Ink Jet Ripoff Is OVER. At Last!

[rm6565]

Some of you will remember the post I did on here about the outrageous cost of printer ink. In case you haven't...
click here>http://www.mennodiscuss.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4465
I have struggled for several months trying to decide on what to get to replace my latest inkjet printer that still works but ran out of black ink. After much research and thought, I finally settled on a deal that came through a Staples email offer. The unit I ended up getting is the Brother MFC-8660DN. This is a Black/White multifunction machine that does, copying,faxing, and scanning. It is network-able and features duplex printing capability which prints on both sides without having to re-insert the pages! It came with a drum that is supposed to print several thousand pages before needing replacement. Somewhere I read an estimated "per page ink cost" of around 1 cent per page! Although this machine was sold as refurbished, it looks in like new condition and seems to work flawlessly. And the price was not going to be beat. After the staples "easy rebate" that I submitted online, the total cost came to around $160.00. It was shipped free to my door in less than 2 days!
This has been one of those purchases where I had to ask myself "why did I wait so long?!" Getting it on my network was very simple. Both my laptop and desktop are sending print jobs to it with no trouble. I will provide a few links below that will show you the specs as well as the Staples offer. I am not sure how long the Staples link will be active...

Staples Offer> http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaplesProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogIdentifier=2&partNumber=711377

Specs on the MFC-8660DN> http://www.brother-usa.com/mfc/modeldetail.aspx?PRODUCTID=MFC8660DN&tab=spec

Check out the chat below I had with a friend who gave me a hard time about putting up with inkjets as long as I did LOL

me: I just ordered a B&W lazer printer from staples
kiwiuncle: Best place you could find!?
3:52 PM me: Sick and tired of the price gouging of ink jet printers
kiwiuncle: You mean to tell me you are ONLY JUST NOW getting one!!!!!????
And you are always accusing me of being behind the times. whew!
3:53 PM me: ink jets kill you in the price of new cartridges
yeah yeah
I knew u would harass me...lol
kiwiuncle: I am well aware of that. Haven't used one in YEARS!
I mean they GIVE the printers away knowing.
3:54 PM me: I don't need color printing...just black and white
kiwiuncle: Wow, I need to remember this: Rob, Computer Freak Extraordinaire, used dot matrix printer until 4-1-08.
me: Its cheaper to upload pictures to walmart for printing etc
lol
kiwiuncle: oops ink jet printer"
3:55 PM me: I guess you could blog about it.. ha ha
kiwiuncle: You know what I did with mine?
me: Its the year 2008 and Les still has NO BLOG.. ha ha
kiwiuncle: I took it to the Solid Waste Authority. Fully functional
Blog? I have a life.
I realize it is a slave's life, but it is a life. lol
3:56 PM me: Yeah and a blog is a great way to share your life!
lol
kiwiuncle: no time to write it. I guess could put up a web cam and people could watch me. lol
Think I could charge for it?
me: can't hurt to try
3:57 PM kiwiuncle: Yeah, I was thinking of offering Kiwi pruning classes this spring. lol
I seriously might offer them next year.
me: cool
kiwiuncle: get my kiwis pruned and make money on it? lol
3:58 PM me: ya never know...
here is the printer I got...
http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/store ... ber=711377
3:59 PM final cost.... around 160.00
I already submitted the 50.00 easy rebate
Its networkable too
I need that bad
4:00 PM need my laptop to be able to print to it wirelessly
kiwiuncle: sorry. phone.
4:01 PM me: no prob
kiwiuncle: let me check it out.
did you check out Xerox?
4:02 PM You are getting a Brother?
me: It was mostly about price!
sorry
I got hammered by uncle sam
kiwiuncle: Xerox bought out tektronic and they have some really tough printers. Last and last.
I know that feeling.

4:03 PM me: This printer also does duplexing
kiwiuncle: Are you exempt from Social Security
me: I wish I was
kiwiuncle: My printer does duplexing too.
me: I just got incorporated this year
kiwiuncle: See I'm not exempt either and that kills you.
me: chapter S corp
4:04 PM kiwiuncle: my printer is color and duplexing. Like industrial. Brother makes very good fax machines, so perhaps this printer will be fine. Are you sure it is laser?
me: yeah
kiwiuncle: oh yeah, I see it is.
me: it takes toner
I really don't do a whole lot of printing so it should work well 4 me
4:05 PM kiwiuncle: Well, I gotta run. got some business e-mail to send and got to get ready for Spanish class tonight. Hope the printer is exactly what you need it to be.
me: ok....have a good one...
kiwiuncle: have a good one.

[Wayne in Maine]

I'm actively removing inkjets from the offices where I work. As we run out of ink for a particular model it either gets replaced with a Laser printer of the user has to walk 40 feet to the nearest printer.

There are quite a few good laser printers for around $100.00, including some HP models. I've had tons of trouble with Brothers at my last job, and ended up replacing them with HPs. The best ever printer IMHO is the HP laserjet 4m plus. They last forever, toner cartridges are cheap and high capacity, they are an absolute workhorse and a great find.

[AKing]

I'm actively removing inkjets from the offices where I work. As we run out of ink for a particular model it either gets replaced with a Laser printer of the user has to walk 40 feet to the nearest printer.

There are quite a few good laser printers for around $100.00, including some HP models. I've had tons of trouble with Brothers at my last job, and ended up replacing them with HPs. The best ever printer IMHO is the HP laserjet 4m plus. They last forever, toner cartridges are cheap and high capacity, they are an absolute workhorse and a great find.

