want to buy a Multifunction Printer for around $190 US

[s8n]

hi scene....... my mum wants to buy a Multifunction Printer that must have Fax capabilites...... does anyone know which brand to go for ? (Hewlett-Packard , Cannon , Samsung , Lexmark , Epson , Xerox) or even a decent model for $190 US.

any help is appreciated

s8n

[DonJ]

A lot of people around here like referring to Tom's Hardware.

http://www6.tomshardware.com/consume...evices-06.html

FYI, most HP products actually use Canon parts, so the quality of those two are pretty much equal.

Let us know which model you ended up choosing and how it works out for you.

[Ferrit]

I like my Epson RX-500

[angelsrain]

If your mother hasn't bought one yet and doesn't mind shopping on line, She can get a HP Officejet 5510 from Amazon.com for under $150.00. The have some for less than that. They also have other brands a low prices but I like the HP. Mine has never failed me.

[s8n]

thank you guys i am considering all posts

[subah]

i recommend for you to and your mum to get one of this beautiful machine

first one: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...&s=pc&n=637808

2nd one: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...&s=pc&n=637808

i use the old model of them from 4 years and its still working 100% without any mistake

[Joeflapper]

Hi, I am a Network/Printer tech, and would like to share some things that I run into. I would like to say this is strickly friendly advice and not meant deter or encourage. So please don't flame me.

Sometimes I get called to go work on these MFP's that customers purchase on-line. While they are ususally good products, Canon, HP, Lexmark, etc. the cost of repair quickly negates any money saved shopping on line. A service call runs around $100.00, (this is standard throughout the industry, try calling any local company that sell and repair copier, printers and check) not including parts, and the wait to get parts, if possible, is long. Also a lot of people, in an effort to save more, will use reman cartridges instead of OEM. These cause more problems than the money saved, it is a russian roulette type situation, some cartridges work but there are those that don't and can cause image quality and machine errors. If you buy one of these devices use it as a disposable unit, if it acts up, chunk it, spend another $150 or so to get a new one because unless your Uncle Bob works for Xerox and can repair it for a few beers, the thing turns into an instant money pit.

My theory (and this is exactly what I tell customers that are in this situation) is buy one at a local Staples, Office Max type place where you can take the thing back, tell them it don't work and go from there. You can talk to a human and possibly get some satisfaction. Also buy cartridges from the manufacturer, they will warranty them and they ususally give more prints and way better quality. (the same applies to Laser Cartridges).

[confus-ed]

Hi, I am a Network/Printer tech, and would like to share some things that I run into. I would like to say this is strickly friendly advice and not meant deter or encourage. So please don't flame me..

I think your advice is pretty fair, but you don't half come off sounding as if you've got a vested interest in folks using only 'official' type stuff (that produced by the original OEM) ..(so no flames from me, more the other side of the coin )

Refilling is absolutely fine if you've done your homework & are using the 'right kind' of cartiridges & refilling at appropriate points (so do this research before buying, as some cartridges are very easily refillable, but some definately ain't!), as is using recycled cartidges, infact in todays throw away society I wish folks would try & take the green approach a bit more often & recycle whenever & wherever possible, which most times is achievable 'reliably' as long as the right buying decisions were made (its also much cheaper).

Personally I think the main downside with any multi-function, is that if one bit breaks, you've lost scan,copy & print all at once, & the drivers can be a right royal pain to get working sometimes (though my recent experience of such devices has been much less 'painful' but I suspect that's to do with most systems now being xp, & not 9x which can be very tricky indeed..).

Hp generally is my prefer-ed brand, & I have an Officejet 6210 multifunction in my office, which I can find for sale lots of places quite a bit cheaper than the budget for this .

[Joeflapper]

Sorry if I sounded that way, I just honestly feel sorry for people who call to get things repaired and are not expecting to pay more for the repair than they originally paid for the device. I was service manager of a company that refilled ink jet and laser jet cartridges, we outsourced a lot of this process, including to Mexico, I honestly had to quit because of the number of service calls created by poor quality and lack of quality control. There are some reputible reman companies, but there are so many out there that it is hard for consumers to take time to find them. This is a "get what you pay for" situation. OEM equipment will work 90% of the time reman around 50%. Next time you buy a cartridge for your laser jet, make it an OEM, run a test print from the engine and compare with a reman, you will see the OEM is darker and richer, the reman will be somewhat greyish with a noticeable moire type appearance. This is because the reman companies don't replace the developer units or the primary corona units, some of them may replace the primary corona wire, and the drum unit, but some don't replace the drum cleaning blade or the seals (causes frequent toner leakage to transfer corona area) the developer unit gets used again and again and eventually loses its magnetic properties.

[DonJ]

Some good info there, Joe.

I also highly recommend using OEM laser cartridges as I have seen way too many problems caused by the recycled ones. The quality and reliability can't be matched. The customer may think he's saving a few bucks but like you said, you get what you pay for.

[confus-ed]

Some good info there, Joe.

I also highly recommend using OEM laser cartridges...

Indeed , Joe has provided a clear 'case' most especially for toner cartridges (he's bang right about that bit which is saying some companies, don't refurbish & replenish the cartridges properly) - 'get what you pay for' is a fair summary, but mainly I was thinking about ink refilling, for 'average Joe' at home with an inkjet , not 'printer Joe' with a fleet of lasers at work

Inkjet refilling can be done just as 'good' as an original, or certainly near enough ..