Need another simple printer/copier/scanner but not HP. Advice for digital numpty please.

[misterdog]

Our HP Envy has become erratic and although the inks were always pricey, they doubled about a year ago and the machine doesn't like alternatives.

Have you checked it for the 'software'.
https://www.theguardian.com/technol...rinters-unofficial-cartridges-software-update

I believe they eventually provided a fix...lol.
Mine is fine with any number of Ebay aftermarket inks.

 

[h.g.]

Yes, this is a tempting solution if I could be sure I'd never want to print a photo or whatever. I guess a monochrome pic. might be a compromise, assuming this would be the outcome.

Hasn't been an issue but then the photo shop was pretty much always used for paper copies of photos when we had low cost inkjet printers and before. In truth the paper copies of photos have been largely sitting in unopened card boxes and albums for fair few years. Almost always use a memory stick plugged into a phone, tablet, laptop or TV for remotely showing photos these days. Probably ought to sort out some online way of doing it so the memory stick is not necessary like recent photos taken on the mobile.

 

[FrancisClement]

Toner doesn't dry out, unlike ink cartridges. We used to have a Canon photo printer which was rarely used and the ink dried before we had a chance to use it. A toner cartridge will sit there for > 5 years unchanged, waiting to be used.
95% of our printing is documents, tickets, tax forms etc so we decided for the 5% of photos we print we'd walk up to the local drugstore / photo store and use their (usually much better) - which opened the option of a laser printer.

The only thing I don't like about the Brother is that the software is not very good and was hard to install - however, once it's working it's working.

I found inkjet absolutely useless and agree that you spend more time, ink and energy cleaning them. I gave up and bought an HP 135 Laser B/W printer for Christmas, perfect prints and reliable with super software (as long as you ignore the part that tries to sell you toner etc every few days - which is the only down side I have found). It takes other makers toner cartridge refills with no problem and suits my needs.

I also have a Brother Laser which stands unused for months at a time in a second home and it works on the button when needed but the software is not as good.

The HP was on Special Offer so price/features won the day.

 

[Mike Reed]

Thanks for all your suggestions and observations, folks; as a consequence of which I am considerably more apprised than I was, which admittedly was from a very low base.

There's a well-known cynical saying to ask a teenager while he still knows everything but here in aquatic land there's nearly always an answer or ten derived from lifetimes of experience. I shall peruse all posts again and draw up a shortlist of appropriate preferences.