I print maybe once a year. When I get ready to print anything my cartriges are always dryed out and its a pain in the ass to get it up and going.

Oviousley I am not going out and buying a new cartrige every time I am going to print so I must go through the pain in the ass process of getting the old ones going, I am sure you know the drill.


I want a printer that I can store away for a long time and have it still ready to go and I would rather not spend a fortune on it, dose such printers exsist?

You need to buy a Laser Printer. If you need color they do sell Color Laser Printers but they cost more.

This one is priced right for b/w and occasional use.
Newegg.com - HP LaserJet P1005 CB410A Personal Up to 15 ppm Monochrome Printer - Printer - Laser Printers

This is the cheapest HP Laser Printer I see.
Newegg.com - HP Color LaserJet 2600N Q6455A Workgroup Up to 8 ppm 600 x 600 dpi Color Laser Printer - Printer - Laser Printers

Any laser printer or am I looking for something in paticular?

How 'bout one of these manual printers: BIC - Stationery - Product Page

Sorry, could not resist. I think Slay is right, you need to get a laser printer. Either of the ones in Slay's post should work. Do you need color, or is monochrome all you need.

E

Get a LaserJet 4 or 5. Your grandkids will print your kids' death notices on it.

I bought a well-outfitted 5 for 9 dollars at a thrift shop, and it's virtually unbreakable (the one thing it doesn't like: decal paper)

In order to keep things from drying out you need a laser printer. You can probably find some cheaper models by looking at some other manufacturers, but I trust HP Printers. I've never bought one that didn't serve me well, and every other brand has always let me down sooner or later. Now that b/w model in my 1st link is only $50. You do get what you pay for. With regular work it won't last forever, but if you only use it a couple times a year and you keep it clean, it should last for quite a few years easily.

I agree with getting the HP P1006, it will last forever. I'm still using the starter toner that came with my HP 1020 and that was almost 2 years ago!

Brother has held up for me, the replacement ink is less than 5 bucks on ebay, and you can normally keep the new sealed cartridges for a lifetime.

On the other hand the HP laserjet that my company's 29 stores and two warehouses use, lst a good long while.

my old canon laser (came with windows 95 drivers its so old) still runs and I can still use the original toner. Yea I don't print much either.

OK I think I get it now.I should buy the cheapest laser printer I can find.

I had one more question

how do I find out what type of toner cartrige a paticular printer uses?

Cost of cartriges is a contributing factor in total price.

I have a Samsung CLP-300 color laser printer which I bought about 1.5 years ago and I highly recommend it. For the price I think that it is probably the best printer out there - $150 after rebate, linky (this is to the CLP-300N which is the networked version of the one I have).

Toner costs about $40 per color (CYMK) at Staples, but if you print as little as you say, the toner should last you for a very long time. I am still on the original toners.

You want a used laser printer. An HP 5 or HP 4000. Unfortunatly, I have about eight of those I am about to trash, but I can't transfer them to civilian use.

You should be able to find an HP4000 or HP4100 very cheap on Ebay. Get one. Then find one cartridge for about $150 and use the printer for two years before you have to worry about it again. You will end up being very happy but will bitch because your cheeks hurt from smiling

I don't mind covering a larger cost for the printer itsself but the cost of cartriges are crazy for me I know I don't print often but will run out eventually.

I am considering this printer or maybe the wireless version simmalar to it so I can leave the printer on the outher side of my house but I have been looking around for toner refill directions but I cannot find any for this paticular printer or its cartriges


So can I refill these ones? If not I will have to look for a differint one as I refuse to pay ****ing $40 per cartrige, $160 is almost a new printer.

Perhaps advice on a printer in this range that takes a refill well would be welcome if the one I picked out is not suteable. I think I seem one for the 300N PurpleDiamond mentioned that one is definatley in my consideration pile although I may lean twards wireless although I guess I could do that via router.

The toner will eventually run out on every printer sooner or later. But if you rarely print it could take some time. A common rule is the cheaper the printer cost, the smaller and more expensive the toner/ink cost. $180 is fairly cheap for a Color Laser Printer so the toner cartridges are going to cost more. But toner is a dry powder so it won't dry up like a inkjet. As for refilling it that all depends, I would bet someone could refill them for you. But if the toner they use is slightly different then the colors will never print quite correctly. Re-fills are really something you'll have to judge personally.

I know if I was in the Market for a Color Laser I would be looking at the $500 models myself. When you go cheaper than that your really just counting on a lucky buy.

I am definatly going to refill the toner cartriges myself with whatever printer I buy. I have been looking around and have not seen any laser printers with reasonable priced cartriges unless I have missed something.

I have been doing refills for my old ****ty lexmark z25 (this is a old $15 printer) and I have also had to rebulid it a few times to keep it going so it should be less of a hassle that what I am use to and the colors will be close enough for me.

I want to try to get one that takes a refill well though if possiple.
or one that its possiple to refill the cartriges for.