Brother MFC-7220 Laser Printer/Fax/Copier/Scanner - $119 - $19 after $100 Rebate



Limit one per household

Link to Rebate

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Mary

Out of stock, which doesn't surprise me, but an awesome deal for the 30 or so seconds it probably lasted.

We've been looking at printers recently, so I'm posting a few things to bear in mind.

HP Printer Cartridge Expires - The Lawful Path
This is mostly an issue with HP printers, but it's a huge PITA, so while they're common, I'd avoid them. It's also been the source of some arguments, because we have an affected printer, and I've yet to find the battery. There's a software hack, too, which is also pretty technical, and didn't work for me. From research, Canon and Brother were at the top of my list.

Printers used to need serial cables to connect to your computer, which were cheap and easily available. Now they mostly use USB cables, which are about $35 new. Check your box of random computer crap, if you have one. They have a USB connector on one end, and a square-shaped connector on the other. I found one that could be detached from an old USB hub we had. They're usually about 60" long. Printers that use network (ethernet) cables can be attached to your router, and connected to by any computer on the network. Net cables are cheap, and this is a nice system when you find it.

If you want more info on hardware, or possibly a better price, newegg.com or zipzoomfly.com should have the specs. DH wanted a camera that was $299 in Best Buy and $212 on New Egg.

Also, laser toner is expensive (think $70 for a new cartridge), and needs to be handled as a hazardous substance. That's okay, though, since actual usage cost should end up being less than ink, and careful handling should keep it from spilling. The print quality also tends to be really good.