[Shop-talk] Printers

[tr3driver at ca.rr.com]

---- old dirtbeard <dirtbeard at pacbell.net> wrote: 
>      - current color HP laser printers are not competitive on a cost per 
> page basis with most manufacturers when printing B/W (they blend in color 
> toner to print B/W -- they say it is because it keeps the toner refreshed)

That's interesting, Doug.  I quit my job as head of IT; but when I looked into it back then, the HP "low cost" color laser we bought was actually cheaper per page (when including toner and recommended maintenance) than our other HP B/W lasers.  But it was a lot slower, so it still didn't get used much for B&W.  The color unit was the only one where you just added toner when it was low, instead of changing a cartridge that included print drum, etc.

>     - no matter what you do, ink jets are the most costly printer per page 
> to own. If you never need to print, buy an ink jet 

I agree, but only taking "never" as a relative term.  At home, I burn less than a ream of paper per year; which makes an ink spitter very cost effective for me.

Randall