Please…

In terms of original outlay and ink cost.

Looking for the cheapest and most basic colour printer that will do a job and allow ink to be replaced by indiviudal cartridge rather than colour blocks.

Happy with after market inks.

There’s a couple of options on Tech Radar reviews but looking for real world use! Nothing sophisticated required.

Ta

Unless you are printing photos I’d recommend a Laser printer rather than an inkjet.  The initial outlay is a wee biut more but the toner lasts way waaaaaay longer. I’ve just replaced the last of the ‘starter’ cartridges that came with ours and they have lasted almost 4 years..  The standard (unbranded) replacements have about twice as much toner in them so should last twice as long.

The main advantage is that the toner doesn’t go off like ink cartridges, and you don’t waste half of the ink with head cleaning and alignment like you do with an inkjet.  I found I was replacing the ink cartridges in our last inkjet about every 4-6 months.  Toner is more expensive than ink but over time works out cheaper I believe.  Laser printers are way faster printing as well.

Mine’s an HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw if that’s of interest.

Thanks – its for folks so first outlay is a barrier I think with laser. Get the cheaper over time thing but they can’t splash >£200 to start with.

How’s £179.?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brother-HL-L3210CW-Printer-Wireless-Connected/dp/B07FXY8VW8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2F7PHEXWNLGQ5&keywords=color+laser+printer&qid=1655313568&s=computers&sprefix=color+laser+printer%2Ccomputers%2C65&sr=1-5

The main advantage is that the toner doesn’t go off like ink cartridges, and you don’t waste half of the ink with head cleaning and alignment like you do with an inkjet. I found I was replacing the ink cartridges in our last inkjet about every 4-6 months. Toner is more expensive than ink but over time works out cheaper I believe. Laser printers are way faster printing as well.

none of these things exist with any hp envy. they’re great.

Lasers are also great but your comments on inkjets are genuinelypretty out of date.

What do they use it for? You can get a mono laser printer for £100. And they only require the one toner, so replacements are much cheaper.

I bought a cheap ink jet a few years back. Used it a handful of times before it ran out of ink and then broke right after I replaced them. Gave in and recently bought a laser, which I’m hoping will last 10+ years.

I’m happy with an Epson Ecotank printer, you fill up tanks from bottles rather than cartridges worth a look at this type.

Whatever it is, HP as they do the monthly print cost. From 99p a month.
We even got 1 year free ink with ours, and half price in a sale.

https://instantink.hpconnected.com/uk/en/l/

your comments on inkjets are genuinelypretty out of date.

Not sure which part specifically you are referring to but I still deal with modern ink jets semi-regularly and unless they are being used very regularly (i.e on a daily or weekly basis at worst), then they still require a head clean before printing to clear out semi-dried ink, this cleaning process uses ink, in a lot of user cases the ink used amounts to as much or more ink than is used for printing

If the printer is likely to sit unused for long periods between uses I’d still recommend a laser, color or mono depending on requirement.

#EDIT: Having said all that the ink tank printers are a better idea than cartirdge ones if inkjet is the way you want to go.

If you’re buying a laser find out which models get sold into large offices – that means very cheap after market (non-OEM) toner. Generally in my experience it’s been some model of HP. Lots of used/reconditioned ones on Ebay.

I’ve got one of these and really happy with it – https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185420048215?epid=113531666&hash=item2b2be56757:g:IF8AAOSwjwlXBQ7Z

(Laserjet 400 – used £140, 6 mth warranty, min 20% toner remaining)

Not the useless POS Epson inkjet I have whose sole purpose in life is to consume cartridges – every 3-4 months, not even a ream of paper. I use it to print off order receipts so does get used very regularly, pretty well daily.

then they still require a head clean before printing to clear out semi-dried ink, this cleaning process uses ink, in a lot of user cases the ink used amounts to as much or more ink than is used for printing

again with hp this just isn’t right. mine gets used maybe once every 2 months, never needs cleaned as the cartridges are the printing head.

30quid for the printer couple of quid a months for a set number of pages and the printer orders itself new cartridges when it needs them.

What’s the usage profile?

cheapest and most basic colour printer that will do a job

That’s a HP inkjet from your local supermarket and an Instant Ink subscription.

HP every day!” but don’t try and clear a jam (the first in nearly ten years) with the bread knife.
I replaced it with a Canon and it’s shite!

Can I hijack this thread? 🙂

I need a laser, duplex, MFP colour for a home office.

I have a Canon B&W duplex MFA thats been amazing, but I need colour. Any thoughts you gang of opinionated experts?

+ whatever for HP and Instant Ink

Side note – it’s uncanny how long the ink cartridges last when HP are supplying them on subscription as opposed to when you are buying them yourself.

Cynic, me?

Epson Ecotank here. Got mine in 2017 after getting fed up of a Canon ink drying up while sitting there. Though printing coloring stuff for the kids etc. I didn’t get through the supplied ink until the lock downs and we had to print for home school, filled up then and not since.

Another vote for HP and instant ink.

£1/month is much less than I was spending on my previous Canon’s ink habit.

It used to be over £50 for a set of cartridges and they were needing replaced more frequently than once at year.

@bfw Have a look at whatever Kyocera and Brother offer as the cartridge costs are usually reasonable.

HP+instant ink every time.

HP because the clever stuff is in the ink cartridge, which you replace.

For instant ink – does the printer have to be ‘online’ all of the time? Not sure that would suit in this case

Not sure that would suit in this case

Just curious why not?

I don’t actually know the answer to how often it has to be connected to the outside world to keep working, presumably you can still print via USB if your network dies but I’ve never tried. Mine is connected to my wifi and just does its thing.

Just curious why not? …Old parents who fear this type of thing, no matter what I say! I’m too far away to help

How would they know?

Another happy HP instant ink user here. All the old ink jet tropes have been rendered obsolete. Replaced a dell laser with one at the start of lock down and haven’t looked back.

For instant ink – does the printer have to be ‘online’ all of the time? Not sure that would suit in this case

Doesn’t need to be on all the time, sometimes mine isn’t turned on for a few months, when you do use it, it just connects to WiFi and sends its usage data. I imaging if you tried to print for a while without letting it connect to the internet it might stop, but as long as it has WiFi when it’s actually on it’ll be fine

Another +1 for instant ink

Just remember to check the pages you need to print and deselect any unnecessary ones if you think might go near your plan limit. Sometimes I don’t bother and find the final sheet has half a line on, or in a few cases even blank, but it still counts as a full page of your plan. The flip side is you could print every page as a full colour photo and it wouldn’t cost any extra as long as it’s within the plan limit. You can also rollover unused pages to the next month

Had ours for 4 years now and never had a blocked inkhead even with occasional use, as mentioned above they are in the cartridge so whenever you change it you get a new clean print head

Thanks all