Avoid inexpensive HP Desk Jet Plus 4168
 

I was just in the same position looking for a new printer/scanner just a week ago. Went to Best Buy first and they were almost out of every printer in that price range. Sales person said with supply chain from China being disturbed, and many new folks working from home, supplies of printers have been short. We ended up buying the HP Desk Jet Plus 4168 at Sam's Club. It was only $85 and prints/scans just fine. However, set up was far from easy and I spent days getting it to work in two different houses. I'm no computer tech wiz, but I normally don't have any problem installing new software/hardware. That certainly wasnt the case for this printer.

I always stick with an HP and they last a long time. Most printers are pretty inexpensive now unless you want one with all the bells and whistles

Fan of Hp
 

I'm a big fan of Hp for quality of print and ink usage. Quality will also be based on the level of printer you get and I've never gone bottom or top shelf. I've listened to many complain about how much ink they buy and it seems like my Hp's are more economical.

I've never had to replace an Hp printer, always replaced for a new/different unit for my ever changing needs.

Brother laser bw runs great for me

Consider a used commercial printer
 

I long ago gave up on inkjet printers. Since I usually only print a few times a month or so, the ink cartridges were usually clogged. While I could often clean them, too often needed to buy new ones. The cost is one thing but the inconvenience of having to do maintenance just when I wanted to print was madding.

I picked up a rebuilt hp cp2025dn color laser printer on ebay about 6 years ago for about $165. It has been trouble free so far. It takes 4 individual color cartridges. I use cheap 3rd party cartridges (< $15 each) vs the hp ($133 each) ones. I go through a black cartridge about once a year. I replaced the original yellow cartridge after 5 years. The other two cartridges each lasted between 2 and 3 years each. While it does not have built in wireless, by connecting it via Ethernet cable to my router, I get wireless access to it from all the phones and laptops on my network. About the only disadvantage I’ve found is that it weights about 50 pounds! As such, it has not moved since I set it up.

The quality of the printouts is excellent for text and graphics. Color photos not so much.

I would suspect, that few people really need a home color printer and that a cheap B&W laser printer would be fine for occasional times a hard copy is needed.

My incremental cost per (paper and ink) of a mostly text sheet is a little more than 3¢. For color photos, since its usually much more ink dense, perhaps 10¢ per side. As the cost is so low I give no pause to printing hundred page reference documents on occasion.

Is your recommendations come with fax too ?

New Printer
 

I've had an Epson WP 4530 for 5 years and it has been a good printer. I am also thinking about purchasing a new one because they haven't updated the scanning software. I agree that you should think about what you are using it for. I use the scanner a fair amount, occasionally copy, occasionally print photos and of course print (sometimes on fabric). I originally bought it because it used Durabright ink which I am not sure they even make anymore. So decide what are your most important features.

Would not buy another ink jet printer that uses ink cartridges. The printer is cheap but you pay for it five times over when buying those ink cartridges. I would look at the lowest price Cannon mega tank printer that uses bottled ink and you get thousands of copies out of the bottles and are far less expensive than ink cartridges. If you do not use your printer to print photo quality photos and are willing to spend a little more then I would recommend a color laser printer. Laser printers use powdered ink plus toner to print but you never have to worry about the ink drying out. Again, far less expensive per copy than ink cartridge printers.

Epson ET2720 love it takes the liquid ink and I have not come close to running out since new 4-5 months

One more thought, since I do photo restoration I need a scanner that scans at least 2400 dpi. I bought a Canon printer last year (thought it was a good sale price) and it only scanned up to 600 dpi. I had to return it. If scan quality is important, not all scanners are the same.

HP Office Jet Pro 9015 on my second one now over a eight year period. uses very little ink and only have to refill twice a year. I do alot of copy's. Black white and color It was around 150.00

Brother all in one at Best Buy

If you can get one, laser all in one is best. As others pointed out, HP and Brother are great. As are Canon. Check out Office Depot, the manufacturer online store, Best Buy, Sam's, Costco, and others.

Be careful with used, as defects are possible.

For size, consider inkjet HP 9010 series: Costco has had the HP 9018 for sale for $129-$199 at various times over the last two years. Sam's, too. I got one as a 2nd printer here in Florida, with my workhorse laser and OfficeJet Pro back in Oregon. Both great high volume/low-cost-per-page color printers.

The 9018 prints on and scans both sides of the page automatically, connects via WiFi or USB, and has low cost per page printing with its XL cartridges. Nice compact size, too. Can also print on photo paper.

Now that I'm permanent in Florida, selling the OfficeJet Pro x551dw printer if interested; no built-in scanner, but have an Epson flatbed scanner for free with the printer. Msg me if interested.

HP Deskjet 4100 series. Less than $100 at Sam's. Sends faxes but can't receive.

H P MFP M225dw
 

I purchased the above on ebay (new) 5 years ago for $ 220.00. It is black and white laser, does it all, is a real workhorse. I just had to print 75 pages for the IRS, a real breeze with the automatic feeder. The replacement cartridge's are 2 for $ 16.00 and each lasts 2500 pages. The fax feature is a plus as I do it at home as to some vendor, who now has a copy of my papers in their hard drive.