Fast home, color printer?

The wife's new side job (Artistic Specialist for ColorProof) has here traveling and teaching classes across the region and she typically has a lot of material she prints out to give to the students.

Her current printer is 3-4 years old and is SLLLOOOOWWW.

What options does she have for a faster, color printer? And do any of the new highfalutin printers have WiFi access so she would have to be physically connected with her laptop.

Ideas?

My advice?

Look at the small HP color laserjets with networking. Color toner is cheaper in the long run than ink cartridges.

Physically plug into your broadband router. WIFI and Printers is a bad idea.

example: 21ppm http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/HP-LaserJet-Pro-400-color-M451nw-449-100-savings349-Ends-11-30/2612968.aspx

It has wireless....but again..

For your browsing pleasure:
http://www.cdw.com/shop/search/result.aspx?key=Color+Laser&wclsscat=&b=&p=&searchscope=All&ctlgfilter=&sr=1

I'm a huge fan of my Xerox Phaser 6180n (or whatever the current model is) but toner is expensive!!!

It's built like a rock, idiot-proof on the network, and makes gorgeous fast prints. The price per page is also pretty darn good (3 cents per page B/W; ~12 cents per page color). Still doesn't change the fact that filling it up from all 4 empty costs $1000 with high capacity cartridges.

The updated one is slightly cheaper B/W but same price color: http://www.office.xerox.com/printers/color-printers/phaser-6600/enus.html

(I print for free at work now... figures)

Every time I use my HP inkjet I am tempted to either throw it against a wall or smash it to bits with a BFH. I would look at anything other than HP.

I'd just hit up the local Kinkos and save the hassle of dealing with hauling a printer around. Anything fast/sturdy enough will not be all that light, or really happy about moving all that often.

That said, even though I work for HP, I'd recommend an Epson.

Grtechguy wrote: My advice? Look at the small HP color laserjets with networking. Color toner is cheaper in the long run than ink cartridges. Physically plug into your broadband router. WIFI and Printers is a bad idea. example: 21ppm http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/HP-LaserJet-Pro-400-color-M451nw-449-100-savings349-Ends-11-30/2612968.aspx It has wireless....but again.. For your browsing pleasure: http://www.cdw.com/shop/search/result.aspx?key=Color+Laser&wclsscat=&b=&p=&searchscope=All&ctlgfilter=&sr=1

This plus 1000. Laser is the way to go, so is hard wiring it.

turboswede wrote: I'd just hit up the local Kinkos and save the hassle of dealing with hauling a printer around. Anything fast/sturdy enough will not be all that light, or really happy about moving all that often. That said, even though I work for HP, I'd recommend an Epson.

It doesn't need to move around, she prints the materials at home before she goes to the classes.

I think she'd rather pay a premium to be able to do it at home between her other work, then having to drive 20 minutes one-way to the nearest Kinko's.

Not to mention, the printer/paper/ink is all a tax write-off for her anyway.

1988RedT2 wrote: Every time I use my HP inkjet I am tempted to either throw it against a wall or smash it to bits with a BFH. I would look at anything other than HP.

Massive difference between a inkjet and a laserjet. Inkjets are to sell ink cartridges. laserjets are business class.

Fast home.

Color printer.

Your thread title gave me these images, haha.

Your first pic would make for an awesome tow rig!

Grtechguy wrote: My advice? Look at the small HP color laserjets with networking. Color toner is cheaper in the long run than ink cartridges. Physically plug into your broadband router. WIFI and Printers is a bad idea.

+1 to everything this man said!

Having worked in the industry for ~15-years, I'd also suggest sticking with HP. Not that they're better, rather it's the fact you'll have an easier time finding toner and supplies(both OEM and aftermarket), which often means lower cost.

Personally, I've had good experience with Konica-Minolta, and the newer Okidata seem pretty good too.

I love my HP printers. I don't have a fancy one, in fact the one I am using right now I got off fleabay for a penny. (It was a scratch & dent model) It's pretty fast and does truly amazing photo prints with the right photo paper and the more expensive photo cartridges.

I like HP for a lot of the same reasons that Pete mentioned, plus their website is easy to navigate to find drivers if you need them.

I absolutely despise Epson printers, with every ounce of my soul.

petegossett wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: My advice? Look at the small HP color laserjets with networking. Color toner is cheaper in the long run than ink cartridges. Physically plug into your broadband router. WIFI and Printers is a bad idea.

+1 to everything this man said! Having worked in the industry for ~15-years, I'd also suggest sticking with HP. Not that they're better, rather it's the fact you'll have an easier time finding toner and supplies(both OEM and aftermarket), which often means lower cost. Personally, I've had good experience with Konica-Minolta, and the newer Okidata seem pretty good too.

Hmmm, plugging directly into the router is a no-go. It sits in the living room next to the HTPC/TV/Speakers/etc.

Guess she will still just have to plug her laptop in.

