Wireless All-In-One Printers - Comments Page 2

Inkjet printers are inexpensive to buy, but they rape you on the ink. Get a WiFi-connected b/w laser printer plus an inexpensive color inkjet for photos.

The HP LaserJet Pro P1102w at $199.99 from HP has built-in WiFi. The only PITA is the small 150 sheet paper tray.

The HP LaserJet Pro M1217nfw all-in-one is $159.99. It also does wireless.

I've used an HP LJ P2055dn for several years with a WiFi home network and couldn't be happier. For color, I'm fine with an HP OfficeJet 4500 with built-in WiFi.

An All-In-One printer is very useful. Wireless printing is now standard on mid-range printers, so you might as well get that feature. Wireless printer set up and use has gotten easier over the years. However, it is still not as simple and reliable as printing through a printer cable.

With my particular setup, wireless printing works fine as long as the wireless router and the printer are always powered on. If I have to power my router or printer off and on, the printer usually is assigned a different IP address. Then I have to re-establish the wireless connection between my computer and the printer.

The printer is one more wireless device, so it might impact the performance of your other wireless connections.

My printer (HP 8600) acts as a Wi-Fi router/hotspot. If I am closer to my printer than to my actual Internet Wi-Fi router, my laptop tries to connect to my printer rather than my router.

Also the scanner function only works with a wired connection, as was previously mentioned.

Since I don't print very often, I end up leaving the printer turned off most of the time. When I need to just print a quick page or two I use a wired connection. When I'm working on a big project, I use the wireless connection.

I've had an HP 6700 for the past couple of years, and it performs flawlessly. As an AIO it does the occasional copies and faxes fine, and as a network connected printer (wireless) it works just great. The real bonus is that I can set it to print on both sides of a page (duplex). Plus, the cost was under $150. After 2 years, I'm still pleased.

Last Christmas I purchased an HP 3520 for an amazing $39. I was nervous as it was so inexpensive.
It is fantastic. It works so well I'm shocked. Our Win7 notebook connects wirelessly as the printer is NOT connected thru any cables. My XP desktop is wired to the router that then connects wirelessly to the printer, all seamlessly and automatically.
It only prints, scans & copies and has 4 cartridges, but it continues to print if one runs dry.

The quick start sheet stated to install inks first, etc and then install the CD. Ignore this poor advice and install CD first. Then you can watch the installation video and easily set up the printer. Video is NOT available until CD is installed and makes printer set up a no brainer.

I have an HP 8000 series printer. Functionality is good. But it won't print with a dry cartridge. EVEN WORSE is the fact that HP has DATE CHiPs in the cartridges. A brand new unopened one will not work past its "expiration date". And HP will do nothing for you in the way of swapping out an unopened package that is "expired". Also these cartridges can not be bought aftermarket because the chip renders them useless. They can't be refilled, and even if still full of ink, they won't work if not "fresh". A little guaranteed profitablity built into each cartridge by HP. Will make me think twice before buying another HP.

I have a Canon MP610 and an MG5420 (~$50 before Christmas) I'm one of the geeks who ALWAYS refills my own ink. Never had any problems - just make sure you refill them BEFORE they run dry. My one minor complaint with the MG5420 is it does not have a top rear paper feeder like most printers. It has two paper drawers in front. They both spend a lot of time doing all sorts of "maintenance", in other words, wasting ink but I guess most printers do this!

Hey Bob, another great article, and important topic.

I have a Brother MFC-7860-DW printer, and I love it! Best printer I've ever had. And you are correct, the flexibility of location that wireless offers is great. I've got mine tucked under a table in another room, where it stays out of sight, and out of mind. I turn it on only when I need to print. It quietly fires up in less than a minute. And as it is a laser printer, the pages are printed and ready before I even get to the printer. And the software is easy to use, making scanning a piece of cake, as well as updating the firmware and software when updates become available. Now, I do not use the fax option, so I can see where having a phone jack nearby may be a challenge when finding a location for any multifunctional printer. But not having to worry about a network connection is still a great plus.

I also want to chime in and support some of the earlier comments regarding the HP 8600 printer. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this printer. The warm up time is too long and noisy, it gulps up ink too fast, the cartridges are too expensive for the number of prints you get, and it is as bulky as they get. And if the comment by MJS is true about the chips that regulate a cartridge expiration date, then this could possibly be the worst printer on the market. I have slowly seen HP move in this direction for years (their quality has dropped and greed has set in), and I have stopped recommending HP to my clients. I was also tired of troubleshooting issues caused by conflicts their software and drivers had with Windows and other applications.

Brother and Canon seem to be the way to go these days. And like another comment pointed out already, going with a multifunctional laser printer is the best option for most people who don't need to print in color very often. And if you do occasionally need color, you can have a small inkjet printer as a second printer (non-HP and single function of course). You will quickly recover any extra up-front costs of buying two printers, with the ink/toner savings, plus the value of your time messing with the issues. In my opinion, the less-frustration factor alone, is enough of a reason to go this route.

Happy New Year Bob! Looking forward to more great articles in 2014.

I like Bob's articles even if not always agree with them completely. This case again, printer discussion on the negledge able side of the price, what a printer costs. Almost irrelevant. Ask, please, what the printing costs! The printing industry is robbing the public through irrational ink or toner costs. Is everybody blind not to see the complot?

Wireless or not, inkjet printers are a rip off because of the cost of ink.

At our Computer and Technology Club, we finally got rid of our inkjet(s)-we went through more than one and had all kinds of headaches with the ink cartridges-and now have an inexpensive laser printer. It's like heaven compared to the inkjet. I am hoping to one day buy one for home use.

Whether you buy inkjet cartridges, go for refurbished or fill them yourself, they are still a massive ripoff. Laser is the way to go, wireless or not.

Original inkjet was a Canon BJC - free with ISP subscription. lasted forever and i refilled those cartridges at home. family wanted color so switched to HP printers. Subsequent software updates became burden-some. Seemed to eat more and more CPU cycles. Uninstall/new install did not help. Last HP died and switched to an Epson, which was the brand of my first dot matrix printer. And the Workforce is my first wireless. No problems, except that I haven't figured out refills, and have succumbed to buying them off the internet till that day presents itself.
I am using carrot ink for my replacement cartridges - http://www.carrotink.com/

Avoid the HP all-in one 4500 Wireless.

It goes to sleep and doesn't wake up automatically.
This is a known defect and there is no fix.
So its useless as wireless

I highly recommend the Epson WF-2540 for home use (or small business). For the price an excellent device. Connected easily, prints and scans in good quality, allows for printing from all sorts of devices (I print from my phone quite often), has cloud printing option and is the best choice in the price range for managing the cost of replacement ink.
Unlike the HP, this printer has 3 color cartridges, so you only replace what runs out, not the whole multicolor one. Most all-in-ones in this price range do not offer this.
We have used this one for 4 months, and have used the "big sister" version at another location for over a year. No problems!

I know this is late.
I have an Epson WF-7520 All-In-One (w/fax) WiFi. Love it!
Scans & prints larger than Tabloid size, up to 13 x 19 or so. Great for my Acad dwgs. Easy to use.
Ink lasts a long time. Good quality. Had my employer buy some for work.