least once a month, then do you really need a printer at all?

outtatune

An inkjet is no good for occasional use; not only will the cartridges clog up from lack of use, but every time you print you'll have to wait an age while the printer cleans the heads.

Get a cheap mono led ('laser') printer - Brother have some pretty good for the money budget led printers. But you'll not get anything new for that price or even double that price.

Grumpy_chap

This LaserJet might be a better option than the Inkjet I linked upthtread 


https://www.johnlewis.com/laserjet-m110w-wireless-mono-printer-with-wi-fi-white/p111857786

Over the OP's target price but it could be years before the OP needs to replace the toner

DjangoUnchained

If you go for a cheap inkjet printer, make sure you can get cheap compatible cartridges for it on ebay, as if you cant you will pay throught the nose for the manufacturers ones.

shiraz99

Second hand ink jet printers are fairly cheap and there's a good reason, as soon as the ink runs out most people find that replacement cartridges are as expensive as getting a new printer. As mentioned, it really depends on what you actually mean by "casual use" because if it's likely to be only a few pages a month then you'd probably be better off just using your local library.

shiraz99

DjangoUnchained said:

If you go for a cheap inkjet printer, make sure you can get cheap compatible cartridges for it on ebay, as if you cant you will pay throught the nose for the manufacturers ones.

Totally agree. I have a older Canon inkjet that used the individual colour cartridges but compatible cartridges were quite cheap to buy, and you only had to buy the individual colour you needed, unfortunately the print head seems to have developed a fault so I was forced to replace the printer with a newer model that just has the two cartridges and now replacing them and the cost for genuine ones were near the £50 mark, even cheaper compatibles are over £30.

JSmithy45AD

shiraz99 said:

Second hand ink jet printers are fairly cheap and there's a good reason, as soon as the ink runs out most people find that replacement cartridges are as expensive as getting a new printer. As mentioned, it really depends on what you actually mean by "casual use" because if it's likely to be only a few pages a month then you'd probably be better off just using your local library.

I've known people who happily buy a new inkjet whenever the ink runs out as it was cheaper, not to mention you get a brand new warranty each time. Possibly that's where all the 2nd hand inkjets on ebay come from?

DjangoUnchained

JSmithy45AD said:

shiraz99 said:

Second hand ink jet printers are fairly cheap and there's a good reason, as soon as the ink runs out most people find that replacement cartridges are as expensive as getting a new printer. As mentioned, it really depends on what you actually mean by "casual use" because if it's likely to be only a few pages a month then you'd probably be better off just using your local library.

I've known people who happily buy a new inkjet whenever the ink runs out as it was cheaper, not to mention you get a brand new warranty each time. Possibly that's where all the 2nd hand inkjets on ebay come from?

have to be wary of this as new printers often come with not fully loaded ink carts or many of them brand new use a large proportion of ink to get the head "primes" first time.

bob2302

vacheron said:

I'd be looking for a small second hand laser printer which still has driver support for newer operating systems. 

I'd steer clear of any printer that requires such a driver - modern printers haven't required them for years.

twopenny

I'm another who uses the library. 
Top quality printer, copier and they'll scan and email documents or photos.

I had a Cannon Pixima that was excellent, all singing all dancing but rarely used it and then the times it wouldn't connect, storage of paper and bulk of printer, phenomenal rise in the cost of inks.
Now I nip into the library with a memory stick and it's done first time. Lots more space in my office studio too.