Printer Consolidation Recommendation

[Bob]

We have too many printers most all going on 10+ yrs.   Print quality isn't the same and not worth investing money to fix older printer.   Our building is rather large and way on one side is Personal Lines with Invoice Printer, Plain Paper Printer, Letterhead Printer not to mention a copier/printer and Dymo label printer.   Same setup is mirrored on other side of building for Commercial Lines.

I would think today one printer with several bins could serve all this and clean off some of the counter tops for other use.   Just wondering what some of you are doing and recommend.   Our copier/printer is rather limited we're not going to invest in a large digital copier solution as their are only 6 staff members 3 on each side that would be printing.   Use to have 12 in this location but now doing same with 6.   My solution isn't the same as some 50-500 user based office who's likely using expensive digital copiers to do everything.   I'm looking specifically at printer and I would hope one printer could fit 3 roles and just buy 2 of them.  One for each side of the bldg.

I'll browse and shop online but just wondering if some of you have something like this setup?  Worst case could buy 2 for each side as I know most printer with dual bins can serve at least two functions.  I'm just hoping for 3 of 4.   3 for sure 4 being spare letterhead page.

If you have something like that setup I'd love to hear from you and know more about make/model of printer. 

[Gene Foraker]

Bob, you don't say what the print volume is.  It seems printer specs are all about that nowadays and print volume should be trending down.

I don't see how you can do away with the dymo and check printers.  They aren't so much about volume, but special purpose.  The letterhead printer and main volume printer could be in the area between the workgroups if it is not too far of a walk.   You could combine the letterhead printer with the main printer by feeding the letterhead from different trays.  If you put everything onto one main printer you should have a backup printer someplace.   That makes at least 4 printers where you now have 6.   Unless you go to 2 dymos which puts it back up to 5.   Not really much of a savings.

I think I would forget the invoice printers.  Plain paper works just fine.   Have a dymo and 2 bin main printer on each side loaded with plain paper and letterhead.   Add a small check printer in accounting and you are done.   

No color printer for proposals or brochures?

[Jeff Zylstra]

Our office is very "cut up" between personal, commercial and life and health departments, so I have 3 department printers, a printer for our accounting person, and a digital copier that holds reams of paper and can print big jobs.   But that's just because of how we're set up.  If it were me, I'd stick with an HP simply because it seems like cheap parts are widely available and probably always will be.  Also, and I know I'll get lambasted for this, I usually buy used printers, and computer accessories (scanners and monitors mostly) from EBay and Craigslist. 

I am currently looking at the HP 4015 laser printers as a replacement in case any of my Kyocera printers die or need a maintenance kit that is prohibitively expensive.  There are many of these around, and they're fast, cheap and pretty reliable. 

I would ask whoever repairs your printers and copiers what used models they would recommend, and what they would look for as far as what may go wrong on that model.  New models don't have any kind of a track record, so I tend to go with the tested and true units.   Other than the addition of color over the years, printers really haven't changed and they're already fast enough, so you're not really getting anything by buying a new printer. 

I've bought several scanners, a few monitors, and 3 laser printers and have never regretted buying used stuff.  Good office equipment like printers rarely wear out.  Especially since you print less and email more these days.  JMO.

[Bob]

Thanks Gene and Jeff.

Gene some good points!  I think over all print volume is less these days.  We try and send policies by email/PDF as much as we can.   When we have to print large jobs we use the copiers as they are set to duplex double sided printing reducing paper.

I think most printers are fairly high speed these days considering the 10 yr old ones are rated 35-40ppm.

I have my own private office and handle the finances (with other things) so I have my own printer in office for checks.  It's a color laser so for special projects involving color, they are given to me.  99% most all printing is B/W.

Not replacing Dymo printers, would be hard inserting them tiny labels, LOL.     I like the idea of printing invoices on plain paper but they like to use pre-printed invoices, with perforation and "color" logo on it.   In time hoping they see color not worth added costs and dedicated printer.  Print on the fly to plain with B/W logo is my preference and sure we will get there. 

Still leaning towards a 3 tray solution.    I like clean open spaces over stacked relics dedicated to one purpose.    Also nice to reduce the number of toner types I have to have on hand.   

[Jeff Zylstra]

Something else that the repair guy told me is that the larger, or heavier duty cycle printers are generally cheaper to run as far as consumables go, and also sometimes on parts.  He cautioned against buying the some of the smaller printers, even though they supposedly were close the duty cycle I was looking for.

[Jeff Golas]

What printer models are you running now? Our printers are at least 10 years old, a couple with over a million prints on the odometer and still reliably printing to this day. With the amount of printers we have it would be easy to fall back on another and order a replacement that I could have within a day or two.

[Jeff Zylstra]

What printer models are you running now? Our printers are at least 10 years old, a couple with over a million prints on the odometer and still reliably printing to this day. With the amount of printers we have it would be easy to fall back on another and order a replacement that I could have within a day or two.

