Most laser printers produce crisper images and at far lower cost than most inkjets. The printer manufacturers push inkjet models at low prices because they make big money selling the ink cartridges.

I googled and didn't find the specific Brother model you mentioned, but is it a multifunction device (Scan, copy, print, fax) ?

It's easy to overbuy beyond what you need. If for home use, you should be able to find something very suitable in the $80-$120 range. If for a small office with still not too heavy use, add $100 to the range.

I stick to the brand name replacement laser cartridges. They last for many years under my light use and the small cost savings using the aftermarket brands doesn't amount to much.

Good luck.

Thanks, there he (I) go again, the dyslexia 7460DN is the model.

Amazon show it at $219, best I can recall, the Club has it on sale for $150.

Yep, Print, Copy, Fax, Scan (but not wireless) - I continue to have an occassional need to send a fax, not often but I'd like to keep that capability,

You've got a point on life. I estimate I average no more than 10 pages of print a week. Thus a standard cartridge good for 1000 pages would last me about 2 years. Ink cartridges last me only a few months... and they can dry out too.

I finally threw in the towel regarding inkjets and bought a Brother HL-2280 DW. I love it and enjoy using it wirelessly.

I have a Brother laser printer (no multi-function) (I don't have the model number handy) but I'm very happy with it. Speedy at something like 32 pages per minute and auto duplexing. I bought it "reconditioned" with a free label printer. It was a great deal and I'm very happy with the printer.

Thanks, the subject printer caught my eye when I was "scanning" the printer display at BJs and I was surprised I could buy any Laser printer for $150, let alone a multifunction with duplex printing. I often manually turn paper over to get one instead of two sheets. I have to restart the printers I have owned over the years, and I had to be quick at pulling the paper feed to stop auto feed.

I have now looked and see Brothers Laser closer to $100, and I think some of them may be wireless, a nice feature I think as I use WiFi around the hourse anyway.

I saw a Canon 4770n, multifunction, on Amazon marked down from $399 to $129 (going from memory). That looks to be an even more business-level machine - but the Canon may cost more per page, I don't recall the material cost per sheet.

It seems Brothers, once a "cheap" machine, has become a reliable competitive machine, at least for the home office.

If you are not in a mad savage rush then you might wait for back to school sales to start.

Good suggestion from O. Staples had a special deal on mine for $99. It's wired or wireless with networking and duplex. Scans and copies well, but doesn't fax.

" and I think some of them may be wireless, a nice feature I think as I use WiFi around the hourse anyway"

Jerry, I'm not sure if you're confusing two different things.

You know from your inkjet use that printers need to be connected to a PC or other network device. As examples, the printer might connect to your PC with a USB cord, or maybe to your router with an Ethernet cord

A printer with Wifi capability connects to the network wirelessly. In doing so, that's something different than your using PCs around the house with Wifi. Any network connected printer (no matter how connected to the network, be it connected to a PC or to a router or wirelessly to the network) can be set up to print from any PC connected to the network (whether the PC itself is connected with a cable or wirelessly).

OK?

Thanks, I had a simple "stand alone" WiFi connection in mind. I in general have not shared resources since MS made it so difficult to network XP with W7, and I suppose W8 is not an improvement - so a direct connect to a printer via wireless would be helpful but not necessary. I plan to leave my wife's Inkjet active for a while I still have several ink cartridges yet to be used. But, I think she'd be happy with a monochrome laser printer as we're not into printing color stuff anyway.

I will shop with the better undrstanding - i.e., wireless may not be a big plus for me. But, if I do get a wireless I do have a WiFi/Ethernet router I can utilize if needed.

Yes, any printer's "wireless" connection is via Wifi to "the network" to become a network printer. It doesn't connect itself to a PC. Second step, a PC on the network that wants to print using that printer with the wireless connection sets that network printer as its default printer.

What to purchase is as always up to the user. As luck would have it here is the Consumer Reports August 2013 story on "The High Cost of Wasted Printer Ink". In the article is a hyperlink to their printer ratings.

I have been a HP printer user from the very beginning. However, I am hearing and reading more and more good things about Brother printers so when the time comes I am going to strongly look into one.

DA

Here is a link that might be useful: CR August 2013

I have a brother MFC 7420, it's a work horse, I purchased it when I was doing online Real Estate, so much printing, it never failed.

For quite a while, DA, what you thought was an HP laser printer was actually a rebranded Canon. Canon made the laser printer guts for HP and a lot of other companies. I don't know what the story is now, but Canon had the patents and know-how.

I've always bought Canon, it was the same thing but a bit cheaper. The rare times when tech support was needed, they always knew what they were talking about because they were talking about their own products. For many models, the toner cartridges were interchangeable among many brands and that's why.

Never gave any thought to a laser printer. Not one moment. No need to. Didn't care to.as I had no need for one.

DA

Sorry for the poor phrasing, my comment wasn't just intended for DA.

What I was trying to mention was something I've always found interesting and somewhat unique. Other than handheld calculators, the products that really skyrocketed the HP name in consumer markets were their laser printers. It polished the HP name as standing for high quality, great performance, and advanced capabilities.

Except they didn't make what they were selling.

Back on the subject of Brother printers (inkjet). Several years ago, I had need for a fax machine, so I went to Staples in search of something inexpensive. I was surprised to find out that I could buy a multi-function Brother machine, including fax for only $10 more than a fax alone. So I bought one for around $70. It uses separate ink cartridges, so cost of maintaining ink is very reasonable. I still have the printer, sitting in a box, because the HP inkjet I've been using refuses to die. Perhaps some day I'll be able to make use unless drivers are not available. It does have drivers for Windows 7; I don't know about Windows 8. I don't know if it could take rough usage since all parts seem to be plastic, but I am not hard on fixtures and appliances :-). I really don't print enough to need a laser printer, but the crisp, sharp look can't be beat.

Hi Grandms,

Even if the Brother's (or other) inkjet cartridges are sealed, they may be toast (dry) by now. That's one of the problems with inkjet for low use, one uses the ink up without printing. The referred to study/link about points out OEM ink cost more per ounce that Channel #5 perfume. And that doesn't take full account of the throw away ink us low use folks suffer.

My learning was, is, if B&W does what I need I can get a multifunction laser for the same or less than and inkjet, albetit no more color, which I don't use.

"Hi Grandms,
Even if the Brother's (or other) inkjet cartridges are sealed, they may be toast (dry) by now."

Yes, I know I'd need new ink to use it. The only point I was making (I think) was that Brother's products are lots less costly than other manufacturer's. That's all.