tropit

I've had many printers over the years and I've always liked HPs for the office. They're true workhorses. I have NEVER had an EPSOM that I liked. They've always caused trouble.

Now that I'm retired, I have a Canon PXMA, inkjet, scanner/printer in our home office that I paid only $29.99 for at Walmart about 2 years ago. (Last I checked the price went up to $39.99.) The Canon does everything and does it very well...I'm totally impressed with it. I've had no troubles whatsoever and it's very easy to use. The ink cartridges run about $27 for each one, B&W and Color and they last me a fairly long time. I'd highly recommend it!

~ C

pahega

I have a HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 print, copy, scan, and fax ink jet printer. I'm very happy with it. It is wireless and I paid around $129 for it a couple of years ago. If you want to print on fabric, you will want an inkjet and not a laser. Before retiring, I taught business and computer classes and HP printers were all we had in our school. That is right to print something fairly frequently so that the print heads don't dry up. The ink cartridges are the most expensive part of an ink jet.

paoberle

Do some research to find out which printers have a low ink cost. Some are more efficient than others. You definitely want a laser printer.

jillmc

I have a Canon Pixma....it does a great job printing-if you don't mind ink blobs all over the side of your pages! Argh. Yes...we have cleaned it, changed carts, etc. it also does not reduce/ enlarge. Will be following this thread!

Hensandchickens

We have a Brother Laser and a Brother Ink Jet. We've never had a problem with either. The laser printer only prints in black. I use it when I'm printing pay checks (small business), W2's, basic stuff. The ink jet is used mostly for the scanner to make copies, but I've wanted to try printing on fabric. I think it would be pretty easy. It does not print photo's as well as having them printed professionally. The ink jet ink is expensive and on the Brother, plus it can't be refilled (that I have found). The laser ink is around $60, but it prints like 2,000 sheets. We bought our son an HP all-in-one ink jet to take to college and he's happy with it. Got it at Costco for around $80. The ink is less than our Brother and it can be refilled. Costco has really good ink prices, but they don't carry the ink for either of our Brother printers. We had a Cannon ink jet and I didn't like it. It jammed all the time and finally quit working right after I replaced all the ink. I'd recommend the HP. They are easy to use and the ink is less expensive and sold everywhere. If I needed another laser, I'd go with Brother again. It was less money and I've had no problems.

jillmc

I read the reviews on Amazon re: hp envy 4500....very good reviews, and on sale at Amazon for $64 free shipping. Ordered! Thanks!!!

Edie

I have a Hewlett-Packard HP Envy 4500 e-All in one Series. I also got the HP Instant Ink. It is marvelous - I pay $4.99 a month for 100 sheets of paper usage and they can tell when you are running low on ink. It takes forever to use up this ink. I am still on my first inks. And they tell you "Stop! Cartridges in your printer may still have ink. Please wait until a new cartridge is needed before inserting." I started this January 14, 2014. I am running pretty darn low now and will probably notice that I will have to change soon. Figure it out - that is $60.00 a year and when you are running low, they automatically send you the ink. You are going to probably pay double for the ink per year if you go to Office Max or Walgreen's or wherever you go. I am so totally pleased with this I'll never stop using this plan. And I love the printer. When you buy a printer, they only put in a little bit of ink into the cartridges - nothing like the regular cartridges you buy at the store. And mainly and most importantly --- do no use any place that fills your cartridges at a cheaper price. #1 Son, the I.T., says it can ruin your printer - stay with the ink that is originally made for your printer. Besides which, he says, it negates any warranty you have on your printer if something goes wrong and you haven't used the cartridge for which the printer is supposed to be used with. I have always had HP's and swear by them. Oh yah, it has a tri-color cartridge and a black cartridge. They send you the cartridge when you start getting low, and then they give you a prepaid mailer to send the used cartridge back to them. Smart! It is an ink jet and the colors are magnificent. No complaints whatsoever. Good luck to you. Edie

Edie

Thanks on that one. I wrote practically the same. Love it. Edie

EmiliasNana

If you plan on doing a lot of color printing, the HP ENVY 4500 uses ink like crazy, even the XL. I think a printer with separate color cartridges is more efficient, as the 4500 only has a black and a tri-color cartridge. Our old Canon could do 4 times as many color pages with its 5-6 cartridges of individual colors, and weren't as expensive to replace. I also don't like the feed for fabric as it loads from the lower front and has to make a U-turn. Often the photo paper or fabric will get "hung up" at the turn and create a jam. Wish I still had my old Canon. I've heard the ink in the Epson's are better for fabric printing. Anyone knowledgeable on that? or have they changed the ink on that too?

ladyinpurple135

I haven't printed on fabric - yet - but I've always had HP printers (over 20 years and several printers) and have always been happy. I now have 2 - a bigger all-in-one and a smaller AIO that is wireless and is upstairs. I highly recommend you get one with separate color cartridges as each color,is used up differently. Seems the magenta runs out faster - and I know that because I write the installation date on each cartridge when I put it in (curiosity and a bit of OCD!!). I'm very surprised at which color lasts the longest. And I also try to purchase the xl cartridges when I can. I buy my black ink at the warehouse places but not the color as the package comes with all 3 colors plus the photo cartridges which I rarely use. So I go to Target, Walmart and sometimes Staples.

And I do recommend you get an all-in-one for the scanning ability. Can't tell you how many times I've just used it to make a copy of something - very useful. Many of the printers are going wireless and I'm expecting to see only wireless soon. Imprint from my iPad and iPhone all the time.

Sandy in Mooresville, NC