Buying a Color Laser Printer? Compare Before You Buy

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If you’re in the market for a color laser printer for the first time or the first time in a long time, you are in for some surprise and a few shocks. Color laser printers have come a long way in function and reliability and are now offered by a large number of companies, from Hewlett Packard, Epson, Brother, Dell, Samsung, Konica, Xerox and more. Laser printers can be all-in-one machines and be as industrial-strong as any company would need them to be. They can also be more moderately priced for the smaller companies and even less expensive for home business or personal use. A color laser printer comparison needs to consider many aspects in order to ensure the best purchase for your needs.
Excellent refurbished printers are available at remarkable savings and many will include a warranty that will give peace of mind concerning the cost. Any color laser printer comparison needs to consider those as well. Some laser printers are capable of label making, shredding, gluing pages, collating, stapling and will easily serve the printing needs of one computer or an entire department of PC or MAC users. They can be programmed to serve specific and unique needs. In fact, some of these machines are so intelligent it is easy to forget their primary purpose is printing. So be sure you match your needs to the machine you select and not over- or under-buy.
A color laser printer comparison needs to consider the ink the printer will use. Toner cartridges can be very expensive; bulk toner may be available for your particular unit. Some cartridges can be refilled. Some people may argue that ink jet printers are more affordable and ink jet toner more reasonably priced as well but ink jet printers may not give you the clean, crisp text, charts, graphs and pictures you need and that must be considered prior to purchase.
Another important consideration should be where you will make your purchase. Best Buy, Office Depot, Office Max, Cosco, Sam’s, and other office supply stores sell laser printers. A color laser printer comparison needs to include price, of course, but servicing is almost as important. When a printer goes down, especially one that is multifunction, it can bring production to a standstill. Lack of production is expensive. Checking with computer hardware specialists, such as CNET and Consumer Reports for a color laser printer comparison is also an excellent idea. Be honest about your color laser printing needs and you can find a unit at a price you like with all the features and dependability you need.
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Top #1 Brother HL-5340D High Speed Laser Printer with DuplexOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by Alan Barber (Sandpoint, ID) 2010-09-04 I bought the 5340 dpi for PostScript emulation and its resolution of 1200th Both are valuable for graphics with Adobe products. I burned an entire day trying to Postscript capabilities (the word "Postscript are either" in the manual to install the index) and try to get the benefits advertised 1200 dpi. Eventually I gave up and call... Read more Brother HL-5340D High reviews | ||
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Top #2 Brother DCP-8080dn Digital Copier and Laser Printer w/Duplex Printing andOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by T Boyer (Seattle) 2010-02-16 Brother is simply dominant in this market segment. For the price of a personal laser printer can handle all the printing / scanning needs of small businesses up to 20 people. We have him in our home office (only two of us, but it makes a lot of newspapers) and I do not like having to buy a toner cartridge every two weeks. We bought it from someone else TH... Read more Brother DCP-8080dn Digital reviews | ||
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Top #3 Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Color Inkjet Wireless All-in-One PrinterOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by Yooper (Minneapolis) 2010-08-10 Well, this machine was relatively cheap for what you get: a color scanner, 11x17, wireless, etc. I can not complain too much, but if your concern color reproduction then go elsewhere. Color printing is a bit 'faded / disappeared from what is on screen. I knew that all software and hardware settings, as wel... Read more Brother MFC-6490CW Professional reviews | ||
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Top #4 Brother MFC-7340 Flatbed Laser Multi-Function CenterOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by William Saks (USA) 2010-08-01 This product works quite well, even if it is a bit 'wobbly. Scanning works well and is fast enough. Fax works well but can not distinguish between a phone and fax. Printing is good, but not for the quality of HP. Copies are too light. I see that the price increase of about $ 50 since I bought it. Despite these grip... Read more Brother MFC-7340 Flatbed reviews | ||
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Top #5 Brother MFC-9320CW High Quality Digital Color All-in-One Printer with WirelessOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by MdvGator (Maitland, FL) 2010-08-23 I am very happy with this printer. Print quality is excellent, and use Wi-Fi is very convenient. The configuration was easy enough, but the wireless part was a bit 'of confusion. But the support was excellent and fast. It works perfectly with my Mac and recommend it highly.... Read more Brother MFC-9320CW High reviews | ||
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Top #6 Brother HL-2170W 23ppm Laser Printer with Wireless and Wired NetworkOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by Alton Crowell (Irvine, CA United States) 2010-08-29 This little guy is a remarkable value. I am a Mac user (system Snow Leopard), and had allocated additional time to install a warning against previous guests. To my delight, I followed the instructions for wiring and was regular in minutes. With the extra time and inflated confidence, I decided... Read more Brother HL-2170W 23ppm reviews | ||
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Top #7 Brother HL-2140 Personal Laser PrinterOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by AB (USA) 2010-08-23 The printer is ideal for what I had. It's actually a bit 'louder than the previous one printer brother, that I had, but beyond this, is great. Service and delivery were perfect.... Read more Brother HL-2140 Personal reviews | ||
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Top #8 Brother MFC-7840W Laser Multifunction Center with Wireless and Ethernet NetworkOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by Big Tex (USA) 2010-09-01 The product was easy to install and works as expected. I do not connect the wire I'm using a USB connection on my PC. The laser is strong and much better than inkjet. fax Party worked the first time I tried. I'm using mainly for printing. I'm tired of ink-jet ink to dry before they become empty. I use Windows XP,... Read more Brother MFC-7840W Laser reviews | ||
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Top #9 Brother HL-4040cdn Color Laser Printer with Duplex and NetworkingOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by S. Dugoni (San Francisco, CA) 2010-08-19 I would not buy again. Had to throw it and I bought HP 4014n B & W Fast, quiet, cheaper toner. I can use my inkjet if I need color. Do not buy a color laser, unless you need color all the time. Toner costs are outrageous and tones usually long, even if only printing B & W because it draws from all of the color toner cartridges.... Read more Brother HL-4040cdn Color reviews | ||
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Top #10 Brother HL-5370DW Laser Printer with Wireless Networking and DuplexOverall Rating (8/10)![]() |
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| Review by History Fan (Fort Worth, TX) 2010-08-29 I bought this printer because I wanted a cheap printers for my wireless home network. This has good reviews and works on both Mac and PC. We have a home Mac - a wireless network based on a Time Capsule and a couple of Mac desktops and laptops. Benefits solid printer for the money Wired for Plug & Play * p *... Read more Brother HL-5370DW Laser reviews | ||







































