Please help me buy a printer. Boring I know, sorry!

[okuuur]

I now understand my grandma when she's looking at mobiles. All I want it to do it call she'll say in despair...

All I want a printer to do is print! There are so many options and I don't understand instant ink and free trials? They seem to make the printers cheaper by then are you in a contract?

I literally want it to print labels for eBay and maybe the odd sewing pattern and picture for the kids to colour in.

Can anyone help? Was hoping not spend more than £50

Slightly pathetic bump

Following. I'm in the same boat.
Just want a decent printer, for occasional use, where I don't have to replace the ink everytime I use it.
Any recommendations?

I bought a HP 3760 store.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=T8X19B&opt=BEV&sel=PRN&lang=en-GB&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAjwhbHlBRAMEiwAoDA34yFVrV4gyibKvG9PO5bT7zJCZGy-zP3eQlqGkbNNNHzrgWX2FxGx6xoCryoQAvD_BwE in a deal a couple of years ago - I’d highly recommend it. It’s wireless, easy to set up and use, and is compact so doesn’t take up loads of space. It’s also a scanner/photocopier - the only downside is that you can’t photocopy from books because you have to feed your copy under a bar, so it has to be a single sheet.

It came with a £20 HP voucher, which I registered to instant ink. I pay £2 per month for a set number of prints and when the ink is low the printer tells HP and they dispatch new ink and bags to recycle the old. I’m only just paying the £2 now as it was being deducted from the voucher. I don’t know if you still get the voucher, but even without it I would still buy this printer again. There are different plans depending on how much you expect to print monthly. It always arrives before I run out and is free post. The only time I’ve gone over my monthly allowance was when I was writing my dissertation and kept printing it to edit. 🙂

I have a cheap HP, it prints beautifully and I use instant ink £2 a month to print 50 pages a month. HP sends out new ink when it's running low and I send the old cartridges back to be recycled.

I have an Epson XP-245. It was about £30 ish & I've had it nearly two years with no problems, and I print loads some days!

It quite happily uses compatible cartridges from ebay which are usually about a fiver for one of each colour, or for four black ones.

Thanks a lot. £2 a month for prints seems ok I think?

Can't see me ever going over that. If that's the case I've seen a printer for 30 pounds that you get a free two month trial. Will post link if anyone's interested but I clearly don't know what I'm talking about so wouldn't want to recommend a bum deal! Just found it on Amazon.

Thanks all for the info

If you need a printer for only simple printing jobs and occasional (so not daily or weekly) use, you need to get a cheap black and white laser printer. The ink never runs out and a toner can last for years and you usually get one with the new printer.

This is what I have done and I don't regret it. Have had it for two years and am still on my first toner. No issues with dried out ink or expensive cartiges that seem to run out every few weeks if you do use it enough.

Yes that sounds more like my requirements @CaptSkippy do you have a link to the one you have?

Mine is a Brother HL-1110, but I think you can now get even better ones for a similar price.

I am happy with my HP Envy 4520 and can easily buy the printer cartridges (Waitrose, WH Smith etc). But I wouldn't recommend a Dell - I could only get the ink from Dell and it was v expensive.

Also have a cheap HP. Bought it with Quidco points from Argos! I was overthinking for so long, it was good to bite the bullet! The only thing I'd say is that I have to keep feeding it paper manually, would annoy me for big documents.

I ended up buying

SAMSUNG Xpress M2026 Monochrome Laser Printer ML-M2026 Black and White Compact Size Printer

It was 54 pounds and arrives today so fingers crossed it will be ok for my requirements which are pretty minimal.

Thanks a lot for all the advice, especially @CaptSkippy as that was exactly what I was looking for but just didn't know it!

That sounds excellent. I came on the thread to say get a black and white laser not an inkjet. The inkjet ones are a huge scam, costing so much in wasted ink.

We've had 2 cheap Samsung printers over the last few years. You'll find that the ink cartridge lasts for years if you don't print much.

If you ever need colour printing, you can get it done in supermarkets, online etc, probably for less than buying the paper and ink to do it yourself at home.

Not sure anyone needs a photocopier or scanner for the odd bit of home copying anymore. You just take a pic on your phone and email it, surely.

Glad you got sorted OP. I have an HP with instant ink and it suits us perfectly for £2 a month. DSs print for school and uni and DH copies and prints off bits of his maps in colour for his hillwalking. It's horses for courses really as everyone's needs and wants vary.

Your welcome okuuur. I hope it all works out.

Now I am getting an ad for Brother printers