What's the best printer for a university student?

Which LaserJet Printer should I go for???

• Hi, I am a University Student and looking for a good economical (compact) printer that suites a University student needs. Running cost should be low but at the same time Total prints/Toner should be quite reasonable. There are so many brands available in the market and I know HP ushers the list (if I am not wrong) but HP also has so many models. I am confused in deciding which printer to buy. I will soon be printing my desertation. So please suggest me a good printer. thanks

• Answer:

  You should absolutely consider a laser printer if you're printing great looking text documents in black and white. Just be sure that you use good quality laser printer paper! You're right on the money if you're considering an HP LaserJet and the LaserJet 1020 is probably the best bang for your buck. You should be able to snag one at Staples, Best Buy or Office Depot for about $100. While it ships with an evaluation (1/2 full) toner cartridge, it uses the Q2612A (12A) cartridge and they're widely available as remanufactured or compatible replacements. A quality remanufactured cartridge will generally cost you $40-$50, about 1/2 of what you'd pay for a new HP cartridge. If you need color, go with an inkjet printer and shop for a refurbished unit. They come with a full 1 year warranty and will save you cash right out of the gate. Something that uses compatible ink cartridges will save you tons of cash! If you're printing with an inkjet printer, use good paper that's made for inkjet printers. "All purpose paper" is not going to give you the best results. The Stylus C66, C68, C88 are all great little printers and you shouldn't have any trouble locating ink for any of them. Most of the compatible cartridges sell for about 1/3 the price of original cartridges from Epson and they work just fine for photos and general office printing. Canon printers are fine as well, but don't generally print documents as well as an Epson. Whichever model you choose, shop for the ink cartridges first. If they're cheap and easy to get, great! Be sure to check out PC World or CNET for editor reviews of the printer you're considering. In Canada, shop for reasonably priced ink or toner cartridges at http://www.inkjetoasis.ca In the US, shop at http://www.123inkjets.com/