Dell Printers

a_ominous

Hello again
I posted a few months back looking for recommendations on printers. Didn't get round to ordering one then but need to get it sorted this month. HPs are always recommended. Have seen some good reviews of Samsung CLP-550. Possibly thinking of a networked one for SOHO use. Windows XP on Desktop, laptop and one Linux box. Have a router / firewall sorted.

I haven't found figures with prices for consumables. At least, not euro prices. I don't think dollar prices are relevant. Would expect to be getting these locally, but then again, maybe not.

Have become aware of Brother printers of late. Laser printer for Euro 230.

I would like to have a duplexer (Samsung CLP-550 has one as standard). I would like to have option to print colour, it's just better for some things. Not so concerned with PPM for colour as this will be not so often. My office supplier has printers but their prices are about 30-40% over online prices.

Has anyone any experience or knowledge of Dell printers? I'll be ordering a few bits from them soon and might add printer from them if I can find out more. Who's printers do Dell re-badge? Not HPs anyway, I expect.

So any recs / comments for reviews, online sales, consumables appreciated. Not only interested in initial cost price; ongoing consumable price is important too, cost per page.

Thanks
-ao-

snappieT

Dell printers are rebranded Lexmarks, the plague of all printers.

Injets are horrible, but we do have a few lasers in work that seem reasonable.

Advising against.

~snapscan

a_ominous

Thanks for the very quick reply. Current printer is a Lexmark, part of a Dell bundle. I know the printer is actually 4yo, but I'd be _very_ slow to buy an inkjet again. Poor quality and expensive to run.

Just to clarify my requirements, no photo printing is needed. Expect to do usual office stuff: documents, spreadsheets, charts, presentations, project plans.

Goldstein

I'd advise you to avoid Dell(Lexmark) printers. Friend of mine got a 922 (Printer/Copier/Scanner) and after 2 weeks (of light use with no falls or any mistreatment) there was a physical flaw with the feeding mechanism and it was rendered totally useless. They'll have to send it back which is a hassle everyone could do without.

I was ordering another computer from Dell over the phone a few weeks back and they were giving away a 720 printer "free" (I notice they usually up the base price whenever anything is "free", but that's another story). Anyway the guy on the phone (From Dell) told me told me not to bother with the printer, in his words "That's just a promotional thing, it's a fairly poor printer to be honest".

Lastly on Dell, you have to order the ink via Dell. (Not 100% sure on this but I seem to remember hearing that the cheap 3rd party refills don't work). It's another little factor to complicate things you could probably do without.

Personally I'd always go with HP, just cos I've never had a big problem with them, installation was quick & easy and they've always done their job well.

Also, don't get one with a vertical paper feeder, they're a pain.

snappieT

If you're getting a laser, do your very best to buy a HP one. They are by far the best manufacturers of Lasers. Just look in any business with an IT department. All of their printers will probably be HP, there's a reason for that.

Also, if you are cheap like most of us, HP Lasers are the easiest to get replacement non-brand toner cartridges for.

fletch

We got his Brother HL-2030 laser printer about a month ago. Works like a dream. Very fast & very clear printing. No complaints whatsoever. Picked it up in PC-World in Blanchardstown for €150. Excellent value.
I have had nothing but bad experiences with HP printers tbh. (but that's only my experience, maybe I have been unlucky)

fintan

If you are looking at inkjets, I cant recommend Cannon enough. Print quality is fantastic, but the best bit is they have all the ink in seperate ink cartridges, so if you run out of yellow, you spend 15 euros on yellow ink and not 70 euros on a brand new colour cartridge.