Exactly my thinking.  New laser printers are $1,200 or more so I decided to take a risk on a $150 printer of the same model.  I think the first one I bought had less than 50,000 prints on it, and you can find them with a lot less prints than that for not much more.  These things don't go out of style and don't really wear.  I don't mind spending money on quality equipment, but I haven't found that spending money on a brand new printer equates to better performance or reliability.  Especially when you don't give them heavy use anymore. 

Our dealer sells a lot of "refurbished" printers but I've had very good luck with used "surplus" stuff that businesses don't need anymore either.  I also find that it's easier and cheaper to get additional paper trays for models that have been out a couple of years like the 4015 printers.

[Bob]

So sounds like we've come full circle.   So I should invest and keep existing?   HP4200s and HP4250s?    Just seems as much as they are serviced, the quality of print job is faded compared to fresh printer.   Not toner either..  More the fusing.   What brought this all up was how the print jobs were not as dark nor crisp as one staff persons new small laser jet which only thing different is newer.   Hold same print job from any of the older ones (serviced routinely parts replaced as needed), no contest.   Everyone want's the dark crisp printing.    Service guy doesn't see anything wrong but again when you compare to new laser, it's not even close nor acceptable to owner.  Why I'm visiting. 

[Debbie Fuson]

What printer models are you running now? Our printers are at least 10 years old, a couple with over a million prints on the odometer and still reliably printing to this day. With the amount of printers we have it would be easy to fall back on another and order a replacement that I could have within a day or two.

I have an HP 4300 with 1,371,926 pages still up and running.  Most everyone prints to copiers now, but this one LaserJet is used regularly by 6-7 people.  The firmware on it is dated 2002.

I used to have  various 4000 series HP's on the floor, and they were all workhorses.  Most any problem was resolved by either a new toner kit, a new fuser, or a new rollers.

[Billy Welsh]

Off topic a bit, but that SonicWall I got off Ebay lasted only a month     I am not generally lucky and therefore not surprised, and it was not a very expensive gamble.  I have not kicked around under the hood yet to see if I can revive it - was still powered up but not actually functioning.  I swapped it out with the 10-node it replaced until I had more time.  Maybe just needs firmware (fingers crossed).

I've bought several scanners, a few monitors, and 3 laser printers and have never regretted buying used stuff.  Good office equipment like printers rarely wear out.  Especially since you print less and email more these days.  JMO.

[Bob]

Thanks Debbie!

Maybe I should gamble and replace fusers in each even though they don't ask me too.   I've tried "new" toner as well vs. re-manufactured ones didn't do much.  Printers are good work horses been around some 10+ yrs I think.  He just want's that dark crisp printing and proper shading.  +1 to you all for your input!  Thanks!

[Jeff Zylstra]

I have seen differences between after market fusers and original HP stuff.  Maybe that's the issue, or maybe the printer driver needs to be updated.  Good quality paper that's brightness of 92 or better makes a difference too, and make sure that you're using the same paper when comparing prints.   

I've got a 4250 that prints just as nice as any of printer in the office, so I don't think it's an "old vs new" thing going on.  If you're seeing real differences in print quality and the repair guy either can't see it or doesn't think it's a big deal, maybe it's time for a second opinion from another repair place? 

[Jeff Zylstra]

Off topic a bit, but that SonicWall I got off Ebay lasted only a month     I am not generally lucky and therefore not surprised, and it was not a very expensive gamble.  I have not kicked around under the hood yet to see if I can revive it - was still powered up but not actually functioning.  I swapped it out with the 10-node it replaced until I had more time.  Maybe just needs firmware (fingers crossed).

I've bought several scanners, a few monitors, and 3 laser printers and have never regretted buying used stuff.  Good office equipment like printers rarely wear out.  Especially since you print less and email more these days.  JMO.

Sorry to hear that, Billy.  Routers can be funny like that, especially if they get too hot.  I'd let it cool down, make sure it's got the latest firmware updates, and try it again. 

[Billy Welsh]

Off topic a bit, but that SonicWall I got off Ebay lasted only a month     I am not generally lucky and therefore not surprised, and it was not a very expensive gamble.  I have not kicked around under the hood yet to see if I can revive it - was still powered up but not actually functioning.  I swapped it out with the 10-node it replaced until I had more time.  Maybe just needs firmware (fingers crossed).

I've bought several scanners, a few monitors, and 3 laser printers and have never regretted buying used stuff.  Good office equipment like printers rarely wear out.  Especially since you print less and email more these days.  JMO.

Sorry to hear that, Billy.  Routers can be funny like that, especially if they get too hot.  I'd let it cool down, make sure it's got the latest firmware updates, and try it again.

Good point.  Could just be the fan, which is easily replaced.  Did not even check that - came home after a long day to 4 long faces of "the internet isn't working," rebooted it, got no internet, noticed the wrench light, and punted!  I actually have a new laptop for the Scouts sitting on my desk, so I can easily hook it up to the unit and see what I can find out.