What's wrong with printers?

[logie]

For the first time in 15 years I have to buy a printer. I got some helpful advice from the Forum about Ubuntu compatibility, so I am now looking at reviews in computer magazines, and by buyers on major sellers’ websites. These are frustrating.
I find that printers get 5 stars out of 5 from most of their buyers (>50%). A lot give sensible reasons, though many just say “great printer” or such. (I suppose they are pleased with their purchase but don’t really think the printer is exceptional.) Again, about 5-10% give only one star, and again, may give a sensible reason, often to do with start-up problems.

As a prospective purchaser, I conclude:
1 Most printers are probably OK. However a fair proportion that arrive
are not OK. This appears to be largely independent of make, model or
price.
2 More depressing is the account people give of their attempts to gain
redress. No-one is open for business, and phone helplines seem not
to be any good.
3 Am I right?
4 So – what?

[ajgreeny]

It is a long time since I last bought a printer but I believe many, perhaps most printers now work very well with Linux and specifically with Ubuntu.
My main caveat would be to stay away from any brand new models from any manufacturer, and stick with a model that is now perhaps a year or so from release.

The last AIO devices I have used have been HP which generally work out of the box, often with no action at all on my part or drivers installed. I currently have an HP Envy 4520 All in One which always works as needed, which is not very often any more as we print very little in the household nowadays.
The cartridges are relatively costly but one the originals were empty I replaced them with compatible versions from a company recommended to me by a friend and they have been no problem at all.
It is connected over our LAN with wifi and was very simple to connect, no cable being needed. It is the fastest printer I have owned and will print a b/w page in about 2 seconds in draft, which is definitely good enough for everyday printing, and perhaps about 4 seconds for normal printing.
Photographs printed with it are also very good, though slower, of course, if photo quality is used, but not as slow as some of my previous printers.

I hope that helps and gives you a bit more info than the simple star ratings you've found elsewhere.

[grahammechanical]

What about scanning. Based on threads on this forum, in the past users found that the printer side worked but getting scanning to work was a different matter. Is this still true?

Regards

[ajgreeny]

I can only speak as I find and that is that I had no difficulties scanning with my HP All-in-Ones for the past "I don't know how many years", probably 10 or more, and they have all worked out of the box without any problems, along with the printing I mentioned above.

I use both xsane and simple-scan (Document-Scanner)

[kansasnoob]

Check out the reviews for the appropriate ink cartridges for each printer. I've so far stuck with HP, but HPLIP support seems to have slipped quite a bit so I frequently have to rely on my one Win 10 laptop to install utilities to perform various functions like cleaning cartridges, etc. Back to the cartridge thing - frequently cartridge quality really stinks! For the most part I think they sell printers at or below cost-of-manufacturing because they know they'll be able to "hook" you on the back-end with cartridge sales.

[Y^2om&#7sgP]

I've just installed Ubuntu, having been hopping for a while, and find that my HP all-in-one, just works.....albeit I can see two printers and four scanners, and only half of the work....but worth it

[TheFu]

People don't print as much as they used to and happily read documents on their computers, tablets, phones. I know a number of 20-somethings who don't have a printer at home. They use the work printers or send the prints to a copy-center for printing, if absolutely needed. OTOH, my mom used to print her emails every morning, then take the paper into another room to read, like a newspaper.

I have an inkjet all-in-one that hasn't printed anything for at least a decade, since the starter ink all dried up. It faxes and scans great. For printing, there is a laser printer, a little older. Laser toner doesn't dry out like ink does, IME.

[kansasnoob]

I used to use a local "copy-center" for my printing. It was much cheaper for the very limited amount of printing I did even then. Now I seldom need to print more than a few pages every three to four months, and the nearest "copy-center" is 40 miles away. So when absolutely needed I have no choice but to use my printer. I've added "print a test page" to my monthly to-do list to try and keep the ink from drying up.