Grtechguy wrote: Physically plug into your broadband router. WIFI and Printers is a bad idea.

What is the difference between the printer being on WiFi or the printer being connected to a switch, but accessible via WiFi?

I have no qualms running my printers @ home on WiFi.

I'd say get a workgroup level HP Color Laserjet. Those things will last forever. I got one on sale in 2008 and am still on the original toner cartridges. We figured we could buy a nice printer and print out our own wedding invitations for the same price as pro wedding invitations.

I've seen 20 year old Laserjets that are still working.

m4ff3w wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: Physically plug into your broadband router. WIFI and Printers is a bad idea.

What is the difference between the printer being on WiFi or the printer being connected to a switch, but accessible via WiFi? I have no qualms running my printers @ home on WiFi.

For small documents and occasional pictures, it's probably fine. I've tried deploying in an enterprise environment. Needless to say, cables were run soon after.

turboswede wrote: I'd just hit up the local Kinkos and save the hassle of dealing with hauling a printer around. Anything fast/sturdy enough will not be all that light, or really happy about moving all that often.

Last time I checked, Kinko's charges $1 per side for color printing. That's not practical at all. Even b&w printing and photocopying is absurdly priced there. It's cheaper and more convenient to just buy your own printer.

And I also back the color laser comments. Inkjets aren't great. The prints can look pretty good at first but they age poorly and are very sensitive to moisture. A color laser print is fused with heat so it is quite stable. The cost per page is also typically much lower. Before buying a printer check the toner cartridge cost and page yield.

Edit: I forgot to check my favorite electronics recommendation site, the Wire Cutter. They suggest this HP inkjet as the most cost effective color printer:

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/a-great-color-printer-the-hp-officejet-pro-8100/

they caution that it's not great for photos but by that I think they mean display grade photos. It would probably do fine for presentations and the like. Check it out. 11 cents per page and 16 pages per minute is pretty dang good for any color printer, much less an inkjet.

m4ff3w wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: Physically plug into your broadband router. WIFI and Printers is a bad idea.

What is the difference between the printer being on WiFi or the printer being connected to a switch, but accessible via WiFi? I have no qualms running my printers @ home on WiFi.

The difference is when surfing the web over wifi, a few dropped packets typically just results in slower browsing, or the occasional page refresh. However, when printing it often means a failed print job or garbled print, and can potentially lock up the spooler.

Not a big deal when printing the occasional handful of pages, but certainly could become a big deal when running a home-business.

dculberson wrote: Check it out. 11 cents per page and 16 pages per minute is pretty dang good for any color printer, much less an inkjet.

Cut that almost in half with a laser printer.

Grtechguy wrote:

dculberson wrote: Check it out. 11 cents per page and 16 pages per minute is pretty dang good for any color printer, much less an inkjet.

Cut that almost in half with a laser printer.

Do you mean 5.5 cents per page and 32 pages per minute?

misread part of that.

typical laser is 4-5cents B&W sheet at 5% coverage (fully typed page) and 10-12 for color. 21-25 ppm color is easy.

Grtechguy wrote:

dculberson wrote: Check it out. 11 cents per page and 16 pages per minute is pretty dang good for any color printer, much less an inkjet.

Cut that almost in half with a laser printer.

You didn't read the article! That's 11 cents per page for color, which is cost competitive with a color laser. :-)

Here's the good part:

The main selling point of the 8100 is its exceptionally low ink costs. According to PC World, using XL cartridges, you can achieve ludicrous cost per page figures of 1.6¢ per black and white page and 7.3¢ per color page (when using all the colors). Regular cartridges are impressive as well — you can expect 2.9¢ and 11.3¢ respectively.

petegossett wrote:

m4ff3w wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: Physically plug into your broadband router. WIFI and Printers is a bad idea.

What is the difference between the printer being on WiFi or the printer being connected to a switch, but accessible via WiFi? I have no qualms running my printers @ home on WiFi.

The difference is when surfing the web over wifi, a few dropped packets typically just results in slower browsing, or the occasional page refresh. However, when printing it often means a failed print job or garbled print, and can potentially lock up the spooler. Not a big deal when printing the occasional handful of pages, but certainly could become a big deal when running a home-business.

I understand that for a enterprise level stuff. But printing 60 copies of a single handout or 120 coloring pages?

1988RedT2 wrote: Every time I use my HP inkjet I am tempted to either throw it against a wall or smash it to bits with a BFH. I would look at anything other than HP.

I can still see the big black/blue blotch under my toenail from booting my HP 3 months ago. Which hurt like hell, so I recreated the scene from Office Space, which brought much pleasure.

I have a HP laser printer for black and white and a Brother MFCJ67-10DW for color printing, scanning, and even faxing. It is not really a home printer. The thing is fairly huge, but it prints fairly quickly in color and the part I really need it for is that it can print and scan 11"x17" papers.