We were lucky to get some sort of networked color copier. Now I can make a report with a different weight cover, print what I want in color, have it stapled, etc from 9 floors away. I am not complaining. but don't ask me how to "copy something."

[mikef]

I kissed inkjets good bye a while ago. Would never go back. Even if my printer is the size of a small high-rise apartment, occasional self-calibration sounds like an approaching tornado, and costs $20 more on my electric bill if I keep it turned on.

[rm6565]

I'm actively removing inkjets from the offices where I work. As we run out of ink for a particular model it either gets replaced with a Laser printer of the user has to walk 40 feet to the nearest printer.

There are quite a few good laser printers for around $100.00, including some HP models. I've had tons of trouble with Brothers at my last job, and ended up replacing them with HPs. The best ever printer IMHO is the HP laserjet 4m plus. They last forever, toner cartridges are cheap and high capacity, they are an absolute workhorse and a great find.

Wayne, I sure hope I don't run into trouble with this Brother. I guess time will tell. This machine is not being used in an office environment so I am hoping it will hold up under the light duty home use.

[Wayne in Maine]

I'm actively removing inkjets from the offices where I work. As we run out of ink for a particular model it either gets replaced with a Laser printer of the user has to walk 40 feet to the nearest printer.

There are quite a few good laser printers for around $100.00, including some HP models. I've had tons of trouble with Brothers at my last job, and ended up replacing them with HPs. The best ever printer IMHO is the HP laserjet 4m plus. They last forever, toner cartridges are cheap and high capacity, they are an absolute workhorse and a great find.

Wayne, I sure hope I don't run into trouble with this Brother. I guess time will tell. This machine is not being used in an office environment so I am hoping it will hold up under the light duty home use.

The drum and toner cartridge can be replaced separately. I found I had to replace the drum more often than I would ahv eliked, and frequently I would get a false alarm on a drum problem that I woukld just have to ignore. Of course that might be why the unit you bought has been reconditioned.

[rm6565]

I'm actively removing inkjets from the offices where I work. As we run out of ink for a particular model it either gets replaced with a Laser printer of the user has to walk 40 feet to the nearest printer.

There are quite a few good laser printers for around $100.00, including some HP models. I've had tons of trouble with Brothers at my last job, and ended up replacing them with HPs. The best ever printer IMHO is the HP laserjet 4m plus. They last forever, toner cartridges are cheap and high capacity, they are an absolute workhorse and a great find.

Wayne, I sure hope I don't run into trouble with this Brother. I guess time will tell. This machine is not being used in an office environment so I am hoping it will hold up under the light duty home use.

The drum and toner cartridge can be replaced separately. I found I had to replace the drum more often than I would ahv eliked, and frequently I would get a false alarm on a drum problem that I woukld just have to ignore. Of course that might be why the unit you bought has been reconditioned.

Yeah I was hoping the refurbishing would have cleared up any defects or issues.

[eugene]

Lasers are definitely getting much more accessible. Funny, though...I've recently set up several HP OfficeJet Pro inkjet printers that claim their CPP beats laser.

[appleman2006]

Would not touch a Brother if someone plunked one down in my office along with a hundred dollar bill. But hey your luck with them may be better. I have fallen in love with our Toshiba Studio 230.

[rm6565]

Wow that is two replies against Brother! I guess I better head on over to epinions.com and see if the consumer reviews make me feel more or less uneasy about my purchase....pause while checking reviews.... pause pause.....
I am back! According to the following> http://www.epinions.com/Brother_MFC_8860DN_Printer/display_~reviews I feel much better. I hope my experience with the machine will produce similar satisfaction.
Rob breathes a sigh of relief on the positive reviews and especially noting that those epinion.com reviewers paid between 450 and 500 for the same machine that I paid 160.00!

[Wayne in Maine]

Wow that is two replies against Brother! I guess I better head on over to epinions.com and see if the consumer reviews make me feel more or less uneasy about my purchase....pause while checking reviews.... pause pause.....
I am back! According to the following> http://www.epinions.com/Brother_MFC_8860DN_Printer/display_~reviews I feel much better. I hope my experience with the machine will produce similar satisfaction.
Rob breathes a sigh of relief on the positive reviews and especially noting that those epinion.com reviewers paid between 450 and 500 for the same machine that I paid 160.00!

I hate to break this to you:HP LaserJet P1006 Printer $99.98

[rm6565]

Wow that is two replies against Brother! I guess I better head on over to epinions.com and see if the consumer reviews make me feel more or less uneasy about my purchase....pause while checking reviews.... pause pause.....
I am back! According to the following> http://www.epinions.com/Brother_MFC_8860DN_Printer/display_~reviews I feel much better. I hope my experience with the machine will produce similar satisfaction.
Rob breathes a sigh of relief on the positive reviews and especially noting that those epinion.com reviewers paid between 450 and 500 for the same machine that I paid 160.00!

I hate to break this to you:HP LaserJet P1006 Printer $99.98

Nice try but it doesn't really compare. The Brother machine is a multifunction well worth the extra cost.

[eugene]

I thought that number looked familiar. We have an 8760 in the accounting office. Our experience has been fairly pleasant, except for some paper feed issues.

[appleman2006]

Really at those prices it is not really a big deal. You are basically buying a desposable printer that at the first signs of trouble you chuck thru the window and buy another one.

[ohio jones]

Really at those prices it is not really a big deal. You are basically buying a desposable printer that at the first signs of trouble you chuck throuth the window and buy another one.

Just make sure the window is open and there's nothing important outside, otherwise it might be cheaper just to buy the replacement ink/toner.