What is a good small reliable plain paper fax machine?

January 10, 2004 9:18 PM

I need a fax machine. For light home use plain paper couple times a month. Outgoing only as I use a free service for incoming direct to email. It would sit on a book shelf out of the way and out of sight. What is a good small reliable plain paper fax machine?
posted by stbalbach to technology (8 answers total)

I purchased a Panasonic KX-FHD331 about 3 months ago for similar usage. It cost roughly $40 after the rebates available at Staples. I haven't had any problem with it so far.
posted by ferociouskitty at 9:42 AM on January 11, 2004

Thank you, ferociouskitty. After posting this I looked around and found the Panasonic and also a Sharp both of which are small format. But not that small really, it doesn't look like a really small fax machine exists. It's too bad the world needs a cute small fax machine they all look like giant battleships for serious business and eat up desk-estate for when you only need it very occasionally.
posted by stbalbach at 10:40 AM on January 11, 2004

If it's going to be outgoing and light use only, why not use a scanner and your computer's modem?
posted by teg at 10:58 AM on January 11, 2004

teg - that would work, but it is a lot easier to drop pages into a fax machine, plus having to pull a phone line over to the computer and deal with the software.
posted by stbalbach at 11:02 AM on January 11, 2004

free as in 30 days free?
posted by srboisvert at 11:07 AM on January 11, 2004

Free as in 3 faxes a month free. I've had a personal fax number for years and never run into that, just saw it now for the first time. My guess is they don't track it but YMMV.
posted by stbalbach at 11:22 AM on January 11, 2004

Wow, stbalbach, thanks for the link to callwave - there have been several instances since my conversion from worker-bee to student where i regretted the loss of my personal fax number. Are the numbers all in the 775 area code (Nevada)?
posted by PrinceValium at 1:30 PM on January 11, 2004

... On second thought, I may have unwittingly opened a new spam pipeline (no opt-out for third party e-mail solicitations besides closing your account.) oops.
posted by PrinceValium at 1:36 PM on January 11, 2004