There shall be only one

August 9, 2011 3:46 PM

I need a new all-in-one machine that is PC and Mac compatible, good for networking, can handle faxes with multiple ring, copier, flatbed scanner, multiple cartridges of paper, ink doesn't cost a million dollars, and is really sturdy. I'm willing to spend up to $500 but I want it to be good quality. Personal recommendations?
posted by bq to Technology (10 answers total)

What do you mean by "Mac compatible"? You want to be able to run OS X software on it?
posted by thelonius at 4:02 PM on August 9, 2011

I think the OP is asking for a printer recommendation, for a printer (/faxer/scanner/etc) that has OS X drivers available.
posted by Tomorrowful at 4:03 PM on August 9, 2011

Ah, my bad. I saw "machine", which is what some people like to call computers.
posted by thelonius at 4:04 PM on August 9, 2011

I recently got an HP 6500A which meets most of those criteria except it only has one input tray and ink isn't that cheap. It's not crazy, but it's not cheap. Otherwise it's great. You can print to it over the internet. You can even log into google docs and print right from the printer if you're desperate enough to punch that many keys on the printer. Mac & PC compatibility is very good.

I am told Kodak printers specifically advertise having cheaper ink, but I do no town one.
posted by GuyZero at 4:24 PM on August 9, 2011

To clarify, does "multiple ring" mean you set the number of rings before the fax picks up? If that is what you mean, and if you are willing to consider the rear (open) sheet feeder as a "cartridge", the Canon MX870 might fill your bill. The rest of your criteria are very well met, particularly the sturdiness. The machine weighs as much as a laser printer and thrashes the strong stand it sits on back and forth when it is working hard in standard mode. It has wireless-G (2.4 GHz), ethernet and USB connectivity, and the (Mac/Win/Linux) systems on my network play very well with it. The software for scanning, if you "scan from PC", is a tad slow. I use it most of the time in 'grayscale' printing. It will print in grayscale if the color tanks have run out.
posted by jet_silver at 4:29 PM on August 9, 2011

If monochrome print is all you need, you could try this Samsung SCX-4826FN. We have one in the front office and it's pretty good. Its only bad habit is creasing and crumpling envelopes.
posted by flabdablet at 5:06 PM on August 9, 2011

We've been pretty happy with Brother devices. My MiL has an MFC, we have a laser printer. Rock solid, as long as B&W output is what you're looking for. Ours is a networked version and works well with MacOSX
posted by Mad_Carew at 6:39 PM on August 9, 2011

Seconding Jet-Silver. My MX870 is the best of my last 20 printers. As far as I'm concerned, it fulfills all of your criteria to a tee.
posted by Old Geezer at 8:03 PM on August 9, 2011

Seconding Mad_Carew. I've got two Brother printers, one a monochrome laser MFC and the other a color laser printer. The MFC is over 7 years old and still going strong, has Mac drivers/applications for the printer and scanner functions (Snow Leopard, the Brother site states that Lion scanner support is under development) and Win7 (pretty amazing for a 7-year old device). I've gone through 3 inkjets since I bought the MFC, I wish I'd just bought a dang color laser in the first place, over time I'd have saved myself a bundle.
posted by Runes at 9:54 PM on August 9, 2011

Response by poster: Hi everybody - thank you for the recommendations! Yes, I am looking for a printer/scanner/plus. Yes, I need it to pick up on a specific number of rings. Yes, I only need it to print black and white.

I currently have a Samsung SCX-4521X that I hate. I have considered murdering it once it has been replaced. It makes horrible loud beeping noises at the first opportunity. Also, the ink actually RUBS OFF. WTH?

I will look into Brother models. Which specific ones? Particularly if you can promise me something that doesn't shriek at me?
posted by bq at 3:29 PM on August 10, 2011