B&W printer for OSX

Mac
#1

Looking for a recommendation, please…

My HP laserJet 1022 is facing a challenge. I need to print several documents in a hurry and don’t have the patience, or the time to count out the exact number of sheets for each document. (It has a misfeed problem where it picks up an extra page which jams.) It was discussed in this thread:

HP Printer Driver download & install problems
(Can’t post just a link to the thread. The whole thread fills in).

Can anyone suggest a suitable replacement B&W printer, please? It doesn’t have to be high-speed. I would prefer to stay with HP as their high-iron toner produces a solid black which is good for one of the tasks I give it.

A scanner function would be good as the scanner I have is an Epson Photo 300 (?) … not near it right now, which produces scans of such high resolution that 1 page takes up to an hour to send via w’less b’band. Altering the resolution results in an illegible document. I don’t need phone/fax capability.

Also, I want one that’s available in Australia from a reliable source.

I can continue to use the existing HP for the prints requiring high-iron toner as the single-sheet feed is not a problem for that so I’d appreciate recommendations for any make/model.

#2

I’m going to strongly suggest that you don’t get a HP and instead look at a Brother MFC-L2700DW (or the almost identical but black not grey MFC-L2710DW).

They’re black and white only, the original toner lasts ages, the aftermarket toner is trouble free, the OS X support is excellent (and they have Linux drivers as well). The printers are as solid and reliable as just about any SOHO printer can be. I’ve got one at home, I used one at work, my accountants office uses several. None of use have EVER had an issue.

https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/brother-wireless-mono-laser-mfc-l2713dw-brmfcl2713

They’re about $60 cheaper on eBay but you said reliable supplier…

1 Like
#3

Thank you very much for the prompt response, Geoff3DMN, I’ll look into those options tomorrow.

#4

+1 for Brother

#5

Brother is what I use & recommend for basic B&W home printers. I’d go HP for a small business.

#6

Thanks, Faulty Taco and Jaycee.

Jaycee, why do you recommend HP over the Brother for small business, please?

I tried to compare the specs for both Brother models Geoff3DMN mentioned but couldn’t discern a difference. Although I’m theoretically a small business my printing volume normally is very low. This current need to print out a large volume of documents is quite unusual so I could put up with a slower machine.

#7

I honestly think the only difference is the color (I think Brother updated the number when they changed the color).

Until recently when I retired I had a Brother and a HP at my business, the HP was a larger much more expensive laser printer and about twice as fast (it was also color and had blacker blacks) but to be honest it gave me more problems than the Brother.

The Brother printers I mentioned aren’t exciting, they don’t give the absolute best laser print quality you can get but what they are is reliable and cheap to run.

Think of them as the Volkswagen Beetle of printers…

#8

Brother often make different model numbers for each big retailer (so people can’t price match) that are effectively the same printer. :man_shrugging:

A few reasons - varying from higher duty cycles per month, extended warranties, extra trays and can also do over the internet printing via their web service.

#9

I can recommend Brother or Lanier B&W Laser MFCs - solid performers, get a network one, you can use it anywhere even over the net.

#10

Thanks again for the helpful information and the recommendations. I’m leaning towards the printer Geoff recommended. I have two concerns. One is about this note in the specs:

You can use TN-2430, 2450 and DR2425 series inks with this machine.

Am I misunderstanding something? I thought laser printers use toner, not inks.

A feature I think I’d want is the ability to print transparencies, as the HP will eventually pack it in. It is rather antiquated and I didn’t see that in the print media list for the Brother.

Erwin, yesterday I ordered a modem that will provide wireless functionality, thanks.

Jaycee, the higher monthly duty cycle and extra trays of the HP aren’t really options I need.

#11

They definitely use Toner not Ink, I think the ad person didn’t understand the difference.

#12

Thanks geoff3DMN. I was just trying to send an email with questions to Brother but there’s not enough room in their Comments’ section. I’m about to phone them. That’s one question I won’t have to ask.

  1. Will it print transparencies?

  2. From Brother’s site this review:

“But I wouldn’t expect it to yield high-quality output when it comes to photos and similar presentation-grade work. Here I noticed banding along the narrow edge of the sheet when I printed out a picture of a landscape, but it was able to maintain proper fidelity when it came to the image’s contrast.”

I’d like a recommendation for a better-performing m/c as I would want a better result than this as I’d expect whatever I get to eventually replace the HP. Clean, crisp art-work reproduction is part of what I need to produce.

With all the different model numbers it’s hard to identify the right m/c.

I appreciate the comments, Thanks, Geoff.

#13

According to their tech help line, Brother doesn’t make a MFC that will handle transparencies!

#14

Geoff, where do you recommend buying the after-market toner, please? I was gifted a 2703DW that is out of toner and I’d rather not spend 100+ on the genuine toner until I know it works properly.

#15

I generally used Instation

https://www.inkstation.com.au/brother-mfcl2703dw-toner-cartridges-prn-5539.html

I used about 30 toners from them, 1 had a toner leak out of the silver packing, I contaced them and it was replaced. No issues with life of cartridge or spillage with any of the others.

YMMV of course.

#16

Thanks, Geoff. Good to know. I used them when I ordered a cartridge for the HP but that was a genuine HP one, for the high iron content. Glad to hear they are good for after-market cartridges.

#17

One more question, if you don’t mind…

The printer is behaving well and I’ve found the way to darken the print by changing the Printer Default for Print Density to +6, however it has to be reset for every print job, which I naturally forget to do.

Is there a way to save that setting so it doesn’t default back to the ‘Save Toner’ setting, please?

#18

I’ve had success using the CUPS manager to set default printer settings like this in the past. While you wait for someone with more experience in this area it might be worth taking a look?

#19

Thanks very much, frankie. I’ll look into that. Hope it’s ‘Idiot proof’!

Just followed the link. Saw ‘Terminal’ and crawled under my desk. Who knows what I could compromise? I do appreciate the help, it’s my limitation.

#20

You could always save your settings as a preset in the printer window. Might have to choose that preset every time though, not sure.

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