Recommendations For A Cheap Monochrome Printer Please

[AbeSurd]

Either the cheap HP Deskjet D1560 printer I bought 4 years here in Thailand is packing up, or the refill cartridges I get for it here no longer work properly. So I reckon I need to buy a new printer.

Before I just go off and buy the latest, cheapest inkjet printer, does anyone have any words of wisdom or recommendations for specific models that are available in Thailand right now?

I just want the cheapest way of printing b/w and greyscale. With a printer that is tolerant of refills. I don't print very much, maybe 5 or 6 sides of A4 a week.

Laser? Inkjet?

Laser may be cheaper because I don't need colour?

Thanks.

[Yo Sup]

Buy the cheapest printer and get the refillable plastic tanks instead of the manufacturers overpriced crap. I like Brothers. If you are in Bang Yai, or buy it here, there is a nice girl at the Square who will do the tanks for 800 baht. Other placed see a white face and want 1400. PM me if you want specifics.

[MaiChai]

Ink jets are a waste of time in a hot country. Get yourself a cheap laser. My samsung ml1210 has lasted over 12 years. Google for a recommend.

[Crossy]

I'll second a cheap laser (I have a Samsung too), prints first time every time even after a long period of storage.

[samuijimmy]

Agree with Laser.... mine coming up to six year now, on second cartridge... HP Laserjet P1006

[AbeSurd]

Buy the cheapest printer and get the refillable plastic tanks instead of the manufacturers overpriced crap. I like Brothers. If you are in Bang Yai, or buy it here, there is a nice girl at the Square who will do the tanks for 800 baht. Other placed see a white face and want 1400. PM me if you want specifics.

Sure, I try to avoid the manufacturer's replacement cartridges because they're so damn expensive. Instead, when the ink runs out I take the empty cartridge to a local shop and get it refilled. However not infrequently this results in a cartridge that no longer works well.

Back in the UK we can buy cheap new non-brand name cartridges which have always worked well in my experience. But I've not seen any such thing here in Pattaya.

[AbeSurd]

Sold! Thanks everyone. One mono laser printer it will be.

Just for an indication of price I looked just now on Amazon UK. They do a Samsung for £49 (about 75 USD). I had no idea lasers were that cheap.

Tomorrow I'll pop along to my local store here in Pattaya and get one.

When the toner cartridge eventually runs out, do you recommend I replace it with a new, brand-name cartridge or do something else?

Thanks again.

[angiud]

Remember that a toner cartridge usually is more expensive than the printer itself.

And most of companies give the first toner only half (or less) full...

Check if is possible to get third party/recycled cartridges.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Just for an indication of price I looked just now on Amazon UK. They do a Samsung for £49 (about 75 USD). I had no idea lasers were that cheap.

Tomorrow I'll pop along to my local store here in Pattaya and get one.

When the toner cartridge eventually runs out, do you recommend I replace it with a new, brand-name cartridge or do something else?

You will find Brother and Samsung monochrome lasers for under 2000B in Tukcom.

The cheap Samsung's toner carts are generally swapped rather than refilled (a chip needs to be replaced) but Brother's are generally refillable. It does all depend on the model though.

The first "starter" cartridge will probably not be full.

[AbeSurd]

Thanks BlackPudding Bertha. Three things...

You say "The cheap Samsung's toner carts are generally swapped rather than refilled". Are they swapped for expensive Samsung brand cartridges?

And where do you get the Brother ones refilled?

Does refilling the Brother ones work well, or does it occasionally ruin the cartridge?

[barryw52]

I normally would say buy a cheap laser like Samsung (3000Baht+) or similar, but I have currently an Epson with external tanks and it never seems to dry up and has worked well here in BKK for 3 years and it prints copies and scans in colour. I have spent 1000Baht in ink all colours in 3 years and have enough ink for 3 more years still in the bottles. This has changed by views on this subject.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

You say "The cheap Samsung's toner carts are generally swapped rather than refilled". Are they swapped for expensive Samsung brand cartridges?

And where do you get the Brother ones refilled?

Does refilling the Brother ones work well, or does it occasionally ruin the cartridge?

The Samsung carts are swapped for units that have been refilled and chipped by third-party manufacturers. You can also buy new Samsung carts for the full price, of course. You can buy the chips and toner and DIY also.

The Brother ones can be refilled by anyone who refills toner carts, and some of the ink places in Tukcom do this. Ask around.

I dont know the success rate for refilling carts as I have always swapped mine. The Samsung I bought here a year or two ago is still on its starter cart.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I normally would say buy a cheap laser like Samsung (3000Baht+) or similar, but I have currently an Epson with external tanks and it never seems to dry up and has worked well here in BKK for 3 years and it prints copies and scans in colour. I have spent 1000Baht in ink all colours in 3 years and have enough ink for 3 more years still in the bottles. This has changed by views on this subject.

Injket printers with tanks are fine as long as you use them regularly, even if only to clear the jets. I think that once a week is a minimum. Personally as I dont need colour at all and as I print very rarely (once a month, if that) I prefer to have a laser unit as this will never dry out even if I forget to run it regularly.

[JSixpack]

Agree w/ laser. Make sure to check about the Linux compatibility first (you never know). Samsung is generally good.

[RandomSand]

I have a Samsung ML1510 back home.

Can get away with refilling an original (new) Samsung drum at least 3 times without loss of quality.

Raw toner ink bought off ebay was only 10 dollars and enough to refill a drum 2 or 3 times at least. :0

I wouldn't pay B1000 in Tukcom for a 5 dollars worth of ink personally.

Edited March 5, 2013 by RandomSand

[BlackPuddingBertha]

The 1600 Samsung series (which is probably what the OP will find now) will need chipping also. This increases the cost.

It should be possible to find a chipped and refilled cart for well under 1000B.