Recommendations for Multi function laser printers

[Matridom]

I'm currently looking for a good multifunction printer/scanner for home office, I'm having difficulties finding a compatible product for several reasons. One of the key features needed is multipage scanning to PDF in all versions of windows, including 64 bit. The main problem in my research is that the manufacturers don't list 32/64 bit compatibility, so i'm looking for people who have used these products in the required environments.

Now, I've looked at:

HP devices;
Drivers work in 64 bit, but not the software. Windows can only do single page jpg scanning. 32 bit has full support, including scan to PDF.

Brother;
Drivers and software work, but the software does not allow for multipage scanning.

Other brands, untested

Any recommendations?

[Niclo Iste]

WEll I can tell you the 64bit vista part on my end of an epson stylus nx415 has been flawless. I don't have any XP machines running to test the other end of it unfortunately the rest are RC of win7.

[Draggar]

Look into the costs of toner (cost per page) - if it comes down to money the cheaper MFCs tend to have a much higher cost per page.

[Matridom]

WEll I can tell you the 64bit vista part on my end of an epson stylus nx415 has been flawless. I don't have any XP machines running to test the other end of it unfortunately the rest are RC of win7.

I'll look at the epson products, I'm staying far away from ink, i'm only interested in Laser printers. I just need to find all the features i'm looking for. As for the cost per page, the savings once converted to laser are not a major concern. It's just a matter of staying with laser.

[danielRay]

i heard the one ur using is best

[Matridom]

just to let everyone know, we settled on brother printers with a Scan to PDF utility. It was decided that a document feeder AND flatbed where requirements, the cheapest HP was $80 more then the brother equivilant. So with the purchase of the software, it was still far cheaper.

[CeeBee]

Have you looked at the price of consumables? The drum for many Brother printers isn't cheap at all and the life not that long.

[Matridom]

Have you looked at the price of consumables? The drum for many Brother printers isn't cheap at all and the life not that long.

yes.. the toner was more expensive then HP, overall, it came out to the same price for consumables regardless of the make. At least for the two models i researched.

[RLLD]

I went HP about four years ago, Office Jet 7210, and it has worked really well for me.

I guess it would be wise to first segment your search base first on the cost of the unit to establish a baseline group to analyze. Then review them from Consumer Reports, but also when you search them on the web, people frequently post their satisfaction with the product to those sites selling them.

I have always used the responses from others in my process, they are usually more insightful than anything else.

Then take into context the cost of consumables, but also perhaps the age of the product within the line itself...might it be on the fast track for EOL?

[slgrieb]

Just my 2 cents, overall I've been pleased with Brother in terms of operating costs, as well as reliability, plus I believe you usually get more functionality for the buck than most competitors offer.

HP seems to have forgotten how to write software that is efficient and unobtrusive, but at least it doesn't try to give you a verbal announcement for every GD function. Still, for really heavy duty use, I like Canon Image Runners, though I'm not a big fan of their low end offerings.

[CeeBee]

I prefer the HP workhorses... Dam those LJ6 and 4000 series just printed and printed and printed... Only repair I've done was replacing 2 or 3 fusers in 8 years (and some rollers on occasion), we had some 10 such printers spitting over 500,000 pages/year total.