The best investment of my life was buying an Epson LQ500 back in... I don't know... '95 perhaps? All this years, and even after months or even years without use it will happily awake from its slumber to once again scream and punch dots on to its never ending but ancient supply of fanfold paper
this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2025
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Bought a Canon laser printer a decade ago. Only needed a new set of toner and a bunch of paper obviously. Standard power cord, standard USB 1.x cable. Still works in Windows 11. I think I got it working in Linux at some point, but I don't know if it does nowadays, because I probably don't have the mental fortitude to touch CUPS again in this lifetime. (People keep saying audio is a nightmare to set up in Linux. Ohh you clearly haven't tried to set up a printer or you would not be complaining)
I've genuinely never had a better printing experience than on Linux. Across multiple distros. just press ctrl+p, printer is already detected, press ok, done. What am I doing wrong?
Linux is fine for printers. As long as you don't want to print more than one copy. But even then you just start multiple print jobs. Unless you need a lot of copies. Then Windows or Mac is probably easier.
I have a printer
I've had an operational printer in the household since around the year 2000, and I cannot fathom not having access to one. I would be a virtual headless chicken running around wailing about gutenburg or something.
Switching from Ink to Laser printers was a game changer as far as maintenance and costs (you can pick up a reconditioned laser printer from the early 2000's from a company that specializes in refurbing them and rock it for decades).
i mean, yeah i have had a nice working brother printer for a few decades, but i got a library card too. My employer can afford 10 cents a page if they want me to print.
Having a home printer allows for easy printing of shipping labels, zines, letters, etc.
As for books, it can be useful for rarer books that a library may not have access to, though that is a bit more rare of a need.
Who prints things? Don't think I have used a printer for personal or work purposes in years.
I bought one to print anti-Trump propaganda to post by the mailboxes.
And because I'm a Millennial, I enjoy printing photos because I grew up having photo albums, and as such I'm used to making them. Plus if I don't print them I'll literally ever look at them.
I do, but it's also my favourite hi-tech success, having a functional reliable printer.
It is only black and white though.
I just print at a local library
Who the hell can afford a printer
Anyone can afford the printer, it's the ink that's the problem
Just get a Brother laser printer. It uses a normal power chord same exact as any desktop PC, and uses toner, same exact as any real printer that's not a money farming piece of shit ink jet.
DISCLAIMER: I have not investigated Brother or other brands for enshittification in recent years, so YMMV.
My Brother lazer color printer has just been sitting here, pooping out pages and pages of what ever I want, sometimes sitting there off for months, year after year. Still haven't changed the toner.
My HP color laser was such a hassle, every time I wanted to use it I had to hard boot it, and even then it only worked half the time. No wifi or apple access over the network or any other fancy stuff ofc.
Have a b&w brother now, the android app is meh but else it's wonderful, just doing its job all day long.
Is the color laser as good?
Same, had a samsung for 5 years and it sucked, my Brother has been solid for over 5 years now. Just get one that has network support, so you can print from any computer (and even a phone) in your network.
I really miss google cloud print, it was an amazing product (my printer still supports it).
Seconded! I have several Brother MFCs. Rock solid, great Linux support, rarely change the toner.
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Sometimes, staples or FedEx just to print the lease, sign the lease, and scan the lease.
10 cents a page black and white at my town's library
Plus I can rent a DVD and chat with a cool librarian
A printer's cheap. It's the ink.
I love copiers
I have a printer, actually. I use it pretty often, too. No internet connected, while the Canon 4200 series do have wifi capability I generally stick to the USB cable.
In a pinch I would go to a library or I would even visit a print shop for more exotic prints.
I think, for me, owning a printer is like owning a van. You're the only person your friends know who has one, so every time someone needs it you're the one they ask.
Joke's on you; I have no friends.
Except for my wife and kids almost nobody knows I have one. But yes I have gotten pdfs from my mother in law to print.
I bought a Brother printer and an extra large toner cartridge a dozen years ago and it just sits there and prints things without any problems from any device on my WiFi.
So invent a time machine and get a Brother from ten years ago is my advice.
Same. After years of replacing ink in the hp to do one print job, then letting it sit and dry out until it was time again. But now I've had that brother for a decade on the same toner
I wish I could turn mine on. The power button is so flimsy that it broke, so now it functions as a foot stool.
Have you ever considered the fact that you can simply take it apart and repair the button?
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